Filed to story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
He didn’t sound like he was joking at all, and seemed to be truly genuine in everything he said.
“Yeah, Mommy! We’re a family, so of course we’re living together. Let me tell you a secret… Daddy Q picked us up from school today! Our classmates were so jealous that we had a tall and strong daddy!” Abby proudly exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Mr. Q’s leg.
It was clear that the man had already won over Abby. If this went on, Flossie felt like the little one would prefer Mr. Q over her own mother.
The woman smiled awkwardly and didn’t respond. She knew that this was just a facade, and Mr. Q had better acting skills than her. He was the perfect husband and father, with absolutely no flaws in his act. On the contrary, she was being dismissive the whole time, which meant that the twins would soon catch on that this was all fake.
“It’s getting late, so you two should go to bed now – only then will you have the energy for school tomorrow.” Flossie turned to the children, who were still happily playing. She had some things to discuss with Mr. Q in private.
Aiden was smart, and nodded obediently. “Abby, we should go to sleep now, and let Daddy Q and Mommy get to spend some time together.”
Flossie felt slightly awkward when she heard that, and she brushed her hair to the side of her face stiffly. ‘Tsk tsk, sometimes it can really be a headache to have such smart children.’
Margeret then took the children to bed, leaving Flossie and Mr. Q in the living room. The man was sitting on the couch in a relaxed position, his legs crossed. Anyone looking at him would have thought that this was actually his home.
“So, what would you like to ask?” He asked with a fake smile, as if he could see right through Flossie.
“You’re a smart guy, so I do have something to ask you.” Flossie didn’t stall any longer and placed the box containing the Rainbow Glaze onto the coffee table. She was straightforward with him.
“I got the Rainbow Glaze, but I’d like to know what exactly is so special about it, and why it’s so special to Halston Guajardo and his family. Why did the two of you fight so much over it?”
“He actually gave you such a precious relic…” Mr. Q gave a complicated smile, putting a thumb up. “Looks like you’re still very important to him. To think he’d give you something that he needed to survive. Even though I’m his rival, I can’t help but feel impressed by his love and dedication for you.”
“Needed to survive?” Flossie asked slowly.
“Don’t you know? The Rainbow Glaze is made of a rare material, and using it with any liquid can generate a cure to all illnesses. And it’s not just some silly myth…”
Mr. Q smiled at her bitterly. “Back when Halston Guajardo and his brother, Tristan Guajardo, encountered an assassination, Halston Guajardo was left with a hidden ailment. He needed to use the Rainbow Glaze periodically to stabilize his condition. That’s why the Guajardo family used up almost all their resources just to obtain the relic, and managed to win against Carmine Pawnshop. That was how he defeated me.”
Mr. Q calmly described the situation as if he was an outsider in the scenario. Despite having lost the battle, he didn’t seem to hold any resentment at all, and graciously accepted his defeat.
“You’re kidding, right? How is that possible?” Flossie was certain that Mr. Q was lying on purpose, all for the sake of toying with her.
“I’d believe it if you said the relic had historical value, but I refuse to believe that it can cure all diseases! This is real life, not some fantasy movie! If you keep bluffing, this thing is going to reveal its true form as a god or something!”
“You can choose to not believe me, but it is the truth. Halston Guajardo handed you something that he needs to survive, which means that he literally put his life in your hands. I’m sure he asked for something in return.” Mr. Q raised an eyebrow questioningly.
“He didn’t ask for much, he… he probably felt like he owed me too much, so he gave this to me… to make himself feel better about himself.” Flossie stammered, trying to come up with a believable excuse.
“From what I know of him, Halston Guajardo isn’t someone who would reflect on his issues so easily. He’s such an arrogant man, so why would he ever think he owes anyone anything?” Mr. Q scoffed.
Flossie stared at the man in bewilderment. “Then… Why would he give me such an important relic?”
“That’s because he still has feelings for you, and he wants to get back together with you,” Mr. Q replied bluntly.
Flossie’s face flushed, and she wondered if the angry confession earlier had some truth in it.
“So, what do you think? Would you like to start over with him… or me?” Mr. Q smiled softly, but his gaze was serious.
Flossie clenched her fists, looking determined. “I will never get back together with him, so I don’t care if he still has feelings or if he hasn’t moved on. It doesn’t matter to me.”
“Really?” Mr. Q’s smile widened slightly as he continued. “So, you’re saying you’re willing to give me a shot?”
“I didn’t think that far…” Flossie mumbled, not rejecting him outright. In actuality, she was starting to get used to the man’s existence after spending some time with him. If the children really needed a father, Mr. Q was definitely a suitable candidate.
Mr. Q then suddenly asked, “Have you ever wondered what you’d do if word about your twins got out? What if the Guajardo family tried to fight for custody?”
