I Am An Illegitimate Child With A Legitimate Reason For Revenge-Chapter 149: It’s a secret

"Can I call you padre?" Rachael asked and for a moment, Raymond was silent. He knew the meaning of that Spanish word. Was it really okay for her to call him that?

"Is your mother there?" He asked her and she looked at Alexa who was yet to understand the meaning of that word.

"Yes, she is." She answered.

"Is she okay with you calling me that?" He asked her and once again, she looked at her mother.

"I didn’t ask her first." She said, "But my mummy doesn’t seem to have a problem with it."

’She probably doesn’t know the meaning of it yet. Otherwise, she wouldn’t want her daughter to call me padre, which means father. But I still can’t reject it. I already said she could call me anything.’

He looked up at Steve who was wondering what their conversation was about for him to be thinking so long.

"Mister, do you not want me to call you that?" Rachael asked, her tone suddenly turning solemn and Raymond felt he had hurt her feelings.

"Of course, that’s not it." He said. "I don’t mind what you call me."

"Are you sure?" Rachael asked. "Or is it because you already have a daughter that calls you that?"

Alexa tilted her head. Where was that coming from?

"Rachael, you shouldn’t say something like that. It’s rude." She scolded her.

"Sorry, mummy. I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought..." she paused and started feeling sorry. "I’m sorry, mister. I shouldn’t have said that."

"Don’t worry. I didn’t take it to heart." Raymond said. "And also, I don’t have a daughter or a son either so feel free to call me that."

"Really?" Her excited tone gradually restored and she took this as an opportunity to ask the big question. "Then, do you have a wife?"

"Rachael." Alexa snatched the phone from her. "Why are you asking something like that?"

That was such a sensitive thing to ask him. What exactly was she thinking?

"Mr Stein, I’m so sorry for her words. Really, it was too much." She said but Raymond remained silent. ’Is he mad? Once can be forgiven with ease but the second will be harder. What is wrong with Rachael today?’

She looked at Rachael while she thought about this. What would she do if Raymond Stein took offense?

"Can you give the phone back to her?" Raymond said, after his long silence and Alexa pursed her lips.

"I understand that you’re mad at her words and she has made more than one mistake so far but you shouldn’t take it out on her as it could..."

"Miss Alexa." He called, cutting her short. "I’m not mad at her and I definitely won’t take offense so please give your daughter the phone for a moment."

Alexa hesitatingly handed the phone to Rachael.

"Rachael," Raymond called.

"Yes, I’m here." Rachael said in a little solemn voice.

"Are you sad?" He asked but she shook her head.

"No." She said,

"Then why are you sulking?" he asked her but she did not respond. "Though I can’t see you, I can tell you’re feeling down."

Rachael still didn’t respond.

"Alright, I have a secret to tell you so be sure that you listen to this on your own." He said, "That is, make sure it’s between me and you and your mother doesn’t know about it."

Rachael immediately felt interested and she put off the loudspeaker, ready to hear the secret.

Alexa never expected that her daughter would behave this way. Now they were going to keep secrets?

She was feeling so restless as she couldn’t hear what Raymond was saying to Rachael.

Wait, what if that was just an excuse and he really wanted to scold her for what she said?

Her words were impolite and rude but for him to do this just to punish her, that was too much. She had to take the phone away and...

"Hehehe." She heard Rachael giggle.

’Is he really not going to scold her?’ Alexa wondered.

"Alright." Rachael said. "It’s between us, padre." She said and gave the phone back to Alexa who suspiciously collected it.

Her eyes were fiercely interrogating Rachael who made sure to bounce it all away with her smile.

"Hello?"

"Please do not worry, I didn’t take offense." Raymond said in an attempt to assure her.

"Okay? But what were you two talking about?" Alexa asked and to which Raymond smiled and said,

"It’s a secret."

After cutting the call, Raymond’s demeanor remained bright. Now Steve understood why he was able to sleep soundly for three days. The effect that child had on him was superb.

He really wanted to see that child with his own eyes. If it was a child from a person that looked a lot like Ariel then was it safe to say that the child looked like Ariel as well?

Was that why he was so attached and attentive to her?

Romeo, Paige’s son, didn’t get this much attention and affection from Raymond. Though he showed that he cared for him, it wasn’t so deep that you’d mistake them for a father son combo.

But listening to this conversation... Steve could picture the scenario of a husband on a business trip while calling home. Only to listen to his daughter complain about how much she missed him and wanted to play with him once he was back.

It was such a touching scene, he couldn’t deny that.

*Hah* he sighed, raised his head and asked,

"So, what time are they coming over?"

"It’s not determined yet but she said she would call once she’s checked her schedule." Raymond answered and put down his phone.

"By her, you’re talking about Alexa Smith and not her daughter, right?" Steve asked, just to be sure that he wasn’t hearing the words of a child.

"Yes." Raymond answered calmly and did not lose his temper. "Her daughter was not much help in that regard but she was still quite fun to talk to."

"I can tell." Steve said, nodding his head. "In any case, we’ll need to get ready for them."

"Yes." Raymond said and turned his chair around, looking over the transparent glass being him. "And also... prepare some balloons."

"Pardon?"