novelraw Chapter 398 - 399: Being Both a Father and a Mother
Chapter 398 - 399: Being Both a Father and a Mother
Chapter 398: Chapter 399: Being Both a Father and a Mother
When Sienna Johnson entered Samara’s room, Samara had stopped crying and even managed a small smile.
With red-rimmed eyes, she looked at her sister and said sheepishly, "I’m sorry, I scared Curly earlier. Is Curly alright?"
"Curly told me you were crying. Is it because of Dad?"
Samara lowered her head, tightly clutching the fluffy ball charm on her phone as fresh tears began to fall from her red-rimmed eyes.
"Don’t believe their horrible lies. Dad wasn’t like that. Dad... he’s still the same good person he always was."
Although they had tried their utmost to suppress the news about Dexter Johnson, it had still spread within a small circle.
"I know. Dad was wonderful. He used to play house with me, take me on outings, and teach me how to draw... Dad is not the bad person they say he is!"
Sienna Johnson lovingly stroked Samara’s soft hair and asked with a gentle smile, "Then why are you crying?"
"I’m sad because they’re saying bad things about Dad!"
Sienna Johnson was momentarily speechless.
"It’s a good thing Dad isn’t here. If he were alive and heard them saying such things about him, he’d be so angry it would kill him!" Samara said indignantly.
"You just focus on your studies and don’t overthink things," Sienna Johnson said. "You still have me. I’ll make everyone understand that Dad wasn’t that kind of person!"
"Sister, I wish I could grow up quickly so I can help you."
Sienna Johnson looked at her determined expression and smiled with warm pride. "Okay, Samara, grow up fast. When you’re grown up, you can come help me at the company."
"Mm-hm," Samara nodded vigorously, making a solemn promise.
When Sienna Johnson came out of Samara’s room, Adrian Desmond was standing at the door. He was wearing casual clothes—black cotton pants and a gray T-shirt—and his hair was somewhat messy.
"Is everything okay now?"
Sienna Johnson gently closed the door and whispered, "She’s asleep."
Adrian Desmond took her hand, and they returned to their room together. He complained, "You’re working so hard, being both a mother and a father to them. If I’d known it would be like this, I would have preferred you didn’t return to the Johnson Family." Without these family ties, he could have taken her back to Abyanabad.
"If I hadn’t returned to the Johnson Family, I wouldn’t have gotten engaged to Frederick Stewart. If I hadn’t gotten engaged to him, Sabrina Johnson wouldn’t have wanted to kill me. If they hadn’t wanted to kill me, I wouldn’t have been taken to Amwan. If I hadn’t gone to Amwan, I wouldn’t have met Sixth Master..." Sienna Johnson gave a long, roundabout explanation, the gist of which was that if she hadn’t returned to the Johnson Family, they would never have met.
"Still, I’m glad you returned to the Johnson Family," Adrian Desmond said. "At least you met me."
Sienna Johnson laughed. "If Sixth Master hadn’t met me, *he’d* probably be happier than he is now..."
"I’m very happy now!"
Sienna Johnson smiled softly.
"If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have known that I could be this happy!"
Meeting Sienna Johnson had indeed caused him a lot of frustration, but the joy she brought him was irreplaceable by anyone else.
"Adrian, me too."
Times were tough, but having him by her side was like a calming balm; Sienna Johnson felt no panic or fear. Otherwise, with such a mess and all the members of the Johnson Family, young and old, to worry about, it would have been enough to give her a massive headache. Not to mention there was also Master Leland. But with Adrian Desmond by her side, she wasn’t afraid of Master Leland.
They returned to their bedroom to find Curly fast asleep on their bed. She was lying spread-eagled, taking up a good portion of the space. Fortunately, the bed was large enough; otherwise, there might not have been room for her.
"I’ll sleep in the middle, and you sleep next to me. That way, if she thrashes about in the middle of the night, she won’t kick you," Adrian Desmond said.
"Okay."
Adrian Desmond adjusted Curly’s position, having her sleep beside him, while Sienna Johnson lay on his other side.
"Good night."
"Good night."
Sienna Johnson was exhausted and fell asleep quickly, but Adrian Desmond couldn’t sleep at all. He stared at the ceiling, his mind troubled.
Master Leland, Sabrina Johnson...
If this were Abyanabad, he would have just had someone take care of them permanently.
But here in Sileria City, if he resorted to such crude methods while they were already under scrutiny, Sabrina Johnson’s sudden death would undoubtedly bring immense trouble to Sienna Johnson.
And then there was Master Leland...
In the darkness, Adrian Desmond sighed softly. He realized that since coming to Sileria City, he felt increasingly constrained.
His daughter, restless in her sleep again, shifted and crawled onto Adrian Desmond’s stomach, found a comfortable spot, and drifted back to sleep.
With each breath Adrian Desmond took, his chest rose and fell, and Curly, lying on him, moved in rhythm. He gently stroked his daughter’s curly hair, and for that moment, his earlier anxieties seemed to melt away.
They were just a few insignificant underlings. If he couldn’t even handle them, could he still call himself ’Sixth Master’?
"Why aren’t you asleep yet?"
Sensing the change in the breathing of the man beside her, Sienna Johnson gently opened her eyes. She saw Adrian Desmond lying there with his eyes open; he clearly hadn’t fallen asleep.
"Did I disturb you?"
"No."
Adrian Desmond didn’t press further.
"What are you thinking about? Why aren’t you sleeping?"
Adrian Desmond gently moved their daughter to lie beside him, then snuggled closer to Sienna Johnson, nuzzling her. "...Just one more month..." he murmured.
"What do you mean, one more month?"
Adrian Desmond’s hand slipped beneath her pajamas, caressing her gently. Sienna Johnson understood his unspoken desire. She placed her hand over his eyes and said, "Sleep now. We have to get up early tomorrow."
"After this baby, we’re not having any more," Adrian Desmond stated.
"There’s strength in numbers," Sienna Johnson replied. "After this one, if I’m still able to conceive, I’d like to have a few more. That way, Curly will have younger siblings and won’t be so lonely."
"Then what about me? Each time you’re pregnant, I have to be celibate for a year. If you have ten kids, does that mean I’ll be celibate for ten years?" Adrian Desmond protested.
"Maybe I should buy you an inflatable doll," Sienna Johnson teased.
"I only want you!"
"I’ll have them custom-make one to my exact measurements and appearance! Guaranteed to satisfy Mr. Desmond!"
"I have you; I don’t need some inflatable doll. I’ve been thinking of many new positions lately. We can try them out after you’ve delivered the baby," Adrian Desmond said, his voice husky.
Adrian Desmond didn’t want her dwelling on such troubling thoughts, so he deliberately tried to distract her, clinging to her and nuzzling like a persistent little lion cub.
"Didn’t you say you had trouble conceiving? We were only intimate a few times, and you got pregnant," Adrian Desmond grumbled. "If I’d known, I would have used protection..."
"Our daughter is here, stop fooling around."
"Your daughter is sound asleep. A thunderstorm wouldn’t wake her."
"You really want to?" she asked softly.
"Try being celibate for four years, then only getting a few chances before having to stop again, and see how you feel!" Adrian Desmond retorted.
"After we separated, I didn’t... engage in anything either," Sienna Johnson admitted softly. "But I didn’t really think about it much..."
She had returned to the Johnson Family right when her father passed away. She had to oversee his funeral and then take over the family business... She was so exhausted every day that she barely had time to eat, let alone think about *that*.