Obviously, It's My Child - Chapter 138
“If you want me to beg, I wouldn’t be hesitating.”
Claire said this while applying gentle pressure with her knees.
Erich let out a short groan. Claire spoke again, gripping his cheeks as if to draw him closer.
“Please ask.”
“…”
“Is it really so beneath your dignity to ask your wife for love?”
Laughter tinged Claire’s voice. Erich pushed away Claire’s hands cradling his face and ran his fingers through his hair. As she said he didn’t want to show any sign of tension or wounded pride.
Eventually, Claire ended up sitting on his lap. Erich cradled her head, undid her hair, pulled her close, and deeply pressed his lips against hers.
.
.
.
- The Snow-covered City
As the train stopped at various stations, it looked like it skipped through time as autumn deepened. The first snowflakes began to fall by the time they reached their destination, Baden Castle.
And today, it snows again.
“Wowwww…..!”
Elliott pressed his face against the window, fogging it up with his breath, then drawing a snowman with his finger.
“Auntie! Auntie! I want a snowball fight!”
“Uumm.”
Wrapped in a rabbit fur blanket in front of the fireplace, Claire moaned.
“Auntieee!”
“I refuse. Until Elliott keeps his promise, I won’t move an inch from here.”
Right after the wedding and the legal formalities, Claire had suggested to Elliott that it would be nice if he started calling her mom.
Though it might have been too complex for Elliott to fully grasp, they had even filled out the paperwork for his legal recognition in Elliott’s presence.
It’s unclear how much Elliott understood, but he nodded shyly when told that his auntie would become his mom.
Two weeks later, Elliott often called Erich dad, seemingly happy to have a dad.
But he struggled to adjust how he addressed Claire, probably because he had always called her auntie. It didn’t seem like he disliked the change, thankfully.
Claire’s request wasn’t about forcing him, but she genuinely didn’t want to move.
Elliott then stood in front of Claire with hands on his hips, mimicking an authoritative stance.
“You can’t just laze around! Uh, um… Only hamsters are lazy!”
“Really now.”
Claire laughed at his attempt to mimic Erich, finding the earnest effort cute but utterly amusing.
It was clear he was trying hard to come up with a serious admonishment, but it just came off as adorable.
Of course, she couldn’t let such a display of pompous behavior from the young master of the Duchy go unchecked. Wrapped in her blanket, Claire stealthily moved towards Elliott.
Suddenly, she spread the blanket wide, scooping Elliott into it, and hugged him tightly.
“Gotcha! Try calling me a hamster again!”
“Ahaha!”
Elliott burst into laughter.
Hugging the soft, warm child, Claire rolled around the fireplace. Of course Elliott soon struggled to escape and whimpered.
“I want to have a snowball fight!”
“You had one before your nap.”
“Then, let’s build a snowman!”
Pausing for a moment, Elliott then said with a barely audible voice.
“…Mom.”
Claire blinked.
From the beginning, there was never an intention to erase the memory of his biological mother from Elliot. It was Claire who had always talked about her. She also loved Elliott using ‘Auntie’.
Yet, this simple word shattered her heart.
“Whose child is this? My baby?”
Claire caught Elliott trying to escape and showered his face with kisses. Elliott squirmed, saying he couldn’t breathe.
Erich entered the living room with two pewter mugs just then.
“Stop tormenting Elliott and let him go.”
“He’s too cute not to.”
“Huwaa!”
With a crumpled face, Elliott scrambled out of Claire’s grasp to hide behind Erich’s legs.
Handing a mug to Claire, Erich asked.
“Is it that cold?”
“No, it’s just the right temperature like this.”
Erich, unfamiliar with lounging in front of a fire wrapped in a blanket, couldn’t grasp the concept.
“Auntie, you’re not keeping your promise.”
Elliott complained, tugging at Erich’s sleeve.
Erich whispered something into Elliott’s ear, causing the boy’s eyes to sparkle with excitement.
“Really?”
“Go tell Martha.”
“Okay!”
Elliott dashed off in excitement.
Claire looked suspiciously at Erich, who remained expressionless.
“What did you tell him? Not another promise to buy something, I hope?”
“No.”
With that brief reply, Erich sat back, leisurely sipping his drink.
Claire, who was still doubtful of him, took a sip of her own. It was warm mulled wine.
“Hmm.”
“What?”
“Something’s fishy.”
“About what?”
“Just everything.”
“Don’t project your own suspicions onto others.”
When he said that, she was left speechless. Claire watched as Elliott returned, rounded and bundled up for the cold.
Dressed in a sleeveless quilted coat with a fur coat over it, a scarf wrapped around his neck, thick boots on his feet, and a fur hat pulled down over his ears,
Elliott was fully dressed up and ready to go outside.
“Ah…”
Was it fate to go out and build a snowman? Perhaps Erich had agreed to play along. Still, she would have to join them.
Before Claire could fully resign herself to this fate, Erich stood up and, in one swift motion, scooped her up, blanket and all.
“Kyaak!”
Caught off guard by the surprise, Claire clung to his chest in confusion.
Erich moved forward with large strides, while Elliott strode rhythmically with his feet, giggling.
“Hehehe.”
“Wait! Put me down! I get it, we’ll go make a snowman. We’re going to make one!”
“Mom’s here!”
Elliott stretched his arms out excitedly. Erich paused momentarily, bending down so Elliott could clumsily wrap a scarf around Claire’s neck.
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