His Untamed Rose novel Chapter 69

Cedric couldn’t shake the look in Soren’s eyes as he stared up toward the second floor—so intense, so haunted.

A flash of realization struck Cedric: all this time, he’d assumed the woman Soren claimed to have fallen for at first sight was Lumina.

But the woman nestled in his arms now looked freshly roused, barely awake—her body limp, yielding to his teasing, too tired to fight back. She seemed to have just woken up, with no sign she’d even stepped out of the bedroom.

The idea that Soren meant her suddenly seemed ridiculous to Cedric.

“You’re insane! Absolutely ridiculous!” Lumina grumbled, pushing him away in exasperation.

Cedric only chuckled, his earlier gentleness returning as he wrapped the robe around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s get something to eat. Nancy’s made a whole spread tonight.”

Lumina’s stomach gave her away; though she pouted like a sulking child, she followed him downstairs.

On the first floor, a housekeeper was trying to feed a little boy—no more than five—some soup from a spoon.

It was the first time Lumina had gotten a proper look at the child.

He was cute, in a frail, sickly way—pale, slender, eyes too large for his thin face. There was something about his features that reminded her of Winona, a delicate weakness.

He was running a fever, cheeks flushed. As the housekeeper brought the spoon to his lips, the boy let out an irritable wail and smacked the spoon away, sending soup splattering all over the floor.

Tsk.

Lumina frowned, unimpressed. This little guy had quite the temper.

“Ansel Compton.”

Cedric’s voice rumbled down from the staircase.

Instantly, the boy stopped crying. He looked petrified, lips trembling as his teary gaze snapped to Cedric. “Daddy.”

Lumina paused halfway down the steps, stunned.

Daddy?!

Cedric didn’t correct him. He just strode over, face grave. “Pick up what you spilled and eat it.”

Ansel immediately grabbed Cedric’s leg, sobbing, “Daddy… I want Mommy! I want Mommy!”

Lumina shot out a hand and caught both his wrists in a firm grip.

He squirmed, so she tightened her hold just enough to make him yelp in pain. “Ow! You’re breaking my arms! Daddy, help! Nancy, help me!”

“Let’s see who’s brave enough to help you now!” Lumina’s voice was steely, ringing across the room with authority.

She calmly wiped the soup from her face, then hoisted Ansel up by the back of his shirt. Without ceremony, she plopped him facedown onto the sofa.

If Winona and Cedric wouldn’t teach this boy how to behave, she would. She wasn’t about to coddle anyone—certainly not this little terror.

Snatching up a feather duster from the side table, she yanked down his pajama bottoms and brought the duster down hard.

“Ah! Ow! My butt!” Ansel shrieked, wailing between sobs. “I hate you! You’re a monster! Daddy, help! Daddy!”

“Still crying?” Lumina’s voice was cold, but her strikes were measured—not hard enough to injure, but enough to leave angry red welts across his skin.

She didn’t let up, delivering each swat with precision. “These ten are for wasting food, for being wasteful and careless!

And these twenty are for disrespecting your elders, and acting like an entitled little brat!”