Adrian's POV:
*ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong-*
Tsk. That must be Catherine. "Calm down would you?!" I spat irritatedly at the door, making her stop immediately as I sighed loudly in frustration. Joseph was busy travelling the globe so he couldn't turn up for our gathering or help to control Catherine's wildness. Leon wouldn't mind what she does afterall.
"Shhhh! Matthew and Michael are sleeping, Adrian." Ryan chided as he stepped out of Alina's room with her giggling cutely in his arms. Seems like the twins are in the mini hammock. They only sleep soundly when placed on it.
How Alina looks like ^
Matthew and Michael are Catherine's and Leon's pair of one-year old twins. They decided to leave them here with us as they went to purchase some take-outs. They wanted some alone time apparently, at least that's what Leon said.
How the twins looks like ^ Matthew is the one with the pacifier while Michael is the other.
"Shhh papa!" Alina scolded adorably, copying Ryan.
Alina is mine and Ryan's three year old daughter. We found her two years ago on our doorstep in a box, wrapped in a blanket, without any note left behind. Without even hesitating, we took her in and raised her up as ours and named her Alina Desiree Black. Alina, which means light as she brought light to our lives and Desiree, which was my mother's name.
"Sorry my loves. Ryan, can you help me unlock the door for them? I swear I'll remove the doorbell one day if everyone does the same as Catherine." I glared at the door once again as I laid out the cutleries on the dining table.
"Auntie Kat is back?!" Alina squealed excitedly before wriggling out of Ryan's grasp and towards the door as Ryan followed tight behind her.
"Hey, princess." Catherine smiled widely at her as Alina gave the two of them a wide grin.
"Hie Auntie Kat! Hello Uncle Leon!" She gave them a hug each as they patted her head lovingly. They love Alina as much as they love their sons.
"Let them come in first, Aline." Ryan suggested to her softly as he reached out to help them carry some of the bags in
"Oops! Sorwwy!" She giggled guiltily before trailing behind Ryan as they walked towards the table. "Daddy, can I help?" She asked Ryan eagerly as he pondered for a while.
"Why don't you follow Auntie Catherine and Uncle Leon to wake the twins?" He suggested, giving Catherine and Leon a side pleading glance as they nodded at him.
"Shall we go, Alina?" Leon ask gently as she stared between the adults before nodding anyway.
"Um...okie!" Taking Leon's and Catherine's hand in hers, she skipped up the stairs energetically with them by her sides, chatting with her animatedly along the way to her room.
"Where's Mum?" Ryan questioned as he helped to bring the food out of the kitchen, placing them carefully and neatly on the dining table.
"She went to buy ice cream, claiming that it's Alina's favourite treat."
"Strawberry flavour?" He quirked his brow at the word 'ice-cream' before letting out a long sigh.
"You know it."
"I must cut down on her sugar. She gets too hyper after eating sugary treats." He mumbled grumpily under his breath before walking over to the door when he heard Mum knocking on the door.
"I'll let you handle." I chuckled lightly when I remembered the last time something like that happened.
Last month, Ryan decided to confiscate all her ice cream so she decided to rebel by not talking to him but gave up within an hour as Ryan decided to play along and give her the silent treatment too. She eventually started crying, asking Ryan to talk to her again, saying that she's sorry.
"Hey Mum." I called out from inside as Ryan opened the door for her, unknowingly to her.
"Hi Adrian. I bought- O-Oh, how are the kids Ryan?" She smiled at Ryan guiltily, changing the topic quickly when she caught her eyes.
"They're doing well. What did you buy, Mum? I curious." He grinned with a not so happy look on his face as he eyed the small plastic bag she's hiding behind her back.
"I-It's only a small tub this time! It's only a small cup!" She held it out swiftly, being caught red-handed.
"You're spoiling her, Mum." Ryan sighed desperately as they walked into the kitchen as she place the ice cream in the freezer.
