Ch. 811..820

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 811 Stupid Things

“Ms. Queen, you—” Meanwhile, in front of Jonathan’s office, his assistant was looking at the sly woman in front of him. He was about to ask a question when he noticed that she had signaled for him to be quiet.

As such, the assistant could only hold his tongue. Frieda turned to put her ear against the door, eavesdropping on the conversation going on inside.

Her initial plan was to have a chat with her brother to ask when she could have her right to speak in Queen Group restored. However, she did not expect to hear such shocking news.

Lucian is truly set on wooing Roxanne! If that’s the case, there is a deeper reason behind Lucian and Roxanne’s meetings. I saw them together with my own eyes!

Based on what Jonathan is saying, Roxanne never agreed to it, and Lucian seems to mind what Roxanne is doing with Jack…

Frieda’s expression grew even darker the more she listened. All this while, her stance on the matter had been quite clear. She did not think very highly of Roxanne.

But to her surprise, her own brother was involved in making plans with Lucian on how to win Roxanne over. Does Jonathan still remember that Lucian is engaged?

After a while, she could hear footsteps heading her way.

Frieda immediately came back to her senses and quickly retreated by two steps, pretending to have only just arrived.

Seeing that it was Lucian who had emerged from inside the room, Frieda greeted him with a smile, “Lucian! What brings you here?”

Lucian merely nodded at her coldly, then turned around and walked away.

Seeing how cold Lucian was to her, Frieda was displeased.

After all, she grew up together with Jonathan and Lucian, yet the way Lucian treated her was different from the way he treated her brother.

Ever since that woman has shown up, Lucian has been ignoring me!

It’s all because of Roxanne that b*tch!

Just as she was annoyed, Jonathan’s voice suddenly rang out from inside the office. “Why are you daydreaming by the doorway?”

That immediately shook Frieda out of her stupor. She suppressed her rage and quickly put on a smile before walking inside.

“Why did you suddenly decide to come to the office?” asked Jonathan, arching a brow.

Frieda replied in a sweet voice, “Jonathan, I’ve been stuck at home for too long. When can I come back to work?”

Jonathan furrowed his brows slightly and said, “I have no say in the matter. I think you should bring this up to Grandpa.”

Even if he had a say in this, Jonathan had no intention of letting her return so soon.

Since what happened the last time, Jonathan had been worried about Frieda’s behavior. He was concerned that Frieda would use her power for personal gains, such as making things difficult for Roxanne by using the Queen family’s reputation.

If she were to do that again, it would be akin to going against Lucian.

The smile on Frieda’s face immediately vanished after she heard what her brother said, leaving behind only her unmasked rage.

“You’re barring my return because you’re worried I’ll target Roxanne, aren’t you?”

Seeing how she was so self-aware, Jonathan frowned slightly and said nothing.

With her current behavior, the previous incident would definitely reoccur if she was allowed to return.

Frieda looked at Jonathan and said angrily, “You’re all defending that b*tch! Even Grandpa is in on this!”

She paused and suddenly recalled what she had heard. Her expression turned cold. “You’re even helping Lucian woo her! Have you forgotten that Aubree is his actual fiancée?”

Jonathan did not expect Frieda to overhear the conversation he just had with Lucian. His face turned gloomy, and he warned icily, “You shouldn’t interfere with the Farwell family and the Pearson family’s affairs. Who Lucian chooses to be with is also no concern of ours. I’d suggest that you stop doing stupid things in the future!”

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 812 How Did You Find Out

Frieda was already annoyed. The lecture she had just received from Jonathan made her expression contort even more. “I think you’re the one who’s doing stupid things!”

With that, she looked daggers at Jonathan before turning around to leave the office in a huff. So my own brother has turned against me, eh? I guess I have to see Aubree about this!

Even I can tell that Mrs. Farwell wants Aubree to be her daughter-in-law. I remember that she even took it upon herself to get rid of Roxanne the last time.

Lucian is trying to woo Roxanne now, but he hasn’t even break off his engagement. The outcome of this tussle between Aubree and Roxanne is quite obvious. Aubree will be the rightful daughter-in-law of the Farwell family.

