The CEO Gets What He Wants

Chapter 673 Grateful For This Boy

Listening to her daughter sleep talk, Avery couldn't help but reach out and hold the girl's tiny, soft hand in her palm.

Rory's hands were somewhat cold, so Avery wrapped her own hands around the former's, warming them for her.

Perhaps due to too much force, the little girl let out a soft groan before opening her eyes groggily.

“Mommy?” she called out, half-awake.

Avery tucked her daughter in. “Are you awake, Rory? It's still early, so why don't you sleep a little longer?” she cooed.

Rubbing her eyes with her other hand, Rory asked eagerly, “Mommy, has Daddy come back yet? I just had a dream about him. He brought lots of toys for Zach and me. He also said he'd take us to Disneyland... Daddy's been away on his work trip for so long. When will he come back? I miss him so much...”

Her words made Avery's eyes sting.

She gently stroked the girl's head. “Daddy will be back, okay? As long as you eat all your meals, go to school, and listen to Mommy, he'll be back soon.”

She didn't want to lie to the child, but if even she, as an adult, couldn't face the devastating news of Cayden's absence, then how could a little girl ever handle it?

Sometimes, white lies were necessary, but she really didn't know how long she could keep it up.

Zachary had also woken up without anyone realizing it, and he stared at his mother with his beautiful eyes while listening in on the conversation.

“You're awake too, Zach? Let Mommy get you a cup of water...” Avery noticed her son's gaze, and her eyes flickered subconsciously as she got up to pour her children some warm water.

Zachary was more mature in his thinking compared to his younger sister, so he wasn't as easy to appease as the innocent Rory. Avery felt as though she had been seen through every time she looked into her son's eyes, and that bothered her a bit.

As soon as Avery was done getting water in the living room, she picked up the thermos cups to head upstairs. That was when she bumped into Zachary who was dressed in cartoon pajamas, waiting for her at the staircase.

“Why'd you get up? Go back to sleep,” she urged.

“Mommy, I have a question for you,” Zachary stated, standing tall and straight while gazing unwaveringly at his mother with eyes reminiscent of Cayden's.

The woman put down the cups, squatted, and met her son at eye level.

“What would you like to ask, Zach?” she responded, holding the child in her arms.

Appearing hesitant for a moment, the little boy pursed his lips before finally dropping the question. “Has something happened to Daddy? Is he not coming back?”

Avery felt her stomach drop in an instant. “Why would you ask that, Zach? Didn't Mommy tell you? Daddy's just gone on a business trip overseas. He's creating a new market, so he's very busy. When—”

Zachary bit his lip and interrupted, “Mommy, I overheard your conversation with Mr. Newman a few days ago. Mr. Newman said that something happened to Daddy, and he hasn't been found yet... You can lie to Rory and say that Daddy's on a business trip, but I know that's not true at all. Something happened to him...”

Avery felt a tight knot of distress in her heart. She hadn't expected that her son had known the truth all along. Perhaps he had been suppressing it deep within his heart all this while, and now that he couldn't hold it in any longer, he came to her seeking the truth.

Kissing the boy's face, Avery held back her sorrow and explained to him, “Something has indeed happened to your father, but Mommy believes that he must still be alive and well in some part of the world. You have to believe in Mommy and more so in Daddy. He's so capable and can pretty much do anything, so there's no way he'd disappear just like that, right? I know I've been really busy lately, but I'll take you to find Daddy soon, okay? I'm sure he's waiting for us somewhere.”

Looking into his mother's hopeful eyes, Zachary nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck. “Okay, Mommy. I believe you, and I definitely believe that Daddy is still somewhere out there. He may not be home now, but I'll take care of you, Rory, and our little brother on his behalf. I know we'll see him again for sure. But please, Mommy, don't cry by yourself in the middle of the night. It hurts me to see you like that...”

“Okay, Sweetheart.” Avery hugged her son tightly, tears brimming on the sides of her eyes.

She thanked the heavens for blessing her with this gentle and warm-hearted young boy, who gave her the courage and motivation to keep living well, even in her most desperate and helpless moments.

The next day, Avery was awakened first in the morning by her phone ringing.

She answered the call; it was Jeffrey asking her to bring the three children to the Moore residence for a visit.

The old man sounded anxious as though something big was about to happen.