Chapter 266: Dada says I inherited it from Mama.
Just then—
A familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Mama ...!"
Adelyn turned toward the door —only to see the little girl hurrying into the room, her bright eyes sparkling with excitement as though she just have had her happiest day of her life.
Adelyn couldn’t help but smile.
"You ..." she said softly. "Did you finish your dinner well?"
The little girl nodded immediately before walking straight over and wrapping both arms around Adelyn’s legs.
Adelyn paused, her heart softening at once. Her hand instinctively moved to the girl’s hair, gently stroking it.
"Baby ..."
"Mama, Eira is very happy today."
Little Eira leaned back just enough to crane her tiny face upward while still clinging tightly to her.
Adelyn’s smile deepened.
"Oh?" she teased. "So that’s the happiness making my Little Eira look even prettier today?"
The girl shook her head earnestly.
"It’s Mama who makes Little Eira prettier."
If Adelyn’s heart hadn’t already melted countless times today, those words would have done it all over again.
She couldn’t help but tap the girl’s nose gently.
"You sweet talker." She chuckled softly. "Now tell me ... what made you so happy?"
"Mama’s cooking!" the little girl answered without even waiting for another second to think. "Eira had Mama’s cooking for the first time today, and it made Eira very, very happy."
Her eyes shined so brightly that Adelyn couldn’t help but stare into them as a quiet sense of contentment slowly filled her heart.
She had hoped her small gesture would make the girl happy. That was exactly why she had tried.
And now, seeing her bloom with such innocent joy ...
Adelyn couldn’t help but feel that every bit of effort had been worth it.
She gently loosened the girl’s arms from around her legs before slowly crouching down until they were at eye level.
Once there, she affectionately poked her soft cheeks.
"Was dinner really that delicious?"
Although both Eira and Dylan had said it tasted fine, Adelyn was well aware of herself. She could taste the flavors, but she wasn’t blind.
Food that looked nearly burnt couldn’t possibly be as delicious as the little girl was making it sound.
Eira looked back at her.
For a brief second, she almost seemed hesitant.
Then she smiled.
Leaning forward, she wrapped both arms around Adelyn’s neck before planting a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Eira could feel Mama’s love in it." She smiled sweetly. "It was the best."
Adelyn simply stared at her. Then her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Kids these days ...
Were they all this eloquent?
They always seemed to know exactly what to say —words that left you completely unable to argue back.
After all ...
She truly had prepared that meal with all the affection and care she could pour into it.
Even if the dish itself hadn’t turned out very well ...
The love behind it had.
And sometimes ...
Feelings mattered more than flavor.
Especially for Little Eira.
By now, Adelyn had come to understand that what mattered most to the little girl wasn’t the food itself. It was the love and care hidden inside every little gesture from her.
Little Eira blinked when she noticed Adelyn staring so intently at her.
Tilting her head first to one side and then the other in an adorable attempt to follow Adelyn’s gaze, she asked, "Mama ... why are you looking at Eira like that? Did Eira say something wrong?"
Adelyn narrowed her eyes even more before suddenly reaching out and tickling her tiny waist.
"Nothing." She laughed. "I was just wondering who taught you to be so clever with your words."
She paused dramatically before adding, "It definitely couldn’t have been your father ... could it?"
The girl immediately burst into giggles.
Laughing helplessly, she twisted in Adelyn’s arms.
Yet instead of running away, she climbed straight into Adelyn’s embrace and hugged her tightly, hoping that would stop the tickling.
"It wasn’t ..." she managed between little breaths of laughter. "... Dada."
She finally caught her breath before continuing.
"Dada says Eira inherited it from Mama."
Adelyn paused.
"Mama?" she repeated.
The little girl nodded enthusiastically. "Mhm-hm ..." Then she added with complete seriousness,
"Dada also told Eira that ... Eira looks just like Mama."
Of course ...
Children naturally resembled their parents. There was nothing unusual about that.
Yet ...
For some reason ...
Those words left an uncomfortable feeling inside Adelyn’s heart. Without realizing it, her arms tightened ever so slightly around the little girl. Almost possessively.
Eira didn’t pull away.
Instead, she simply nestled comfortably in her mother’s embrace, happily enjoying the warmth surrounding her.
Meanwhile ...
Adelyn couldn’t help but frown.
The longer she thought about it, the deeper the crease between her brows became.
She couldn’t stop asking herself the same question again and again.
If the little girl truly resembled her mother so much ...
Then how could that mother possibly have found the heart to abandon her when she was still so young?
Shouldn’t she have loved her even more?
Shouldn’t she have cherished and protected her with everything she had?
The thought alone made Adelyn’s heart ache for the little girl.
If only that woman hadn’t left ...
Little Eira wouldn’t have grown up craving something as basic as a mother’s affection.
After a long while, Eira finally pulled away from the embrace.
The first thing she noticed was the crease between Adelyn’s brows. Reaching up with her tiny fingers, she gently smoothed it away.
When Adelyn felt that soft little touch, her expression immediately relaxed.
Smiling once again, she lowered the girl’s hand before gently pinching her cheek.
"Alright then." She nodded with determination. "From now on, I’ll practice cooking more often for you."
She smiled.
"Even if today’s recipe didn’t turn out to be the best, I’m sure I’ll get better after a few more tries."
Little Eira immediately nodded.
Her eyes curved into beautiful little crescents, making her smile look like the brightest moon in the night sky.
Adelyn looked at her and couldn’t help but think ...
There couldn’t possibly be a more beautiful child in the entire world.
Then ...
Something the girl had said earlier suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
...
Dada says I inherited it from Mama.
...
Dada told Eira that Eira even looks like Mama.
If the little girl truly resembled her mother that much ...
Then that woman —shouldn’t she have been incredibly beautiful too?
Who exactly was she?
