When Lucas got ho that night, the first thing he noticed was a neatly placed bag right by the door — the kind of spot no one could miss.
His na was written clearly on the front.
"Mrs. Wilson?"
The house lights were off. That was odd — the housekeeper was always around at this hour.
He picked up the bag and peeked inside — then froze.
Holding the edge gingerly between two fingers, he pulled it open a little more.
A lace maid outfit.
He dropped it imdiately, as if it had burned him.
Then he noticed the sticky note attached.
"Put it on. You lost. My rules."
Right. Vivian hadn’t shown up at the company today. Which ant Sophia had won the bet.
"Daddy, you’re ho~"
Faye ca down the stairs rubbing her eyes, her bunny-eared slippers flopping softly with each step.
"Nanny Wilson had sothing co up, so Mommy gave her three days off."
Lucas scooped her up. "Why are you the only one downstairs? Where are your brothers and sister?"
"They’re upstairs playing Sudoku. It’s too hard. I don’t get it."
Then her eyes caught the bag. "Daddy, what’s that?"
She reached for it, and Lucas imdiately whisked her away.
"Nothing, sweetheart. Be good. Daddy’s going to get you so milk."
Clutching the bag, he made a hasty retreat into the kitchen, ears burning red.
Later, he went upstairs carrying a tray with six glasses of milk.
The kids sitting on the floor all looked up. "Daddy!"
In perfect unison.
They stood, took their milk politely, and waited for instructions.
"Nanny Wilson isn’t here, so you all behave, alright? Drink your milk, wash up, and go to bed. Got it?"
"Okay~"
As they answered, Angela suddenly asked, "Daddy, Mommy’s not ho yet."
"What? She’s not back?"
"She ca ho for a bit, then said she was going shopping. But it’s been a long ti."
"It’s fine. I’ll call her. Just stay inside, okay? Don’t go out."
Once they nodded, he turned to leave.
Head lowered, he glanced again at the bag in his hand. His ears turned even redder.
How could she...
How could she actually buy a maid outfit?!
His phone buzzed. It was a WeChat ssage from Sophia.
[Hurry up. I’ll be ho in twenty minutes. No cheating.]
Lucas let out a helpless laugh, tightening his grip on the bag.
Where on earth does she learn this stuff?
anwhile, Sophia had deliberately taken her ti outside, wandering around for nearly half an hour.
If she’d stayed ho, Lucas would never have put it on.
Just imagining him in that maid outfit made her grin with wicked anticipation.
...
Twenty minutes later, Sophia quietly pushed open the front door.
She peeked around. The house was dark and silent.
Tiptoeing upstairs, she moved carefully, keeping her steps light.
She cracked open the bedroom door, peering through the sliver.
She expected a surprise. Instead—nothing. Pitch black. Empty.
"Where is he?" she muttered, frowning.
Was he seriously trying to weasel out of this?
She straightened up, about to move, when—
"What do you think you’re doing?"
Lucas’s voice ca from right behind her.
"Ah—mmph!"
Before she could even scream, his hand clamped over her mouth.
He pressed her against the wall.
Sophia’s eyes widened when she saw him clearly—
He was wearing it.
A dark maid outfit, slightly too tight across the shoulders, the lace headband sitting awkwardly on his hair... it was absurdly cute.
She blinked in disbelief.
"Don’t. Say. A word."
Lucas covered her eyes next, mortified.
It was too humiliating.
Sophia, however, was already laughing. "You look amazing! Really—just a little small, that’s all!"
She circled him, grinning ear to ear, fighting the urge to pounce.
Suddenly—
The door next to them opened!
"Mommy? Daddy? What are you two doing?"
Charles blinked, squinting sleepily—then froze when he saw Lucas imdiately duck behind Sophia like a guilty teenager.
"Daddy?"
"Don’t co any closer! Charles, be a good boy—go back to bed!"
Lucas’s face was crimson. In front of his own son, of all people...
"Mommy, you and Daddy are acting kinda weird."
Charles tilted his head and took a few steps forward, curiosity written all over his face. "Daddy, what’s that on your head?"
"Stop right there!"
Sophia smirked and deliberately moved aside.
"Sophia!"
"Say please, and I’ll help you."
As Charles edged closer, Lucas ground his teeth. "Please."
"Not sincere enough."
"Sophia, please!"
Sophia’s grin widened. "Charles."
"Mommy!"
Charles ran straight into her arms.
Sophia turned slightly to block Lucas from view. "Charles, sweetheart, go tell your brothers and sisters that Daddy’s taking you all to the amusent park tomorrow. But rember—you have to go to bed early tonight so you’ll have plenty of energy."
"Really, Mommy?"
He looked back repeatedly. Lucas nodded frantically. "Yes, really. Now go to bed. Right now."
Charles bounced happily back to his room.
Sophia burst out laughing. "What’s the matter, scared now?"
"You... Sophia, are you trying to have a deeper conversation with ?"
Her smile vanished instantly. She turned to leave.
Lucas’s gaze turned playful. Oh, so she wanted to tease him? Two could play that ga.
Suddenly, he felt a sharp tug at his collar.
Sophia yanked him back inside. "Co on, let’s have that deep conversation, shall we?"
Lucas raised a brow, then scooped her up effortlessly, kicking the door shut behind them and locking it with one hand.
...
Next door—
Charles sat cross-legged, chin in his palms. "Angela, Billy... do you think this is what grown-ups an by ’romance’?"
"Be quiet, Charles. You’re still a kid. Go to sleep."
Angela patted his head gently.
"Angela, you’re so nice! When I grow up, you should marry !"
Angela’s smile froze. Then—
She grabbed his ear. "Charles! There are things you don’t say out loud. Go. To. Bed. Or we’re not going tomorrow."
Charles’s face crumpled. Heartbroken.
His big sister’s personality had flipped so fast, he couldn’t keep up.
Angela stood with her hands on her hips, tall and stern. The rest of the kids scrambled back into bed.
Except for little Faye, who was holding a notebook rolled into a cone, pressing it to the wall to eavesdrop.
The soundproofing was too good—she hadn’t heard a thing yet.
"Faye!"
"Faye, if you don’t stop, no more lollipops for you."
Faye froze, then jumped up. "I’m going to bed right now!"
She scurried to her bed, flailing her arms and legs in a hurry, making Angela laugh softly.
With a helpless sigh, Angela glanced at the wall separating them from their parents’ room.
Daddy and Mommy really do love each other.
...
At around five in the morning, Angela quietly lifted her blanket. The mont she moved, the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth kids all woke up.
"Angela?"
"Let’s go."
They all padded into the kitchen, dragging their little stools behind them.
When Sophia and Lucas finally woke, the air was filled with the sweet sll of pastries.
Sophia blinked her eyes open—only to find the first thing in sight was the lace maid headband.
Then her gaze dropped lower—straight into a pair of dark, amused eyes.
Lucas’s first words of the morning:
"Let’s bet again today."
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