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 excitement

the light, the cream on her face made her face

first," Ashley said while looking

Andrew's face darkened.

and held her hand. "Go wash

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

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

which was possibly

Andrew followed her

against the headboard and happily looked at the gifts from her three

carefully unwrapped them

face darkened once again as he

knew I should have thrown them out of

opened the box and found something carefully

did my baby give

she wondered out loud.

back the wrapping paper, Ashley clearly saw what it

woman holding

knew who the two people on the

were Dany and

heart, overflowing with love

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

painting skills

she should enroll Dany in

was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a warm presence surround

scent wafted toward her. "What are

wanted her to focus her

he

to stop

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

had to cajole him into a better

placed the painting in front of

What did you

thought that Andrew's voice sounded

"Um... honey?"

Ashley immediately said.

This satisfied Andrew.

looked at him

as he looked at the

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

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

was how mothers all over

it is indeed a

Andrew conceded.

turned her attention to the

them, Andrew grabbed

"Ash."

Ashley looked at him in

have a gift for

presents in her

Ashley was looking at

was finally on

asked Ashley to close her eyes and took a box

Without hesitation, Ashley complied.

a

shimmered under the soft light of the

cute silver necklace with