The Secret Heir Return To Wealth And Love

Molly strolled back over to Ivy's side, her hands jammed into the pockets of her faded jeans.

"Has Cory eaten already?" Ivy asked through a mouthful of chocolate.

Paige was no fan of chocolate. It was Baillie, a man with a sweet tooth, who brought home these treats for all the kids.

He adored his food, and he had a knack for picking out the most delicious snacks.

"Yep, he's busy gaming. I didn't want to mess up his hands, so I popped it straight into his mouth," Molly replied nonchalantly, not particularly keen on the sugary stuff herself.

Her dad always said that getting hooked on sweets was like falling into a trap. They numb your senses and lull you into a false sense of security, making it easy for danger to catch you off guard.d2 Hearing her words, Ivy looked shocked.

"What's up?" Molly said, reaching out with a napkin to wipe a smudge from Ivy's cheek.

Ivy shook her head, "Molly, you're the only one brave enough to feed my brother like that. Even mommy wouldn't dare!"

"And why wouldn't she dare? She's fearless!"

Ivy wasn't sure how to explain it to Molly. Some things were better understood without words.

Instead of trying to articulate her thoughts, she decided to drop it and take advantage of their grandmother's absence to enjoy her snack.

Poor Ivy. Granny Hilaria was always on her case about gaining weight, so treats were a rare luxury. If it weren't for the occasional covert operation by her godfather, Ivy's life would be a lot less sweet. The adults were all chatting away.

Rose tended to stay quiet, just observing. She was watching Rosalynn, Paige, the men in the house, and the three kids.

So far, only Rosalynn's daughter seemed to behave like a regular kid.

Maybe she had been staring at Ivy too long, because Molly, the girl with the piercing eyes, suddenly looked over.

Rose smiled at her, friendly as could be.

Molly didn't respond, just diverted her gaze back to Ivy, who was munching away contentedly.

To Molly, Ivy eating was like watching a cute little koala.

Her classmate had secretly kept one as a pet.

It always ate until it was round and plump, then collapsed into a fluffy heap for a nap.

It was half an hour later when Hilaria Jared finally made it home from her business trip.

She had raced back to be with her family for the New Year's celebration.

The presence of a new guest in the house didn't faze Hilaria much. After exchanging polite greetings, she settled down for dinner as usual.

Tonight, the dinner table was Jacob's stage, and he was putting on quite the performance for Hilaria, fawning over her in the most endearing way. But his flattery was all in good fun, simply meant to cheer her up.

As the meal wound down, both Hilaria and Jacob were a bit tipsy.

Jacob, clutching Hilaria's hand, teared up, "Granny Jared, this year has been... really tough!"

Hilaria knew exactly why he was upset and patted his hand, "The New Year's almost here. Let's close the book on the past today. You might've missed out on a great girl by making some foolish mistakes, but life goes on. Straighten up, and you'll find someone wonderful again!"

"There won't be another one!" Jacob sobbed quietly, his forehead resting against the edge of the table. "There'll never be someone better than her..."

Hilaria sighed, lifting her hand to give Jacob a firm pat on the back.