Cecilia hesitated, and then suddenly mentioned, âI encountered Elaine.
Sheâs left Chandler.
â
She didnât elaborate, but Mark understood the implication.
Elaine must have insinuated something to Cecilia.
Mindful of Ceciliaâs feelings, Mark assured her, âMy interest in Elaine is nonexistent.
Iâm committed only to making our life together meaningful.
â
Cecilia trusted his words.
Yet, the problem of Elaine persisted.
Having abandoned Chandler, she swiftly secured another benefactor, joining a new film crew in a supporting role.
Had this been years earlier, Cecilia would have surely complained to Mark about such encounters.
Mark, always her champion, would have risen to her defense.
But now, in her thirties, Cecilia found it demeaning to feel threatened by a woman barely in her twenties.
She remained composed for a while before eventually breaking the silence.
âIâll leave the party early, around nine,â she informed Mark.
Hearing this, warmth flooded Markâs heart, dissolving the unpleasant memories of his earlier encounter with Elaine.
âOkay,â he agreed gently.
Though the servant had prepared dinner, Mark chose to cook something special for his children himself, wanting to be more involved in their upbringing, a period he had largely missed.
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It was also convenient, given that Cecilia was mostly focusing on her career.
So, he had the opportunity to step in.
As the kids relished the meal heâd prepared, Mark later cradled Olivia while overseeing Edwinâs homework.
Though Edwin was a top student, he intentionally made errors in his homework, subtly seeking his fatherâs guidance.
Mark played along, feigning ignorance of the act.
Olivia, nestled against him, occasionally clapped and praised, âDaddyâ¦
Great.
â
Edwin would softly pat her head in affection.
Later, entrusting Edwin to care for Olivia, Mark left to pick Cecilia up.
He felt a sense of ease, noting Edwinâs growing responsibility.
Reflecting on the past, Mark remembered how he had once tended to every need of Ceciliaâs, even to the extent of washing her undergarments.