New Mommy ?

"Pretty Brother, does Daddy...does Daddy hate Sarah?" Sarah asked cautiously, fidgeting with her little fingers as she looked up at Richard with wide, worried eyes.

Richard was taken aback by the question, not expecting such a serious concern from the little girl. However, after a moment's thought, he realized that at Sarah's age, it was natural for her to be thinking about these things. Still, her question caught him off guard.

"Daddy never smiles when he sees Sarah. It must be because Sarah did something wrong, right? That's why Daddy hates Sarah, isn't it?" Sarah's voice grew more anxious, and the sadness in her eyes became even more pronounced.

"Pretty Brother, can you help Sarah? Please ask Daddy what Sarah did wrong. I'll change, I promise. I'll be good, really good," she pleaded desperately, her voice trembling with hope.

Richard fell silent. This was a matter he couldn't interfere in. He suspected that the reason Xavier Dupont didn't get close to Sarah was because of Audrey's interference, not because Xavier was the type to take out his anger on a child.

Seeing Richard's hesitation, Sarah's shoulders slumped. "If it's too much trouble, then...then Sarah won't ask," she whispered, her voice laced with disappointment.

Richard hesitated, his hand rising slightly as if to comfort her, but he let it fall back to his side. How could he comfort Sarah when he himself was in such a precarious position?

**Outside the Room**

Audrey stood with her arms crossed, looking down her nose at Xavier Dupont as she spat, "You can mess around all you want, but don't you dare let my daughter see. It's disgusting."

The word "disgusting" dripped with venomous contempt, and although Audrey was a beautiful woman, her expression was that of a shrew.

Xavier Dupont didn't respond immediately, simply lighting a cigarette and exhaling smoke in her direction.

"I'm talking to you! Are you deaf? You want to corrupt my daughter with that filth? Xavier Dupont, you treat that little whore like a treasure, but he's just trash," Audrey snarled, her voice rising as she pointed accusingly at Xavier.

Xavier Dupont had been trying to avoid an argument, but Audrey's incessant insults toward Richard made his expression grow cold.

"Trash?" Xavier Dupont's voice was laced with icy amusement as he looked Audrey up and down.

"What...what are you looking at?" Audrey stammered, suddenly feeling vulnerable under his gaze and taking a step back.

Blowing out a stream of smoke, Xavier Dupont retorted, "A woman who doesn't even know who her child's father is, calling Richard trash? Don't make me laugh."

Audrey bristled, her face flushing with anger, but she couldn't muster a comeback. All she could do was glare at Xavier with seething hatred.

"Unlike you, who would throw yourself at any man, Richard has only ever been with me. His body is far cleaner than yours," Xavier continued, his tone cold and unyielding.

He didn't want to say such harsh things, but Audrey had pushed him to it.

"If you hadn't left me alone all these years, do you think I would have turned out like this?" Audrey countered, trying to shift the blame back onto Xavier.

"Don't think I don't know how many men you've flirted with since we got married. Don't push me, or I'll tear this charade apart," Xavier Dupont warned, his voice low and menacing before turning his back on her and walking into the room.

Audrey was left fuming, her feet stomping the floor in frustration. She wanted to scream at him but knew that Xavier had just turned the tables on her.

"You think you're so noble, don't you, Xavier Dupont? You've been pining after that man for ten years, and what has it gotten you? You're nothing but a coward!" Audrey spat, though deep down, she knew the truth. If they divorced, Xavier would undoubtedly be with Richard. But their families were too entangled in business for such a separation to be allowed. Their marriage had never been about love but about securing their families' interests. They were both trapped in this farce.

Audrey had once thought about divorcing Xavier after he had caught her with several of her ex-boyfriends, but the threat of losing her father's financial support and possibly even facing his wrath kept her in line. So, for ten years, they had simply coexisted, each refusing to touch the other.

When Xavier Dupont re-entered the room, Richard visibly tensed up. He glanced toward the door, and just as he feared, Audrey followed Xavier inside, glaring daggers at him.

But this time, Richard didn't panic. His face hardened into a cold mask as he met Audrey's glare with equal intensity.

Audrey was furious. How dare this man, a mere lover, stare her down so brazenly? Who did he think he was?

Seething, she strutted over to Xavier and, after casting a smug glance at Richard, sweetly extended her hand toward Xavier. "Honey, I'm out of money. Give me some."

The way she addressed Xavier made Richard's stomach turn, and his hands clenched into fists, his lips trembling with suppressed emotion.

Seeing Richard's reaction, Audrey inwardly scoffed. *Fight me if you dare, Richard. You're just a piece of trash who can never compare to me, the legitimate wife.*

Xavier Dupont sat down on the sofa, completely ignoring Audrey as he exhaled another cloud of smoke. His gaze shifted to Richard, and he reached out to gently play with Richard's hair, his long legs casually crossed.

Richard's eyes went wide with shock. He looked up at Xavier, his expression blank. Xavier had always avoided physical contact with him, especially in front of others.

