Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 220

Chapter 220: A Mother’s Relentless Pursuit
<.Lumina Spring, after another week.>

“Oho? You’ve moved into the apartment? When is your housewarming party? Hahaha! Make sure to invite me and Lettie.”

Lariette perked her ears up once she heard what Ruediger had just said. Shifting her eyes from the TV screen, she looked at the man on the balcony. His figure was bathed in the lights.

Ruediger stood while leaning on the rail. He was talking to someone, clearly Nathaniel, on the phone. His voice was audible from the open French doors.

Lariette and Ruediger were relaxing in the living room after dinner when the man suddenly received a call. She continued watching the TV while he excused himself to the balcony.

‘Move? Has Nate moved? That’s quite fast.’

Arching her brows, Lariette recalled what Ruediger shared with her last week. Nathaniel planned to move into the same apartment building as Elsie once the renovations were done.

Ruediger also told Larriete that Nathaniel and Elsie reached the same conclusion. They wanted to restart their relationship that ended abruptly over five years ago.

“I’m not sure what will happen between them from now on, but I’m glad to hear this. In my opinion, both Nate and Elsie need this second chance.”

Those were Ruediger’s words after telling Lariette about Nathaniel and Elsie. She could tell how relieved he was from his voice.

Some people deserved a second chance, while some did not.

It seemed like Nathaniel had safely moved into the apartment. This meant he would be closer to his lover and their young child.

From the balcony, Ruediger was still talking to Nathaniel. He seemed to be trying to calm his friend’s worries, something understandable from Lariette’s perspective.

“Don’t think too much. Haven’t you and Elsie decided to start anew? Just take it slow. You also have Lorianne to consider.”

“Ah, it’s a shame Aunt and Uncle have left. I think they’ll come again soon. Aren’t they happy to meet their daughter-in-law and granddaughter?”

“Yes, yes. Just tell me the date later. I’ll tell Lettie. Hm? Oh, we’ll go to Maddie’s cafe tomorrow evening. She invited us to the new event.”

After a few more minutes, Ruediger finally said goodbye to Nathaniel. Once she saw him turning around, Lariette quickly returned her gaze to the TV screen.

Ruediger stepped back inside the living room, his footsteps were light on the marble floor. He quietly closed the French doors, the last breeze blew past the sheer curtains and his crimson strands.

Lariette slowly looked in Ruediger’s direction, seeing him sunk in one of the bean bags. He straightened his long legs as he leaned comfortably.

“Was that Nate?” Lariette still asked despite knowing the answer. She hugged a yellow donut pillow while lounging on the comfy couch.

“Yes,” Ruediger nodded, his lips quirking into a grin, “He moved into the apartment today. He said he’d throw a housewarming party soon, but no date yet. He said we have to go.”

Soft chuckles spilled from Lariette’s lips. She had been hearing new updates about Nathaniel’s life from Ruediger.

“That’s good. He can be closer to them now. Sure, just tell me when it is,” Lariette paused, thinking of something, “Hmm… The renovations ended quickly. I thought it would take longer.”

Ruediger mentioned that Nathaniel still had a room specifically for Lorianne, even though Elsie’s apartment unit was nearby. He also opted to have a playroom similar to the one recently built in the villa.

Lariette still remembered how excited she was when Ruediger showed her the video of the playroom. It looked so awesome!

“Two weeks were decent,” Ruediger replied. His emerald eyes curved as he chuckled, “Anyway, should we watch the movie now? I’ll go and get our popcorn then.”

“Hehe, sure!”

Lariette switched the TV channel and opened a streaming platform. Ruediger headed to the kitchen, going to get the caramel popcorn he had made earlier and some drinks.

This afternoon, Ruediger proposed watching a night movie with Lariette because tomorrow was Saturday. It was a perfect time to stay up late.

Today marked the end of the second week of school. Even though Lariette’s schedule was not too hectic, she still needed to decompress. She quickly agreed with Ruediger’s proposal.

‘I can’t believe more than one month has passed.’

Lariette glanced at the kitchen. She briefly saw Ruediger as he moved around, he acted comfortably as if this was indeed his home.

Over one month had passed from the day Lariette and Ruediger registered their contractual marriage. So many things had happened in the meantime, but life had been enjoyable and peaceful so far.

“Tada! My special caramel popcorn!”

“Wow! Hahaha! Come, come! I wanna try it!”

Lariette laughed once Ruediger made a dramatic appearance with the popcorn. He even got some red-and-white striped popcorn bags beforehand, saying the crunchy sweets would taste better in the buckets.

With two huge bags of caramel popcorn and two tumblers of iced drinks, Lariette and Ruediger’s movie night began.

He dimmed the lights in the living room when she clicked on the movie from the list. Then, he joined her on the three-seater couch, sitting on the left side.

Ruediger himself picked this movie. It was a nerve-wracking and heartwrenching tale about a mother’s relentless search for her kidnapped daughter.

“This is so scary…” Lariette murmured quietly, her sapphire eyes locked onto the screen, “How could they just snatch a child like that in broad daylight?”

Ruediger’s gaze drifted to Lariette, smirking. He casually tossed a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth, “You’re too tense already, Lettie. The movie has just started.”

On the screen, the actress who played the main character’s role, a mother, frantically ran through a crowded street. She screamed her daughter’s name, desperately looking for the little one.

Lariette exhaled a sigh. She grabbed a handful of popcorn from her bag, “I hope she’ll catch the kidnappers soon. And torture them!”

Ruediger laughed in helplessness. He returned his gaze to the screen, resuming his watch.

Lariette also did the same. She held back from commenting too much, lest she disrupt his focus.

As the movie progressed, Lariette’s heart thumped rapidly. She watched the mother scour a dangerous neighborhood, only to be caught by a group of thugs.

‘A mother who really loves her child… such a parent really exists, right?’

Leaning against the back cushion with a blanket draped on her, that thought crossed Lariette’s mind. She had heard stories of parents who sacrificed everything for their children’s happiness.

Unfortunately, she was not blessed with such loving parents. Her deceased adoptive grandmother and her maternal grandfather were the ones who loved her unconditionally.

‘I won’t be such a parent! I’ll care for my children!’

Lariette dreamed of having a small family of her own, built with love and trust. She didn’t know when it would come true, but she wouldn’t cast her dream away.

When Lariette was preoccupied with her own thoughts, she didn’t notice the changes on Ruediger’s face. The dimmed lights also made it harder to look at him properly.

As his eyes followed the battered and beaten mother on her journey to look for her kidnapped child, his mind inevitably recalled one incident in the past.

The one that changed the trajectory of his life.