My Three Darlings by Anonymous

Chapter 49

When Eliza woke up, the car had already arrived in Ertonphia. The car whizzed into a deceleration zone. Her head had slid down to Beau's lap and was bobbing up and down with every hump on the road. In her sleep, she turned and adjusted herself into another position. However, she felt as though something was pressing against her nose for no apparent reason. It was making her rather uncomfortable. Out of instinct, she raised her hand in her sleep and tried to remove the object...

"Stop the car!" Suddenly, a man's voice sounded from the back seat of the car. The suppressed anger could be heard threatening to overflow. Startled, Noah quickly slammed the brakes. "Graciana Ryan." Beau furrowed his brows. "Come to the back."

Leaning against the passenger seat in a sleepy daze, Graciana yawned. "Why?"

"No reason."

There was a slight hint of forbearance in his cold voice as he demanded, "We're changing seats!" Graciana pursed her lips and got out of the passenger seat reluctantly. When the door opened, the man who had been incomparably gentle to Eliza the first half of the trip disappeared. He wildly tapped a knuckle on her head and rumbled, "Wake up." Eliza opened her eyes unwillingly, awoken by the pain on her forehead. "What's going on..." As she spoke, her voice gradually trailed off and she found herself silent. Well, because she noticed that the fabric of Beau's sleek black suit was mere inches from her face. She was stunned. Only then did she realize that she actually... slept on Beau's lap! "Get up." Beau frowned slightly, his voice still frosty as ever. She paused for a bit then frantically scrambled off him. Struggling to get up, her fingers seemed to grasp something. But it was neither his thigh nor his hand... Her face promptly flushed red and she rapidly released her grip. Any sense of sleep had been wiped off her mind. She straightened her back and sat rigidly facing the front, trying to pretend that nothing had

Her face promptly flushed red and she rapidly released her grip. Any sense of sleep had been wiped off her mind. She straightened her back and sat rigidly facing the front, trying to pretend that nothing had happened. Beau glanced at her coldly and got out of the car. Graciana climbed in and sat down beside her, secretly giving her a thumbs up. "Ah, the bliss of married life. You held it so skillfully; anyone could tell you do it often.". Eliza tossed her a glare, her face burning scarlet. Soon, the car arrived in front of the hotel Graciana had pre-booked. "Thank you, Mr: Valentine!" After hopping off the car with her massive backpack, Graciana busied herself snapping a thousand and one selfies while thanking Beau. Eliza let out a long sigh of relief and lifted a hand to pat at her chest. The air in the car was so dense-had she stayed another second longer, she would have suffocated! Graciana clasped a hand around her arm and hauled her into the hotel. "Eliza, let me tell you. This hotel is the very best in this area! "It's seven-star! "Had it not been for the two 90% discount tickets I got in that online lucky draw last month, I wouldn't ever dare bring you here at all..." The two of them strolled in while chatting, completely oblivious to the fact that the black Maserati hadn't left. The car drove in the circle past the entrance and then rolled to a halt in front of the main entrance.

"Mr. Valentine!" The hotel manager, Mr. Williams, led a line of management executives and greeted Beau heartily. "It is the honor of our hotel for you to pay us a visit!" As he held the car door open for Beau, he smiled obsequiously and said, "We've already readied the best presidential suite for you. If you'd like..." "I'm not staying in the presidential suite this time." Beau gracefully stepped out of the car. "I need you to look in your records. "There's someone I want to stay next to." "Yes sir!"

The room that Graciana booked was a double bedroom at the end of the corridor on the tenth floor. Once the attendant ushered them to their room, he left without delay. "Eliza, come here and lie down! Gosh, it's so comfy!" Graciana sprawled herself out on the spacious bed like a child. Her eyes were shut and her face depicted nothing but happiness. "Ah, the affluent live differently! "If only I could afford to stay in a room like this every time I go on holiday!" Eliza shook her head helplessly. Upon unpacking her luggage, she realized rather belatedly that she had forgotten her sunscreen in her haste to prepare last night. After rummaging through her belongings again to find no sunscreen, she got up. "I'm going to the shopping mall across the street. Do you want to come with me?" Graciana pouted. "I want to have a heart-to- heart chat with this enormous bed!" Eliza shook her head again and grabbed her purse before leaving. Very soon, she arrived at the megamall opposite the hotel. After she retrieved a tube of sunscreen from the health and beauty section, she noticed the packets of potato chips on display in the distance.

They had only one packet of her favorite flavor left. "Auntie." As soon as her fingers came into contact with the plastic packaging, she heard the sweet voice of a little girl. "I like this flavor too..." Eliza frowned. She looked to the source of the sound and found an adorable little girl standing by her feet. She wore her hair in two tight braids and donned an immaculate tulle dress. At one glance, she looked like an intricate porcelain doll. When Eliza's eyes landed on the girl in front of her, she couldn't help but think of the dream she had last night. She had to admit that the girl looked eerily similar to the girl in her dream.. "Auntie?" Seeing her stare into a daze, the little girl raised a pale hand and tugged at Eliza's pants. "Auntie, please?" Her large, watery eyes looked like deep lakes filled with longing. Eliza was shaken by her intense gaze. Without hesitation, she shoved the packet of chips into the little girl's hands. "Here you go." "Thank you, auntie!"

The little girl held the chips against her chest and smiled delightfully at her. "You're as cute as Mommy!" With that, she scurried away with the snack in her arms. Eliza stood rooted to the spot as she watched the little girl's silhouette shrink into the distance. She felt overwhelmed with the most complex concoction of emotions. She didn't even know the gender of the child she lost five years ago. Had it been female, she would have grown into a girl like the one earlier. She must've been equally as endearing, right...

"Mr. Benton.". The girl trotted back to a tall man and presented him with the family pack chips. He frowned slightly. "Liliana, how many times have I told you? You shan't eat junk food." "This isn't junk food!" Liliana pouted and shielded the chips in her arms. "This is a gift from that beautiful auntie. "Actually, it's not like I absolutely love this flavor. That auntie is just so beautiful I couldn't help going up to her to chat." Julian Benton raised an eyebrow from behind his huge sunglasses. "Chat?" "That's right!" The little kid stood on tiptoes and tipped the packet of chips into the shopping cart. She looked up at Julian proudly and said, "Mr. Benton, didn't you say that you'll give me an elder brother if you get a wife? D "Once I learn to chat up beautiful aunties, I can help you get a wife!"

The man shook his head with a sigh. "First, you're already five. Even if I get married now, there's no way I can give you an elder brother. "Second, have you practiced the piano today? I see that you have a lot of time on your hands to be worrying about grown-up affairs, hm?" Liliana's head dipped to her chest and she fell silent. A moment later, she raised her head again. "But that auntie is truly beautiful. "I want her as my mommy."