Jonathan is helping Roxanne that b*tch. He even said that my trying to help Aubree is a stupid thing to do. I think Jonathan has truly lost the plot here. He’s out of his mind!

Jonathan could feel his head throbbing as he stared at his sister’s retreating figure. After leaving Queen Group, Frieda immediately dialed Aubree’s number.

Aubree was still staying with Sonya. That day, Sonya had errands to run, so Aubree was left alone, listlessly changing channels on the television.

Upon noticing Frieda’s name flashing on her phone, Aubree immediately sat up. “Frieda? What is it?”

“Aubree!” Frieda sounded extremely aggrieved.

A hint of impatience flashed across Aubree’s eyes. However, her tone of voice conveyed nothing but concern as she asked, “What happened? Did someone bully you?”

This only served to make Frieda feel more wronged than ever. With a huff, she replied, “It’s my brother!”

Aubree arched a brow. “What did he do?”

Frieda bit her lip. “Are you available to meet in person? It’s important that I tell you this face-to-face. I’ll meet you at Happy Baker Café.”

Aubree then agreed, albeit with a slight frown.

The only thing they usually talked about was the Farwell family.

As such, what Frieda wanted to say must have had to do with the Farwell family.

Thinking of this, Aubree immediately picked up her bag, raced downstairs, and made her way to the café Frieda had told her about.

When she arrived, Frieda was already seated by the window. Aubree could tell that she was sulking as she sipped her coffee.

One could almost assume that she was sulking while having a drink of alcohol.

Seeing how annoyed Frieda was, Aubree could feel her heart sink. She hastily walked over and sat facing Frieda, asking, “What is it? You don’t look so good.”

Frieda only lowered the cup from her lips after hearing Aubree’s voice, her face full of displeasure. “Lucian has been pursuing Roxanne lately!”

Aubree was stunned, overwhelmed by the gravity of the information. But she still forced herself to maintain her look of calm as she asked, “How did you find out?”

Aubree had always known that Lucian treated Roxanne differently, but it was out of character for Lucian to behave in such a manner that would make Frieda use the word “pursue.”

What is so good about this b*tch anyway?

Frieda met Aubree’s gaze as she said, “I heard it myself. My brother was discussing this with Lucian, and Lucian denied nothing. He even asked what he could do better.”

Aubree could no longer hold back the smile on her face.

Lucian has never been humbled to this extent. I can’t believe he would ask for help over a woman.

He never behaved like this because of me six years ago!

Frieda went on, “On top of that, Roxanne seems to be rejecting his advances. I really don’t know what’s so desirable about her, seeing how Lucian is relentless in his pursuit!”

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 813 This Is Nothing

Aubree frowned slightly. “And how did you find out about this?” From her point of view, they had to have been together a long time ago. When Frieda had snapped a photo of them going to the theatre, Aubree had been very jealous.

But now, according to Frieda, the two had not actually gotten together. If they were to get together, I wonder how well Lucian would treat that b*tch! The very thought of this drove Aubree up the wall.

Frieda merely rolled her eyes. “If Roxanne had accepted Lucian’s advances, why would he be asking Jonathan for advice on how to woo her? I’m guessing that the issue between them hasn’t been resolved.”

Recalling something, she continued, “I also heard Jonathan say that Roxanne wants to be the technical advisor for Herbscape Group, and now Lucian is upset. Herbscape Group was initially going to sign an agreement with Farwell Group but lost out to Damaris Group.”

Aubree was finally convinced, given how Frieda had described everything so vividly and in detail.

Thinking that Roxanne had yet to accept Lucian’s advances, Aubree felt somewhat delighted.

As long as they were not together, she still had a chance.

Moreover, from what Frieda had mentioned, they still had some unresolved issues between them.

Frieda soon piped up again, saying, “Since Roxanne doesn’t know what’s good for her, I think it won’t be easy even if Lucian is hell-bent on making her his. Aubree, you need to find a way to get rid of her once and for all! It’s all because of that b*tch! Now, both Lucian and Jonathan have been treating me a lot worse!”

