Chapter 369 A Secret Sorrow
The next day, Jean got up and went to the airport. After the security check, Rachel rushed to her hastily. “Ms. Eyer, the flight has been delayed.” “What?” Jean looked at the time. “Can we make it?”
Rachel nodded at once. “We can. I paid extra and switched to the first class of a smaller airline. There are two hours before we board.” “Alright. Let’s get something to eat.”
They had just reached the elevator when they saw Edgar and Miles walk over from the side. From the looks of it, they were headed in the same direction.
Jean lowered her voice and asked Rachel, “Don’t tell me that we’re taking the same flight?” Rachel coughed lightly. “There’s no other way, Ms. Eyer. Those are the only two flights today.”
Jean knew that she couldn’t hide, so she faced it calmly. She turned and said in a relaxed manner, “You’re here early.” Edgar just replied, “Mm.”
If he hadn’t known about her flight beforehand, he wouldn’t have arrived so early. Miles directed a grateful glance in Rachel’s direction, but Rachel turned away and pretended not to see anything.
If it weren’t for Rachel leaking Jean’s flight number to him, Edgar’s mood wouldn’t have changed from cloudy to clear. The entire Royden Group would be shrouded in a haze.
However…
The four of them arrived at the only restaurant upstairs.
They heard a child’s cries and looked in that direction. Hugo was eating with his daughter, and from the looks of it, Ellie wasn’t very happy.
No matter what Hugo fed her, she kept shaking her head.
The man’s patience was almost at its limit.
“If you’re not going to eat, the driver will take you home.”
“I… I don’t want!”
Ellie jumped down from the chair and ran out with her bag. She bumped into Jean as soon as she ran out.
She ran into Jean’s arms as soon as she saw Jean’s face.
Edgar’s brows furrowed. What is going on?
Miles and Rachel were befuddled.
Why is Hugo’s daughter so close to Jean?
“What a coincidence to bump into you here, Ellie. Who are you here with?” Jean bent down and gently wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes. She asked kindly, “With Daddy?”
Ellie was angry with Hugo, and she pouted.
She nodded slowly after a while.
She then hugged Jean’s neck, unwilling to let go.
Hugo chased after Ellie and saw his little girl lying in Jean’s arms. He said in a low voice, “Sorry to trouble you again.”
“Not at all. It’s normal for children to be picky eaters.” Jean looked down and gently stroked Ellie’s head.
She looked exceptionally gentle as she pacified Ellie.
The little girl was gently carried in Jean’s arms, and she slowly raised her head. But in the next moment, she noticed Edgar, who was standing next to Jean.
She cried out loud in fright and started crying again.
She hugged Jean tighter.
Jean immediately looked at Edgar. “You frightened her.”
The sharp expression that had froze in the man’s brows grew stronger. “She’s Hugo’s daughter. I don’t think you need to take care of her.”
Jean was momentarily startled, but she replied quickly, “How can you be so void of sympathy?”
She picked Ellie up after that. Up until they boarded the plane, she sat at Hugo’s table as Ellie’s small hand gripped her collar tightly. Ellie would only listen to Jean.
Hugo yelled at her a few times, but his daughter refused to let go.
He had no other way. He could only thank Jean gratefully, “I’m sorry to trouble you.”
Before Jean could answer, Edgar, who was sitting behind them, said coldly, “Since you’re aware, you should look after your daughter, Mr. Mason.”
Hugo glanced in Edgar’s direction and immediately said, “Give Ellie to me.”
“It’s alright. I’ll sit with her on the flight. Let’s see how things go when we reach the hotel.”
She had always bickered with her dad when she was young because her dad didn’t understand her. It was the most ordinary thing in life.
She knew that at a time like this, Ellie didn’t need a serious lecture. What she needed the most was a gentle companion and support from her family.
“Asking for trouble.”
Edgar left her with that as he got up and walked to the departure gate.
Miles quickly followed. Before he left the restaurant, he glanced at Rachel pleadingly a few times, hoping that she could help.
This time, Rachel ignored him completely. She felt that Edgar had gone overboard as Ellie was just a child. There was no need to be so fussy about it.
Jean was very willing to stay by Ellie’s side. She held on to the little girl’s hand when they boarded the plane right up until they disembarked.
As they walked side by side, the scene was especially sweet. Even the flight attendants thought that the two were mother and daughter.
To Edgar, the scene was particularly unsightly.
Even if Hugo had feelings for Jean, the child that belonged to him and his ex-wife would undoubtedly become the biggest obstacle between the two of them.
But from the looks of it, the child had brought the two of them closer.
Edgar’s face was dark the whole journey. He had an extremely unapproachable expression. Even Miles didn’t have the nerve to talk to him of his own accord.
When the plane landed, the child still wasn’t willing to go back to Hugo.
“Do you want to stay with me, Ellie?” Jean bent down and said softly, “But you won’t be able to see your daddy for a few nights.”
Ellie blinked her wide and confused eyes. She turned and looked in the direction of Hugo and hugged Jean’s neck. “I want to sleep with Jean.”
Jean’s heart melted when Ellie hugged her like that.
She wasn’t someone who liked children, but Ellie was adorable and stuck to her. Jean liked this child from the bottom of her heart.
She said at once, “Rachel, help me book a suite.”
“Alright, Ms. Eyer.”
Before Rachel could do anything, Miles walked over with the room keys. “Ms. Eyer, this is the room key for a children’s deluxe luxury suite on the top floor of this hotel. I believe Mr. Mason’s daughter would love it.”
Jean took it from him, and her eyes were filled with doubt. She looked at the man who was about to walk into the elevator.
Would he care for someone else’s daughter for no reason?
She was suspicious but noticed that Ellie was looking at the set of cartoon-themed keys with interest. Her small hand pulled at Jean gently. “Jean…”
“Do you want to go there, Ellie? Alright, I will take you there.”
Since the room was already booked anyway, and it was rare for the child to like it.
“Help me thank Mr. Royden,” Jean said as she walked into the elevator quickly.
Rachel and Miles shook their heads at the same time. It looked like there was still a long way for Mr. Royden to go.
As Jean got into the elevator, Hugo received a call in his room. “I’m coming back next week, and I’m going to take Ellie away.”
“No way.”
Hugo’s eyes were cold. “Ellie is my daughter. No one can take her away.”
“She’s the granddaughter of our family. How can you raise her alone as a single man? Unless you can find a suitable stepmother for her.”
