NovelGoldChapter 490 Little Makept going on about how nice Daddy's voice was, and now even she was curious to hear it for herself! Briony could see right through her daughter's little scheme, so she grinned and said, "Well, why don't you ask your dad in a bit? If he's busy, then you can always callagain, okay?" "Okay!" Little Mapaused for a second, scrunching up her brows. "Mom, there's something I find really weird!" "What is it, sweetheart?" "Tonight when Daddy played with us in the backyard, he kept liftingup onto the slide. He did it so many times I lost count... then all of a sudden, he started coughing. He looked like he was really uncomfortable." Briony froze.
Her daughter's words made her think of what James had told her earlier in the evening.
Could something really be wrong with Stewart's health? "Little Nina, are you talking to Mommy?" A deep male voice sounded from the other end of the line.
Briony snapped back to attention.
"Daddy, I'm talking to Mommy," Little Nina said, holding up her smartwatch. "Do you want to say hi to her?" Stewart hesitated for a brief moment, staring at the watch she held out to him.
On the other end, Briony went quiet too.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe air grew tense.
With both adults silent, Little Nina frowned and said, "Daddy, you're a gentleman, right? Our teacher says boys should be polite. Mommy is shy, so you should say hi to her first!" Stewart couldn't help but smile at his daughter's grasp of social niceties, his gaze softening.
He curved his lips into a gentle smile and spoke in his warm, mellow voice. "Good evening, Bryn." Briony hesitated for a heartbeat, then replied, "Good evening." She couldn't bring herself to be too standoffish with her daughter watching.
"Mommy, Daddy talked to you first. Shouldn't you check on him too?" Little Nina piped up.
Briony fell silent for a moment, and Stewart furrowed his brow, just about to tell his daughter not to put Mommy on the spot. But then he heard Briony say- "Stewart, Little Nina said you were coughing tonight?" He went still, a flicker of hope sparking in his chest. "Bryn, are you concerned about me?" "I just want to know if you've caught a cold." Briony's tone was cool. "If you are, I don't want you passing it on to the kids." The little flicker in Stewart's heart fizzled instantly.
"No, it's not a cold." His voice returned to its usual calm reserve "I've just been smoking too much lately. My throat's irritated, that's all. Makescough." Briony's tone softened slightly. "Don't smoke around the kids." "I know. Don't worry. I'm quitting." .n With that, Briony didn't say anything more. Her voice gentled as she spoke to her daughter. "Little Nina, Mommy has to go now. Tell bittle Magood night for me, okay?" "Okay! Good night, Mommy. Sweet dreams-" "Thank you, sweetheart. I hope you and Little Mahave sweet dreams too." "Love you, Mommy! Kisses!" "Love you and Little Matoo, baby." The call ended.
Little Nina looked up, her pretty eyes-so much like her mother's-fixed on her father.
Stewart gazed down at his gentle little girl, feeling his heart soften.
"Daddy, will you read Little Maanda story tonight?" she asked.
"Of course." Stewart stroked her round little head; her hair was so soft he hardly dared press too hard.
This was his and Bryn's daughter.
She looked so much like Bryn.
But Bryn had never known what it was like to have a father.
Their daughter was luckier than Bryn in sways, but perhaps not as lucky as she deserved-he'd never been there for her enough.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmCedric Clarke was right; he really was a lousy excuse for a man.
He owed Bryn and the kids far more than he could ever repay.
Stewart took a deep breath, steadying een opened his arms to his daughter. "Chere, give Daddy a hug." Little Nina's eyes lit up, but she still tried to keep up her proud little act.
Pouting, she glanced away and huffed, "You can't just announce you want a hug and expectto go along with it! Where's my dignity?" Stewart was caught off guard, then laughed.
"How about Daddy bribes you with a treat?" Little Nina gave him a look. "Daddy, I've got plenty of allowance. You can't buyoff with money!"
Stewart frowned, feeling a little out of his depth. He'd never dealt with an little gift before the truly had no idea what was going on in her head, and honestly, it gave him a headache.
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