Aubree smiled at Frieda in an attempt to calm her down. “I wish I could do that. But we need to come up with a plan first. Why is Lucian upset at Roxanne? I think you mentioned this earlier.”

“I think it’s because Roxanne wants to be the technical advisor for Herbscape Group. Roxanne is also pretty close to Mr. Damaris. There was a big public uproar about this the last time, but she has yet to clarify anything.”

Aubree felt her heart stir as a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes. “I know what needs to be done now. Thank you for reminding me.”

Frieda was bewildered by this response and wished to ask her more, but Aubree gave her no chance to speak.

“Haven’t you always liked that limited edition purse I have? I’ll give it to you when I get back. Think of it as a little thank you present for reminding me,” said Aubree with a smile.

When Aubree brought up the purse, Frieda immediately forgot about Roxanne in her excitement. “Really? But I know you like that purse very much as well…”

Aubree flashed a pretentious smile. “Why are we putting a distance between each other like this? If you hear anything about Lucian and that b*tch again, remember to report it to me immediately. When I do marry into the Farwell family, a purse like this is nothing.”

Frieda agreed without hesitation. “You’re so kind to me, Aubree!”

Aubree merely smiled absent-mindedly, thoughts of how to get rid of Roxanne filling her head.

If not for Frieda’s reminder, she had nearly forgotten about the public uproar. Even Jessica had gone out of her way to give her a call.

I think the conflict between Roxanne and Jessica is caused by Roxanne’s ambiguous relationship with Jack.

If Lucian finds out that things are not so innocent between Roxanne and Jack, I wonder if he’ll still put in so much effort in wooing her…

A cold glint flashed across Aubree’s eyes.

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 814 Illusion

Roxanne remained oblivious to what Aubree was plotting. Estella, on the other hand, desperately wished for Roxanne to accept her father’s affection for her.

For several days, Estella would pester Catalina to teach her how to bake a cake when she returned from school.

Catalina naturally wanted to know where the interest came from. However, the little girl refused to explain, and instead, she would respond with a shy smile each time.

Catalina’s heart melted when she looked at Estella’s expression, so she decided to fulfill the girl’s request. She had thought that Estella was just learning how to bake for fun.

After all, Estella was so small that she could not even reach the countertop. She needed to use a stool, which made the activity quite inconvenient.

However, to her surprise, Estella had learned how to bake quite decently in just a few days. Early in the morning, when the weekend approached, Estella waited for Lucian at his bedroom door.

“Daddy!” Lucian had just opened the door when he heard Estella’s cute voice. When he looked at Estella, he noticed that excitement was written all over her face.

“What is it?” asked Lucian. The little girl tugged at his sleeve as she said, “Let’s go see Ms. Jarvis! I have not thanked her yet!”

At the mention of Roxanne, Lucian knitted his brows. Since his chat with Jonathan about her, he had yet to pay Roxanne a visit. He had also not thought of any romantic gestures.

Knowing that Estella wanted to see Roxanne, Lucian was put in a difficult position. Estella continued to tug at his sleeve expectantly, signalling that she wanted him to follow her downstairs.

Estella was so weak that she huffed and puffed with all her might. Even her face had turned red from the exertion. Lucian frowned helplessly and helped Estella support herself by holding her arm. Then, at Estella’s pace, the pair walked down the stairs.

However, when they got to the bottom, Estella’s feet showed no signs of stopping. Instead, she pulled him toward the door.

It seemed that if Lucian did not agree to take her to see Roxanne, she was not going to give up.

Lucian was rendered with no other option. All he could do was comply with her wishes, and the pair soon drove toward Roxanne’s house in his car.

Throughout the journey, Estella did not stop chattering about what she wanted to do when she saw Roxanne.

Lucian did not really pay attention to her. His mind was occupied by thoughts of how he was going to face Roxanne.

They had met and parted under unpleasant circumstances, and some time had passed since they had seen each other. He did not know if her anger had abated yet.

After half an hour, Lucian slowly pulled into Roxanne’s driveway.

