Zayn's voice had put Brad in a daze. He was completely silent on the other end as if
he had lost his voice.
Carla rubbed her aching temples and hurriedly chimed in. "Brad, thanks for calling,
but I have to go. We'll be in touch."
With that, she hung up.
Carla raised her head and glanced at Zayn, but there was no way to calm her heart
that pounded furiously in her chest. "Well, you heard it. Brad meant to call and inform me
that Lena was getting married. He didn't mean anything else."
"I heard."
Zayn then returned her phone to her and walked into the bathroom without a word.
Carla gazed at him calmly, but she was frightened. The silence was unsettling. Was he a
time bomb waiting to explode? Was he going to go after Brad quietly?
She was deep in thought when a knock came from outside the door. ‘Are you awake, Miss?"
Mrs. Borah's cheery voice came through. "The children want to have breakfast with the both
of you."
"We'll be there in a bit!"
"Okay, I'll set the table for you." Mrs. Borah then left.
Carla walked barefooted into the bathroom cautiously. Zayn was still in the shower.
"The kids are waiting for us to have breakfast together."
"Yeah." Zayn responded.
Carla didn't dare say more but promptly started on her skincare routine in silence.
After a while, Zayn walked out of the shower in his towel, with one hand drying his
still-wet hair. While he did not lose his temper, he also did not even glance at Carla.
Carla observed him from her mirror as the anxiety wormed its way into her heart.
Is this a change of strategy, perhaps? A cold war instead of your usual temper?
"I'll go down first, " said Zayn.
Before Carla could ask him to wait for her, he had already left the room.
Carla was frustrated and disappointed by his behavior. After all, what did she do wrong?
He was unhappy when she brought up her father. And now, he gave her the cold shoulder
over a phone call?
There was no way she could win.
All she could do was grit her teeth and bear with him.
Carla sighed audibly, got dressed, and went downstairs.
When she reached the spiral staircase, she heard a cheerful voice that came from the dining
hall.
"Daddy, this is delicious!"
Venus fed Zayn a piece of her banana pancake.
Zayn chewed thoughtfully and nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's delicious."
He was not usually the type to have sweet things for breakfast. Ever since the children
moved in, he noticed that his diet had changed drastically.
"Daddy, taste this!" Josh picked up a piece of his honey-soaked waffle and fed it to
Zayn. "Mrs. Borah made it herself!"
Zayn ate the waffle piece and again, remarked on how good it tasted.
"Okay, stop bothering Daddy and finish your breakfast."
In the midst of chiding his siblings, Randy silently slid a piece of fruit on Zayn's plate.
Zayn patted his head affectionately and continued with his meal.
Carla broke into a grin as she observed them from a distance. The children have now
adapted to Zayn and could get along with him nicely.
"Miss? Breakfast is ready and the milk is already cold. Let me get you another glass."
"Thank you, Mrs. Borah, " said Carla and took her seat at the table.
"Good morning Mommy!"
"Morning, Mommy!"
"Mommy, why are your eyes puffy? Didn't you sleep well last night?"
"Something like that." Carla yawned. "And did you guys sleep well?"
"Yes Mommy!" replied the three children in unison.
"Daddy gives us lessons every night. But we're tired after class, so we sleep very quickly!"
Josh's voice was full of admiration for Zayn.
"Me too." Randy idolized Zayn too. "Daddy taught me a lot of things, and he will take me
to the company today."
"To the company?" Carla looked at Zayn in surprise. "Really?"
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