Chapter 88 Beauty
Her overly-polite attitude made Jonathan uneasy. He said, “You’re my sister. You don’t have to say thank you. This is your home too, and you belong here. You can go anywhere you want after you get to know the place.”
Madeline nodded with a smile, but she said nothing.
Jonathan led her and Sebastian to the guest room.
Sebastian took Aldo from Weylam, while Madeline took Buddy from Gregor. The boys were around forty pounds, and the bodyguards took turns taking care of them. Even though they changed hands, the boys still didn’t wake up. Sebastian kissed Aldo and smiled at Madeline. “People always say kids won’t wake up when they’re asleep no matter how loud it is. They won’t even know when someone takes them away. I always thought that’s an exaggeration, but now I see that it’s true.”
“Yes.” Madeline smiled. “But kids are sensitive. They can only sleep soundly if the people they’re familiar with are around. If no one’s around them, they’ll wake up easily.”
“I see.” Sebastian looked at Aldo and kissed him again. “I was just thinking about keeping an eye on the kids lest someone took them away in their sleep. So there’s nothing to worry about, huh?”
Jonathan had mixed feelings about Sebastian. Sebastian was vastly different from how he acted in the living room. He was looking at Aldo with love in his eyes, and there was tenderness he hadn’t seen before, much to Jonathan’s surprise.
He always thought Sebastian only accepted Madeline and the boys because the boys were his sons. He thought Sebastian only took care of them because he didn’t want the Hart bloodline to wander aimlessly outside. He thought Sebastian was only doing his job, but now that he saw the look in Sebastian’s eyes as he gazed at Aldo, Jonathan knew he was mistaken. Sebastian wasn’t just feeling responsibility for Buddy; there was also love.
Madeline was reminded of that time Phoebe tried to steal Buddy away in the night, and she whispered, “You’d still better keep an eye on them.”
Sebastian looked at the adorable boy in his arms and nodded. “You’re right. My son is too adorable. I bet a lot of people want to steal him.”
Your son? That’s my son, alright? You can be quite random at times, Sebastian. Sometimes you’re serious, but sometimes you’re funny, and you switch between modes perfectly. She shook her head and kept quiet, then she looked at Jonathan, who was still outside the door. “I’m alright now, Mr. Wendel. You go do your job.”
Jonathan was upset by how formal she sounded, as if cats were scratching at his heart, but he had no way of shooing them away. “Maddie, I told you that we’re siblings. You don’t have to be this formal,” he said. “You don’t have to call me Mr. Wendel. Call me Jonathan. I’m really happy that we found you.”
Madeline answered, “Alright then, Jonathan.” It’s just a name. I’d call everyone by their names if I knew them. It’s nothing, really.
Madeline might have obliged, but it made Jonathan even more upset. He wasn’t stupid, and he could see that the way she called him was still formal. He felt crestfallen, but then he thought that was stupid. I’ve never shown her any brotherly love, so why should I expect her to see me as her brother? That’s just being hypocritical. He cursed himself silently and smiled at Madeline. “It’s late. You and your husband get some sleep. See you tomorrow.”
My husband? Madeline looked at Sebastian. He was looking at his son, and it seemed like he didn’t hear that. She heaved a sigh of relief and smiled at Jonathan. “You too. Good night.”
She looked cold when she wasn’t smiling, as if she was hard to approach. But when she did smile, it felt like the warmth from her smile alone could melt snow. It was dazzling like the sun itself. Jonathan had seen a lot of beautiful people, and he was rarely stunned by anyone’s looks, but Madeline’s smile surprised him nonetheless.
My sister is really beautiful. Not only that, but she also has a great personality. She’s calm, elegant, smart, brave, and if the rumors are true, a skilled fighter as well. No wonder she managed to make the legendary Sebastian fall for her. In just a few hours, Jonathan’s affection for Madeline surged, and he told her good night genuinely before he left.
Madeline noticed his change as well, and her smile got a lot warmer as she watched him leave. Having more people who loved her was better than having more enemies. When he disappeared from her sight, she took Buddy into the room. The kids were sleeping soundly, and she didn’t want to wake them up for a bath. She decided that she’d let this slide and have them bathe the next morning. Madeline got a bathrobe and was about to shower, but she looked at Sebastian. “What about you?”
Sebastian was looking at his son, but now he turned his attention to her. He noticed the bathrobe she was holding, and he got what she was trying to say. “I’ll bathe in the room next door.”
“Sure.” Madeline smiled. “Good night.”
Sebastian answered, “Good night.”
Madeline went into the bathroom, closed and locked the door, then she bathed. Half an hour later, she dried her hair and took off her bathrobe to change into her pajamas before coming out. The first thing she saw was Sebastian lying beside the kids, and he was wearing a bathrobe. What is he doing?
Sebastian was lying on his side, holding up his face with his elbow. “I was worried the boys might be scared if you took too long in the bathroom, since they’d be alone.”
“I see.” She went over to the bed. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Sebastian said. “They’re my sons too, and it’s my duty to take care of them. You don’t have to thank me.”
“Okay then.” She nodded and looked at Sebastian.
Sebastian noticed her staring at him. “Anything?”
What do you mean ‘anything’? It’s almost three. Shouldn’t you be in your room and asleep by now? She took a few steps forward and looked at the boys, then she whispered, “I can take care of them myself. You go to sleep.”
“Buddy is holding my hand.” Sebastian looked at his hand.
Madeline looked where he was looking and saw Buddy holding Sebastian’s hand. His chest was heaving as he breathed. He’s sleeping fine. “It’s alright.” She smiled. “Just pull your hand out. He won’t wake up.”
