Catriona was also a bit surprised; she hadn't expected Mr. Nightblade to prepare a small gift.
"Thank you, Dad." Cedric pursed his lips and reached out his little hand to take it.
"Mmm, open it and take a look." Roderick cleared his throat and looked out the window, seemingly indifferent to whether his son liked it or not.
Cedric carefully opened the box, and for a moment, his small lips parted, his big eyes filled with amazement.
It was beautiful.
Under the sparkling starlit sky, fragments of light gathered, forming a stunning, intricate display: a clockwise turn revealed a grand, masterful gear, while a counterclockwise motion unveiled a slightly smaller, rotating gear. The minute hand transformed into a tiny globe, crafted with unimaginable complexity, all moving together in a slow, mesmerizing dance.
Cedric's big eyes stayed fixed, utterly captivated.
No man could refuse a watch like this.
Arden, sitting in the front passenger seat, thought, a young man is still a man.
Too bad the price was out of his reach.
Did Mr. Nightblade misunderstand what a small gift was? Something worth millions?!
Catriona saw the watch too, thinking how realistic this toy watch looked.
Cedric lowered his gaze, his big eyes full of curiosity, staring at the watch the whole way. He even wanted to take it apart to see how it worked.
After they got home.
Cedric tucked the watch into his pocket, holding the rose in his hand. He snipped a small section off the stem, stood on tiptoe, and placed it in the room's vase.
Inside the water-filled vase were already six flowers, each a different color and kind—all gifts from his mom.
His mom had told him before that this would keep the flowers longer, and when they started wilting, they could be dried as keepsakes.
This was love from his mom, and he wanted to keep it well.
Children are very perceptive, and he sensed a different atmosphere in the house. Holding the watch, he sat down by the balcony to examine it closely.
He didn't go downstairs to play.
Because his mom hadn't gone downstairs either.
Catriona indeed stayed hidden in her room.
She had seen the werewolves' enthusiastic and charming sides, but now they were much quieter, listless every day, with some not even leaving their rooms.
Catriona lowered her gaze; it was better for her to stay out of sight.
And so, a week went by.
That afternoon.
The two of them went to pick up their child from school again, and the car was silent.
As they neared the kindergarten, Roderick spoke up, "I want to take the cub to see a movie."
He had overheard his subordinates talking after work today.
"When I was younger, work kept me busy, so I didn't spend much time with my kid. Now, he's not close to me at all... Sometimes, I wonder, how should life be lived to avoid regrets?"
"Manager, if you ask me, time is made. My daughter's five, and I spend every spare moment outside work with my family. I even took her to see cartoon movie yesterday, and this morning she didn't want me to leave for work."
Roderick wanted to get closer to the little cub, so he made a note to have Arden buy three tickets.
Looking at Catriona, he said, "The cub is attached to you, so you should come too."
Catriona, realizing she hadn't taken her son to the movies in a while, had no objections. "Sure."
So, after picking up her son.
They didn't return to the Luna Palace but instead opted to eat out at a restaurant Arden had reserved.
The restaurant was decorated in a child-friendly, playful style. Every child dining there received a small toy upon arrival.
The waiter smiled, saying, "Little one, here's a gift from our restaurant."
It was a small blue dolphin plush toy.
Holding his mom's hand, Cedric stared at the toy for a moment before reaching out to take it. "Thank you."
The waiter, finding him irresistibly adorable, widened her smile a little more. Glancing at the two adults beside him, she couldn't hide the look of admiration in their eyes.
"This way, please."
They were seated by the window, overlooking a serene park below, where lush green grass spread out—a perfect view for dining.
As soon as Roderick stepped in, he sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere, something that felt slightly off.
The place was filled with couples dining with their children.
His hearing was unusually acute; if he focused, he could hear sounds from hundreds of kilometers away. However, due to the noisiness of the human world, he usually dampened his senses, keeping his hearing only slightly better than the average person.
At that moment, he could hear sounds from the restaurant's kitchen.
"Oh my gosh!! That family of three just now was so good-looking. Are they celebrities?"
"I've been working here since the restaurant opened three years ago, and they're the best-looking family we've ever had."
"That guy is so handsome! But he's not a celebrity, is he?"
"..."
Roderick pursed his lips in displeasure. Tsk, what kind of restaurant had Arden chosen?
Roderick disliked being the center of attention. He kept a low profile in the human world, rarely appearing in the media or news.
He was grateful for his decision.
"Is that woman a model? She's so beautiful! Her skin is so fair, and her legs are so long!"
"..."
Roderick paused, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the mother and son sitting across from him. Catriona, oblivious to it all, was looking over the menu, asking her son what he wanted to eat.
Today, she wore a white V-neck blouse, her neck appearing slim and gracefully elongated. Her complexion was fair and delicate, and when interacting with the young pup, a gentle, tender aura radiated from her entire being.
"She's really tall and beautiful, and her chest is so big!! I love this beautiful lady, wahhh!"
"..."
Roderick's gaze involuntarily drifted downwards, catching sight of the curve of her chest...
In the next second, he abruptly looked away, realizing what he had been doing. His brow furrowed as the tips of his ears grew hot.
These pure humans—so shamelessly unguarded, without a hint of propriety.
Catriona, too, sensed the unique atmosphere in the restaurant. It was clearly a family-friendly dining place.
She didn't think much of it; she and Roderick picked up her child together every day and had faced their share of misunderstandings.
When the food arrived, the waiter cheerfully said, "This is our complimentary Couples' Rose Set. Enjoy your meal!"
On each plate, the steak was arranged with roses around it, with cherry tomatoes forming a heart.
"..."
Even Catriona, who usually didn't mind being misunderstood, felt a bit awkward at that moment.
Sitting across from her, Roderick's expression grew colder with each passing second. He didn't even glance at the plates.
In the end, neither of them touched the complimentary dishes, leaving them untouched in mutual indifference.
Roderick barely ate, spending most of his time watching the little cub.
After leaving the restaurant.
Roderick turned to glance at the restaurant's name, "LOVE Couples and Family Restaurant," and his face darkened.
Noticing the woman's gaze, he said in a low voice, "Arden booked this restaurant."
In other words, he was telling her not to overthink it.
Catriona understood and responded with a simple "Oh." She then added, "Let's clarify things with him next time. This place isn't suitable for us."
"Yeah."
Indeed, was a family restaurant meant for couples and parents really the right place for him and Catriona to be, given their relationship?
He had only taken the time to join them to spend time with the young pup, not to experience some "Couples' Rose Set"!
Because of the cub, he and Catriona were often mistaken for a couple, something he usually ignored—it was an unintentional misunderstanding, unavoidable.
But choosing a place like this... it could have been easily avoided, couldn't it?
At the restaurant entrance.
Arden saw his boss exit and promptly stepped out to open the car door.
Roderick gave him a faint glance.
Arden:???
In the cinema.
Parents and children, couples—all were holding hands.
Roderick held the cub's hand as they entered, while Cedric naturally took his mother's hand on the other side, his little steps becoming much lighter.
Roderick and Catriona exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away.
But they cooperated.