But now, Xavier's hand was in his hair, and he showed no signs of stopping. Tears welled up in Richard's eyes as his emotions overwhelmed him.

*If I were to die right now, I'd have no regrets.*

Audrey's face turned an alarming shade of red as she watched Xavier's gentle actions toward Richard. She felt like she was about to explode.

This man—this bastard—wasn't even trying to hide his feelings anymore!

Xavier Dupont was well aware of Audrey's rage, but he continued to ignore her. Instead, he gently lifted Richard into his lap.

Richard was stunned, unable to react. He could only sit there, staring up at Xavier in disbelief.

*What's going on today?* Richard wondered, his thoughts swirling in confusion. But despite his confusion, he couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness that Xavier was no longer pushing him away.

"Xavier Dupont!" Audrey screeched, her voice echoing through the room as she finally lost her temper.

Sarah, still standing nearby, was startled and her eyes filled with tears.

Xavier Dupont glanced at Sarah, his expression softening slightly as he reached down to pick her up. He placed her on Richard's lap, where she immediately brightened, her earlier tears forgotten.

"Pretty Brother, Daddy is so strong!" Sarah clapped her hands in delight, looking up at Richard with admiration.

Richard, still reeling from Xavier's unexpected affection, looked down at the little girl in his lap. *She's so young...does she not understand?*

He was torn between his confusion and the warmth spreading in his chest.

"Xavier Dupont!" Audrey shrieked again, her face red with rage, her eyes boring into Richard.

But Richard only smirked at her, hugging Sarah closer, which nearly caused Audrey to faint from sheer fury.

*How dare this little piece of trash try to steal my husband and my daughter!*

Audrey's vision darkened as she clutched her chest, struggling to catch her breath.

Xavier Dupont, still unfazed by Audrey's outburst, pulled a card from his pocket and tossed it onto the coffee table. "Don't make me throw you out in front of the child," he said coldly.

Audrey opened her mouth to retort, but her phone buzzed with a new message. She glanced at the screen and saw a text from her latest lover: *Babe, I'm here. Come down.*

Snatching the card, Audrey stormed out of the room without a second thought. The only reason she had brought Sarah along was so she could leave her with Xavier while she went on a trip with her lover.

As the door closed behind her, Richard let out a sigh of relief. He looked up at Xavier, his expression filled with confusion.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" Xavier asked calmly.

"It is, but...why the sudden change?" Richard couldn't understand Xavier's sudden shift in behavior.

"I met with Richa and the others. It made me rethink a few things," Xavier replied, his tone still even as he gestured for Richard to take Sarah and sit elsewhere. But Richard didn't move, unwilling to give up this rare moment of closeness with Xavier.

Instead, he leaned closer, ignoring Sarah's presence between them, his breathing growing heavier.

Xavier didn't pull away this time. In the past, he had avoided Richard not out of dislike, but because he feared he would lose control of his emotions. But now, he was ready to make a choice. He couldn't bear to see Richard cry anymore.

"Pretty Brother, are you my new mommy?" Sarah suddenly asked, her innocent eyes looking up at Richard as she interrupted the moment.

Richard nearly choked on his own spit, staring down at Sarah in shock.

Sarah, oblivious to the

 tension, continued in her sweet voice, "The maids told me that Daddy has a very pretty mommy outside. Is that you, Pretty Brother?"

Richard felt his cheeks burn as he looked at Xavier Dupont. "Is that what your maids think?" he asked, half-amused, half-embarrassed.

Xavier Dupont didn't directly answer, instead, he replied with a knowing smirk, "Did you really think you could sneak into my estate at night without anyone noticing? Someone was bound to see."

Richard was taken aback but then chuckled softly. "So that's why your patrols were always a bit lax. I should have guessed."

"Pretty Brother, are you my new mommy?" Sarah asked again, her excitement growing. She clearly hoped the answer was yes.

Richard pinched Sarah's cheek playfully and said, "If your daddy wants me, then yes, I'll be your new mommy."

Sarah's eyes sparkled with joy, and she immediately turned to Xavier Dupont, her small hands clutching at his shirt. "Daddy, I want Pretty Brother to be my new mommy!"

Xavier leaned back on the sofa, resting his chin on his hand while placing his other hand on Sarah's head. With a teasing smile, he asked, "And why do you want him to be your new mommy?"

"Because Pretty Brother is so pretty, and he smiles so nicely. Sarah likes him," she declared with innocent enthusiasm.

The truth was, Audrey never spent much time with her daughter, often leaving her alone or in the care of the maids. Sarah was lonely, craving attention and affection, which she only ever got when she was with Xavier Dupont. She didn't care that her mother used her as an excuse to leave her with Xavier; she was just happy to be with him.

Sarah had noticed how special Richard was to Xavier, and in her young mind, she figured that if Richard became her mommy, she could finally have a real family and be with her daddy all the time.