Lucian got out of the car and carried Estella down. Without waiting for him, Estella rushed toward Roxanne’s door.

The little girl pushed the doorbell enthusiastically and knocked on the door, hoping that the inhabitants inside could hear her.

At that moment, Roxanne and her sons were having breakfast.

They heard sounds coming from the door, but it was so gentle and soft that they thought it was merely an illusion.

Soon after, the doorbell rang.

Roxanne frowned slightly before getting up to open the door.

“Ms. Jarvis!”

Estella’s cute voice rang out from below her as soon as she opened the door.

Roxanne smiled at the little girl and patted her head. Then she turned to look at the man next to her with mixed feelings.

Immediately, the air was heavy with silence and awkwardness.

“Essie wanted to see you, so I brought her over.” Lucian was the first to break the silence.

Roxanne came back to her senses. She forced a smile, nodded, and said, “Please, come inside.”

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 815 Opportunity

Roxanne stood at the doorway after the two guests entered the house, but a look of self-mockery flashed across her face. They had not seen each other for a week, so she should have already known what was on the man’s mind.

When she saw him just now, she unexpectedly had an illusion that the man was using Estella as an excuse to pay her a visit. She had nearly forgotten that whatever was between them had ended after Lucian’s competition with Jack.

Presumably, they were here today because Lucian was pestered by Estella into coming, and therefore had no choice but to agree.

Realizing that she got lost in her thoughts, Roxanne forced herself to focus and closed the door before entering the house.

In the dining room, Archie and Benny noticed that Lucian and Estella have arrived. Their little faces were filled with excitement as they asked out of concern, “Have you eaten yet, Essie?”

Estella merely shook her head.

I’m eager to come here and see Ms. Jarvis. How would I have time to eat? Even Daddy hasn’t eaten yet!

Seeing Estella shaking her head, the boys chorused, “Then join us!”

After saying this, the boys looked expectantly at Roxanne.

Meeting the gazes of the children, Roxanne gave them a smile and turned to look at Lucian. “I assume you’ve not eaten yet, Mr. Farwell. Why don’t you sit down and grab yourself a bite to eat?”

Since their ambiguous relationship had ended, Roxanne could finally treat Lucian like her friend without having any qualms.

A strange feeling rose in Lucian’s heart when he noticed that Roxanne had taken the initiative to invite him to partake in their meal. He tried to perceive what was on her mind through her expression, but she had already entered the kitchen.

Shortly after, Roxanne returned with extra placemats and cutlery to set the table for her two additional guests. With concern, she looked at Estella and asked, “Did you come here to play with the boys, Essie?”

The little girl shook her head without hesitation and looked earnestly at Roxanne. “I’m here to thank you, Ms. Jarvis.”

Upon hearing this, Roxanne was puzzled. She subconsciously raised her eyes to look at the man before her, wondering if he knew anything about this.

She had just raised her head to look when her gaze met Lucian’s dark eyes.

It was as if he had been staring at her this whole time.

Roxanne was momentarily stunned. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to stop overthinking. Trying hard to remain composed, she looked at Estella and asked, “Is that so? What do you have to thank me for?”

“I want to thank you for treating me and Daddy’s illnesses!” came Estella’s adorable reply. “I spent ages learning how to bake a cake. I want to make one for you, Ms. Jarvis.”

As soon as Estella spoke, she looked at her father innocently and said, “Daddy can prove that I worked very hard! Didn’t I, Daddy?”

Though Estella said she wanted to express her gratitude, she had, actually, been plotting to find ways to bring Roxanne and Lucian closer together, creating more opportunities for them to be in each other’s presence.

I can’t believe Daddy doesn’t grab this golden opportunity! I guess I’ll just have to help him.

Lucian noticed that Estella had directed the conversation at him and soon understood her intentions. He nodded in cooperation. “She pestered Catalina to teach her for a whole week. Catalina said that she learned how to do it pretty well.”

Roxanne nodded awkwardly when she heard him speak, but her expression remained cheery as she turned to look at Estella. “You know how to bake? How clever!”

