Tangled Temptations

Harvey pulled into his gated estate. The exclusive subdivision was developed by Everest Technologies, ensuring top-notch security and privacy. He kept a villa here for his own use. His black luxury Maybach glided through the ornate wrought iron gates. As the car entered, all the lights in the villa lit up like a stage, and the musical fountain started to play, spraying water high into the air.

Harvey parked the car and handed his coat to the waiting housekeeper.

"Miss Linda is in one of her moods again." She informed him.

Under the moonlight, he walked over to an apple tree where Linda was sitting, silent and withdrawn.

Harvey squatted down beside her, looking at her with affection. Her chestnut hair, slightly curled, tumbled around her shoulders. Her petite face was delicate, her eyes as dark as blackberries. Her small mouth was pursed in displeasure. She was plucking leaves from the apple tree, one by one, lost in her own world.

Harvey didn't rush her; he just sat there. Around half past ten, the little girl suddenly snapped out of her mood and threw herself into his arms. "Some kids at school said I don't have a mom." She declared.

Harvey carried her back into the house. He patted her head gently, "Linda does have a mom. She's just like you, a little fairy." He reassured her.noveldrama

He placed her at the dining table. The housekeeper immediately set the table, serving warm food. Linda, famished, started eating, making a mess as she did. After she finished, she looked at Harvey with big, pleading eyes, "I want a mom! Other kids have one. I want one too!"

Harvey carried Linda upstairs to her room.

Linda insisted on pouring her own bath water, and after her bath, she snuggled up to Harvey, smelling of sweet soap.

Harvey helped her dry her hair. He tried to console her, "Linda, if you want a mom, you have to find one yourself."

Linda was puzzled. "If I have to find a mom, what do I need you for, Dad?" Linda asked.

Harvey was calm, "I'm going to send you to piano lessons. There are many beautiful female teachers there. If you see one with the same hair color as yours and who is pretty, you can ask her to be your mom. But remember, don't tell anyone your full name or who your dad is."

Linda was confused.

Harvey gave her a reasonable explanation, "If they know who your dad is, they'll be attracted to his good looks and won't truly love you. Like Ms. Miranda and Ms. Chelsey."

Linda thought her dad made sense.

Before bed, the little girl looked at herself in the mirror. A mom would be a beautiful fairy with chestnut hair who looked just like her.

Eloise wasn't teaching anymore. However, early in the morning, Vanessa called her from Switzerland, asking her to take care of a friend's child.

Before Eloise could ask for details, Vanessa excused herself, "I need to take my medication. Talk later!"

After the call, Eloise reluctantly decided to head over to the Crescendo Sound Workshop. Upon inquiring at the reception, she found out there really was such a child. Her curiosity piqued, Eloise decided to meet the child.

At five in the afternoon, the receptionist came over and said, "Ms. Laurent, the kid is here. You can meet her now."

Eloise wasn't expecting a child so young. The girl was brought in by a nanny and was barely three feet tall. Eloise was about to decline when the little girl turned around, and Eloise was struck by her beauty.

She had chestnut hair and a delicate face.

She looked just like...

Eloise choked for a moment. The child looked so similar to someone she knew, but she shook the thought off.

Linda was even more excited than she was! She stared at her colored hair and her beautiful face. Eloise was like the mom tailor-made for her.

Linda generously allowed her to touch. Not only did she allow her to touch, but she also snuggled into Eloise's arms. With her little pointed chin resting on Eloise's shoulder, she said, "I'm Linda."

Linda... Eloise was taken aback. She held Linda so tightly. But after the excitement, she still had to follow the process. "What's your dad's name?" Eloise asked.

Linda's beautiful eyes filled with tears, "My dad sells eggs, and people call him a swindler! My mom is no longer here and my dad is very busy. I have no one to take care of me!"

In just a few words, the image of a poor child was established. Eloise felt extremely sorry for her. She wiped away the tears from the little one's face, couldn't help but give her a kiss. In that moment, her heart softened in an unimaginable way, but she also had a sense of guilt, as if she had stolen something from someone else.

She decided to keep the child, despite her young age.

Linda was too young to sit at the piano by herself, so Eloise had to hold her in her lap. Linda snuggled into Eloise, not paying attention to the piano lesson.

Eloise insisted on her demonstrating what she had learned. Linda nodded and her smalle fingers glided over the keys.

Eloise was stunned. The child was a prodigy by any standards. Linda was the best she had ever seen, even better than Eloise herself had been at that age. As she marveled at Linda, the little girl looked up at her and asked innocently, "Eloise, is this right?"

Eloise was reminded of Harvey. He used to tease her by calling her by her first name.

She felt that she had overthought things. How could she have assumed that the Linda in front of her was connected to Harvey.

Eloise didn't dare to think further. She held Linda and continued to teach her some basics. Linda was content even though learning the piano was very tedious, but she was one step closer to her goal.

Eloise, taking her out of the music room, handed her over to the maid. She was reluctant to say goodbye, "Linda, see you next Friday!"

Linda was quite pleased with her. She had a well-behaved demeanor, and one of the housemaids took her downstairs.

Eloise, who was quite fond of her, escorted her to the ground floor. A black, stately limousine was parked outside, showing the epitome of sophistication and grandeur. Linda got into the vehicle. She really wished she could take her new mother home that very day. However, she thought that Eloise might not be ready. She decided to take it slow.

Linda waved goodbye sweetly as the chauffeur closed the car door.

On the other side of the back seat, Harvey was seated, looking every bit the dashing gentleman in his suit and tie. Pretending to be engrossed in some paperwork, he casually asked, "Did you find her?"

Linda climbed onto her father's lap and with a soft voice said, "Daddy, you like her!"

Harvey feigned indifference, "Really? Is it that obvious?"

Linda fell silent. She leaned quietly on her father's shoulder for a long time before

softly asking, "Daddy, is she my real mother?"

Harvey's eyes suddenly welled up. He simply nodded gently.

Linda snuggled closer to him. After a while, she heard her father say, "Let's not

scare mom just yet, okay?"