Love Me Or Leave Me

Chapter 236

Hayden carried Lillian back to the children's room upstairs before gently setting her down. "Daddy, when can I see 'The Fairy Princess'?" Lillian's eyes were still glistening with tears, but she could not hide her anticipation.

Hayden took out a tissue and gently wiped away her tears. "Next time we draw lots, if you win, you can watch it," he said warmly.

Lillian looked at Hayden. "If I win next time, I can watch it?" she asked seriously.

Hayden nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"Then I want to draw lots again. I am sure I will win this time!" Lillian declared confidently, trying to dash down the stairs, bypassing Hayden.

Hayden chuckled softly and gently pulled her back. "Not today."

Confusion flickered across Lillian's face. Hayden tried to explain gently, kneeling to her level. "Do you remember what your mom said before we drew lots? You, Kevin, and Jeremy all drew lots together, and whoever won gets to watch their favorite show tonight."

He continued, "So, according to our agreement, tonight's draw is valid for the entire evening. You will have to wait until tonight is over. Then, when your mom lets you draw lots again next time, you can try for it again."Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Lillian's eyes widened as she tried to process Hayden's explanation. Despite his patient tone, the rules were a bit complex for her young mind to fully grasp. After all, she was just over one year old, not even two yet. Hayden did not expect her to grasp all these rules immediately. Patience was key when taking care of kids, and fortunately, he had plenty of it.

He picked her up again and carried her to the bathroom. He wet her towel and began gently wiping her face. "Don't cry so easily, okay? Crying too much will make your face dirty, and it won't look as pretty."

Lillian remained silent.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Jeremy had been sitting quietly on the couch, but curiosity got the better of him. He glanced at Becky and then trotted upstairs to check on Lillian. He was worried about her.

Stacey noticed Jeremy's departure and considered following him upstairs. However, she decided against it, reasoning that Hayden had likely taken Lillian upstairs for a private discussion or lesson. Going up now might interfere with the moment and be counterproductive. Even Kevin, intrigued by the commotion, craned his neck to see what was happening upstairs before glancing back at Stacey.

Stacey adjusted Kevin's collar and said, "Just stay here and watch cartoons. There's no need to worry about them right now." Stacey trusted Hayden's ability to educate kids. After all, Jeremy had turned out so well.

Upstairs, as Jeremy reached the top, he heard Hayden telling Lillian a story. Curious, he stood at the door but did not go in. This was Lillian's room, and without her permission, Jeremy felt he should not enter.

Inside, both Hayden and Lillian noticed the movement at the door and looked over. When Lillian saw Jeremy, her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed happily, "Jeremy!" Jeremy's eyes lit up too, and he smiled.

"Lily, can Jeremy come into your room?" Hayden, understanding Jeremy well, asked for him. He knew that Jeremy was not very good at speaking yet.

Lillian was surprised but quickly nodded. "Of course! Jeremy, come in," she said. Jeremy's smile grew wider as he ran into the room.

"Daddy, let's continue the story," Lillian urged Hayden as soon as Jeremy came in. Hayden glanced at Jeremy, then continued the story for Lillian. This story was one Hayden made up on the spot. It was about a group of fairies living in the Fairy Forest. The beautiful Fairy Queen had a little princess and two little princes, named Lillian, Kyle, and Dylan.

When Lillian heard that the fairy princess in the story shared her name, she was overjoyed and immediately loved the story. She even forgot about her favorite movie, "The Fairy Princess." Now, all she wanted was to hear more about the fairy princess named Lillian.

"One day, the Fairy Queen went out and brought back a beautiful flower crown to give to her children. But there was only one crown, and she had three children. Who should she give it to?" Hayden looked at Lillian, his voice gentle as he continued the story.

"To Princess Lillian!" Lillian shouted eagerly.

Hayden smiled and nodded. "Yes, the Fairy Queen wanted to give the crown to the adorable Princess Lillian."

Lillian's eyes sparkled with excitement as she responded, "Yes! That is so amazing."

Hayden laughed and continued, "But the Fairy Queen also loved Prince Kyle and Prince Dylan very much. If she only gave the crown to Princess Lillian, Prince Kyle and Prince Dylan would be sad too."

"What should she do?" Lillian frowned, both worried and frustrated. She was deeply involved in the story and wanted the best outcome for everyone.

Hayden chuckled. "Exactly, what

should she do? The Fairy Queen

thought and thought, trying to come up with a solution. She finally decided to seek the wisdom of the royal wizard, who was known for his clever ideas. The Fairy Queen summoned him to help with the dilemma. The wizard thought for a long time and finally came up with a brilliant idea - drawing lots."

Lillian's eyes lit up when she heard this. "I know about drawing lots! Mommy plays that game with us. We just played it earlier."

Hayden smiled as he continued the

story. "The Fairy Queen was puzzled and asked, 'What is drawing lots?' The wizard explained the rules to her in detail. After listening carefully a long time, the Fairy Queen

understood and thought it was not

a

wonderful idea. So, she decided to use this method. She called Princess Lillian, Prince Kyle, and Prince Dylan and prepared three lots. She told them that whoever drew the marked lot would be given the beautiful flower crown she had brought back."

Lillian, listening intently, nervously clutched at her clothes. Hayden noticed her anxiousness and continued, his voice soothing and encouraging, "Princess Lillian, Prince Kyle and Prince Dylan each drew one of the lots. Can you guess who ended up with the marked one?"

Lillian's brow furrowed with uncertainty, and she shook her head slowly, her face reflecting her hesitation. Her eyes were wide as she tried to figure out the outcome, clearly caught up in the suspense of the story.

Hayden smiled warmly and leaned in a bit, adding to the dramatic effect, "Princess Lillian drew the marked lot."

Lillian's face lit up with pure joy as she clapped her hands and shouted excitedly, "Yeah!"

"But Prince Kyle and Prince Dylan did not agree. They changed their minds and no longer wanted to honor the agreement. They wanted the flower crown and did not want the Fairy Queen to give it to Princess Lillian," Hayden continued.