Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 161

Chapter 161: I Will Study Hard
The warm glow of the afternoon sun filtered through the closed French doors, casting golden light into the private dining room. The peaceful and almost surreal ambiance was a contrast to the emotions storming in Nathaniel’s heart.

Lorianne sat beside Nathaniel, her tiny hand clutching the sleeve of his shirt. He couldn’t help but wonder if her action stemmed from her fear—of the chances he might disappear.

‘I still can’t believe this. It’s… it’s not a dream, right?’

As his brown eyes stared at Lorianne, who began talking to Elsie after the waiter left, Nathaniel inwardly scoured the overwhelming emotions within him.

A sense of wonder, guilt, and indescribable fondness surged through him the moment this little one called him ‘Daddy’.

Despite only learning about Lorianne’s existence a few days ago, Nathaniel’s mind had been flooded with various thoughts regarding her.

He wished to know more about his daughter’s past while imagining how the future would be.

He wished to be by her side as she grew up, supporting her choices while providing her shelter when things were hard.

What should he start with?

Set up trust funds for her?

Even though the Winslows were wealthy, Nathaniel still wanted to provide financially toward Lorianne. Of course, he wouldn’t forget the emotional aspect too. It was crucial for their bonding.

“…dy? Daddy!”

“Y-yes?”

Lorianne’s voice pulled Nathaniel out of his trance. Blinking, he stared at the little one’s curious gaze before glancing at Elsie across the table. The lady’s countenance expressed worries.

“Niel, are you okay?” Elsie asked, her voice soft. Her warm green eyes collided with Nathaniel’s dazed brown ones.

“Ah, sorry. Did you two say something?”

Nathaniel quickly shook his head, his eyes darting from Elsie to Lorianne. He silently berated himself for not paying attention to his surroundings during an important time like this.

“Daddy, want some water? Here, drink!”

Lorianne finally let go of Nathaniel’s sleeve when she extended her short arms, reaching for a glass of plain water. She carefully pushed it to him, afraid of spilling the water on the table.

Nathaniel pursed his lips, trying to hold back from crying again. Taking the glass from Lorianne, he said, his voice still raspy, “Thank you, Lorrie. You’re a kind child.”

“Hehehe~ Mommy say we need to be kind! I follow Mommy’s teaching.”

Lorianne giggled upon receiving Nathaniel’s praise, her chubby face beaming with delight. Her daddy’s compliment made her so proud and happy. She eagerly watched him drink the water.

Lorianne’s soft laughter and her words melted Nathaniel’s heart. Smiling at her, he slowly drifted his gaze to Elsie as he put the glass down.

“Your mommy is the kindest soul I’ve ever met,” said Nathaniel gently, his eyes remaining on Elsie, “She has taught you well.”

Elsie blinked, never expecting to be praised by Nathaniel just because of the little interaction he had with Lorianne. She sensed the heat emanating from her cheeks.

“I taught her what Mama Judy used to teach us. Lorrie is a kind child, to begin with.”

Elsie was unsure how she should respond to Nathaniel, so she brought up Mama Judy, the orphanage director. Her voice grew lower than before. His gaze, despite being soft, made her feel more conscious.

The curves of Nathaniel’s lips softened. Nodding slowly, he said, “Still, you’ve done a great job to guide Lorrie. Elsie, I’ve always known you’d be a good mother.”

Even before Elsie was found pregnant, Nathaniel had always thought of that. He had seen how good she was with the younger children in the orphanage. He also knew about her dreams of having children of her own.

That was one of the reasons why Nathaniel carried the massive guilt when he assumed Elsie had miscarried. He had always thought he played a role in ending her dream.

Pursing her lips, Elsie tried to smile, but she couldn’t. She had just opened her mouth to speak when Lorianne suddenly chimed in.

“Mommy is a good mother! Grandma, Grandpa and Michelle say that. Hehe~ My friends are jealous ah. They say Mommy is so pretty and kind.”

Lorianne was evidently happier and prouder as she complimented Elsie. Her little face brightened more than before, indicating how joyful her heart was.

“You’re right, Lorrie,” Nathaniel smiled, amused by Lorianne’s words. Raising one hand, he cautiously stroked her small head, “So, you have to learn more from your mommy, en?”

“Hehe, okay, Daddy~”

Laughing in glee, Lorianne’s giggles echoed pleasantly in the private dining room. Nathaniel deepened his smile, happy to see how much more comfortable the little one was with him.

Elsie silently watched Nathaniel and Lorianne. She also had the same thoughts as him. The lingering heaviness in her heart faded more.

This was the scene Elsie used to picture before. Seeing how well Nathaniel and Lorianne bonded cast her worries away.

Knock! Knock!

The sudden knocking pulled their attention to the door. The waiter returned with a three-tier food trolley. The delicious smells of the dishes spread in the air once he pushed the cart inside.

“Oh~ my food is here! They smell so yummy~”

The waiter smiled at the excited Lorianne. She swung her legs under the table as the former began placing each dish on the table. Soon, a small feast was served.

“Please enjoy your meal.”

The waiter bowed slightly before leaving with the trolley, now empty. A happy Lorianne stared openly at the dishes, almost drooling from seeing the scrumptious feast.

“I will eat well by myself today!” Lorianne declared proudly, puffing her chubby cheeks. She grabbed the fork and the spoon.

Elsie chuckled, amused by Lorianne’s determination, “Give me your plate first, Lorrie. Your chicken needs to be cut more.”

Lorianne chose a child’s serving of grilled honey-butter chicken. The chef had sliced it into cubes, but the size was still big. Elsie couldn’t help but worry about the little one getting choked.

“I can do it,” Nathaniel suddenly spoke, his eyes glancing from Elsie to Lorianne, “Lorrie, will you let Daddy cut the chicken for you?”

“Sure! Thank you, Daddy.”

Lorianne easily agreed, happy with Nathaniel’s offer. She smilingly watched him pull the plate near him before he picked up a knife and a fork.

Slicing through the grilled chicken cubes, Nathaniel glanced at Lorianne before his eyes settled on Elsie, “Is this okay? The size, I mean. Should I cut them smaller?”

Nathaniel’s knowledge about children was almost non-existent. He had cut the chicken into smaller pieces, but he was still worried about whether this was appropriate or not.

Really, he needed to start learning more about children. He refused to be clueless and make mistakes because of his ignorance.

Elsie briefly looked at the plate before staring at Nathaniel. She could tell he was concerned about Lorianne.

“You’ve done it perfectly, Niel,” Elsie chuckled, the light in her eyes softening, “You really do.”

Blinking, Nathaniel smiled sheepishly. The tremors from his heart traveled all the way to his fingertips, bringing along a comforting warmth.

“I’ll study hard. For Lorrie.”

Lorianne blinked, her head tilting slightly, “En? Study what, Daddy?”

Nathaniel and Elsie shared a look before chuckles spilled from their lips. Lorianne continued watching her daddy and mommy, thinking about what made them laugh.

The ambiance inside the room softened more, alleviating the remaining uneasiness in their hearts.