Chapter 86 A New Friend

"Thank you so much. If it's convenient for you, I'll frequently bring the children over to visit." "No problem at all." "Charlotte, come and see this," Luke approached them with some newly crafted trinkets. After finishing work in the study, Luke ventured to the backyard to make these small toys for the children. Inspired by a similar toy his father made during his childhood, Luke crafted two wind chimes. He did them only by relying on memory. From a distance, Charlotte could not discern what Luke was holding; only as he drew nearer could she see clearly. Charlotte gazed at the two wind chimes fashioned from seashells, "Did you make these?" "Yes," Luke replied. "I spent quite some time in the backyard, not expecting them to turn out this well." "You're skilled at this. I think the children will love them." Mileen had never imagined that this seemingly aloof man would personally make toys for the children. Her visit to Charlotte's home had truly shown her what it meant to be a devoted husband. Seeing the joy in their family, Mileen realized it was time for her to leave, "Well, I won't disturb your family time any longer." Charlotte replied, "Alright. Do come and visit us again when you're free." "I will. I hope I won't be a nuisance." "Not at all. Feel free to visit." "Okay." Mileen called out, "Emily, we're going home. Shall we come back to play tomorrow?" Obediently running over, Emily asked, "Are we leaving now, Mommy?" "Yes, it's getting late. It'll be time for bed soon." With reluctance, Emily bade farewell to Andy and Lilya, following her mother out. Charlotte deeply sympathized with their situation, "Such a well-behaved child. How can she not be cherished?" Luke did not quite grasp the meaning of her words, "Why do you say that?" Charlotte recounted Emily's situation to him. Her heart was heavy with empathy for the mother and daughter. Luke furrowed his brows slightly, "How can there still be such people nowadays? Whether it's a son or a daughter, shouldn't they be loved equally?" Charlotte was perplexed yet grateful that her home's atmosphere was much more positive. Linda and Andrew adored children. Charlotte had noticed that they would bring gifts and shower them with affection on every visit. As usual, Charlotte and Luke took the children to preschool. On their way, they inevitably encountered other parents. These people initially thought Luke was just putting on an act. They were surprised to find out that he was genuinely a responsible man. The fathers who had accompanied their children the day before were nowhere to be seen on the second day, except for Luke. The other parents wished their husbands were as responsible as Luke. He deeply considered such matters, unlike many other men. In their eyes, doing as much as they already did was enough. However, the impact on the children was significant. It could lead to the phenomenon of single parenting in many families. Luke was possibly the most dedicated father in this preschool. Arguably the busiest among them, his consistent presence proved his profound devotion to his family. Luke fastened his seatbelt and said, "Let's go have breakfast first." "Haven't we already eaten at home? Why go out?" Luke knew that Charlotte had been busy all morning, and the children had not eaten properly. To avoid her refusal, he explained, "It's near the office, recommended by Lawson. He said this breakfast place tastes great, so I thought we should try it." Charlotte slightly raised an eyebrow, "Alright, let's give it a try." Luke took her to the destination. The eatery was indeed close to the office but tucked away in a little alley, making it hard to spot. Charlotte usually had breakfast at home; Denise prepared a lavish morning meal for them every day. During her time back in the country, Charlotte rarely had breakfast when she was out. So, she had not discovered any delightful breakfast spots. Finding a seat, she ordered a waffle and an iced Americano. The service was swift, with her order arriving within five minutes. Charlotte took a bite of her waffle, "This is really good. It seems Lawson knows his stuff." Finally, Luke saw a genuine smile on Charlotte's somewhat weary face, "If you like it, I'll bring you here often. There are other dishes to try at a leisurely pace." Charlotte nodded, "Sure. You should start eating too. Yours looks good." Luke's breakfast was simple: cereal with milk. As he poured the cereal into the milk, Charlotte caught the scent. Luke brought the cup to her lips, "Want to try some?" Charlotte leaned in to take a sip, "Wow, this is really nice. It's a delicacy I've never experienced before. The cereal doesn't have that rough texture, and the milk is so rich in flavor." Luke explained, "The cereal here is specially roasted by them. The milk is also freshly sourced from a farm, not pre-packaged." Even before marriage, this place was his favorite. He would ask Lawson to pick up breakfast from here on rushed mornings. Charlotte savored the delicious breakfast, "It's rare to find such a gem of a breakfast spot in our fast-paced lives." "Yeah. Isn't it quite relieving?" he asked. She nodded in agreement, "Certainly." After a leisurely meal, they returned to the office. Charlotte followed Luke to his office; she had left her computer there the previous day. As they entered, they were surprised to find Caelan lounging on the sofa, sipping coffee, with Lawson smiling nearby. Luke joined Caelan, asking, "What brings you here?" Caelan, slightly embarrassed, chuckled, "I didn't come here for you today; I'm here for Charlotte. I have something important to discuss with her." Charlotte looked up, "What do you need to discuss with me?" Still irked by Caelan eating all his fruit last time, Luke did not expect him to show up so soon, "Whatever it is, you can tell me."