"So, can you explain why things turned out like this?"
The corners of Liliana’s lips twitched slightly as she took in the scene before her.
At the dining table, Arshley sat across from her, flanked by Charlotte and Iris on her right and Fiona and Stella on her left.
But it wasn’t their seating arrangent that left Liliana speechless—it was what the little girls were doing.
They were competing to serve Arshley, placing stir-fried at on her plate and even massaging her arms with utmost care.
"Mommy Arshley, is my massage good? Do you want to press harder?"
"Mommy Arshley, this stir-fried at is delicious! You have to try it—here, I’ll put it on your plate!"
"Mommy, open your mouth. The shrimp is still warm and super tasty. Aaaa..."
All of them scrambled to pamper her with affection, making Liliana both irritated... and a little envious.
Since when did these slly girls ever treat her like that? And what was with the "Mommy Arshley" nonsense?
Am I not your mother? When did Arshley take over that role?
For the first ti, Liliana felt what it was like to be overwheld—and jealous—because her children’s affection had shifted to another woman.
anwhile, Arshley, sensing their enthusiasm, simply chuckled, showing no signs of discomfort.
On the contrary, she looked utterly pleased, clearly enjoying being pampered by her beloved children.
She opened her mouth to accept the shrimp from Iris, all while enjoying the gentle massages from Charlotte and Stella on either side.
Monts later, Fiona also offered her food, her little face beaming with joy.
"Is it good, Mommy?" Fiona asked eagerly.
"Very good," Arshley replied, nodding and smiling warmly. "Thank you, Fiona."
"Hehehe..." Fiona squird with delight, then picked up another piece of stir-fried at and fed it to Arshley.
Not to be outdone, Iris quickly grabbed a peeled shrimp and offered it too.
The two girls were clearly locked in a quiet competition for Arshley’s attention and affection.
Liliana: "..."
Am I just an extra here?
She let out a long sigh and gave Arshley an irritated look.
"So, how did it co to this, Arshley?" She asked through gritted teeth, trying to keep her emotions in check.
At first, she had considered this woman a potential ally—a comrade in keeping Leon’s future won in line.
But reality had taken a different turn.
Instead of supporting her, Arshley had stolen the affection of her own children!
This was the last thing Liliana had expected.
Arshley turned to her with a calm, relaxed expression and said, "Isn’t it obvious? You’re seeing it with your own eyes."
The corners of Liliana’s lips twitched again at her response. She rubbed her temples and asked in a heavy tone, "I an, how did you get them to act this attentive and obedient? Did you use so kind of special technique... or sothing underhanded?"
Arshley smiled faintly and shook her head. "Special technique? Underhanded thods? Of course not. I just took them shopping and had fun with them in the capital. That’s all."
Liliana was taken aback, her face clearly clouded with doubt.
"That’s all? But..." She wanted to protest, but the words caught in her throat.
She knew the truth—she was always too busy. Even sothing as simple as taking her children out for a walk was rare.
So what right did she have to argue?
Liliana fell silent for a mont before letting out a long sigh.
She quickly changed the subject. "So... what about them? Don’t you feel any resentnt or anger after learning that I have children with Leon?"
Her gaze briefly shifted to the three little girls, then returned to Arshley—sharp, questioning, and laced with unease.
"Anger?" Arshley raised her right eyebrow slightly as she ate the stir-fried at Fiona had just fed her, giving a small nod. "Of course I was angry and disappointed. This is a serious matter, and Brother Leon never told anything."
She paused briefly, then took a sip of cold orange juice through the straw Charlotte had prepared for her.
"But I didn’t let myself dwell in those feelings for too long. I believe Brother must have had his reasons. So I chose to move on. Besides, these little girls are innocent."
She gently patted the heads of Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella, one by one, her touch filled with affection.
Arshley’s sincere words left Liliana speechless.
To be honest, she was amazed—deeply impressed. This woman had truly exceeded her expectations.
Had she been in Arshley’s place, she wasn’t sure she could’ve done the sa.
Letting out another sigh, Liliana pouted slightly and asked, "Then... why do they call you Mommy Arshley?"
Back then, that title was hers alone—a precious and irreplaceable privilege.
But now, that sa title had been extended to Arshley. And Liliana couldn’t help but feel irritated... and unwilling to accept it.
"Pfft! Why are you making a big deal out of it?" Arshley chuckled triumphantly. "Isn’t it obvious? Brother Leon’s children are also my children. So of course they call Mommy!"
She turned to Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella with a bright smile. "Right, girls?"
"Right!" The four girls answered in unison, raising their hands high in agreent.
Even Stella and Charlotte, who usually acted so mature, were being playful and childish—proof of how deeply Arshley had won them over.
She had touched their hearts... and earned their full acceptance.
In just one day, Liliana had been completely outdone. And the realization left her feeling both sad and defeated.
"You don’t need to be upset, Mommy," Charlotte said softly. "We love Mommy Arshley, but we love you too."
Beside her, Iris nodded as she peeled a shrimp, then stood up and gently fed it to Liliana.
"What Sister Charlotte said is true, Mommy. You don’t have to worry—our love won’t disappear. It never will," she said sincerely.
Liliana chewed the shrimp slowly. Her heart ward at their words.
And in that mont, she realized... her jealousy was aningless.
No matter how much they adored Arshley, she was still their real mother—and that place in their hearts would never be taken away.
"Thank you, you two," Liliana said softly.
Then she turned to Fiona, giving her an irritated side glance. "Why are you so quiet? Aren’t you going to say sothing sweet too, like your sisters?"
"Eh?" Fiona blinked, caught off guard. Still feeding Arshley, she scratched her head awkwardly.
"Didn’t they already say it? Do I really have to say the sa thing?"
Liliana: "..."
"Pfft!"
Arshley finally burst out laughing, while Liliana’s frown deepened—her annoyance growing by the second.
Stella, Charlotte, and Iris exchanged glances, then giggled quietly at Fiona’s innocent reaction.
The once tense and awkward atmosphere gently lted away, replaced by the soft, cheerful laughter of the girls—restoring warmth to the dining table.
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