As soon as she stepped out, Margot saw the usually cold and reserved Jonathan holding Anneliese tightly, pinning her against the entryway cab and kissing her like he couldn''t get enough.
Oh my gosh. Is this really something I''m supposed to be seeing?
Margot pped a hand over her eyes and bolted back to the kitchen.
Yet, before ducking out of sight, she couldn''t help peeking through her fingers twice more.
It was such a sight that her heart started pounding, and she wondered if she should go home early tonight and set up a date with her husband.
Jonathan''s earlier question only got answered after dinner, when Anneliese pulled him into the kitchen to bake cookies together.
While they worked, she told him about running into Ellie at the bakery, promising to bake her cookies, and how today she''d heard Ellie''s voice on video for the first time.
"By the way, Grandma and Nicole both say Ellie and I look a bit alike. What do you think?"
Jonathan, following Anneliese''s instructions, stopped stirring the butter and powdered sugar and looked up at her, still wearing the pink checkered apron she''d forced on him. He pictured Ellie, since he''d known Steven for years and watched the girl grow up.
In his mind, Anneliese was always one of a kind. There was noparison, but after thinking it through, he realized there really was a resemnce.
No wonder he''d always thought Steven had good genes. Ellie was much cuter than most kids.
He nodded. "You two do look a little alike."
Anneliese smiled. "Maybe that''s why Ellie thinks of me as her mom."
It would exin the way Ellie acted around her.
Before she could finish the thought, Jonathan tapped her lightly on the head.
"Ow, what was that for?"
She red at him, rubbing her head.
Jonathan''s expression turned serious. "What do you think? Only our own kids can call you Mom. You''re only allowed to have kids with me."
Anneliese was speechless.
How can this man be jealous over something like that?
She brushed it off, but Jonathan couldn''t help remembering how she always looked up to Steven and admired him.
Suddenly, he felt rm bells go off inside.
"Whenever you meet with Ellie, let me know first," he said, his voice low.
Anneliese couldn''t helpughing. "You want toe along?"
"Do you have a problem with that?" Jonathan raised a brow, clearly daring her toin.
She immediately replied, "Of course not. That''d be perfect."
Only then did he look away and return to mixing the dough.
Anneliese watched him, amused, before asking, "Do you know who Ellie''s mom is? And why she has autism?"
She''d always been curious, but out of respect for privacy, had never asked anyone.
Now, since she''d had a positive effect on Ellie, she wanted to know more. Maybe she could really help the little girl get better.
Jonathan shook his head. "I have no idea. Steven''s never dated anyone publicly, and no one''s ever seen him with a woman One day fejust showed up with a baby girl and said she was his daughter."
Steven was the golden boy of their social circle.
He was talented in everything since childhood. He earned double master''s degrees in
???
He''d never married, and the mother of the baby was unknown—the gossip never stopped since then.
Anneliese was shocked. "Seriously? With Mr. Malone''s position, wouldn''t having a child out of wedlock mess up his political future?"
"The Malones could handle it, but it still hurt his career a bit. Otherwise, Steven would be further along by now, not just director of the Low-altitude Economy Department at thirty."
Anneliese was speechless. Figures—the world of the elite is out of my league.
She was about to ask more when Jonathan dipped his finger in butter and dabbed it on her nose. "Are you really that interested in him?"
Clearly, he was annoyed.
Resigned, she exined, "I only feel a connection to Ellie and Madam Chalmont, so I want to know more about them, that''s all. There''s only one man in the world I''m ever、 curious about. Hrom wonder who that is?"