A little girl affectionately clung to Quinn Avery's side, her tiny hands grasping the hem of her shirt.

That single word—Mommy—struck Ethan Leigh like a physical blow, causing him to freeze in his tracks.

The smile stiffened on his lips, the delight in his eyes instantly replaced by sheer astonishment.

Quinn picked up the little girl. Luna noticed Ethan looking at them from a distance.

Her sweet, childish voice rang out, "Mommy~ There's a man looking at us over there."

Quinn followed her daughter's gaze. Seeing her savior, Ethan, a look of pleasant surprise washed over her face.

Carrying Luna, she walked over. "Ethan, when did you get back? Why didn't you call me?"

She had always wanted to thank him properly but never found the opportunity.

Running into him today, she immediately wanted to invite him to dinner.

Ethan's warm expression was tainted with a rigid shock. His tone inadvertently carried a trace of disbelief.

"Is... is this your child?"

He knew her marriage to Miles York was merely a contract binding them together, and he knew it was coming to an end soon.

But he had never imagined she had a child.

His fingers curled inward instinctively. His deep gaze darted back and forth between Quinn and the little girl whose features so closely mirrored hers, his mind reeling. New chapters come out on novelceо.com first.

After a long, stunned silence, he finally suppressed the tumultuous shock in his heart and steadied his breathing.

Quinn nodded gracefully. "Yes."

"So, the gifts you bought for children last time... were actually for your own?"

Quinn smiled, a hint of awkwardness in her expression. "That's right."

After all, she hadn't told him the full truth back then, only claiming they were for a friend's kids.

Ethan suddenly remembered that she had bought a matching pair. Did she have more than one child?

Right on cue, Yara walked out with Caleb. "Quinn, what took you so long?"

Caleb walked up to his mother and tilted his head. "Mommy, was Luna begging you for ice cream again?"

Ethan was hit with another wave of shock. Staring at the little boy who looked exactly like Miles York, the gaze behind his glasses was filled with utter disbelief.

A hidden pang of heartache surged within him.

"And who is this...?"

Yara looked at the impeccably dressed man in front of her, her eyes evaluating him with subtle curiosity.

"Yara, take the kids inside first. I'll join you in a minute." This chapter is updated first at novelceo(.)com.

Quinn wanted to explain things to Ethan, knowing some topics weren't meant for the children's ears.

Yara didn't pry. She just thought the man was incredibly handsome and elegant. It would be wonderful if someone like him could be a father to Luna and Caleb.

"Ethan, I'm sorry I kept this from you."

Ethan lowered his gaze, his long lashes casting a shadow. "Quinn, you don't need to apologize. You must have had your reasons for keeping it a secret."

Quinn paused, surprised by how well Ethan understood her.

"Ethan, you know I'm tied to a contract marriage. When I unexpectedly got pregnant with these two, I originally planned to..."

Miles York returned to York Plaza. Hunter had finally come back from his grueling assignment at the remote excavation site, his handsome face noticeably tanned from the sun.

"Mr. York, I've already dispatched people to investigate whether the microphone malfunction was intentional."

Miles looked at his newly tanned skin, his mouth twitching slightly. He wasn't quite used to the new look.

"Good. If you handle this well, you won't be sent back to the site next month."

Hunter's face crumpled in misery. "Boss... you can punish me however you want. I'll grovel and beg for forgiveness from your wife and little Luna if I have to. Just please, don't send me back out there. That kind of labor isn't meant for human beings!"

Miles remained entirely unmoved. His dark eyes gleamed with a cold light, his handsome face radiating an aristocratic, frosty aura.

"I told you to buy Luna a smartwatch, and you immediately pawned the task off on someone else and completely botched it. If I don't punish you, who should I punish?"