"Mom, who was that handsome uncle you met this morning?"
Vera Warner had just brought the last dish to the table when she saw Chloe Warner biting her chopsticks, gazing up at her expectantly.
She took off her apron, raising an eyebrow: "You didn't check his identity? Didn't do a DNA comparison between the two of you?"
Knowing Chloe as she did, Vera was sure this little rascal had already dug up everything there was to know about Victor Morgan's entire family tree.
But unexpectedly, Chloe scrunched up her nose in frustration: "I did, but I couldn't find anything! All that handsome uncle's info is totally sealed, not a single thing I could dig up!"
"That's normal." Vera picked up a piece of braised pork and dropped it into her daughter's bowl. "You want him to be your dad, first your mom here needs to become his wife. But with his status, women lining up to marry him are like fish in a river, and your mom's got you, little baggage in tow—my odds of joining a rich family are basically negative."
"So, you better eat your meat and stop daydreaming."
Chloe took a big bite of the delicious braised pork and sighed softly, "All the kids in kindergarten have dads. Only I don't. Sigh, it's so sad."
Coming from a delicate, angelic little girl like her, words like that packed a punch.
But Vera knew her daughter's personality all too well, and just rolled her eyes: "Aren't you the one who said the stuff they teach in kindergarten is too childish and refused to go? When do you even meet other kids?"
Chloe's attempt at pity failed, so she switched to whining: "I don't care, I still want that handsome uncle to be my dad!"
"Sounds to me like you're begging for a spanking."
The doorbell suddenly rang, interrupting their bickering.
Without even looking up, Vera waved her chopsticks: "Chloe, get the door."
Chloe hopped down from her chair.
The moment the door opened, a small figure shot inside like a rocket, and before either of them could react, had darted straight into Vera's arms.
Chloe, still mid-door-opening pose, stared in shock, mouth hanging open: "Wha... what just flew by?"
"I'm not a thing," the little one nestled in Vera's arms huffed indignantly.
Once Vera got a good look at the kid's face, her head started throbbing: "Zola? What are you doing here?"
Zola clung tightly to Vera's neck, stubbornly refusing to let go, full of grievances: "Mommy, I came to find you. Please don't leave me behind again."
Vera: "..."
What was wrong with the Morgan family's little prince—why was he so fixated on calling her "Mom"?
"How did you find this place... No, scratch that—answer me first: does your dad know you're here?"
Zola blinked her eyes and pressed her lips together, refusing to answer.
A bad feeling rose in Vera's chest, and she immediately stood up with the child in her arms: "No way, I'm taking you home right now."
"Mom, don't kick him out! Look how pitiful he is."
Chloe hurried over, giving Zola a wink, her big dark eyes spinning around, clearly plotting something.
Zola's eyes lit up—he nodded like a pecking chick: "Yeah, I'm super pitiful: thirsty, hungry... and I don't have a mom."
Right on cue, his little stomach growled noisily.
Vera saw the hopeful, uneasy look in Zola's eyes and couldn't help but soften, rubbing her forehead helplessly: "Alright, you can eat something first."
"Yay!" Both kids cheered in unison.
At the door, Victor Morgan stood there, face cold, several bodyguards behind him at the ready—just waiting for his order to burst in.
The door wasn't fully shut, and the laughter and playful voice of two children came drifting out.
Victor could easily recognize his own son's voice among them.
He even heard his son faking a pitiful act and being cute, just to stay.
For a moment, his heart was an emotional mess.
Zola was so much like him—cool, distant, never acting like a regular kid, quick to anger when upset, sometimes even showing hints of self-destruction.
He'd barely ever seen Zola smile, let alone act so happy and mischievous.
This—this was how a normal child should be.
"President Morgan, should we go in and bring the young master out now?" the bodyguard asked in a hushed voice.
Victor frowned slightly, but in the end waved his hand: "No, let's go home."
When he turned to leave, Victor gave the door behind him a long, searching look.
He was deeply curious—just what was it about this woman that made his son adore her so much?
Vera originally only meant to let the little prince stay for one meal. But who would've thought he'd keep eating just to buy time, stuffing himself until he was totally bloated?
Watching the little prince curl up on the sofa clutching his stomach in agony, Vera's hardened heart melted again.
She helped him sit up, pressed several acupoints on his body with her hands.
"Wow, it doesn't hurt anymore! Mommy, you're amazing!"
The little prince gazed up at her with sparkling eyes, nearly spilling over with adoration.
Vera couldn't help but feel speechless.
This goofy little face—how did he look anything like the son of that venomous woman, Luna Warner!
Just thinking of Luna, Vera's heart started throbbing with a thousand needle pricks.
That woman was nothing short of a murderous monster!
If fate hadn't been kind, Vera and her daughter both would've been lost in the flames that day.
This time she was back—Luna would live to regret it, painfully and completely!
Memories dragged her heart cold again. Suddenly irritated, Vera glanced at Zola, her tone frosty: "Chloe, he's your responsibility. First thing tomorrow, I'm sending him home."
As soon as he heard that, Zola's big eyes filled with tears of grievance, but Vera ignored his pitiful look and disappeared into the study.
Zola had no choice but to hold back his tears.
"Wow, you're a real little actor," Chloe applauded, having witnessed the whole show.
Tears on, tears off—if she could pull that off, maybe she wouldn't get spanked by her mom so often.
Zola sighed, "What's the use of good acting? It can't make Mommy keep me."
Chloe stared: "That's MY mom! Where's your own mom?"
A flash of coldness crossed Zola's brow. He muttered, "I don't have a mom!"
"That's so sad," Chloe sighed, her eyes darting slyly, "How about this—tomorrow we go find your dad and ask him to marry my mom. That way, my mom will be your mom too!"
Zola's eyes brightened: "Makes sense."
"Then it's settled!"
Chloe smirked.
This little prince is way too easy to fool!
Early the next morning.
The two kids sneaked out of the house while Vera was still sleeping, caught a cab, and went straight to the Morgan Group headquarters.
At the front desk, Zola put on a serious face and said in his most adorable voice, "Hi, my name is Zola Morgan. I'm here to see my dad, Victor Morgan."
The receptionist looked at the two cute, gorgeous children and practically melted.
"Wait right here, okay? I'll contact the CEO's office for you," she cooed, though doubts flickered in her mind as she dialed.
She'd only ever heard that the CEO had a son, never a daughter.
"Who did you say's here? My son and... my daughter?"
Victor Morgan doubted his ears when the secretary told him, "Since when do I have a daughter?"