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 cream on her face

said while looking down at the

Andrew's face darkened.

held her hand. "Go

few seconds. Finally, she put down the presents and

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

which was possibly due to the

long after, Andrew followed her

the headboard and happily looked at the gifts from

carefully unwrapped them one by

darkened once again

them out of the house. They're hogging Ash's

from Dany. She opened the box and found something carefully swaddled in exquisite wrapping

did my baby give

she wondered out loud.

back the wrapping paper, Ashley clearly saw

of two people—a woman holding a

even guessing, Ashley already knew who the two people on the painting

Dany

a tug in her heart, overflowing with

more she began to notice the details.

skills were

she should enroll Dany in some art

in thought, she suddenly felt a

her.

to focus

he

wanted her to stop thinking about the

this is Dany's birthday gift to me.

a better mood, or else he would lose

the painting in front of Andrew

What did you just

Andrew's voice sounded inexplicably

"Um... honey?"

Ashley immediately said.

This satisfied Andrew.

just looked at him

bad," Andrew said softly as

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

the gift would have been, Ashley would still think that it was the best gift because Dany gave

how mothers all

indeed

Andrew conceded.

at him and snorted. Then, she turned her attention

Andrew grabbed her hand and

"Ash."

What is it?" Ashley

have a gift

Ashley put down the presents

was looking at him seriously, Andrew smiled

attention was finally on

close her eyes and took a box

Without hesitation, Ashley complied.

took out a necklace from a

shimmered under the soft light of

silver necklace with a moon-shaped