Chapter 1602: The Kids Had Lied to Him

Catalina glanced at the three children as she approached Lucian and explained, “Mrs. Farwell came this afternoon and took Ms. Estella, Mr. Benny, and Mr. Archie out to play. They must be exhausted from all the fun they had.”

The boys initially remained silent, but Catalina's comment left them no choice but to nod in agreement. Roxanne, however, was flabbergasted. Sonya taking them out to play? She disliked Archie and Benny; if anyone were to enjoy Sonya's company, it would be Estella. Why the boys? And they certainly didn't look happy.

Frowning, Roxanne wanted to question further but hesitated, realizing she'd put Lucian in a difficult position by continuing to press him about Sonya. Changing the subject, she tousled their hair. “If you're tired, go have your dinner now and go to bed early.”

After washing their hands, she led the children to the dining table. To her surprise, it was laden with all their favorite foods. Unlike Roxanne, Lucian seemed unfazed. “Where did Grandma take you guys this afternoon? Did you have fun?” He focused on their outing.

The boys exchanged glances. Benny remained silent, pressing his lips together. Archie, however, met Lucian's gaze and replied, “Grandma took us to the amusement park and bought us ice cream. It was so yummy!”

Lucian studied him, trying to gauge his honesty. Archie plastered on a smile, despite feeling aggrieved. He wanted to tell Lucian that Sonya had abandoned them, but feared the ensuing conflict between his parents and grandmother. The thought of their family fracturing was far more upsetting than any perceived slight from Sonya. Their happiness lay in being together with their parents.

“Just the amusement park?” Lucian pressed.

Archie, caught off guard by the follow-up, nodded hesitantly.

“What did you do there? You boys and Essie enjoy completely different rides. I bet it was hard for Grandma to look after all of you,” Lucian persisted.

Archie and Benny again exchanged glances. Archie had no answer; they'd only strolled through a maze and then spent the rest of the time waiting for Estella.

Lucian observed their uncomfortable expressions. Archie steeled himself, averting Lucian's gaze. “Grandma got help from the staff to accompany Benny and me. We saw the pirates and the dwarves, while Grandma took Essie to see the princesses.” These were characters they'd seen while walking; they remembered the names but not the rides themselves.

Fortunately, Lucian didn't press for details. He knew they were lying. If they'd been happy, Benny, typically the most forthcoming, would have spoken first. Benny's silence, and Archie's reluctant confession, told Lucian that something was amiss.