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.

first," Andrew whispered as he watched the childlike

light, the cream on her

said while looking down

Andrew's face darkened.

forward and held her hand. "Go wash

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

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

a little flushed, which was possibly due to the

long after, Andrew followed

headboard and happily looked at

them

face darkened once again as he watched

should have thrown them out of the house.

the gift from Dany. She opened the

did my baby give

she wondered out loud.

carefully peeling back the wrapping paper, Ashley

holding a child's hand. The scene looked warm and

who the two people on

were Dany and

in her heart, overflowing with love for her

more she began to notice the details. She

skills were really

if she should enroll Dany in

lost in thought, she suddenly felt a warm

scent wafted toward her. "What are you

focus her attention on

when he saw her attention

wanted her to stop thinking about

Andy, this is Dany's birthday gift to me.

a

front of Andrew

What did you

that Andrew's voice sounded

"Um... honey?"

Ashley immediately said.

This satisfied Andrew.

looked at him

said softly as he looked

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

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

was how mothers all

is indeed a

Andrew conceded.

and snorted. Then, she turned her attention to the remaining two gifts from Fabio

open them, Andrew grabbed her hand and

"Ash."

What is it?" Ashley looked

have a gift

put down the presents in her

was looking at him seriously, Andrew

was finally on

asked Ashley to close her eyes and took a box from the

Without hesitation, Ashley complied.

a necklace from a delicate

shimmered under the soft light of

silver