Chapter 18 - New home

"Lily" Adrien shouted, throwing himself into her arms. "Where have you been so long?" He sniffed. His eyes were completely swollen and red. Did he cry a lot? Lily glanced unhappily over to Alexandre, who calmly handed over his cloak to the butler. Why did he have to go shopping with her?

Gently she stroked Adrien's dark hair. "We still had to buy something. I'm sorry, cutie pie."

"But you have been away so long." Adrien rubbed his head against her chest. His little arms closed around her waist.

"I'm sorry. It took us a bit longer." Lily affectionately explained and took the toddler into her arms.

Adrien had become even more affectionate after the death of his parents. Lily knew him well before the death of his parents. She knew he had always been a shy child who was rather reserved among strangers, but devoted to people he trusted. Elodie had overwhelmed him with her love, which made it hard for him to bear the loss of his dear mother. So he clung even more to Lily, who was now his only confidante. To the rest of the Bourbon family, the child never had much contact, as the Bourbon family had never really accepted Elodie in the family.

Fabien had shocked his family with his secret marriage to Elodie Perrin, who had neither the capital nor the right familybackground to be welcome in the de Bourbon family.

Elodie was such a simple girl who Fabien has to hold safely in the palm of his hand, to sustain the storm that had started in the Bourbon family because of her.

But after the birth of Adrien, the whole situation had relaxed a bit.

Nevertheless, she was still observed with eagle eyes by the members of the Bourbons.

That's why Fabien kept his treacherous relatives far away from his little family.

Calmingly, she stroked Adrien's little back. "I promise, tomorrow I'll stay with you all day long."

"Really?" Adrien raised his tear-stained face. Anticipation glittered in his eyes.

"Yes! And you decide what we play. You Agree?" Lily carefully stroked the tears from his flushed cheeks. His skin was so tender, so soft. She wanted to bite his little cheeks, but he did not like it. He was a big boy after all!

"You have to promise! You can't break promises! "

Lily put her hand on her chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die!" And smirked at Adrien.

"Lily, you are the best."

Suddenly Alexandre reached for Adrien and sat him on his shoulders. "And what about me? Did you forget me?" Alexandre asked with a playful tone. Adrien chuckled.

"Lily is the best, you're the second best, Alec."

"Ah, I'm only number two. Is there room for change? "Alexandre strolled comfortably with Adrien on his shoulders to the dining room. Although Alexandre was reserved most of the time, Lily really had to admit that the bossy president really cared for Adrien. He always tried hard.

After the little guy and Lily moved into Alexandre's vila. Alexandre gave everything that Adrien and Lily needed to live. He was generous and spared no circumstances.

He had set up a room for Adrien, which reminded more of a toy store than the nursery of a three-year-old child.

He had hired two nannies to take care of the toddler when she needed to take care of appointments with Alexandre. He also insisted on a dinner together and sometimes they even had breakfast together when Alexandre had time.

The evening was officially registered as a family time, in which Alexandre and Lily played together with Adrien.

Lily was grateful to Alexandre that he did not leave her alone in this difficult situation. He even helped her with the upbringing. Who would have thought that this first-class villain fit so well into the role of a father.

Lily quickly took off her coat and slipped into her red pair of slippers before running after the men's duo.

"Do you know which dish is served today?" Lily aked Adrien, who was already sitting in his baby chair. Adrien grinned. "Spahgetti!" Lily suppressed a moan. The mighty little man had already wrapped the staff around his little finger. Every second day his favorite dish was served.

"Mhh, yum." Inwardly, Lily prayed that the head chef had once again come up with a sophisticated twist on the Italian pasta dish. She was sure that Alexandre groaned inwardly too. But his expression remained unmoved. Lily had to smile.

"Will we play Memory later?" Asked Adrien Alexandre.

This whole situation was so idyllic and Lily hoped that it would remain so idyllic. Adrien and she had gotten used to the new life with Alexandre quite quickly.

Lily was a pretty pragmatic girl. She took things as they came. She packed them into small boxes and stowed them in a dark room somewhere in the back of her head. Then she forgot it. She was never slowed down by her emotions. She was not a brooder. She did not over-analyze anything. She took things as they came and tried to live with them. When she fell, she immediately got up and kept walking.

It has always been like that.

She did not cry when she woke up one day as a rich side character of My loyal hubby, who was meant to die early. Instead, she tried to find a way out.

She did not cry when Pascal broke her heart.

She did not cry when she had to run away.

She did not cry when Adrien was left to her and she knew they were being hunted. Only for a short while she had secretly cried in the bathroom to mourn Elodie and Fabien. After all, they were her friends. But she has not shown her tears in front of Adrien.

And she had not cried when Alexandre blackmailed her.

All the disaster in her life was packed in small boxes and stowed away in a corner of her brain, where they became dusty and forgotten.

She did not grieve over emotional baggage, she tried to live with it. Lily had always believed that crying wasn't helpful, and she needed to act to keep things moving.

And so she did it again.

She lived with Alexandre. It worked pretty well. At the same time she wondered how she could earn enough money until her husband's bankruptcy. She just needed enough money to raise Adrien. Lily could live without luxury. She adapted to her circumstances scarily fast. After all, she was a survival artist.