Husband With Benefits-Chapter 854: You Jerk

As Lily carefully placed little Aranya into her crib, she allowed herself a moment to exhale and take it all in, now that she was finally alone. Cai had warned her—his family could be overwhelming.

But even his warning hadn’t quite prepared her for the whirlwind she’d been thrown into the moment she stepped over the threshold. The Frosts were quite a bunch. They threw hugs around like Christmas confetti, spoke loudly and, more often than not, over each other. Their cross-conversations were so dizzying that she’d felt cross-eyed more than once, trying to keep up with everything. And yet, not for a moment, had she been felt out of place or a stranger to them. They asked her questions, yes, but it did not feel like an interrogation.

And then, there were the similarities. Good Lord, what mould had God used to create the males in this family? The older generation, (though calling them old was a ’SIN’), was practically carbon copies of each other, with only slight variations if at all—a different hairstyle here, a sharper jawline there, perhaps a slightly different eye shape or color. Yep. She’d noticed all that because she was trying to keep them straight and remember who who was who. Not that it helped much—she was still hopelessly muddled.

Cai himself was a miniature replica of his father and uncle, and Vinny(the second oldest as the boy had proudly proclaimed)—looked like an even younger version of Cai. For a moment, she’d even been transported back to when she was a little girl and Cai used to come over.

It was as if the Frost family had discovered a secret cloning machine generations ago and were quietly keeping it under wraps. Even the toddlers who were running about were tiny Frosts in the making with little features that they’d inherited from their respective mother but overall their features were unmistakably stamped with the Frost’s distinctive traits.

All her thoughts were scattered when suddenly Aranya stirred in her crib, wrinkling her little nose in protest as she had been put down. This little one was too cute and had already stolen her heart. But nothing had quite prepared her for the jolt she’d felt when she first laid eyes on Aranya. The moment the baby had been placed in her arms—without warning, mind you—her heart had nearly stopped.

For a split second, she’d been terrified she might drop the little girl. And then she’d gotten a good look at her face. This little angel could easily be mistaken for Cai’s daughter!

Of course, it made sense. Their fathers were twins, their mothers biological sisters—it was only natural that the resemblance would be uncanny. Still, seeing it up close had been... surreal. It made her wonder what Cai’s babies would look like...

Lily sighed and patted the little baby, until her frown disappeared and she seemed to settle back to sleep and sighed agai. Because beneath all the chaos, the dizzying resemblances, and the sheer number of people, there was something deeply comforting, something Lily hadn’t been expecting.

The Frosts had accepted her without hesitation, wrapping her in a warmth that felt as tangible as the hugs they so freely gave. There was a bond of love that wove through the family, binding them together, and now, by some miracle, she was a part of it. She could already feel it. She didn’t know if Cai and her would survive a long future, but she would always cherish this time. It was no wonder that Cai was so giving and loving. His entire family was the same.

Her heart swelled as she adjusted the blanket over Aranya’s tiny form. Overwhelming? Yes. Everything was overwhelming. But as she stood there, watching the little girl’s chest rise and fall with each gentle breath, Lily couldn’t help but feel grateful. Whatever chaos came with being a part of this family, it was worth it.

She’d barely taken a few steps outside the room when Cai blocked her path, almost scaring her.

She looked up at him with wide eyes and he hurriedly complained," I can’t believe you’d abandon me like that."

"Huh? What did I do?" She asked him in confusion. When did she abandon him?

"Of course you’ve been ignoring me. Showering all the attention on everyone else." freewebnoveℓ.com

As he almost pouted, Lily could not help but giggle," You jerk! I can’t believe you’re jealous of your own family."

"How can you not know that! They’ve all been taking your time. It is why I’ve come here now, so that I can take you away befor eyou continue to ignore me. Come on, I’ll show you my teenage self’s room."

"But won’t they notice if we go missing?"

"Nope. And if they do, they’ll only tease me, so don’t worry. Come on. Don’t tell me you’re not curious."

Before she could object, he caught her hand and escorted her towards a room further down the hall.

He opened the door with a flourish and as she stepped into the room, she could not help but look around curiously. There were all his trophies and certificates hanging on one side of the wall over a desk where he probably studied. In the middle of the room was a single person bed and over the wall against it were pictures. She walked forward, her gaze stuck on a single picture against the wall. It was her.. Okay, it was her, Jasmine and him... but still.

As she stood staring at it, he walked from behind her, his arms coming around her as he hugged her from behind. "Oops. I never knew you’d invaded my bedroom so much earlier."

He placed his chin on her shoulder, and she could not help but lean back against him," I thought we were here to see your room. Why are you hugging me?"

Cai grinned and turned his head, kissing her neck," Well, I am a young boy with a girl I like, in my room. What do you think is going on in my head?"