Chapter 4

Patricia sighed in frustration, glared at Charles, and kicked his leg.

"Go take a shower, you stink."

Charles trudged off to the bathroom while Patricia tucked Emily in.

Little Emily snuggled into her, her tiny body giving off a faint milky scent. Patricia's nose tingled with emotion as she hugged her daughter tightly and took a deep breath.

In her previous life, Emily was raised by Missy, and Patricia only saw her during holidays.

When she first joined the Anderson family, Patricia couldn't focus on Emily.

Missy had people repeatedly teach Emily manners, and by the time Patricia saw her again, Emily had become silent and sensitive, crying at loud voices and experiencing separation anxiety when Patricia left.

Thinking about it made Patricia's heart ache.

This time, she was determined to raise Emily in a safe and loving environment.

When Charles finished his shower and came out, he saw the safety barrier Patricia had set up.

Patricia was asleep on one side of the bed, holding Emily, while the other side was separated by an extra blanket.

Charles fell silent.

He carefully climbed into bed, but as soon as he did, an arm landed on his chest.

Charles froze, gently lifted her arm, and just as he moved it away, a leg draped over him.

Patricia turned over, mistaking him for Emily, and hugged his waist.

The soft contact made his blood boil, heat spreading through his body. Charles stiffened, trying not to move, the faint scent of her hair tickling his nose, his throat dry.

To stay calm, Charles forced himself to ignore the arm and leg on him.

He could feel Patricia's breath, her soft hair brushing his cheek. He turned his head and saw her sleeping face, his gaze falling on her slightly parted lips.

Suddenly, a vivid memory flashed through his mind.

That night, the touch of her skin, the way they intertwined, her lips in his mouth, the soft moans from beneath him.

Charles's heart raced, snapping him back to reality, his abdomen burning with desire.

He threw off the blanket and headed to the bathroom.

Must be the stress lately.

The next morning, Patricia was woken by Emily's cries.

"Daddy... Mommy..."

"Emily, what's wrong?" Patricia struggled to open her eyes, soothing her. "Mommy's here."

"Daddy... is gone." Emily sobbed, heartbroken.

Patricia then noticed Charles had left without her realizing. She smirked inwardly, thinking he must have been uncomfortable sharing a bed with her.

Ellie heard the commotion and quickly knocked and entered the room. "Mrs. Anderson, is everything alright?"

"It's nothing, Emily woke up and didn't see her dad, so she's upset."

"Should I take Miss White downstairs for some breakfast?"

"Yes, please." Patricia nodded, and Ellie took Emily.

Patricia, now fully awake, checked the time.

It was already noon; she thought it was early morning.

Maybe it was the fresh start, but she hadn't slept this well in a long time.

She picked up her phone and saw numerous long voice messages from Nicole.

"Patricia! Emily is Charles's daughter? You're amazing! How did you end up with Charles Anderson from the Anderson Group?"

"Where are you? Why haven't you contacted me? Are you at the Anderson Manor? Reply to me!"

"Patricia! Where the hell are you!"

Patricia didn't listen to them all, instead calling Nicole directly.

"I was about to call the police! You finally remembered me!" Nicole's loud voice jolted her awake.

"I'm calling you now, aren't I?" Patricia chuckled, feeling warmth hearing her friend's voice again.

"You got a man and forgot about me!" Nicole huffed. "But seriously, did you really go to the Anderson Manor? The one with the financial tycoon?"

"Yes."

"Oh my God, I can't believe you were with Charles that night," Nicole sighed. "But it's good. You were struggling alone with Emily. It's great she has a wealthy dad now."

Patricia rubbed her forehead.

"Oh, I almost forgot the main thing. I saw you online!"

Nicole sent a few videos via WhatsApp, and Patricia opened them. They were discussing her dress from last night.

[Isn't that Chanel's new design?]

[Chanel doesn't have lace. Could it be a knockoff?]

[Are you crazy? She's Mrs. Anderson! Charles's wife wouldn't wear a knockoff. Rich people have custom designs!]

[She looks like a model, so beautiful!]

[If I had that body, I'd look good in anything!]

[The dress is stunning. Who's the designer? So classy!]

[Agreed!]

Patricia was surprised. Her impromptu alteration had turned out well.

She watched the video, admiring her tall figure and the dress that accentuated her curves.

Nicole was still talking. "That dress was your work, right? I recognized your style. Why did you change it?"

"The dress was tampered with. I saw extra fabric and decided to fix it," Patricia explained briefly, not wanting to worry her friend.

"Oh my God, novels don't lie. The rich world is full of schemes! Be careful, you're in a dangerous spot now. How's Charles treating you?"

"Don't worry, I'm smart enough not to let myself suffer," Patricia smiled, twirling her hair.

She paused, thinking of Charles's cold face, her eyes dimming. "We... get along fine."

"That's good," Nicole relaxed. "By the way, I saw a designer contest! You made a simple change and got so much attention. You should enter!"

Patricia clicked the link, reading the entry rules and dates.

At the bottom, it mentioned winners would receive a substantial prize and become top designers.

She remembered the company hosting the contest was the Church Group, where she got her first job offer in her previous life.

"I think you'd win first place!"

Patricia was tempted. "I'll give it a shot."

In the following days, Patricia prepared for the contest, even refusing to play with Emily.

Emily pouted, hitting her stuffed toy.

"Mommy's bad, Daddy's bad, both bad, not playing with me!"

Patricia sat on the couch, scrolling through her iPad. Hearing Emily, she realized she hadn't seen Charles in weeks.

She looked at Ellie suspiciously.

Ellie smiled. "Mr. Anderson hasn't been home much. He came back a few days ago to get some clothes."

"Got it," Patricia replied, not caring about Charles.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Her face paled, and she told Ellie, "Ellie, I'm not feeling well. Please take care of Emily. Don't call me for meals; I'll order takeout later."

"Sure, no problem."

Patricia turned to Emily. "Emily, be good. Mommy needs to rest. I'll work hard to make money and buy you yummy treats, okay?"

"I want a big teddy bear." Emily shook her toy bear. "A big one."

"Alright, I'll buy the cutest teddy bears for our Emily."

Patricia kissed Emily and went upstairs with her iPad.

Missy arrived with Thea, seeing Ellie and Emily in the living room. Emily was on the floor, scribbling with crayons.

Missy frowned, glancing at Emily. "Where's that woman?"

"Upstairs."

"Tell her to come down and see me."

Ellie hesitated. "Mrs. Patricia Anderson said not to disturb her."

Thea Ellis, holding her son, saw an opportunity. "Mom, Patricia's acting high and mighty, not even coming down to see you."

Thea had heard Charles didn't like Patricia. It had been dull at home, and she didn't want to miss the drama with the newcomer.