Rotten Twins: Making a CEO a Daddy novel Chapter 216

Both Lyla and Mark looked at each other in confusion. They thought they were seeing things.

It was then Gretel came out of nowhere with a bottle of yogurt drink. She walked over to Justin and said, “Mr. Chairman, Mr. Pattinson Senior, I might not know what kind of tricks you used to conquer my brother but don’t expect me to acknowledge you!”

She then sat down beside Justin.

It seemed like both the twins were not afraid of Justin.

Justin was not annoyed either. “Then how should I make you acknowledge me?”

“Well… I remember you said it before that no matter what happens, you won’t acknowledge us as your grandchildren,” Gretel said. It seemed like she was a person who would hold a grudge.

Justin did not argue or deny it either. “Yes, I did say so before but what can I do to make up for it?”

Gretel sipped on her yogurt drink and thought about it for a while. “Unless…”

“She will never do it!”

Before Gretel could speak her thoughts, Mark came in with a bellow.

Both Hansel and Gretel were shocked.

Their daddy and mommy usually came home late, yet they were early today.

The twins were stunned on the spot and did not know how to react.

“Daddy, Mommy, you guys are early today,” Hansel said meekly.

Lyla and Mark came in.

“If we weren't back early, we wouldn’t know that someone is in our house.”

Mark’s tone felt extremely distant to Justin as if he had thrown his father out for a few thousand miles.

Irritated, Justin turned around. “Is this how you speak to me?!”

Mark did not care. “How should I speak to you then? You’ve never come here before and never asked about me!”

“Who said I came here for you!? I came here for these two little rascals!”

Since Mark did not want to call Justin ‘father’, Justin did the same to him.

Lyla shook her head helplessly at the father-son squabble and walked away.

It was then the smart Gretel jumped down the chair and walked to Mark, asking for a hug.

Mark carried her in his arms and she said, “I listen to Daddy!”

People said the daughter is the apple of the parent’s eye, and it sounded true in this situation. Mark was extremely delighted by Gretel’s approach.

“Good girl, Gretel is the best.”

Vexed, Justin walked over and bellowed, “What is the meaning of this, Mark!?”

“What do you mean?” Mark looked at him and asked with a casual tone.

“What is with your attitude? Is this how you speak to your father?”

“What kind of attitude should I use then?”

“You!”

“Father, this is my house!”

“Your house?! What is your house to begin with? I am your father! What is really yours to claim?!” Justin started to shout.

‘So this is what Justin is like when he’s angry.’ Lyla saw Justin’s fierce and strict side before but she had never seen such a childish side of him.

She somehow found it amusing.

She poured a glass of water for him and said, “Have a seat first, let’s calm down.”

Justin glanced at Lyla and grunted. He sat down and said, “Hmph! You bet I’ll sit down!”

Everyone was quite shocked at Justin’s reaction, the man really made himself feel at home.

Lyla did not say anything about it though, she walked to Hansel instead.

Mark and Justin were still having squabbles in the living room. The father and son were at each other’s neck with their comments but it somehow felt warm compared to the last time they argued.

It was obvious that Justin was a different man now.

He was strict with Mark in the past and only showed disdain for what Mark did. Even though he was still strict, he lowered himself and attempted to shorten the distant relationship.

……

“Mommy, are you not angry?” Hansel asked Lyla.

Lyla then looked at Hansel. “Angry? What for?”

“I let grand… I mean someone from the Pattinsons into our house.” Hansel dared not call Justin his grandfather in front of Lyla but she heard it as well.

The boy did a great job in clearing up the relationship between him and Justin.

Lyla shook her head. “I’m not angry.”

“Really?”

Lyla nodded. “He has always been harsh to your daddy and maybe because of you and your kindness, he started to look at your daddy differently. I think it’s a good thing!”

She was quite happy about the changes.

Hansel nodded. “I know. Even though I didn't like him before, after I spent some time with him, I realized he’s just another old man.”

Lyla nodded. “I understand. I’m happy that you can do this.”

“So you and Daddy are not mad at me?” Hansel felt relieved.

“I’m not mad but I can’t say the same for your daddy.” Lyla shrugged because her stand could not represent Mark’s stand.

The tiny ember of hope in Hansel’s heart was extinguished after he heard Lyla’s comment. He carefully looked at the living room and saw his daddy and his grandfather arguing.

‘Oh boy, we are in for a show for today,’ Hansel thought.

“Okay then, try to make more dishes for dinner. Your grand… I mean Justin is having dinner here tonight,” Lyla said.

Even if Lyla managed to not say the word, Hansel noticed it. The boy grinned and said, “Roger that, Ma’am!”

“No! This is your responsibility! I have nothing to do with this, don’t ‘roger ma’am’ me!” Lyla beautifully shrugged the responsibility off and walked away.

“I know you, I know something is going on in that mind of yours.” Lyla then leaned on his shoulder.

“I know you don’t feel comfortable but isn’t it great?”

Mark turned around with an irritated look. “Is it? He can do whatever he wants but to him, I am nothing! Don’t you feel the same?”

Lyla shook her head. “Let’s look at things differently. If you are nothing to him, why is he here and why is he staying?”

“What do you mean?”

“I can tell that he likes Hansel and Gretel. If he changes because of them, I think it’s a good thing for all of us.”

“Whoa? If I remember correctly, he made it clear that he will never take them as his grandchildren and now he’s going back on his words? He’s not respecting me, he’s not respecting you guys!”

Lyla smiled, she was not mad at all. “Maybe he doesn't know how good they were, but things are different now!”

Mark curled his lips into a ridiculing grin.

“Mark, I know you longed for kinship, and now is the chance, why not take a step forward?” Lyla asked.

Mark looked away. He felt complicated right now and did not know how to put his feelings in words.

“I know it’s hard for you to take in all these all of a sudden but Mark, you can try. You can do it for Hansel and Gretel. I talked to Hansel just now, he said he didn’t like Justin before but after spending some time together, the boy realized Justin is just another old man.”

Mark looked intrigued.

“I also can tell Hansel is quite happy with him. If it’s real, it’s not entirely a bad thing, at least having peace is better than fighting, am I right?” Lyla said.

“I know what you are trying to say.” Mark nodded.

Lyla smiled. “Actually, I can see that he’s trying to fix things with you, it’s just that he hasn’t found the right way to do it!”

Mark blinked. He too could feel it but it was vague and he was not sure about it.

He and his father’s relationship had suffered a fallout for so many years and no one wanted to break the ice until now. It was too sudden now and it was difficult for him to accept it.

“But looking at you two squabbling is quite interesting.”

“Interesting?”

“You don’t think so? I know both Hansel and Gretel enjoyed it.”

Vexed, Mark helplessly looked away.

Lyla smiled. “Now, get ready for a shower. Get changed and go down for dinner.”

Mark nodded.

Lyla smiled. “I’ll go down first.”

She turned around but before she could take the first step, Mark grabbed her back.

“What are you doing?”

Mark whispered in her ears, “You told me to shower right? Why don’t you help me…”

“Hey! We have a guest downstairs, Mark! No!”

Mark did not care. He carried her into the bathroom and things started to get steamy inside.