Chapter 168: CALL ME MOTHER

Chapter 168: CALL ME MOTHEROnly after the words were out did Wade realize what he had said. The initial sleepiness faded and he became awake.

He chided himself in his mind. Just because she had comforted him didn’t mean he could call her that. It was just that he had felt that she acted so much like a mother to him that he couldn’t help but say it.

Now Charlotte was probably wondering if he felt free to call her that just because she had comforted him.

He held his breath but didn’t look up at Charlotte. He didn’t dare to. Thinking of Charlotte looking at him with a disapproving face or disgusted eyes would leave him heartbroken after experiencing her warmth.

Charlotte’s hand on his head didn’t stop even though she was stunned. "Hm?" She hummed. After a moment’s thought, she said, "You can call me mother, if that is what you want." She added softly.

Wade couldn’t hide his surprise. He thought he had heard wrong. Was he so desperate that his mind was playing tricks on him? But Charlotte’s voice was crisp and clear in his ears. A smile subconsciously bloomed on his face.

"Mother." He repeated.

"Yes, Wade." Charlotte replied.

"Mother." He called again.

"I’m here, Wade." Charlotte smiled a little. She knew he wasn’t calling her and was only stating how he felt she made him feel at the moment, but she wanted to provide him with assurance. That was what she thought.

Wade finally gave in to his body’s tiredness. He was just a six year old child, and after crying so much, he inevitably felt exhausted.



"He’s asleep." Charlotte muttered. A small frown appeared on her face. She didn’t dislike the child. She just didn’t want to give him false hope if, eventually, she divorced her husband. At least until she was sure she wouldn’t be getting a divorce.

She stayed like that for a few minutes until the tea in the teapot turned cold.

She heard footsteps approaching. A male servant was passing by. She called him.

"You called, madam?" The servant bowed. He hid his surprise at seeing the young master lying asleep in the Madam’s arms.

Since Wade had arrived at the mansion, they had never seen any physical contact initiated between the two, so he was surprised that the young master was even sleeping in her arms.

What was going on? Was the relationship between the madam and young master improving?

Charlotte nodded, "I did. Could you assist me in taking the young master to his room?"

"Yes, madam." The servant bowed, going to take Wade from her arms.

But Wade’s hand was firmly gripping Charlotte’s clothes, unwilling to let go, even as he slept.

Charlotte sighed with a troubled look on her face.

After a few seconds, the male servant carefully pried open Wade’s hand gently, mindful of Charlotte’s dress. He didn’t want to get in trouble for being so close to the madam.

The servant helped her to carry Wade to his room. Charlotte followed behind him to Wade’s room. She had never entered his room before.

Looking around the room, she frowned. It didn’t look as warm as she would like for a child.

It reminded her of George’s room when they first got married, before she had it redone.

Her brows twitched. George really didn’t have any taste for aesthetics.

The servant carefully placed Wade on the bed, bowed and left, quickly closing the door behind him.

Charlotte looked at Wade’s sleeping face and smiled. "He’s just a child. Very innocent. Reminds me myself."

She leaned forward and brushed away stray hair that had made its way to his face. She turned to leave but was stopped by a tug on her clothes.

She turned around, looking at the little boy.

"M-mother, stay. Please, don’t leave me." Wade mumbled, staring at her.

Charlotte hesitated. She wasn’t the child’s mother. Would it be alright for her to do so? After some thought, she decided to stay with him. At least until he really fell asleep.

She sat beside him on the bed, "I’ll stay with you."

Wade smiled and closed his eyes.

Charlotte wiped off the stray tear from his eyes. She turned to look out of the window. It was becoming dark outside. She was tired too, and staring at the darkening sky made her drowsy.

After some hesitation, she laid down on the bed and closed her eyes, dozing off not long after.

***

"Where is the madam? And my son?" George asked as soon as he met the butler at the mansion’s entrance.

"Madam is in the young master’s room." The butler replied, trying to contain his smile.

