THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 227: Thank You Kathleen.

As soon as Kathleen stepped out of her car, she was surrounded by two waiters and another man she recognized as the manager of the restaurant.

Her eyebrow rose in inquiry when they all respectfully bowed in greetings to welcome her like a princess.

One of them hurried to the other side of the car to open the door for the children and Eleanor, dressed in a beautiful, pink princess dress, stepped out first. Her little legs which had the potential of being outstanding like her mother’s were laced in a lighter shade of pink hose. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Her face lit up in a disarming smile which instantly endeared her to the heart of the female waiter that greeted her.

Following in tow was Elvis, though not as dramatic as Eleanor but gave a mind blowing surprise to the waiters, by his uncanny resemblance to their boss.

He nodded curtly at the two waiters who were too stunned to close their gaping mouths.

"Am I that breathtakingly handsome?" Elvis thought as he walked to stand beside his mother.

"Well, I guess I have to thank my beautiful mother, and perhaps my pathetic father who took this long to realize he had children."

Oblivious of what her unpredictable son was thinking, Kathleen took their hands and led them towards the entrance but they were intercepted by the manager who informed them.

"This way, Madam, the boss had instructed that we lead you to the penthouse with the children."

"The penthouse?" Kathleen repeated. She clearly remembered that she booked a private room on the third floor.

"The boss doesn’t want the children exposed to the public eye," he patiently explained.

"After you then," Kathleen said and followed the manager’s lead to take the special elevator that went directly to the penthouse.

Shawn, who was impeccably dressed, stood at the lobby, his heart racing with anticipation and nervous excitement as he waited for their arrival.

The elevator door finally opened revealing the people he had been anxiously waiting for.

Shawn’s breath caught in his throat as he laid eyes on the two children, especially Elvis who looked exactly like him.

Although he had met and interacted with Eleanor before at the kindergarten, his heart still surged when he had the understanding that she was his own flesh and blood, his daughter, which he bore with his most beloved woman.

No wonder he had been drawn to her like a moth to light at the kindergarten.

Tears glistened in his eyes as he tried to curtail the flood of emotions that rushed through him.

Elvis and Eleanor stood nervously at the beautifully decorated lobby with a mixture of excitement and apprehension on their faces.

Their eyes were filled with curiosity, as Shawn steadily approached them, before turning their gazes back to Kathleen.

Kathleen took them by the hand and led them to Shawn. "Shawn, meet Eleanor and Elvis. Children, this is your father, Shawn Hudson."

"Hello, Elvis, Eleanor." With an awkward smile plastered on his face, Shawn stepped forward to receive them.

Elvis exchanged a quick glance with Eleanor and together, they took another step forward.

Elvis softly whispered to Eleanor, "he sure looks exactly like me."

Eleanor nodded slowly, her eyes bright with excitement as she tentatively called in a hushed tone. "Daddy?"

Shawn’s heart instantly exploded as soon as he heard the word, "daddy" and he dropped to his knees and caught both Eleanor and Elvis in a tight embrace.

Eleanor, who had been dreaming of this very scene for nights on end, held tight to her father, basking in the warmth of his embrace which she had missed for days.

"Yes, my darlings. It’s me, your daddy," Shawn responded in a quivering voice.

After what seemed like eternity, Shawn released the children and straightened up.

From the corners of his eyes he saw Kathleen quickly turn her face away when he caught her wiping her eyes.

He took the children by the hand, leading them to the apartment.

As they approached, the huge glass door opened and Kathleen and the children were greeted with the luxurious apartment.

It was adorned with contemporary decorations. The ambience which exuded sophistication and grandeur have somehow been tailored to reflect a childhood paradise.

She was instantly attracted to the floor-to-ceiling windows which offered a breathtaking view of the city.

Kathleen nodded in satisfaction as she observed that the table had also been adorned with her favorite chrysanthemum.

The flowers were freshly pick exactly according to her preference. It created a warm and welcoming atmosphere for anyone entering for the first time.

"Excuse me," he told the children and hurried into another room, but returned almost immediately.

Shawn turned to Kathleen, his emotions still raw and intense, and with a heart overflowing with gratitude and love, he extended a bouquet of flowers towards her.

It was a stunning arrangement consisting of a thousand roses, a symbol of his profound affection and appreciation.

"Thank you, Kathleen," he said. "Thank you for granting me this moment. For giving me the chance to meet them."

Kathleen was stunned. ’What was Shawn doing? And right in the children’s presence too. If she refuses to accept it, what would they think of her? But on the other hand, if she takes it from Shawn, he will misinterpret it to mean her forgiveness. She was in a dilemma.

Sensing her thoughts, Shawn whispered, his eyes pleading as well. "It’s just to show my appreciation, Kathleen, please accept it."

She saw that the children’s eyes were trained on her, and had no choice but to reluctantly accept the bouquet from Shawn’s hand. "Thank you," she mumbled.

Shawn nodded and turned his attention back to Elvis and Eleanor.

"What do you say about having dinner together?"

Eleanor took his hands again and Shawn could not resist the urge and lifted her up in a whiff, his action extracting a merry laugh from Eleanor which sounded like music to his soul.

Shawn’s face was full of smiles as he led them to the dining room.