Archie and Benny had also caught on to the meaning behind Estella’s prompting. Excitedly, they said, “We want to learn as well! Teach us, Essie!”

Estella nodded obediently.

In a split second, the boys immediately changed their tone of voice while looking at Lucian and Roxanne with pitiful eyes. “However, we’re scared of ruining Essie’s hard work. Can you help us out, Mommy and Mr. Farwell?”

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 816 Earnest

After hearing what the kids had to say, Roxanne could not help but hesitate. Baking with the children meant that she could not avoid interacting with Lucian. But…

Roxanne looked at Lucian, who was seated across from her at the table. His expression seemed to be quite indifferent as if he did not really mind.

Seeing how bland his expression is now, I think it would be strange if I react too strongly or kick up a fuss. After some deliberation, Roxanne smiled at the kids and said, “All right then!”

Seeing that Roxanne was on board, the kids looked expectantly at Lucian. Lucian also nodded wordlessly. The children then let out triumphant cheers. “Yay! Let’s all bake together!”

In their haste and excitement, the children barely finished their breakfast. They took another two cursory bites before eagerly jumping off their chairs and looking at both adults.

Although Roxanne had agreed, she still felt awkward at the prospect of being in such close contact with Lucian. Subconsciously, she felt the urge to delay the activity.

Under the watchful and expectant eyes of all the children, Roxanne felt herself squirm in her seat. Finally, all she could do was get up and clear the table.

The kitchen was too small to accommodate so many people. After some thought, Roxanne decided to use the dining table instead.

The children graciously offered to help her with the dishes. When that was done, they eagerly went to the dining table and waited to start baking.

Roxanne brought out the utensils that were needed and laid them out neatly on the now-clean table.

Estella soon began to take charge as she divided the tasks between everyone present. “Daddy and Ms. Jarvis will make the actual cake. The rest of us will help to decorate it.”

Naturally, Roxanne had no objections. She soon began to work.

Lucian, on the other hand, knew nothing about baking. All he could do was stand in a corner, frowning while he watched Roxanne busy herself with the process.

“Daddy, go on! Help Ms. Jarvis!” Estella tugged at the hem of Lucian’s sleeve with disapproval written all over her face.

Lucian merely arched a brow at Estella, silently imploring that he tell her what to do.

With a deep, dramatic sigh, Estella pointed at the eggs inside the bowl, indicating that he should help Roxanne crack the eggs.

Lucian nodded in understanding, reaching out to lend a hand.

Roxanne was blissfully unaware of the interaction between Lucian and Estella. However, she had coincidentally reached the stage where they had to add eggs to the mixture. As she reached out to grab an egg from the bowl, her hand accidentally brushed against Lucian’s hand.

For a moment, the two of them froze.

A few seconds later, Roxanne quickly snapped back to her senses. She retracted her hand as if she’d felt an electric shock and forced herself to calm down. Struggling to stay calm, she said, “Go ahead.”

Lucian was aware that Roxanne was avoiding him. The look in his eyes darkened, and he continued with what he set out to do without saying another word.

Very quickly, the ingredients were mixed in the mixing bowl. All that was left now was to beat the mixture.

This was going to take some time.

Roxanne used the whisk for a while but soon noticed that her arm began to ache from the beating. She then slowed down, thinking of resting for a bit.

“I’ll do it,” came Lucian’s voice from behind her.

Roxanne was briefly startled. Before she had the time to react, Lucian had already taken the whisk from her.

She could only let go and take a few steps back while Lucian continued with the whisking.

Lucian’s sleeves were rolled up high to reveal his thin and strong forearms. His well-defined brows were furrowed in a slight frown, and his lips were pursed because he had not done this before. However, he did seem quite committed.

Roxanne fell into a slight daze when she saw Lucian’s demeanor.

That being said, this must have been the first time she had seen Lucian do something with such earnestness.

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 817 Try This Later

Without the two adults realizing it, the children had gathered in a circle to watch Lucian. Ever since Archie and Benny accepted Lucian as their father, they had grown more fond of him with every passing day.

