A Love Trap

Underneath the image were the words "Happy Birthday!" written in ganache.

Ashley leaned over and kissed Dany on the cheek. "Thank you, my darling. I love it."

"Mommy, hurry up and cut the cake!" Fabio said, bouncing on his heels with excitement.

"Okay."

Ashley cut the cake into several pieces with a knife, put them in little plates and gave them to the children.

"Mommy! I want to eat the part of the cake made of my image!"

"Mommy, me, too!"

"Okay, I'll cut them for you," Ashley replied with a smile.

"Let me do it." After Ashley gave the small pieces of cake to Dany and Fabio, Andrew took the knife from her hand.

"Wait a minute," Ashley said as she quickly cut off a piece of the cake with Andrew's image on it. She placed that portion in her own plate.

She then looked at Andrew with a mischievous smile and took a bite.

Andrew looked at her without saying a word, but his eyes darkened.

Ashley lowered her head, slightly intimidated by Andrew's gaze.

She also immediately averted her eyes.

'I just ate the part of cake with your image. Why are you looking at me like that? It's so scary!' she said in her mind, looking at him.

Andrew carefully cut off the part of cake with Ashley's image and put it on a plate.

He then cut the rest of the whole cake into several pieces and handed them out to Richard and Chant.

He also gave several slices to the servants.

There were a few servants in the house. They were the people Chant had brought with him when he moved in—Linda, Porter, and two younger servants.

"Mommy, please come here." After eating half of his share, Fabio suddenly asked Ashley to lean down to him.

The two of them were already sitting very close.

After hearing Fabio, Ashley scooted even closer to him.

"What's wrong? Tell me, Fabio."

When Ashley got close to him, she saw a dollop of icing on his hand. Suddenly, Fabio lifted his hand and smashed the cream on Ashley's cheek.

Laughing, Ashley scooped some icing herself and playfully retaliated on the little boy.

"You look like a kitten,"

Ashley said with a grin.

Seeing this, Dany rolled her eyes in exasperation. Then, imitating Fabio, she also slapped some cake on Ashley's face.

The three children and Ashley were having so much fun playing this little game, while Andrew and Chant quietly looked on.

After they finished eating the cake, the servants cleaned up the mess and Ashley and Andrew went upstairs.

In their bedroom, Ashley sat on the bed, excited to find out what the children had given her.

She was looking forward to opening her presents.

whispered as he watched the childlike

cream on her

said while looking down

Andrew's face darkened.

step forward and held her hand. "Go

up at him for a few seconds. Finally, she put down

bathroom. She was wearing thick flannel pajamas, and her fluffed up hair was carelessly tied back in a loose bun on top

little flushed, which was

after, Andrew

back against the headboard and happily

carefully unwrapped them one

once again

them out

the gift from Dany. She opened the box and found something carefully

my baby

she wondered out loud.

paper, Ashley

was a painting of two people—a woman holding a child's hand. The scene looked

knew who the two people

were Dany and

felt a tug in her heart, overflowing

began to notice the details.

painting skills

wondered if she should enroll Dany in some

was lost in thought, she suddenly felt

wafted toward her. "What

wanted her to focus her

jealous when he saw her attention focused

stop thinking

is Dany's birthday gift to me. Isn't it

to cajole him into a better mood, or else

in front of Andrew to show

you

that Andrew's

"Um... honey?"

Ashley immediately said.

This satisfied Andrew.

looked at

bad," Andrew said softly as he looked

mean it's 'not bad'? It's a beautiful painting. This is a precious

what the gift would have been, Ashley would still think that it was the best

mothers all over

indeed a very good

Andrew conceded.

and snorted. Then, she turned her attention to the

could open them, Andrew grabbed her hand and

"Ash."

What is it?" Ashley looked at him

a

presents in her hands

Ashley was looking at him seriously, Andrew smiled

was finally

eyes and took a box

Without hesitation, Ashley complied.

took out a necklace from a

shimmered under the soft

was a cute silver necklace with a