Jolie followed Selena into the Cooper family villa.
Neither Gavin nor Gernard was home. Gavin was at the office, and Gernard had already left for South Afreeca.
Wilfried had gone fishing with an old friend, leaving only Aveline, Lucas, their two kids, and the household staff in the villa.
"Ave," Selena called as they stepped into the living room.
Aveline was holding Pax, keeping him entertained, but she looked up at the sound of Selena's voice. Surprised, she asked, "Back so soon?"
Her gaze shifted, catching sight of Jolie trailing behind.
"Miss Quin, hello," Jolie greeted with a polite smile.
Aveline returned the smile warmly. "Please, have a seat. Make yourself at home."
Selena had already washed her hands and returned to pick up Joy, gently coaxing the child with a soft tone.
Jolie sat on the edge of the sofa, visibly tense. Noticing her unease, Aveline walked over and asked with a gentle smile, "Would you like to hold the baby?" Jolie blinked in surprise. "Me? Can I really?"
"Of course," Aveline said, nodding. She carefully passed Pax over to Jolie.
Jolie quickly stood up. "Let me wash my hands first."
"Sure," Aveline replied with a nod.
As Jolie headed toward the restroom, Aveline turned to Selena and asked quietly, "What's going on?"
"I saw her wandering alone by the road," Selena explained. "She seemed upset about something, so I brought her here."
"Oh..." Aveline dragged out the word, giving her a knowing look.
"Don't get any ideas," Selena said flatly. "She can stay for a bit, but she's leaving later."
Aveline pressed her lips together in a soft smile, saying nothing.
Jolie returned quickly, her hands freshly washed, and carefully took Pax into her arms.
The little boy, full of energy after being fed stared at her with big, dark eyes that gleamed like black pearls. Though he couldn't quite focus yet, he gazed at her unblinkingly
en Narugi
AO.UMS
Jolie sat stiffly, nervous she might accidentally drop the baby.
"He's so tiny... and soft," she murmured, wonder flickering in her eyes. Her friends weren't married or had children yet, so this washer first time holding a baby.
Selena, cradling Joy, came closer and asked, "Want to hold her too?"
Jolie looked at Joy, her heart melting at the sight of the chubby, rosy-cheeked little girl. Without hesitation, she reached out to take her.
Watching from the side, Selena
remarked, "These two are usually fussy about who holds them, except for people they're close to. If they let you hold them, it means they like you."
Jolie smiled warmly. "I like them too."
Aveline observed the interaction with a quiet smile, noting the way the distance between Jolie and Selena seemed to shrink as they spoke. Breaking the moment, Aveline asked, "Miss Quin, what do you do for work?"
"I'm a freelancer," Jolie replied. "Right now, I'm into photography."
Aveline nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds so liberating. I can't help but envy it a bit."
Jolie chuckled lightly. "When your body feels confined, the only thing you can do is set your soul free."
Selena's expression shifted slightly. After a pause, she asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Jolie turned to her, her gaze calm and steady. "Selena, I wish I could be more like you."
She didn't answer calls, ignored nagging voices, and refused to accept the arrangements laid out for her.
But Jolie couldn't do that. She'd been pampered and given the best of everything growing up. Now, it was her turn to repay those efforts. Selena frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
She moved over and took Joy back into her arms.
Jolie sank back into the sofa, a faint smile lingering on her lips, saying nothing more.
If you replace any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report