?Chapter 654:


    Connor’s mood soured more by the minute. At first, no one noticed because everyone’s attention was glued to the antics of the two little ones, Lawrence and Lindsay.


    The living room echoed with bursts ofughter.


    Arabe was the first to pick up on Connor’s displeasure. Between her giggles at the kids, she turned to him and said, “Connor, look at these two kids! Aren’t they adorable?”


    But halfway through her sentence, her cheerful tone faltered. Connor’s mood waspletely off, like a dark cloud in the otherwise sunny room.


    She didn’t dwell on it and asked, “Why do you look so unhappy? Is something wrong?”


    Her question cut through theughter like a knife. All eyes turned to Connor.


    If the family leader was upset, no one else dared tough.


    Connor was caught in the spotlight, his cheeks tinged with humiliation. But his emotions were too strong to mask. His gaze, heavy with embarrassment and resentment, settled squarely on Marissa.


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    In this family, she thought of everyone—his grandma, the kids—butpletely overlooked him. This woman didn’t care about him at all, and it stung.


    Mr. Mature and Steady couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. The family was puzzled.


    Nobody could decipher the mix of resentment and jealousy in his eyes—not Arabe, who raised him, nor Domenic, Marc, or Terry, who spent their days by his side. As for Lawrence and Lindsay, they hadn’t known him long enough to understand his moods.


    Marissa, however, knew what was going on.


    She sighed inwardly. The man was jealous again.


    With a small smile, she reached into her bag and pulled out a porcin figurine. “I got you a gift, too,” she said, handing it to Connor.


    The gaze of everyone in the room shifted to Marissa’s hand, and a collective cringe rippled through the space.


    The poorly crafted, inexpensive figurine she held was a stark contrast to what one would expect to find in the possession of the esteemed Mr. Connor Daniels.


    The ghastly figurine might have been fitting for the leader of a street gang, but it was inconceivable that Connor would have any appreciation for it.


    The thought of Connor liking such an item seemedughable. Surely, he’d be furious.


    Expecting an explosion, everyone watched him cautiously, bracing for his reaction.


    To everyone’s surprise, the resentment on Connor’s face melted away, reced by a sweet smile.


    He took the figurine from Marissa, turned it over in his hand, and admired it. “Did you specially buy this for me?”


    Before Marissa could respond, Lindsay piped up, “Yes, Mommy picked this out especially for Daddy. She spent a long time choosing it. Mommy said that this figurine had a simr aura to Daddy’s!”


    Everyone’s lips twitched. Was this apliment or an insult? It was hard to tell


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