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At Robinson mansion…….
Lotus and Peter were sitting on the living room couch of Robinson’s mansion along with Henry. James and Jenny were out in the garden playing with the butler and the maids. They were enjoying a lot. Henry cleared his throat.
“So you are an architect?” Henry said he wanted to start a conversation with her but couldn’t find any suitable words.
“Yes, I am an architect. I also work with a group of very talented architects.” Lotus said proudly.
“So the name J & J came from James and Jenny? Does that mean you started this company after their birth? That’s impressive for a new company to achieve so much reputation in a short time,” Henry said to her.
“Yes and thank you for your appreciation. I think dad you want to say something else. You can ask me anything.” Lotus said politely with a smile.
“I want to ask why were you in Australia all these years? Why didn’t you two were together?” Henry said the questions in his mind.
“Dad it was my fault. I made some mistakes and she was angry at me so she left me and then you forced me to get engaged with Rebecca which made her more upset and she didn’t tell me about her pregnancy.” Peter replied in place of Lotus. Lotus looked at Peter in confusion. What was he telling? Why was he lying? Peter looked at her and gave her a warm smile.
“Oh, I am sorry for that. I didn’t know about your relationship back then otherwise I wouldn’t do this,” Henry said in an apologetic tone.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.
“There is nothing to apologize for here, dad, you did what you thought was right. I have nothing against you.” Lotus said.
“Your surname is Kent. Do you somehow related to colonel Kent?” Henry asked out of curiosity.
“Yes, Steven Kent is my father. And you met me once when I was very younger.” Lotus told with a smile.
“So you are the elder daughter of the Kent family who got divorced on the second day of her marriage because of adultery,” Nina asked suddenly. She was coming back from the kitchen with the servants who were bringing refreshments.
“Yes, I am the person you are talking about.” Lotus accepted the accusation. In all this year one thing she had learned and that is to accept everything positively.
“Nina, she never cheated or did something like that. It was the conspiracy of her stepmother and step-sister. So that they could banish her from the property. And her step-sister was having an affair with her ex .” Peter coldly replied to Nina. He didn’t want to accept anyone else as Lotus’s husband. Doesn’t matter if he is an ex or not. Only he can be called her husband. Then Peter gave a mischievous smile at Nina and continued, “You know not all the stepmothers are as lovely as you.” He said while giving extra emphasis on each word. Nina shifted in her place. She knew very clearly what was the actual meaning of Peter’s Remark.
“As much as I know you never dated anyone after Sheila. Then how did you make her pregnant?” Nina counter-attacked Peter. Peter smirked at her in a challenging manner.
“I wouldn’t publish in the headlines after spending time with my girlfriend. If you want to know how did I make her pregnant then sorry I don’t want to give you a live show of me and my wife’s s*x life. And Natasha always knew about us. From the beginning. If you have any confusion about our relationship you can always ask Natasha, dad. It was she who looked after Lotus and the kids when she was pregnant. She always was connected with Lotus.” Peter said. Lotus looked at her handsome husband. So he has prepared everything in advance? She thought in her mind.
They were busy talking when James and Jenny came running with some flowers and rushed to their grandpa. Henry’s face lit up looking at his Grandkids. He embraced the twins with an open hand.
“Grandpa see, I have a lot of flowers,” Jenny said showing the flowers in her hand. Nina looked at those flowers and became angry.
“Why did you let them destroy the garden? Don’t you know how expensive these flowers are?” Nina yelled at the butler making James and Jenny flinched in fear. Henry felt the shiver on their bodies and looked coldly at Nina.
“They are the heirs of this mansion. They can do whatever they want to do with the garden. Henry Robinson won’t become bankrupt for some mere flower. Never ever dare to yell in front of my grandchildren.” He said in a grim voice to Nina. Nina looked down in embarrassment. Never in their marriage life, Henry has raised his voice with her. But now for these little devils, he yelled at her in front of the servants. Nina swallowed the bitter pill and kept quiet. Lotus saw everything intently then she took out a checkbook from her purse. She signed her name on it and gave It to the butler.
“Please take this. You can decide the amount after checking the damage they caused to the garden. My son and daughter are capable of paying for their mistake. I am giving this on behalf of them.” Lotus said making Nina more embarrassed in front of the old butler. The butler was standing dumbfounded with the check in his hand. He didn’t know what to do. So he looked at Henry. Henry observed everything and then looked at Nina in disappointment.
“You don’t have to pay for anything dear. This is your house and everything here belongs to James and Jenny.” Henry said to Lotus.
“Lotus is right dad. James and Jenny are capable of paying for this little damage. Lotus bought a company in their name and all the profits from that company go directly to their bank account. So let them pay. After all, they are Robinson. They should inherit these things from their older.” Peter said instead of Lotus. And Henry had nothing to say. He glared one last time at Nina then motioned the butler to keep the blank check.