Seeing how serious he was, the children looked at each other with admiration in their eyes, wondering if they were going to be as handsome and cool as their father when they grew up.

Archie and Benny then turned to look at Estella. They were not sure if they were seeing things, but Estella’s side profile bore a striking resemblance to their mother.

For a time, the atmosphere in the room was light-hearted and fun. Suddenly, the sound of Roxanne’s phone ringing broke the silence. The few of them looked inquiringly in Roxanne’s direction.

Roxanne merely smiled apologetically at the children, but the caller ID on the screen caught her eye. I wonder what Jack wants.

“I need to take this call,” said Roxanne to the children. Subconsciously, she glanced at the man who was still busy mixing the batter before walking toward the living room.

The children looked warily at Roxanne’s retreating form, wondering who it was that would call her on a weekend morning.

In the living room, Roxanne promptly picked up the phone. “Mr. Damaris? What seems to be the matter?”

The distance between the dining room and the living room was not too vast, and Roxanne did not care to lower her voice. As such, everyone in the dining room could hear every word she said.

The children then turned to look at Lucian, curious about what his reaction was going to be.

Lucian stopped stirring, and his brows knitted into a mild frown.

At the same time, Jack’s soft voice could be heard from the other end of the line. “Are you free today, Ms. Jarvis?”

Roxanne subconsciously directed her gaze at the dining room. When she realized what she was thinking about, she immediately turned away with a frown and asked, “Is it urgent? If so, I can make time.”

“Actually, Grandpa said he has not seen you in a while. Regarding the previous issue, he wishes to give you an apology in person. On top of that, he wants to visit your research institute. However, if you are busy, we can do this another day,” said Jack calmly.

Hearing that it was Hector who wanted to meet her, Roxanne naturally had no objections and agreed promptly. “All right, then we’ll meet at the research institute in a bit.”

Jack hummed in agreement.

After deciding on a time, the two of them hung up.

Roxanne turned to go back to the dining room. Looking at Estella apologetically, she said, “I’m sorry, Essie. I may need to go out for a short while.”

Estella had already overheard the conversation from earlier, but hearing Roxanne say this to her in person still made her quite disappointed. There was a prominent look of displeasure on her face as her mouth formed a little pout. “Ms. Jarvis, aren’t you going to eat the cake we’ve made?”

She had put in so much hard work and time throughout the week so that Roxanne could taste the cake she learned how to bake.

Roxanne’s heart sank when she saw how disappointed the little girl was, but she could not afford to be late. After all, it was not just Jack who was waiting for her, but Hector as well.

Thus, Roxanne could only caress Estella’s head apologetically as she suggested, “I’ll eat it when I get back, okay?”

However, Estella still looked quite reluctant.

Archie and Benny, who had met Jack before and heard that Roxanne had been out drinking with him the last time, were not happy either when they found out that the man wanted to take up their mother’s free time on a weekend.

“Mommy, the cake is halfway made. Why don’t we finish baking first?”

Archie and Benny then surrounded Roxanne, looking at her with pleading looks in their eyes.

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 818 Half An Hour

After that, the children then looked at Lucian distressedly, hoping he could say something on their behalf too.

Roxanne noticed who the children were looking at, and her gaze lingered briefly on Lucian. Seeing that the man had no intention to speak, she felt something strange welling in her heart.

“I’ve already agreed on a time with Mr. Damaris. I cannot be late.” Roxanne then dipped her head to look at her children, her tone sounding contrite.

The children knew there was nothing else they could do to dissuade Roxanne when they saw how adamant she was about going. Their faces were filled with disappointment.

Roxanne felt sorry for the children as she took note of their crestfallen expressions, but she knew she could not do much. She merely patted their heads and said, “When it’s done, just leave some for me so that I can taste your handiwork.”

Subsequently, Roxanne turned around to leave.

She barely took two steps when she heard the man’s voice.

“Since you need to go, Ms. Jarvis, maybe we’ll bake this cake some other day.”

Lucian set aside the whisk, pulled down his sleeves, and looked at her derisively. “By the looks of it, your appointment with Mr. Damaris is more important than the promise you have made to the children.”

