My Adorable Daughter Can't Be A Villainess - Chapter 35 - Indirect Kiss

Eric was startled but he did not make Chloe wait long before slicing a perfect cube of meat and extending the fork toward her lips.

Her face remained as stoic as ever. Still, Chloe was not entirely unaffected by the act.

Chloe closed her mouth, licked her lips while tasting the food. She hadn’t eaten since last night.

It was slightly spicy, perfectly salted, and cooked just right.

Eric patiently waited for her to chew and swallow before slicing another piece and offering it to her.

Before taking the bite, Chloe asked, “Did you find out how she ended up in the forest?”

The room was quiet, so Chloe had to lean closer to Eric and lower her voice so as not to disturb Charlotte.

Eric sighed and explained, “As impossible as it may sound, she deliberately chose routes that were barely monitored. That is why no one saw her enter the forest.”

Chloe frowned, a few muffled words slipping from her lips while she was still chewing. “Charlotte shouldn’t be like this… Char is not a rebellious child…”

As if it’s the natural thing to do, Eric reached out and wiped the sauce from the corner of her lips, startling her.

Still pouting, Chloe glared at him, her ocean-blue eyes narrowing onto Eric.

Eric, not understanding the sudden shift in her mood, replied, “I believe she wanted to see that lake again. But why today of all days?”

It was clear that the picnic spot had become one of Charlotte’s favorite places. Still, she would never have wandered that far alone without telling her mother.

Eric cut another cube and offered it to Chloe. As she took the bite, looking a little shy for reasons even she did not understand, Eric continued, “Please do not scold Charlotte when she wakes up. Let us talk to her calmly and first understand why she took such a reckless step.”

Chloe pouted slightly. “You think I would shout at my child?”

Eric smiled helplessly. “The walls are not very thick in this mansion.”

Chloe felt the urge to bite his finger in protest, but restrained herself. Instead, she said, “Sometimes my voice tends to get higher when I discipline my child.” Then she took another bite, this time bread dipped in soup.

Eric nodded. “I understand. But trust me, she must be just as anxious as we are after realizing her mistake. So when she wakes up, do not let her feel how worried we were.”

Eric had experienced poor parenting in his previous life, not from his own parents, but from those he had lived with.

He knew how a child felt after making a mistake, especially one as kind and obedient as Charlotte.

That was why he did not want her to drown in guilt over this incident. He wanted her to learn from it and become wiser in her future choices.

“You are far too soft on her. At this rate, Charlotte will be spoiled,” Chloe complained, though her tone lacked any real sharpness.

Eric’s lips curved slightly into a smile as he muttered, “Then you can scold her once in a while to keep things balanced.”

Chloe huffed. “I will do that without you telling me, thank you. And you also will get rebuked too if you try to protect her.”

Eric chuckled softly and said nothing more.

The warm glow of the lantern mixed with the scent of herbs and grilled meat, filling the room. Yet at that moment, all Chloe could see or feel was him. The man who once did not even see her as a person was now feeding her as if she were the most precious thing in his life.

“Hmm?” Eric hummed, keeping the fork raised when Chloe did not take the bite.

Chloe asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

“I will,” Eric replied. “Right after feeding you.”

“There is more than enough for both of us here,” Chloe said. “Are you wasting food?”

Eric glanced down and realized Maylie had intentionally served a portion meant for two people.

He hesitated. There was only one fork. Should he get up and fetch another one? Would that seem overly careful? But using the same fork might make her uncomfortable.

He was still staring at the fork when Chloe spoke. “Just eat here,” she said, her face half-hidden by her fluffy hair. “It’s not like we are stupid teenagers thinking about indirect kisses or anything…”

Despite her words, Eric noticed the tip of her small ear had turned red.

Grinning broadly, he stabbed a piece of meat and ate it without hesitation.

“This is quite sweet, isn’t it?”

Chloe groaned. “Shut up and just eat.”

….

[Next morning]

“Mm…” Chloe stirred in her sleep, shifting slightly as she searched for a more comfortable position. Then it hit her.

“Ah!” She jolted awake, remembering she was supposed to be watching over her injured daughter.

For a few moments, her mind failed to register where she was. Then her eyes landed on a familiar face.

Violet eyes stared back at her, tired but awake.

“You can sleep a bit longer if you want,” Eric said softly. Sitting beside the bed, he was gently caressing Charlotte’s head.

Chloe looked down and realized she had been sleeping on a makeshift mattress. After dinner, she must have fallen asleep without even noticing.

She slowly sat up and asked, “Did you… stay up the whole night?”

Eric avoided the question. “The medic came an hour ago. She said the poison has been neutralized and Charlotte should wake up anytime now.”

Those words instantly cleared Chloe’s drowsiness. She looked at her daughter and saw that her complexion was far better than it had been yesterday.

Letting out a long breath, she sat on the bed and held Charlotte’s warm hand.

Then, quietly, she glanced at Eric.

He noticed and looked up. “Hmm?”

Chloe did not look away.

Eric had gone into the forest himself instead of relying on his troops. He had taken care of Charlotte throughout the night.

Even as her mother, Chloe had not been able to stay awake the entire time. Yet he had.

Lowering her gaze, Chloe murmured words her past self would never have imagined saying to him.

“You have changed, Eric. You have become a much better person.” She looked into his eyes and added, “And I like this side of you much more.”

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