My Child and I Married a Billionaire

Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Extremely Gentle with Candy

Candy could tell what he wasn’t saying.

The clever little girl thought he was jealous and said,

"I like Uncle Grant, and I’m grateful to him, but how I like him is different from how I like you. It’s not a problem. I’ll tell him, but I need to tell you, too. I just like *you*, Uncle. No one can ever replace you. I’ll always like you."

Who wouldn’t be overjoyed to receive such an unreserved declaration of affection from a sweet little angel like her?

Her sweetness warmed Damien Vaughn’s heart, but he was also well aware that he and Candy had no official relationship. If they kept up this strange connection, it would likely cause problems for Shane Grant.

After all, Candy was going to be his stepdaughter. What man would be happy if his stepdaughter was closer to an outsider than to him?

Candy was just a child and didn’t understand these things, but he, as an adult, had to.

"You’re still little. You’re going to meet lots and lots of people who are good to you, and you’ll grow to like many of them. How could you possibly like me forever? Don’t be so fixated on me, Candy. One day, I’ll meet the right person and get married, too..."

’Did that mean he would have his own children someday, and then he wouldn’t like her anymore?’

Candy’s expression immediately fell.

"You don’t like me anymore, Uncle? Is it because I’m always sick and causing trouble? Do you think I’m annoying? You don’t want to see me anymore?"

Damien Vaughn knew Candy was still very fragile. This wasn’t the right time to say too much.

But he had already said it.

"You’re going to have a father, Candy. A father will be the person who is best to you in the whole world, and he’s the one you should like the most. You’re such a smart girl, why are you twisting my words?"

’So did he mean that from now on, she was only allowed to like Uncle Grant and couldn’t talk to him like this anymore?’

Candy understood what he meant. She knew that if her mother married Uncle Grant, she would have to do as he said, but her heart ached at the thought.

’She wished so badly that the handsome uncle would marry her mom instead.’

But Uncle Grant had met her mom first, and he was very good to them, too.

The thought that she couldn’t be close to him anymore was so heartbreaking that tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

It was the first time in his life Damien Vaughn had made a girl cry—and a three-year-old, no less. He was at a complete loss.

"Why are you crying? Candy, were my words too harsh?"

’After all, she was just a little girl. No matter how smart she was, her capacity to understand was limited.’

’The reason he was so determined to draw a line with her was that he was, in fact, transferring some of his resentment for Cecelia Archer onto the child.’

Realizing he had hurt her feelings, Damien Vaughn quickly leaned in, pressing his cheek against Candy’s and patting her shoulder gently.

"Don’t cry. I’m sorry. Maybe I was overthinking things. If you don’t want us to grow apart, then we won’t. We won’t, okay?"

Watching from the side, Annie and Cecelia Archer looked at the tender, clingy pair and were at a loss for words.

’Nothing had even happened, so why did it feel like these two were filming a romantic drama every time they met?’

Fortunately, a food delivery arrived just in time, interrupting the moment.

A delivery from Valoria Gardens arrived with nourishing soup, congee, and light side dishes.

Candy’s illness didn’t affect her appetite, and she was probably starving after a full day. Cecelia Archer took the food and thanked Damien Vaughn.

"You’ve been busy all day, you must be tired. We can’t let Candy keep taking up your time. Why don’t you head home? I’ll walk you out."

Damien Vaughn didn’t want to speak with her. He wiped Candy’s tears and asked if she was hungry. Candy said she was.

Damien Vaughn asked, "So, are you going to eat by yourself, or should Uncle feed you?"

"You feed me, Uncle."

"Okay, Uncle will feed you."

Watching their gentle, intimate interaction—seeing a man as tall and powerfully built as Damien Vaughn care for Candy with such tenderness and precision—made Cecelia Archer’s feelings toward him even more complicated.

’You had to hand it to her, Claire Clark had good taste in men.’

’He was rich, handsome, and patient with children. If Claire Clark really managed to marry him, she would probably be the most successful one from their old class.’

’It just went to show that the saying "what goes around comes around" was a lie. Claire Clark had done so many terrible things to her back in the day. If there was any justice in the world, those two would have broken up long ago.’

After feeding Candy until she was full, it was time for Damien Vaughn to go. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"Be a good girl, Candy. Go to sleep soon. Uncle is leaving now, but I’ll come see you again tomorrow."

Candy clutched his hand, unwilling to let go. "You have to promise. Don’t lie. If you don’t come, I’ll be very sad."

Her tears were just too heart-wrenching. Damien Vaughn never wanted to make her cry again. "I promise."

Finally, the moment he was leaving arrived. Cecelia Archer tucked Candy in, told Annie not to run off, and followed him out of the room.

She had so many questions for Damien Vaughn, so much she needed to say.

But as she followed him out the door, before she could utter a single word, Damien Vaughn pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Director Hill, are you in? I have something to discuss with you. Good, I’m on my way over now."

"Damien, Da..."

Cecelia Archer tried calling his name as she hurried to keep up.

Damien Vaughn saw her clearly in his peripheral vision, but he paid her no mind, striding away as if he hadn’t heard.

The courage Cecelia Archer had just summoned to tell him the truth was completely shattered by his deliberate snub.

’They say when a man turns cruel, he becomes heartless.’

’They can spoil the person they love rotten, but they won’t spare a glance for someone they dislike, even if that person were sinking into a swamp. That saying was proving true with Damien Vaughn.’

’He clearly adored Candy, but toward her, he was...’

Damien Vaughn found Director Hill to inquire about Candy’s treatment. When Director Hill saw that both President Grant and President Vaughn were personally showing concern for this one child, he was so alarmed that he arranged for specialists to be transferred overnight.

"We’ll hold a specialist symposium tomorrow to formulate a treatment plan on the spot. President Vaughn, perhaps you’d like to attend the meeting as well?"

’Since he had already promised to visit Candy tomorrow, he might as well listen to what the experts had to say.’

「The next day.」

Damien Vaughn and Shane Grant arrived one after the other in the VIP wing.

Claire Clark was chatting with a group of nurses when they suddenly lowered their voices, starting to nudge each other and exchange meaningful looks.

"Oh my god, that guy walking up behind us is gorgeous! What is going on with our ward today? Two handsome men first thing in the morning!"

"Whoa, that physique is incredible! And his skin is better than mine! Dr. Clark, look quick! I think I’m going to die from how handsome he is!"

"AHHH! He looks so familiar... I think I saw him yesterday! Did none of you see him? Was it just me? Could this be some kind of unspoken destiny between us?"

"In your dreams! I saw him yesterday too, and we made eye contact! Maybe I’m the one who has a connection with him!"

"Hey, what about me! What about me! Who says you can just call dibs? I’m in the running too! If you’ve got the nerve, let’s compete for him fair and square!"

’They had already been this excited when Shane Grant walked by earlier. Just look at them, so pathetic.’

’Who was it this time? How handsome could he possibly be?’

*Tsk.* Claire Clark was skeptical. She turned her head with a look of disdain.

"Damien?"