Hearing what he said, Roxanne stopped walking and turned around to look at the man in confusion.

Nonchalantly, Lucian continued, “The children have hoped that we can finish this little project with them. But since you must leave, it’ll mean nothing if I stayed behind to help them.”

Lucian then glanced at the children, who looked increasingly disappointed.

Roxanne could not tell if she was imagining things, but it seemed as if the children were looking at her with resentment in their eyes.

Their expressions seemed to ask why she chose to cast them aside when they were the ones who made plans with her first.

“I…” Roxanne was at a loss for words, unsure of how to explain the situation. In the end, she tried to placate them by saying, “I’m going not because Mr. Damaris’ appointment is more important, but because this is a work-related matter. That’s why—”

Before Roxanne could finish, however, Lucian cut her off coldly by saying, “That’s why you decided to blow off your kids? You can’t keep your priorities straight? What happened to work-life balance?”

Embarrassment flashed in Roxanne’s eyes.

I only agreed to meet because I heard that Old Mr. Damaris is going to be there. I can’t keep him waiting. I didn’t mean to forget about the kids. He’s right. I did make plans with the kids first.

“I’m sorry. I was negligent, but I have to go.” Roxanne sounded very contrite as she said this. “On top of that, Old Mr. Damaris is going to be there. I cannot keep the old man waiting.”

Lucian’s expression softened at her flustered expression. In a deep voice, he said, “It’ll be done in half an hour. Surely you can explain the situation to Mr. Damaris?”

Upon hearing this, the children’s expressions brightened, and they looked hopeful again.

Under the children’s expectant gazes, Roxanne hesitated briefly but still pulled out her phone and made a call to Jack, explaining the situation. She told him she was going to be thirty minutes late, but Colby would be there to receive them first.

Thankfully, Jack readily agreed.

After receiving affirmation from Jack, Roxanne heaved a sigh of relief and shuffled back into the dining room again. She patted the children on their heads and said, “I’m sorry. Let’s continue baking.”

Seeing that she was willing to stay, they obediently nodded their heads and put the cake into the oven.

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 819 Abrupt Question

After the plain cake was completed, the children hastily spread the cream on it. Each child had their own idea, so Roxanne split the cake into three sections to let them decorate in their own way.

The children clearly thought of the task as something important, for they were cautious as they spread the cream.

Roxanne would glance at the time every once in a while. It was almost time for her to meet Jack, but the children were not done decorating yet.

However, she dared not urge them to hurry when she recalled the unhappy moment earlier. “I’m done!” Estella spoke first.

The two boys followed soon after as they cast a look that told Roxanne they were seeking praises from her.

Roxanne tamped down the urgency she felt and flashed them a smile. She then walked over to the table and glanced at the children’s masterpieces.

The boys’ sides were a mess while Estella’s side was not. Yet, the boys were still gleeful about it.

Roxanne had no choice but to compliment them despite what she actually thought about their work. “You’ve done it wonderfully, my darlings.”

The children beamed. Roxanne sneaked a glance at Lucian, who had been silent, before turning back to the children. “I’ll cut the cake now, all right?”

The children nodded fervently.

Roxanne cut the cake into six simple slices, then passed them to the children and kept one for herself. After that, she turned to look at the man beside her, who showed no signs of wanting to join them.

“Mr. Farwell,” Roxanne called out to him with a frown. “The cake is done. Come and give it a try.”

It was only after hearing her voice did Lucian turn to look at her and walk over.

The children wanted the two adults to try out the slices they had been in charge of, so Roxanne had to cut three small pieces for Lucian and herself.

The children watched them with faces full of anticipation when the adults began digging in.

Roxanne gave them a quick smile before starting with Estella’s piece. After tasting it, she looked at the girl in surprise and exclaimed, “Essie, yours is amazing! It’s delicious! Thank you, Essie.”

The girl smiled from ear to ear upon hearing Roxanne’s compliment.

Just as Roxanne was about to try the next piece, Estella’s piping voice sounded beside her. “Ms. Jarvis, can I call you Mommy?”