"Not like I can help it. She's so adorable!"
"Granny!" Alina called for Mum excitedly as she ran down the steps alone, as fast as her legs could carry her.
"Hello dear."
"You got ice cre-" Catching sight of Ryan standing beside Mum with arms crossed, obviously kiddingly, she stopped in her tracks immediately before chuckling hesitantly. "I mean ice! Granny, can I have some ice?"
This girl... I wonder who she learnt that from.
"What were you trying to say just now, Alina?" Ryan questioned in an overly sweet tone, making her stand rooted to the ground with her head down, eyes facing the floor.
"Alina n-not trying to s-say anything, d-daddy." She said with a slightly trembling voice as tears dripped onto the ground as she remembered what happened the last time.
Sighing gently, Ryan shook his head at her before kneeling down and bringing her into his arms as he stroked her head gently. "Don't cry my love. I just don't want you to lie to me okay?"
"I-I'm sorwwy, daddy." She sobbed uncontrollably before wrapping her arms around Ryan's neck as she buried her tear-stained face against his neck.
"It's okay, Alina. Now, don't cry okay? Who's my big girl?" Ryan whispered tenderly into her ear, making her wipe her tears away quickly before placing a light kiss against Ryan's cheek.
"Alina is daddy's big girl."
"That's right."
"I'm sorry to lie to you, daddy. I won't do that again."
"So, what were you trying to say just now, Alina?" He questioned her once again calmly as she twirled her fingers while looking away from Ryan's eyes.
"I was asking Granny if she bought me ice cream...sorry daddy. I won't eat it. I promise!"
"It's alright hun. You can eat it but only half. Okay?" Her eyes lit up nonetheless when she heard that she could still eat it, even though it's just half a cup.
"Okay daddy."
"Good girl. Now, why don't you call Auntie Catherine and Uncle Leon down? We won't want them to miss dinner right?" Placing a light kiss against her forehead, she grinned widely before dashing up to her room, disappearing from our sight.
"Damn, Ryan. You're good with her." Mum commented after she saw Alina left the kitchen as I nodded in agreement.
"Um... instinct?"
"What do you think of another one?" I suggested after a while as he thought hard about it.
"I'll think about it. Maybe once Alina hits 5."
"Are we on time for dinner?" Leon asked curiously, breaking the silence as they came down the stairs with the twins in their arms. Leon with a quiet Michael while Catherine with active Matthew. Looks like we know who got the genes from who.
"Just on time." Mum replied as we all went to sit around the table, the twins in their highchairs.
After dinner, we sat around the TV screen as we watch a cartoon movie 'COCO', as requested by Alina.
Wrapping my arms around Ryan as we snuggled at a corner of the couch, I place a kiss against his neck as he stared up at me with a playful stop-it grin before turning his head back to the screen.
Life couldn't be as peaceful as it is right now as I glanced around the room. Henry, Catherine's father, was arrested and sent to jail for 15 years and 8 strokes of cane while my 'dad' was sentenced to another 10 years of jail when we found out that they are the ones behind the attacks.
Dawne, one of my staff, was sentenced to 5 years in jail and a fine of $500 when she turned herself in after our wedding for helping my dad to kidnap Ryan due to the overwhelming guilt.
Catherine and Leon on another hand, got engaged two years ago. To think when Ryan tossed to bouquet after the wedding, it landed in Joseph's hand. Joseph in turn, stared at it in disgust before tossing it away, this time landing in Catherine's hands. Surprisingly, Catherine proposed to Leon on the spot, giving him the bouquet but was further shocked by Leon when he got down on one knee and proposed to her on the spot where everyone was watching. On course, she said yes.
Thinking about our life till now, if I've never chosen Ryan when I was younger, I may never be able to live my life as blissfully as now. He really is my guiding light, the one who brought light to my life. I've fallen for him so hard, I can't help but say that he really
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glow in the dark.
That's all loves! How's the book? Please comment! 😊