“Sebby, you’re home.”
Sebastian glanced up and saw Sasha in an apron, standing by the dining table with a hot bowl of soup in her hand. She had appeared, looking radiant and smiling angelically, as soon as she heard him come in.
Sebastian did not know what to say to her.
“Okay, is everyone home? Can we eat dinner now? I’m starving!” Sabrina said loudly.
Sebastian had not noticed her sitting on the sofa. She suddenly stood up and started walking towards the dining table which Sebastian noticed was heavily laden with all the food that Sasha had prepared.
Can Sasha please stop doing this?
Sasha smiled awkwardly and said, “Matt, come set the table. Your aunt is hungry.”
Then, she placed the bowl of soup down in the center of the table and moved towards Sebastian, who was still standing at the front door.
“Are you tired? I made your favorite steak for dinner tonight. Go wash up and come eat.”
Sasha casually bent down, pulled out a pair of house slippers from the shoe cabinet and laid them in front of Sebastian. It was as if there was nothing wrong between the two of them.
Sebastian just stared at her quietly.
He had no choice but to slip his socked feet into the slippers and hand his briefcase over to her. Then, he hugged her stiffly as he always does.
Just as the ice around his heart was beginning to melt, the image of his mother being shot and falling unconscious into his arms appeared in his mind again.
His eyes narrowed and hardened again.
“Who asked you to come over?” he asked her coldly.
“What did you say?” Sasha raised her head to look straight into his eyes.
“No one asked me to. I just thought of bringing the children over. You like living here, don’t you? Then, I’ll move in here with the children too. Look! We’ve even cleaned this place up today.”
Sasha ignored the coldness of his voice and answered him in a deliberately gentle tone.
Sebastian’s face darkened. “Sasha, what is it that you don’t you understand? Do you really want to talk about this in front of the children?”
He had completely lost all affection for her and he had even gone as far as to bring up their children to threaten her.
Sasha’s face paled, but after a few minutes, her expression returned to its usual calmness.
“I understand, but it’ll be Christmas in a few days’ time. Can’t we just celebrate it together one last time?”
She spoke in a low, calm voice as if she was just discussing the most mundane household matters with him.
Sebastian was surprised.
He had thought that she would cry and cause a scene just as she had earlier that day at the company.
Unexpectedly, she was very much calmer now.
Sebastian felt empty. He watched her put away his briefcase and pick up their daughter who had been pestering him.
His expression turned even uglier.
“Ian, go wash up and take your sister with you. Matt, go set your Daddy’s place at the table. We’re going to have dinner now.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
The children had not heard the small argument between their parents since they had kept their voices low.
It was possible that Vivian may have overheard them, but she had always been the most naïve one. It was likely that, even if she had heard them, she had not understood anything.
The children happily sat down at the dining table to eat.
Sebastian finally walked over to join them.
“Daddy, Mommy said we’ll be spending Christmas over here this year. This will be the first we will all be celebrating Christmas together! Are you happy?”
Matteo was a very talkative child and as soon as Sebastian sat down, he had begun chattering straightaway. He looked at his father expectantly, waiting for his answer.
Celebrating Christmas together was indeed a happy occasion.
For the past two years, even though they had already known their real identities, they had still spent Christmas at the Hayes Residence. However, Sasha had had to be separated from Sebastian because of Xenia’s little show last year.
So, their little family had been unable to spend the last Christmas together.
Sasha heard her son’s remark, but kept silent.
However, she secretly glanced at Sebastian’s face while she was feeding Vivian to see his reaction.
She noticed that he had paused his fork in midair on its way to his mouth.
“Yes, I’m very happy,” he said to Matteo.
“Yes, we’re also very happy! Mommy says we can start shopping tomorrow! We’ll buy Christmas lights and decorations and lots of yummy food! Daddy, do you want to come with us?”
Matteo looked thrilled at his father’s answer.
He happily dropped his fork and turned his entire attention to Sebastian as he invited him to go shopping tomorrow.
Sebastian paused, not quite sure how to reply to his son.
“Matt, stop bothering your Daddy. He has to go to work tomorrow. When Daddy has a day off then he’ll take you out to play, okay? Mommy will take you shopping tomorrow.”
Sasha quickly said to Matteo before Sebastian had the chance to answer.
Who knows what he’ll say to Matteo? I don’t want him to say anything that would break his little heart. Sasha thought to herself.
Matteo pursed his lips and pouted a little. He had no choice but to agree.