Flossie frowned, feeling uneasy. “What do you mean? I don’t understand…”
“You don’t have to hide it from me, I can tell just by looking at them – they’re definitely related to your ex-husband. It’s just a matter of time till they find out, so it’s better to prepare beforehand,” Mr. Q said in a mysterious tone.
At that point, the woman didn’t want to deny it any longer either. At the very least, Mr. Q was less harmful than Halston, and wouldn’t ever try to fight against her for custody. In fact, the four of them might just be able to live a blissful life together.
Flossie looked at the man and asked slowly, “What do you mean by ‘preparing’ though?”
Mr. Q placed his hands together and replied, “If Halston Guajardo really were to fight you for custody, what do you think your biggest disadvantage would be?”
“I don’t think I have any disadvantages.” Flossie seemed cocky, replying coldly. “I raised both of them, that’s a big enough advantage. He has nothing against me.”
“If it was someone else, they might not be able to win against you, but this man is Halston Guajardo – he has H Group behind his back. As long as they wish it, both the court and the public would surely favor them without questions. If you don’t have a perfect plan to counter his attacks, you might just lose horribly.”
Flossie clenched her fists, looking slightly depressed. “What would be a perfect plan, then?”
“Back to my previous question. If Halston Guajardo were to fight for custody, I think your biggest disadvantage would be the environment you could provide for the children, not your financial status or education level…”
Flossie shook her head, visibly confused. “I don’t get it.”
“Children need to be raised in a healthy environment. Imagine this – if they followed Halston Guajardo, they would have a father, grandparents, and a large extended family to provide them with love and care… You, however, are all alone, you’re all that’s left of the Ellsworth family. An incomplete family would negatively affect a child’s upbringing. If you don’t come up with a solution, you will become the losing party when you two go to court.” Mr. Q analyzed the situation thoroughly.
Although it was harsh, it was the truth.
Flossie’s determined gaze slowly became gloomier, but she continued putting up a tough act. “So what? The children are close to me, they wouldn’t want to leave me! Besides, I have the best lawyers on my side, so I’m not afraid of facing him in court.”
“You’re so naive…” Mr. Q chuckled. “You should know that children below eight years of age have no say in choosing a parent to follow. As for your lawyers… you need to know that there will be better talents out there, so you can’t say for sure yours are the best. I’m very sure that Halston Guajardo has the power and wealth to find people like that.”
Flossie was feeling enraged at this point, and shot the man a fierce glare. “What are you trying to say? You keep talking about how great our enemy is, and undermining our team! Do you want that jerk to take the kids away?”
“Nope!” Mr. Q shook his head, completely serious. “I don’t want that to happen, which is why I’m forming this plan with you. We can’t allow Halston Guajardo even a single chance to win.”
“So? Have you thought of any solutions?”
“Of course!” The man finally started expressing his actual thoughts. “Let’s get legally married, and give the children a complete family. Abby and Adie are fond of me too. We’re capable enough to provide them a good environment and proper education too. With that, Halston Guajardo would have close to no chance of winning custody.”
“Stop messing around!” Flossie’s face turned red and she felt awkward. “It’s ridiculous enough that we have to put up an act in front of the kids every single day! Now you even want us to ‘try out’ getting legally married! This is insanity… I can’t accept this!”
“I’m just throwing out suggestions. It’s fine if you can’t accept it, but well… I just hope you don’t come to regret this decision when you’re in court with Halston Guajardo.” Mr. Q leaned against the couch casually, staring at the ceiling with a slight smirk.
“Oh and… just one more thing. If Halston Guajardo were to marry another woman, he’ll undoubtedly have a 100% chance of winning.”
That night, Flossie tossed and turned the whole night, unable to fall asleep at all. Mr. Q’s words might have been upsetting, but he was merely being realistic.
Everything was still fine with Halston not knowing about the two children’s existence. However, if he ever found out, they would certainly have to cross paths in court.
Although she had three trump cards within Guajardos & Co. Law Firm, she had no idea if Halston could find a better lawyer to take his case. She really didn’t have full confidence that she could win this…
Moments later, Flossie realized the only solution really was to give the children a father, so that they could be a complete family. She thought, ‘Do I really have to try it out with Mr. Q and get married to him?’
The next day, Flossie decided to return the Rainbow Glaze to Halston after giving it some thought.
Mr. Q had described the item as some kind of fantasy tool that had healing abilities, and she found it bizarre. However, now that she knew about it, she couldn’t bring herself to feign ignorance. She would never forgive herself if Halston’s condition worsened without this relic.
Flossie checked her watch and noticed it was ten in the morning, which was during work hours, so Halston was probably busy in H Group at the time. She still had no idea how to face the man after his confession, so she wanted to visit the Guajardo manor during these hours to avoid him.
Timothy was watering his plants at that moment. He soon noticed the maid bringing Flossie over to him, which brought a bright smile to his face. “My child, you’ve come to see me! You’re just in time – my tomatoes are ready for harvest.”