The trash father has redeemed himself

My child is not a pawn. 6

"They are a little active huh?" Theodore sweatdrops as the Dave children are playing "pirates kidnap the princess and the prince saves her"

"Uhmm i-is that safe?" He worryingly points to the fact that three kid pirates are making Lizzie walk the plank

Evander Crowell as captain pirate aka love interest of Elizabeth

Sebastian Laurent as pirate crew 1 aka another love interest Elizabeth

Caleb Rosenheim as pirate crew 2 aka another² love interest

And Nathaniel Clemonte as the prince who saves Lizzie aka Male lead

"Theodore... "

"Theo? "

"Theodore! Pay attention, the kids will be fine" Vincent rolls his eyes at the obvious babying of Theodore to his daughter

"Yeah but- they're making her walk and get close to an edge, not to mention the height-"

"Theodore they're just playing"

".... " Uncertainty paints Theo's face

"If it lessens Your Grace's worry, I'll watch them" Reynold says

"Please, thank you Reynold" He smiles at him

"Tch, so now's that out of the way, we'd like to propose something" Adrian starts

"And what would that be?"

"I'd like to arrange a marriage between my son and your daughter"

"No."

"If this is about your relationship with the Hayes-"

"If this is what you came here for then I'm sorry but no, Elizabeth is only 8 and I am not going to push her in the political world to benefit you"

"Like I said, the power the Hayes give to you let you keep the title of the Duke, if you're afraid that will be taken away I'll help you"

"No, you're not going to use my daughter"

"Well the Hayes cannot protect your status forever, you are just a pawn to them, they can throw you away any moment, you'll be demoted"

"Then so be it! I don't care, my child is not a pawn, of you're okay with putting your child's happiness and possibly life just to get what you want then I'm different from you"

"Nathan is perfectly safe with the Clemonte guards protecting him-"

"Is he? Is there a time where a threat to his life ever got so close? Let me answer that for you, it was at his first birthday too right? Where he also lost his mother, your wife"

Thank god Theodore has the novel backstory to rely on information

"Watch your mouth!"

"And you watch yours! My wife is also gone, my daughter is the only one I have left, I get that what you're doing is all for his future and the future of the Clemonte family but what is planning their future for is they won't even be there for the future anyway?"

Theodore takes a deep breath and lowers his head bowing "I apologize for my words today, but no won't accept this"

Someone tugging on his shirt makes him look down and his eyes soften

"Daddy are you okay? Why were you yelling?"

"It's nothing to worry about little Alliet, your daddy was just talking to one of my friends" Carter says

The rest of the children pop up near them

"What are you guys doing? Are you done playing? " Gabriel asks

"No papa, we're just tired" Evander says asking to be carried

"Father I'm hungry" Sebastian gestures at the food on his father's platelet

"Weaklings! I can still play!" Caleb swings his toy sword in the air

Theo laughs heartily "does that mean you don't need the energizer? It's caramel cake"

As if on cue, the servant comes in with a tray containing the dessert

"Never mind, I'm tired and hungry, Sir Theo may I have some?"

"Dad? Is everything all right?" Nathaniel climbs on his father's lap then gives Adrian a headpat "don't be upset dad"

"I'm not upset Nat, just hungry too, come on let's all just eat before the frosting melts off"

TBC...