Chapter 780: Tag Along

After the examination, Roxanne dismissed Lucian, preventing him from speaking further with the children. "Since it's morning, Mr. Farwell, please take Essie home immediately. Thoroughly sanitize your house as soon as possible."

Lucian raised an indifferent eyebrow, then looked down at Estella. She pouted. "You can go back on your own, Daddy." Still recovering from her severe illness, Estella had hoped to play with Roxanne, Archie, and Benny. Instead, Roxanne seemed anxious to send her away.

Lucian and Roxanne frowned simultaneously, their thoughts diverging. Before last night, Roxanne would have welcomed Estella's stay. However, her conversation with Lucian had forced her to consider Estella's biological mother. Roxanne believed Estella's attachment stemmed from a lack of maternal affection, but she wasn't Estella's mother. She couldn't allow Estella to believe otherwise, knowing her real mother might return.

Lucian, sensing Roxanne's hesitation, was displeased.

"Essie..." Roxanne began, unable to refuse the little girl.

A hint of mockery tinged Lucian's voice. "Ms. Jarvis, by your account, my house remains contaminated. Therefore, taking Essie home would be inconvenient. Since you're unavailable to care for her, I'll leave her at the office."

He implied he would leave Estella at the office and sanitize his house alone. Roxanne stared, bewildered. She questioned whether he would truly leave Estella, so recently ill. But then, she realized his suggestion mirrored her own actions; if Estella stayed, he wouldn't leave her alone at the office.

"I don't want to go to the office!" Estella pleaded, tugging Roxanne's clothes.

Roxanne met the little girl's tearful gaze and relented. "Why don't you stay and play with Archie and Benny, Essie?"

Turning to Lucian, she said firmly, "The disinfection process can't be delayed. Please return home, Mr. Farwell."

He nodded after a moment, then left the children's room. Roxanne loaded the remaining disinfectant spray into his car, carefully instructing him on proper disinfection.

"Feel free to tag along if you're worried, Ms. Jarvis," Lucian teased, arching an eyebrow.

She fell silent, watching his car speed away. Only then, with a heavy heart, did she return to the mansion.

Though Lucian's actions the previous night had been questionable, Roxanne's professional ethics as a doctor left her worried he might contract the illness again during the disinfection process.