novellhall Chapter 687 - 658: Weekend Getaway
Chapter 687 - 658: Weekend Getaway
The day before Simon Forrester and his family were to return home from Alpenberg, colleagues waiting in Valois brought good news: this year’s negotiations were once again a great success.Sienna Thornton was pleasantly surprised. The case was quite complex, and no one was very confident. On the final day of negotiations, when she called Director Linton, she honestly reported that the situation was not optimistic. Director Linton had even comforted her, saying that it was okay and that they did their best.
However, there was an unexpected joy.
Simon Forrester said that much of the credit was due to little Victor coming along to cheer them on, as this child was conceived when Sienna Thornton returned triumphantly from Valois two years ago, born with a mission of victory and good fortune.
Even though she knew he was just talking nonsense, Sienna Thornton was so happy that she hugged her son and said "Thank you," to which little Victor responded in his baby voice, "Mama, you’re welcome..."
That week, the Forrester couple took their son on a tour through much of Alpenberg. Whenever there was a chance to teach little Victor something, Sienna Thornton took full advantage of it.
By the time they returned home, little Victor’s vocabulary had increased significantly, and his language skills had made a substantial leap, progressing from two- to three-word telegraphic sentences to being able to speak in short sentences.
On Sienna Thornton’s first day back at work after the holiday, the nanny, who had taken a half-month break when little Victor went abroad with his parents, returned to work. As soon as he entered, little Victor, sitting at the baby dining table eating porridge, greeted him in a baby voice, "Good morning, Mr. Shaw."
The nanny was startled, walked over to little Victor, squatted to his level, and said, "Good morning, Kyle!"
Little Victor replied with a "Hmm," took a small steamed bun from his own plate, and offered it to the nanny, saying, "Mr. Shaw, eat food!"
"Thank you, Kyle!" The nanny didn’t take it, opening his hands and gesturing, "But Mr. Shaw didn’t wash his hands, oh."
Little Victor then placed the bun he was offering the nanny into another section of the plate and said, "Mr. Shaw, wash hands, eat food!"
As they sat at the dining table eating breakfast, Simon Forrester and his wife smiled contentedly at their son.
The nanny stood up, greeted them, and said, "Kyle’s language development has improved greatly, I’m so surprised."
Sienna Thornton smiled, "It’s important to take children out to see more, integrating natural education has better results."
Simon Forrester, who was drinking milk, looked dotingly at his son, and after putting down the milk glass, said, "We could go on a weekend getaway for two days and one night."
Sienna Thornton and the nanny both thought it was a good idea, and it just so happened that her case for the year had concluded and she wouldn’t be too busy for the next six months.
Having reached a decision, the couple put the child to bed that evening and began to plan the weekend getaway.
It was the beginning of December at the time, and Brimfield had already entered winter, with bleakness all over the city and surrounding areas. Simon Forrester mentioned going to South Bay, a few hundred kilometers away, to admire the flowers, and Sienna Thornton suddenly thought of a guesthouse that had been abandoned for years.
Seeing her silence, Simon Forrester suggested, "Why not go see the guesthouse? Stay in that little villa I used to rent there?"
Sienna Thornton absentmindedly replied with an "Hmm," not saying anything else, twirling a pen, and resting her chin in thought without knowing what she was pondering.
Simon Forrester lay over, pulling her half into his arms, and asked again, "What was the name of the room I stayed in?"
Sienna Thornton nudged his chest with her shoulder, "The Rockwell! Did you forget?"
Simon Forrester kissed her ear, murmuring, "I could never forget..."
Five years ago, his relationship with Sienna Thornton reached a turning point there, growing closer step by step. How could he possibly forget that place? He dreamed of going back again, but just feared Sienna Thornton would recall sad memories, which is why he hadn’t mentioned it all these years.
Sienna Thornton mulled over it for a while, a tinge of sadness on her face as she muttered, "It’s been empty for five years over there. Even if we go, it’s not livable anymore, never mind..."
"I’ve had someone clean it regularly; we can stay directly."
Sienna Thornton was stunned, turned to look at Simon Forrester, "Why have someone clean it? Wasn’t it closed down?"
Simon Forrester laughed, "Back then, building that guesthouse took a lot of effort, how could I just watch it fall into disrepair?"
Sienna Thornton was pleasantly surprised, "If someone’s cleaning it, let’s go vacation there this week?"
"Okay."
...
Early Saturday, the family of three packed some simple luggage and drove to South Bay. After more than three hours of driving, they arrived at the guesthouse by eleven in the morning.
Contrary to Sienna Thornton’s expectations, the guesthouse was clean and tidy. She thought after five years of neglect, the natural lake’s water should have been dirty, and the garden overgrown with weeds.
But the guesthouse before her was pristine: the main building’s glass doors were clean and shining, the lake water was crystal clear, with chaise lounges by the lake spotless, and the tropical trees standing tall and straight.
It seemed as though it had never been abandoned, still opening its doors to welcome visitors from across the country.
At noon, Sienna Thornton sat in the car, watching a few women in uniform come out of the main building, lock the glass doors, go to the parking lot to take the electric vehicles, riding away from the guesthouse with laughter and chat.
"Are these the cleaning staff you hired to maintain the guesthouse regularly?" she asked.
"Yes." Simon Forrester looked at the guesthouse, unchanged from five years ago, and smiled knowingly, "Actually, back then it was just you and Maeve, the two owners, who left. The other staff, like cleaners, electricians, and supervisors, were all rehired by a company I registered separately. The guesthouse is maintained regularly, just not open to the public."
Sienna Thornton never expected this.
Her eyes reddened, she stood from the back seat, and wrapped her arms around Simon Forrester’s neck, her cheek pressed against his, "All these years, why never mention it once? You didn’t even discuss it with me...sob sob..."
In his car seat, little Victor heard his mom’s voice change, turned his little body, and called out, "Mama don’t cry! Kyle protect Mama!"
Simon Forrester turned his head and kissed Sienna Thornton on the cheek, his hand gently stroked her other cheek, smiling, "Alright, our son is going to go crazy."
Sienna Thornton laughed through her tears, sat back in the backseat, and freed little Victor from the car seat.
Simon Forrester got out of the car to take the luggage, while Sienna Thornton held her son, and the family of three went to The Rockwell.
Simon Forrester led the way, opening the door while Sienna Thornton, holding her son, entered. As she passed the low cabinet by the entrance, she suddenly remembered something that happened with Simon Forrester on it five years ago, her face instantly reddening.
Simon Forrester likely remembered too. Holding the luggage, he turned to glance at Sienna Thornton, his gaze deep yet tender.
Sienna Thornton held little Victor, pursing her lips and standing there. Simon Forrester bent down, took slippers out of the low cabinet, squatted, and unzipped both of her boots.
Sienna Thornton kicked off the short boots, slipped on the slippers, gave him a red-faced glance, and went into the living room with little Victor in her arms.
Simon Forrester put on his slippers, carried the suitcase inside.
In the living room, Sienna Thornton opened the sliding doors to let the air in, while little Victor, placed on the sofa, bounced around mischievously. He looked up at the ornate and brilliantly lit Thai-style chandelier, saying in his baby voice, "Mama, pretty lamp!"