Adelyn didn’t know what made that possibility surface in her mind, but nothing else seed to make sense.
Why else would her clothes end up with this little girl?
Hadn’t he said he had sent them to the laundry and would have them returned to her later?
Her gaze narrowed slightly as she looked at the girl, waiting for an answer.
The answer was simple, and Eira didn’t need to think much before giving it.
However, she paused when she saw the changing expression in her mama’s face.
She might not understand the reasons behind it, but she could feel it —
the conflict,
the suspicion.
and beneath it all ... a faint trace of fear.
Eira took a small step closer.
Then, slowly, she lifted her hand and gently cupped Adelyn’s cheek. Her tiny fingers brushed softly against her skin, as if trying to soothe sothing she couldn’t fully understand.
Adelyn stiffened at the sudden touch, caught off guard.
"Dada is not dangerous," Eira said softly. "Aunt Ade-lyn ... you don’t have to be scared of him."
She paused, her voice turning even gentler.
"Eira will always protect you."
Adelyn was taken aback.
For a mont, she could only stare into the little girl’s eyes.
The innocence in them was almost intoxicating.
The longer she looked, the stronger the pull beca —as if sothing deep within her was urging her to trust ... to soften.
It was strange.
"Aunt Ade-lyn?" Eira called softly when Adelyn didn’t respond for a long ti. Her head tilted slightly, as if trying to read what couldn’t be expressed in words.
Adelyn snapped out of her daze.
Coughing lightly, she gently removed Eira’s hand from her cheek before asking, "So ... Mr. Warren is indeed your father?"
Eira nodded.
Adelyn froze.
Not just in surprise —but in suspicion.
Wasn’t this too much of a coincidence?
Could she be getting tricked?
The possibility wasn’t impossible ... but it didn’t make sense either.
After all, what did she have that would make soone like Dylan Warren go through the trouble of deceiving her?
Still ... brushing it off without thinking further wouldn’t be wise either.
"Did your Dada co with you?" Adelyn asked, already glancing behind her.
But up until now, no one appeared.
Eira shook her head and replied, "Dada didn’t co with Eira. Eira ca on her own."
"Alone?" Adelyn frowned, clearly displeased with the answer.
But then Eira clarified, "Dada had work at the company. He sent Uncle Ford with ."
"Oh ..." That sounded much better. Otherwise, the thought of child wandering alone would have been too unsettling.
A mont passed.
Adelyn waited.
But when the girl didn’t show any intention of leaving, "Did you co just to return the clothes?"
Eira hesitated.
She hadn’t co just to return the clothes ... she had co to see her Mama —to be close to her.
But ... could she say that?
After thinking for a mont, she simply nodded.
"So, Uncle Ford must be waiting downstairs for you," Adelyn said almost imdiately as she stood up. "Let take you to him."
It was not that she was eager to send her away.
But sothing about this child was stirring sothing inside her —sothing unfamiliar ... sothing that she couldn’t really understand. And that was unsettling.
Even though this was only her second ti eting the girl, Adelyn already felt an inexplicable connection with her.
And that confused her.
The happiness in Eira’s eyes dimd the mont she heard those words.
She wanted to refuse —but she couldn’t.
Taking Adelyn’s hand, she quietly followed her downstairs, her face lowered so no one would notice her expression.
Adelyn didn’t notice either.
Her thoughts were elsewhere —focused only on sending the child back safely before she tried to make sense of everything happening in her life.
Because whatever was happening was no longer seeming normal ... or just coincidental.
Stopping just outside the building, Adelyn looked around.
Her brows furrowed when she saw no one nearby.
"Where is your Uncle Ford?" she asked.
Eira looked up, then glanced around as well.
She paused.
The car ... was gone.
"Didn’t you say your Uncle Ford ca with you?"
Eira nodded. "Eira ca with Uncle Ford, but ..." she trailed off, unsure.
Seeing her confusion, Adelyn sighed inwardly.
"Maybe he had so last-minute work," she reasoned on behalf of the little one.
Eira simply looked up at her, guilt evident in her big doe eyes.
Adelyn couldn’t bear to see that expression.
Reaching out, she gently tapped the girl’s head.
"It’s okay. He might co back soon," she said softly. "How about you stay with until then?"
If she refused, Adelyn would personally drop her back.
However —
"Can I?" Eira’s eyes lit up instantly.
Adelyn blinked in slight confusion.
Wasn’t she just sad a mont ago?
Why did it feel like ... she was happy instead?
Still, she nodded.
"You can stay until soone cos to pick you up."
After all, she couldn’t just leave Warren family’s little princess alone.
Not only would that be wrong —but she simply didn’t have the heart to do it.
Eira bead.
She tightened her hold on Adelyn’s hand, slightly shaking it in the air.
"Eira wants to stay with Aunt Ade-lyn."
Adelyn gave a small nod.
"Let’s go."
As they walked back inside the building and reached her apartnt, a neighbor passing by suddenly stopped.
"Oh my, such a pretty, adorable child," the woman said warmly, looking at Eira.
Adelyn glanced at her. The woman looked to be in her late sixties.
When she looked up at Adelyn, she asked,
"Is she your daughter?"
Adelyn blinked, for a second, dumbfounded.
Then an awkward smile ford on her lips.
Beside her, Eira looked up —her eyes filled with quiet hope.
But in the next mont, Adelyn shook her hand.
"You misunderstood, ma’am. She’s a friend’s child."
The woman looked again between the two before smiling apologetically.
"Oh, I’m sorry, dear. It’s just ... you both look so lovely together."
Adelyn was left speechless.
Really ... what kind of logic was that?
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