Caught off guard by the sudden kiss, Cornelia was momentarily stunned.
The three brothers next to her, on the other hand, were whooping with excitement, "Emily, what the heck are you doing? Aren't you the one who never lets anyone kiss you and never kisses anyone else?"
He never lets them kiss him, yet he let a stranger do so. Was this still the Emily they knew?
Emily scrunched up his little face in confusion, "Can't I kiss my own niece?"
"Alright, enough." Grandpa Duran intervened, "She's been tired all afternoon, let her rest a bit. You guys go play."
"I'll rest with her." Emily offered.
"No, you won't!" Grandpa Duran replied.
Cornelia interjected, "It's okay. If he wants to hang out with me, I'm happy."
Cornelia had always wanted to have a child with Marcus, but she hadn't been able to conceive. Having someone else's child to cuddle was just as good.
"Fine." Grandpa Duran conceded, "If you want to take him, take him. Emily, remember, don't bother Cornelia."
"I'm a well-behaved little angel, I won't make a fuss." Emily assured.
Cornelia was again amused by his soft voice. He even praised himself, how adorable!
...
Grandpa Duran lived in a villa with plenty of rooms, and he had prepared a room with excellent lighting for Cornelia well in advance. The room was upstairs and had a separate walk-in closet, a study, and a large balcony. The decor and bedding were all designed in colors and styles that young girls would like.
Seeing Cornelia lost in her thoughts after returning to her room, Emily approached her, "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing." Cornelia smiled.
"Uncle Duran says you're really tired and should rest. You should go to sleep, I'll stay with you." Emily suggested.
"I'm not tired, I can't sleep." Cornelia replied.
"Why aren't you tired?" Emily asked.
Before Cornelia could reply, there was a knock on the door. Thinking it was Marcus, she hastily put down her little companion and rushed to the door, only to find a stranger standing outside instead.
The stranger politely said, "Ms. Stewart, good evening! My master would like to meet you. Would you be so kind as to grant us a moment of your time?"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Impulsive Vow to an Enigmatic Husband
Beautiful novel. Can we have a continuation of Zavier and Skyler's story? Them getting back together? Short story.......