“Who is this scary lady Grandpa?” Jenny asked Henry making Nina off guard. Peter chuckled at the question of his daughter. Lotus felt proud of her daughter’s blabbermouth. The old butler also smiled in his head. Henry was a bit uneasy.
“She is your grandmother,” said Henry to Jenny.
“Hi, grandmother why aren’t you happy to see us?” Jenny asked Nina. Nina narrowed her eyes at this little brat.
“I am very happy to see your darling. And please call me Nina. Granny sounds little old for my age.” Nina said with a fake smile. But her fake smile didn’t get unnoticed by Lotus.
“She is right you shouldn’t call her grandmother. She is nothing like that. I mean she is so young.” Lotus said looking at Nina. Peter smiled in his head, knowing the actual meaning of Lotus’s words.
“Okay we, will call her Nina,” James said with a blank face. He is more like his father, less expressive.
“I think our little James went after his father and grandpa. He doesn’t talk much.” Said the old butler. And Peter flashed a proud smile.
“I am so proud of my grandkids,” Henry said patting James’s head.
“Let’s go for lunch. The foods are getting cold.” Nina said interrupting Henry’s admiration. She was getting irritated with all of the family dramas.
“Yeah let’s go. We will have lunch as a family after so long,” Henry said and got up from the couch. James and Jenny hold his hands and walked with him. They loved their grandpa. He is so sweet.
At the dining table, Henry sat at the center chair as he was the head of the family. Peter sat on his right and Nina sat on his left side. Lotus sat on Peter’s side with Jenny and James between.
“I didn’t know what you would like so we prepared the food according to Master Peter’s choice. Hope you will like it.” The butler said and the maids came with the dishes. Soon the table was filled with delicious food. “Don’t worry. Both of them went after their father. Their food preferences are the same,” Lotus said to the butler with a generous smile. He returned the smile sincerely and left the room. The family started eating. Lotus and Peter were helping James and Jenny with their food. Henry was looking at his son; who was looking so happy and lively. He doesn’t remember when was the last time, he had seen Peter this happy.
“Hope the next one will be more like you,” Peter said to Lotus while serving a steak on her plate. At first, Lotus couldn’t understand what he said but when she did, she gave him a deadly glare. Peter chuckled at his wife. Nina was watching their affection from under her lashes.
“Peter I heard Sheila is back in town. And she went to meet you in your office?” Nina asked out of the blue. Peter and Henry both glared at her. Feeling intimated by their glare she tried to explain herself. “I was just asking what I heard. Sorry if I hurt you Lotus.” She said the last words looking at Lotus. Lotus observed her gaze it didn’t show that she was sorry.
“I have to agree that your hearing power is very iconic. You can join the Guinness book. You heard what is happening in my office from here. You are indeed a superwoman.” Peter said with a mocking smirk on his face.
“I have a friend who works in your office. I heard from her.” Nina explained with a shaky voice.
“Then I must say your friend is doing her job perfectly, as an eye and ear for you. Don’t tell me you have fitted cameras in my bedroom. I need some privacy with my wife.” Peter said sternly. Nina broke in into cold sweat.
“Sheila came for a business deal on behalf of her dead husband and why would I feel hurt? She is just an ex-girlfriend; I am his wife and the mother of his children.” Lotus said to Nina and continued her lunch. Henry gave a glance at his wife then concentrate on his food.
After their little conversation, the lunch went on smoothly. Henry and Peter were talking about some business matters sometimes Lotus joined them. Henry loved Lotus more than Rebecca. Rebecca was nowhere near Lotus. Rebecca was a spoiled brat who only knew how to do parties and spend money on shopping and traveling. But Lotus was talented, established, she was caring. She was everything that a man would like to find in his wife. Henry was proud of the choice of his son.
When their lunch came to an end the maid served them dessert. James and Jenny were too much delighted to see the blueberry muffins and pastry and ice cream. Lotus gave them Ice cream and they were eating it with broad smiles. She looked at Peter who was also enjoying his Ice cream just like a baby. She couldn’t differentiate between the father and the children. Three of them were acting like four-year-old babies. When Lotus’s eyes met with Henry she knew he was also observing them. They gave each other a knowing look and smiled.
After finishing their food, Lotus took them to the wash basin to wash their hands and mouth. After washing their hands James and Jenny left with the butler leaving Lotus alone there. Lotus was drying her hands with a tissue when Nina came there. She stood in front of Lotus and looked at her with a smug smile.
“Don’t think after marrying Peter and giving your children his name you will be a Robinson and get a hold of the property,” Nina said and Lotus burst into laughter making Nina red in anger.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to laugh at you, but what you said was funny. I don’t need this property; I have my own properties for god sake. And my children are Robinsons by birth, but you are not. So keep that in your mind.” Lotus said and left a dumbstruck Nina there. Nina saw her leaving and clenched her fists.
“I will see how long you and your bastards will remain as Robinson,” Nina mumbled in anger.