Miranda had agreed to come along, but clearly, Felix planned to spend time comforting Xena.
Just then, an elderly figure with silvery white hair stepped up from the sunroom. It was Felix’s grandmother.
“Mira, you’re here,” she said warmly.
“Hi, Grandma.” Miranda greeted her affectionately. After the wedding, Mrs. Gibson Sr. had always treated her well.
“Oh my, Mia’s getting so tall! Great-Grandma can’t even lift you anymore!” Mrs. Gibson Sr. said with a loving smile as she watched her great-granddaughter run around.
After the eighteen-hour flight, Miranda was feeling worn out. With Mia happily playing with her grandmother and great-grandmother, she didn’t want to interrupt. She took a shower and stayed in the room to rest.
By 11 p.m., Mia was still bursting with energy. Miranda forced herself to stay awake and sat with her in the upstairs sitting area. Before long, Felix joined them, dressed in a soft cotton pajama set. As soon as he sat down, Mia climbed into his lap.
“Daddy, play with me! Please!”
“Sure. What do you want to play?”
“Blocks!”
Felix patiently built blocks with her. Miranda sat quietly to the side, exhaustion washing over her. Before long, she drifted off with her head resting on the couch.
Half-asleep, she felt a tap on her arm. Mia was whispering next to her, “Daddy, can you carry Mommy back to bed?”
“You can wake her up yourself,” Felix replied gently.
“But you carried Aunt Xena back to her room last time. Why can’t you carry Mommy too?” Mia pouted, a hint of jealousy in her voice.
Miranda frowned. “He didn’t even try to keep his distance from Xena in front of our daughter? Disgusting!” she thought.
She pretended to wake up and opened her eyes. “Mia, I’ll take you to bed.”
She looked up and met Felix’s dark, unreadable gaze. He clearly knew she had heard everything.
“I’m scared. I want both Mommy and Daddy to sleep with me,” Mia said with a pout.
“Daddy has work to do. Go with Mommy for now,” Felix said flatly, getting up and walking toward his study.
Mia’s lips trembled, but Miranda scooped her up. “Come on, baby. Mommy will tell you a bedtime story.”
*
The next morning, Miranda came downstairs with Mia in tow.
“Good morning, ma’am. Would you like breakfast now?” a housekeeper asked as she approached.
Miranda nodded. As they entered the dining room, she asked, “Has Mr. Gibson gotten up yet?”
“He left early this morning,” the housekeeper replied.
Miranda understood perfectly. With her here, Xena couldn’t show up at the Gibson estate. So Felix had no choice but to go out and meet her instead.
Right now, they were probably sitting in some upscale cafe downtown, enjoying a cozy date—or maybe they were already tangled up in the sheets of a hotel room, indulging in a heated morning affair.
*
By noon, Miranda spent some time chatting with Mrs. Gibson Sr. Though Susan wasn’t particularly fond of her, she kept things civil in front of Mia.
“Mira, Mia’s already five. She seems a little lonely,” Mrs. Gibson Sr. said, taking her hand. “You two are still young. Why not try for another child or two? A livelier home is a happier one.”
Miranda didn’t take offense. From Mrs. Gibson Sr.’s point of view, wanting more grandchildren made sense.
After lunch, with Mia occupied, Miranda returned to her room and continued working. This time, she was determined to carry out her father’s last wish and finally complete the research lab he never got to finish.
That evening, Felix came home for dinner.
“Come on, open up.” Susan coaxed gently, offering a spoonful of risotto to Mia, a satisfied smile on her face.
With a child at the table, the atmosphere was naturally lighthearted. But Mrs. Gibson Sr. couldn’t help noticing the tension between Felix and Miranda. The emotional distance between the couple was too obvious.
She was still hoping to see another great-grandchild in her lifetime, and the thought made her silently anxious.
After dinner, she deliberately sent Susan and Mia away, keeping Felix and Miranda behind.
“Mira, you young folks should go out and enjoy yourselves once in a while,” she began, not bothering to sugarcoat it. “Don’t just stay home with us old folks all day.”
Miranda smiled politely. “I like spending time at home with you all, Grandma.”
But Mrs. Gibson Sr. suddenly remembered that Miranda rarely went abroad and probably didn’t have many friends here. Her expression grew serious as she turned to Felix.
“Felix, you’re always leaving your wife at home while you run around outside. Is that how a husband should act?”
Felix’s gaze shifted to Miranda, sharp and questioning. Clearly, he assumed she had been complaining behind his back.
“We’ll take Mia with us tonight,” Mrs. Gibson Sr. added with a knowing glint in her eye. “You take Mira out for a breather. Come back a little later.”
She was clearly hoping the young couple would rekindle their intimacy—if not at home, then maybe at a hotel.
Miranda caught on instantly and quickly protested, “It’s cold out. I’d rather stay home with you.”
“There’s heating in the car. You won’t freeze. Go on—get out for a bit,” Mrs. Gibson Sr. insisted, waving them off.
Just as Miranda was about to come up with another excuse, Felix cut in coldly, “Let’s go.”
“Go on, go on,” Mrs. Gibson Sr. said again, finally breaking into a pleased smile.
Not wanting to disrespect her grandmother-in-law, Miranda nodded.
Felix pulled the car around, and Miranda climbed into the passenger seat. Behind them, Mrs. Gibson Sr. stood at the window, watching them leave with a hopeful smile.
Once they had exited the estate, a heavy silence filled the car, making Miranda feel increasingly uneasy.
Just then, the car phone rang. The name “Xena” lit up across the screen, bold and unmistakable.
Miranda glanced at it, then turned her face toward the window without a word.
Felix reached over and declined the call.
A moment later, Miranda spoke, her voice quiet but firm. “Just drop me off anywhere in the city. I’ll make my own way back.”
But Felix replied coolly, “Come with me. There’s somewhere I want to go.”