The girl seemed thrilled, and she was looking at Roxanne expectantly.

Roxanne froze as she looked at the girl with wide eyes. Then she turned to the man opposite her.

Lucian did not see the girl’s question coming either.

Similarly, Archie and Benny were astounded by Estella’s question.

Even though they had been working hard to form a complete family, they could still see that their mother had yet to accept their father.

Mommy must be shocked by Essie’s abrupt question.

Estella continued, “Ms. Jarvis, can you be my mommy? I love Ms. Jarvis the most!”

At that, the girl even shyly tugged the hem of Roxanne’s clothes.

Roxanne snapped back to her senses and suppressed the chaotic feelings in her chest. She put down the cake on the table, crouched down, and forced herself to smile at the girl. “You’re a sweetheart, right, Essie? It’s true that I like you a lot, but that doesn’t mean I can be your mommy.”

Estella tilted her head to the side in confusion. “But I like you a lot too, Ms. Jarvis!”

Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 820 Console Essie

For a moment, Roxanne did not know how to respond to Estella’s declaration of love. I mean, I like Essie too, but I have never entertained the thoughts of becoming her mother.

After all, she has her own biological mother. If anything, children would probably prefer their biological parents more…

A good example will be Archie and Benny. Although they don’t know the truth of their births yet, their attitude toward Lucian is clearly different from the rest.

“You can’t?” Having received no answer from Roxanne, Estella lowered her eyes in disappointment and despair.

Roxanne’s heart ached when she saw the girl’s disappointment, but there was nothing she could do besides giving her a merciless rejection. Patiently, she explained to the girl, “Essie, you’ll have your own mommy, and once you have your mommy, you’ll find out that liking mommy and liking me don’t feel the same.”

Estella tightened her fists stubbornly and looked at Roxanne with tearful eyes. “I only like Ms. Jarvis!”

“You won’t—” Roxanne said in resignation when she saw Estella’s tears.

However, before she could finish her sentence, the girl gave her a heart wrenching look.

Her gaze seemed as though it was capable of seeing through people’s souls, and that made Roxanne stiffen.

In the next second, Estella let go of her shirt and ran outside.

“Essie!” Roxanne cried out when she returned to her senses. Right as she was about to run after the girl, the man beside her had already sped off after her.

Staring at Lucian’s back, Roxanne ran for two steps, then stopped hesitantly.

Essie dashed off because of me. If she sees me again, will she feel worse? Should I… not show up around her for a while for now?

The boys had never thought that things would turn out this way either. They froze for a few seconds before they recollected themselves.

When they saw their mother’s pale face, they decided not to go after Estella. Instead, they went to their mother’s side silently and muttered, “Mommy…”

They could see that their mother seemed sad as well, but they did not know how to console her. They held their tongues after that and merely kept her company at the side.

Roxanne gradually came back to her senses a while later. She lowered her gaze to look at the boys and whispered, “Should I not have rejected Essie just now?”

The boys shared a look, but neither knew what to reply to her.

If Mommy hasn’t accepted Daddy, then it’s nothing unusual for her to reject Essie. But who knew Essie would be that disappointed and run out without a word?

Truth be told, Roxanne was not expecting an answer from them. After saying that, she hung her head in silence as waves of panic and frustration washed over her.

She could see that Estella was hoping for a mother with the way she had raised that sudden question.

She wondered how Estella’s mother could bear to abandon the girl.

Roxanne was already distressed enough when Estella had gone missing previously.

She’s not familiar with her surroundings. I wonder if she’ll lose her way like she did the last time.

Archie and Benny could see the anxiety on their mother’s face. They consoled her, “Don’t worry, Mommy. Mr. Farwell will surely find Essie.”

Roxanne’s eyes flicked toward the boys, and she forced a smile.

“We’ll help you comfort Essie once Mr. Farwell is back with her.”

To distract their mother, the boys changed the topic back to the earlier phone call. “It’s getting late. Didn’t you promise to meet Mr. Damaris? If you don’t leave now, you’re going to be late.”