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.

as he watched the childlike

on her face made her face look even

open the presents first," Ashley said while looking

Andrew's face darkened.

and held her hand. "Go

up at him for a few seconds. Finally, she put down the presents and followed

pajamas, and her fluffed up hair was carelessly tied back in a loose bun on top

was a little flushed, which was

Andrew followed her

against the headboard and happily looked at the gifts from her

carefully unwrapped them

again as he

them out of

Dany. She opened the box and found

my baby give

she wondered out loud.

peeling back the wrapping paper, Ashley clearly

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

even guessing, Ashley already knew who the two

Dany and

in her heart, overflowing with love

at the painting, the more she began to notice the details. She was surprised

painting skills were

if she should enroll Dany in

she suddenly felt a warm presence surround her

toward her. "What are

to focus

jealous when he saw her attention focused

stop

birthday gift to

knew that she had to cajole him into a better mood, or else he would lose his

in front of Andrew

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 he looked at the

bad'? It's a beautiful painting. This

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

all

it is indeed a very good

Andrew conceded.

her attention to

Andrew

"Ash."

is it?" Ashley looked

have a gift

the presents in her hands and

that Ashley was looking at him

was finally on

her eyes and took a box from the

Without hesitation, Ashley complied.

then took out a

shimmered under the soft light of

was a cute silver necklace