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

cream on her face made her face look

presents first," Ashley said while looking down

Andrew's face darkened.

took a step forward and held her hand. "Go wash

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

of the bathroom. She was wearing thick flannel pajamas, and her fluffed up

which was possibly due to the steam

long after, Andrew followed

happily looked at

them one by

face darkened once again as

thrown them out of

unwrapped the gift from Dany. She opened the box

did my

she wondered out loud.

paper, Ashley clearly

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

Ashley already knew who the two people on the painting

were Dany

a tug in her heart, overflowing

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

painting skills were really

she should enroll Dany in

lost in thought, she suddenly felt a warm presence surround

wafted toward her. "What

focus her

jealous when he

her to stop

Andy, this is Dany's birthday

had to cajole him into a better mood, or else

in front of

did you

that Andrew's voice

"Um... honey?"

Ashley immediately said.

This satisfied Andrew.

looked

said softly as he looked at

painting. This is a precious gift from

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

was how mothers all over the

it is indeed

Andrew conceded.

her attention to the remaining two gifts from

open them, Andrew grabbed her hand

"Ash."

is it?" Ashley looked

also have a gift for

down the presents in her

that Ashley was looking at him seriously, Andrew smiled

attention was finally on

and took a box

Without hesitation, Ashley complied.

a

shimmered under the soft light

a cute silver necklace