Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 114: Precious Dreams

On the morning of his 39th birthday, Maximilian Romanov awakened to a gentle flutter on his chest. Opening his eyes, he found himself met by the captivating gaze of his daughter, whose large green eyes sparkled with excitement as she sat atop him. Meher's cheerful declaration filled the room, "It you appy birtday, Papa!"

Maximilian's face lit up with a big smile as he reached out his arms, inviting Meher to come closer. She snuggled up against him, getting comfortable on his chest, while her beautiful black curls swirled around them. Across the room, Seher saw the sweet moment and couldn't resist joining in. She wrapped her arms around both of them, gave Maximilian a tender kiss on the forehead, and wished, "Happy Birthday, Ian!"

Returning her smile, Maximilian replied, "Thank you, baby!" Observing the interaction between her mother and father, Meher mirrored Seher's actions, rising to her previous position and kissing Maximilian's forehead, echoing, "Appy Birtday, Papa!"

Maximilian almost missed the subtle smirk exchanged between mother and daughter, but his attentive gaze caught it. Chuckling heartily, he responded, "Thank you, my princess!"

Victor's voice could be heard echoing through the doorway. It turned out he had been standing there for the past five minutes. "You're a lucky guy, Maxim. Two beautiful girls are so possessive over you, even though I'm the better-looking Romanov brother." Maximilian gave him a sidelong glance and replied, "Well, tough luck."

Victor smiled as he strode forward into the room. Seher took Meher off Maximilian's lap, prompting him to rise, and Victor enveloped him in a warm hug, saying, "S dnem rozhdeniya, bratt. ya nadeyus, chto vy prozivete sto zdorovykh let." (Happy birthday, brother. I hope you live a hundred healthy years.) 

Maximilian reciprocated the smile and replied, "With you all by my side, I think I'd be happy to." Both brothers shared an affectionate embrace, and Seher smiled warmly at the scene.

The man's brow creased in confusion as he realized the unexpected scene before him: Seher and Meher, both in his bedroom at the crack of dawn. The Valentine's weekend had just passed, and with Seher's café keeping her occupied, their time together had been limited to brief dinners at her place. With a mix of concern and curiosity, Maximilian turned to his girlfriend and asked, "Did you really wake her up and make the hour-long journey here so early?"

"Of course I did," Seher replied, rolling her eyes. "It's your birthday, and I didn't travel alone. Victor picked me up on the way from the penthouse, and Meher came along, sleeping." Maximilian heaved a sigh of relief, looking at his brother and then at Seher. He expressed his discomfort, saying, "Well, I still don't like this. Meher is up at six in the morning, and it's not good for her."

As Victor and Seher got up from the bed, they exchanged knowing glances. She then handed Meher over to Maximilian and said, "She's all yours for the day. You decide what's best for her. I'm going to go now. Goodbye." 

Maximilian looked down at his little girl, who smiled brightly, then glanced at her mother, who simply shrugged. Turning to Victor, he found him already ushering Seher out of the room and they were engaged in hushed conversation.

The man, bewildered, trailed behind her, exclaiming, "It's really happening! You're leaving her with me for the whole day." His excitement was palpable; the prospect of spending an entire day with Meher filled him with joy. Seher returned his smile and affirmed, "Yes, she's all yours until the evening."

Maximilian's eyes narrowed as he inquired, "And what happens after the evening?" Seher's response was accompanied by a secretive smile. "You'll be informed of those plans in due time. But for now, I've arranged with Ethan for you to have no important meetings today. So, enjoy having a toddler with you all day."