I Owe the Tyrant Four Little Heirs novel Chapter 176

Niamh let out a small laugh.

“This Mr. Bragg,” she thought, “is really desperate to be a father.”

If he wanted kids so badly, he should get married and have his own. He was thirty, after all. Weren't wealthy families always eager for more heirs to inherit their fortunes?

"Mr. Bragg," she said with a polite smile, "there are no 'what ifs' in life." Such a hypothetical question was just making things awkward.

"Mr. Bragg, are you married yet?" Aurelia piped up.

"Not yet," he answered, gently stroking her curly hair, his eyes brimming with affection. His mother had always said her biggest regret was not having a daughter, and she had made him promise to give her a granddaughter to dote on. If she were alive to see that she had not only grandsons but a granddaughter too—all so bright and lovely—she would have been overjoyed. The thought brought a fresh wave of sorrow.

Niamh watched the flicker of pain in his expression, her confusion deepening.

"Mr. Bragg, what do you think of my mommy?" Aurelia continued, shooting a mischievous glance at Niamh.

Niamh sighed. This little girl was as obsessed with finding a father as he was with being one.

"My mommy is not only beautiful, but she has a beautiful heart too," Aurelia declared proudly. "She makes delicious food, speaks lots of languages, and earns lots of money. She's really, really amazing!"

"It's true! Our mommy is the best, Mr. Bragg," Jove chimed in. "If you miss this chance, you won't get another one."

Jareth chuckled, while Niamh just looked on, completely exasperated.

"But what if Mommy makes a mistake? What if the guy's a total jerk?" Phaedra finally spoke up.

"Exactly!" Keir immediately agreed. "And don't forget, a certain someone used to give Mommy a really hard time."

He shot a pointed look at Jareth. "Just because he helped us out once today doesn't mean he's suddenly a candidate for our dad."

He rummaged in a desk drawer, pulled out a stack of photos, and spread them on the table. "Mommy, look. These are the guys Grandpa picked out for you. Grandpa and I went through them, and we think these ones are pretty good."

Jareth glanced at the photos. They were indeed impressive—handsome young men, all lawyers or bankers.