’In Wade’s room?’ George raised his brows in surprise. Even the butler had been surprised when he found out.

George nodded at the Butler’s words and entered the mansion, going to his room take a bath.



The butler who was left behind smiled to himself. The madam was finally approaching the young master. He had also noticed the change in the Master and Madam’s relationship.

"His Lordship would have been happy to witness this." He muttered. Sadly, George’s grandfather hadn’t even lived to witness the marriage.

When George was done with his bath, he left his room. There was still no sign of Charlotte or Wade.

’She’s really in his room.’ George thought.

He immediately headed to Wade’s room. He opened the door and entered the room.

He was stunned to see Charlotte and Wade lying on Wade’s bed.

A smile appeared on his face. Charlotte was lying on her side, facing Wade. Wade’s hand was gripping Charlotte’s hand tightly as he slept curled up, facing Charlotte. He obviously didn’t want to let go even as he slept.

They looked peaceful. To George, it was a beautiful scene. It had never happened between him and his parents.

He wondered what exactly had happened that caused Charlotte and Wade to become close enough to lie on the same bed. He didn’t know how or when their relationship had progressed to this point.

Nevertheless, he was happy.

Charlotte had agreed to give him a chance to redeem himself. Maybe she had also decided to give Wade a chance too. The thought filled him with relief and joy.

George was extremely pleased with the development. However, a part of him felt jealous.

Since his mistake came to light, he and his wife had been sleeping in different rooms for a year. He missed her dearly even though they lived in the same house.

He missed having her beside him. He missed her scent. He missed having her in his arms. He missed her soft, sweet voice. To sum it up, he deeply missed his wife.

He quietly closed the door behind him and slowly approached them. Then, he did the only thing in his mind; he walked to the bed and lay down on the other side of Wade. Wade was now in the middle of him and Charlotte.

He closed his eyes to rest for a moment. ’This is my family’. He thought, a feeling of satisfaction spreading in his chest.

About an hour later, Wade opened his eyes. He rubbed his eyes, then recalled something. His gaze snapped over desperately to see Charlotte beside him, his hand in hers. Her hand was comfortably warm.


His heart relaxed and a small smile formed on his face. ’So it really wasn’t a dream’.

His eyes moved to his left and stilled. "Father?" He whispered, surprised to see George also lying beside him.

Wade laid back down. He had a father and mother now. His family was complete. He stared at the ceiling and slowly, his hand touched his chest.

’So this is what a family is like.’

Outside the room, servants walked on tiptoes when they walked past. The madam and young master had been in the young master’s room for a long time.

The master also had been there for a long time. They wondered what was going on. Wasn’t the relationship between the three of them not very good?

They discussed in hush voices.

"The masters have been in the young master’s room for a long time."

"I wonder why."

"And the madam was with the young master earlier, even before the master arrived."

"I heard they had tea together."

"I heard the young master had slept in the arms of the madam."

"The relationship between the madam and young master seem to have improved."

"Could it be that the madam is starting to accept the young master?"



"It could be..."

"Accept? Didn’t you see how she doesn’t bother to speak to him?"

"Then how would you explain him sleeping in her arms?"

"But I heard something sometime ago that the madam—"

"Shh. The head maid is here."

"Did she hear?"

"Oh no..."

They bowed to the head maid.

"You all, it seems you have to be taught a lesson. Your mouths are working more than your hands. Finish whatever you are doing and come with me." The head maid wasn’t wearing a smiling expression. These servants that couldn’t control their loose mouths!

Servants weren’t supposed to discuss their masters. It could generate punishment and even cause them to be sacked of their jobs.

All the servants knew this, yet they just couldn’t seem to keep their mouth shut. She would have to discipline them, else it would be seen as her not doing her duty.

The servants immediately shut up and did their work, fearful of being punished. They exchanged glances and kept silent, not wanting to incur the wrath of the head maid any more than they had.