Free Web NovelChapter 52: Chapter 52: My First Time Sleeping with a Girl
Cecelia Archer returned to have a meal with Candy, and while they were eating, a waiter brought over a whole host of new dishes.
"We didn’t order all this. You must have the wrong table."
The waiter said, "Today is our restaurant’s 100th anniversary. The 100th customer of the day receives a special gift, so these are complimentary. Your daughter is adorable. Please, enjoy your meal."
Candy’s face lit up with surprise. "We’re so lucky! Mommy, I’m so happy to be out with you!"
The ache in Cecelia Archer’s heart intensified.
The mother and daughter were enjoying their meal when, unexpectedly, the waiter approached them again half an hour later.
"Ma’am, our lucky customers get one free entry in our prize drawing. The prizes are substantial and can even be exchanged for cash. Would you like to give it a try?"
Seeing the huge raffle box in the waiter’s hands, Cecelia Archer believed her.
"This is all thanks to Candy’s luck. Candy, you should be the one to draw."
Candy reached her little hand into the box, swirled it around, and very seriously pulled out a folded slip of paper. The waiter opened it and took a look.
"Congratulations, little miss! You’ve won the grand prize! A free five-day stay at the Corvane Starlight Hotel, two free tickets to all major attractions, and a ten-thousand cash voucher. You two are incredibly lucky!"
Candy and Cecelia Archer looked at each other. "..."
’Could today really be our lucky day?’
They checked into Corvane’s most luxurious hotel, and Cecelia Archer spent the next few days taking Candy to all the major attractions.
A few days later, however, their luck ran out.
Candy’s test results came back. It was confirmed: leukemia.
"Medical technology is much more advanced now, so try not to worry too much. Just be careful in her daily life and don’t let her get injured. With a suitable bone marrow transplant, the chances of a cure are very high."
"About how much would a bone marrow transplant cost?"
"All told, with all the associated costs, you’ll need to prepare at least a million. If anything, it will be more, not less. You need to be prepared for that."
’A million... if not more...’
Cecelia Archer walked out of the doctor’s office, her face deathly pale. Candy ran over from a nurse’s arms to meet her.
"Mommy, you’re out! Why do you look so pale? Did the doctor tell you bad news?"
Cecelia Archer pulled her daughter into a tight hug as tears silently streamed down her face.
"No, the air conditioning is just on too high in here. Mommy’s a little cold. Candy, let’s go home."
On the way home, Cecelia Archer’s mind raced. Finally, with a sense of resignation, she pulled out the business card Shane Grant had given her.
"Mr. Grant, I’m willing to move into your home with my daughter to be a 24-hour companion for Annie. I’ll also provide physical therapy for your leg until you’ve fully recovered. It’s just... about the monthly salary..."
Shane Grant’s voice was calm on the other end of the line. "Just say what’s on your mind."
Cecelia Archer hesitated, then finally said, "Would one hundred thousand a month be possible?"
’Even at that rate, it would take ten months to save up a million,’ she thought. ’I can’t even bear to imagine what might happen to Candy in those ten months.’
Cecelia Archer had made the call as a last resort. It was an outrageous demand, and she was fully prepared for Shane Grant to refuse.
But to her surprise, he agreed without a moment’s hesitation.
"We haven’t seen you in a few days, and Annie has been quite down. If it’s convenient, you can move in tonight. I’ll give you your first month’s salary in advance."
’This is wonderful.’
Cecelia Archer felt like she had been thrown a lifeline. She was overcome with gratitude for Shane Grant.
"Thank you, Mr. Grant."
That evening, Cecelia Archer packed a few clothes and brought Candy to the Grant residence.
Everyone was quite happy about it, except for the displeased housekeeper.
The Grant family villa covered more than a thousand square meters, making it as large as a palace, but it felt cold and desolate.
But once Candy arrived, she and Annie were soon laughing and running about. Filled with the sound of cheerful voices, the place finally began to feel like a home.
When Shane Grant returned from work that evening, he found Cecelia Archer sitting on the floor, playing with building blocks with the two children.
The two children chattered away as they played. The expression on Annie’s face was one of confidence and contentment. Watching them, Shane found his own mood lightening.
"Sir, you’re home."
The housekeeper saw him enter and hurried over to greet him. Only then did Annie notice him and leap up from the floor.
"Daddy, you’re home! Thank you, Daddy! You finally let Miss Cecelia and Candy come stay with me! I’m so happy!"
"I’m the happiest kid in the world! I love you, Daddy! You’re so good to me!"
SMOOCH! Annie wrapped his arms around his father’s neck and planted two kisses on his cheek.
In all his years, this was the first time Annie had ever been so openly affectionate, confessing his love and kissing his face like this. For the first time, Shane Grant felt a sincere pang of regret for how much he had neglected his son’s need for companionship.
He kissed Annie’s cheek in return and gave his nose a gentle tweak.
"Daddy loves you too. I’m glad you’re happy. Go on, go back to playing."
Annie didn’t get down right away. Instead, he kept his arms around his father’s neck and whispered in his ear.
"Daddy, can you go hug Candy and give her a kiss, too? She has it tough, just like me. She’s never even met her dad, and she really wants a daddy to hug her."
’Oh? So the girl doesn’t have a father?’
Shane Grant looked over at the small girl standing on the floor, clutching a building block. She was staring at him with a mixture of shyness and longing. He opened his other arm to her.
"Welcome to our home. You’re very pretty, and I like you a lot. May I give you a hug?"
’This man is just as handsome as that other nice man I met,’ Candy thought. ’He’s not quite as gentle, but I like him too.’
Candy leaped joyfully into his embrace.
With a child in each arm, both of them clinging to his neck, their soft little faces pressed against his cheeks, Shane Grant was suddenly overwhelmed with happiness. The exhaustion from his long day at work vanished completely.
’Is this what people mean by the joys of family life?’
After a few moments of hugs and kisses, Candy was still clinging to him, showing no signs of letting go, so Cecelia Archer stepped forward. freewebnσvel.cѳm
"Mr. Grant has had a long day. Come down and let him rest. Annie, you let your dad rest, too."
"Okay."
The two children obediently slid out of Shane Grant’s arms and went back to their building blocks.
Cecelia Archer and Shane Grant shared a look and exchanged a silent nod before Cecelia returned to the children’s side.
Watching Cecelia Archer, with her gentle eyes and elegant features, playing in a happy pile with the children, Shane Grant found himself momentarily mesmerized.
"Sir, you must be hungry. I’ll go heat up your dinner. It’s all your favorite dishes."
It was the housekeeper’s voice that pulled him from his thoughts.
Throughout dinner, the children chattered nonstop while Cecelia Archer occasionally interjected with little facts or life lessons. The atmosphere was so warm that, for the first time, Shane Grant didn’t feel the usual rush to retreat to his study.
He sat there listening in silence for a long time, right up until Cecelia Archer announced it was the children’s bedtime. "Let’s head upstairs." freeweɓnovel.cøm
Annie snuggled into Cecelia Archer’s arms and said wheedlingly, "Can I sleep with you tonight, Miss Cecelia? I want you to tell me a bedtime story, too."
Cecelia Archer ruffled his hair. "Of course. You and Candy can each sleep on one side of me. But you have to promise to be good and not kick off the covers."
"Yay! Awesome!"
Annie suddenly ran over to Shane Grant.
"Daddy, this is my first time sleeping with girls, so I’m a little shy. Can you come with me?"
