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.

face first," Andrew whispered as he watched the childlike excitement

cream on her face made

first," Ashley said while looking down at the

Andrew's face darkened.

took a step forward and held

for a few seconds. Finally, she

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

flushed, which was possibly due to the steam in

long after, Andrew followed her

her back against the headboard and happily looked at the

them one by

face darkened once again as

them out

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

did my baby

she wondered out loud.

carefully peeling back the wrapping paper, Ashley clearly saw

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

knew who the

were Dany and

tug in her heart, overflowing with love

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

skills were

enroll Dany

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

wafted toward her. "What are

wanted her to focus her attention on

when he saw

wanted her to stop thinking about the

is Dany's birthday gift

into a better mood, or else he would lose his

the painting in front of Andrew to

did you

thought that Andrew's voice sounded inexplicably

"Um... honey?"

Ashley immediately said.

This satisfied Andrew.

looked

as

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

would still think that it was

was how mothers all over

is indeed a

Andrew conceded.

she turned her attention to the remaining two gifts from Fabio

them, Andrew grabbed her hand

"Ash."

it?" Ashley

also have a gift

do?" Ashley put down the presents in her hands

was looking at him seriously, Andrew smiled

was finally

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

Without hesitation, Ashley complied.

then took out a necklace from a delicate

under the

a cute silver necklace with