Chapter 161


    “What are matching shoes?” Rory asked the store assistant sweetly.


    “Give me a moment! I''ll bring them over for you.”


    The pretty store assistant left quickly. When she returned, she was holding four shoe boxes.


    In order to sell the shoes, she started introducing them enthusiastically.


    The four pairs of shoes were identical white sneakers. They had a simple design and there was a red


    logo on the back of the shoes.


    cing the shoes on the floor, the store assistant pointed at them and introduced them to the kids and


    the adults. “This is your father''s and this is your mother''s. This is yours and this is your brother''s. Isn''t it


    very heartwarming for the family to wear the same shoes?”


    Rory understood what the store assistant was saying. She turned around and looked at Avery and


    Zach. She mumbled softly, “Daddy has one, I have one, Ms. Ery has one, and Zach has one!”


    “When we walk on the streets, the others will know that we''re a family, right?” asked Zachary as he


    gazed at a huge advertising board in a distance.


    Avery lowered her head and massaged her temples. She had also seen the board.


    The matching shoes seemed to be the brand''s trending product for the season. There were


    advertisements about it stered all over.


    There were some foreign celebrities featured on the shop''s advertising board. It depicted a family going


    out to hike, with all of them wearing the exact same shoes, clothes, and baseball hats.


    Firstly, the shoes cost a few thousand each, which was very costly for her.


    Secondly, she was not the children''s “official” mother yet. Even if the children wanted to wear matching


    shoes with her, it was not the right time.


    Still, the store assistant kept promoting the shoes to them. It was as if she could see that the man of


    the house was wealthy and would buy anything based on preference and not price.


    If she managed to convince the kids, it would be equivalent to stretching her hand into their father''s


    wallets.


    Sitting there, Cayden did not show any interest in choosing the shoes. Instead, he had a bored


    expression throughout. It was evident that he was only there to swipe his credit card and pay for


    everything.


    One had to work hard in every upation. Hence, Avery could understand why the store assistant was


    promoting the shoes so enthusiastically.


    Avery wanted to tell the store assistant that she was not their mother. However, she always failed to


    articte the words.


    It was because she had given birth to Zachary and Rory—it was an undeniable fact.


    Rory fell in love with the matching shoes and kept staring at Zachary.


    Zachary walked over and whispered to her, “You should tell Daddy. Since your eye is injured, he''ll listen


    to you.”


    “Okay, Zach!”


    Rory ran toward the couch quickly.


    Cayden was sitting on the leather couch with his legs crossed. There was a ss of water ced on


    the table beside him.


    “Daddy....” Rory ran over with only an eye open. She hugged Cayden and grabbed the financial


    magazine in his hands.


    Cayden had never paid any attention to the store assistant and the kids. When Rory approached him,


    he stood up and carried her. “Have you finished choosing the shoes? I''ll pay for them.”


    Both of them walked toward the shoe rack.


    When Cayden raised his head, the store assistant finally caught a glimpse of his face.


    Cayden had a very mature aura. Despite the stern look on his face, he was carrying his daughter very


    affectionately.


    The store assistant could not help but sneak a few more nces at him. For some reason, she thought


    that he looked like the person on the front cover of thetest financial magazine...


    “Daddy, why don''t we wear matching shoes?”


    Afraid that Cayden would disagree, Rory buried her face into his shoulders and get ready to cry sadly.


    “Well, mister. The four shoes are thetest design...”


    The store assistant gave him a long introduction.


    Cayden vaguely understood the concept and meaning behind the four matching shoes. There were


    four shoes on the floor, including his and Avery''s.


    Avery sensed Cayden looking at her, so she nced at him too.


    When their gazes met, she shook her head, wanting him to refuse the children''s request.


    Twenty minutester, Cayden ced the four shopping bags in the car.


    When he closed the car doors and turned around, his gaze swept across the identical white shoes on


    Avery, Rory, and Zachary''s feet.


    Cayden could not help but smile secretly. His children and their mother were following him. Everyone


    could tell instantly that all three of them were part of his family because he was also wearing a pair of


    white sneakers.


    Cayden remembered that he had worn something like that during high school. After he entered the


    business industry, suits, shirts, and leather pants became the symbols of his cold and serious


    demeanor.


    At ten in the morning, Xavier sent the ticket barcodes for the y.


    The y started at half past two in the afternoon. There was still time if they headed there after lunch,


    but it was still too early for lunch.


    While waiting in the parking lot, Zachary told Avery in private that he wanted to go to the amusement


    park.


    The two kids pushed Avery forward to convince Cayden.


    Cayden watched as Avery walked toward him. She said, “Zach and Rory want to go to the amusement


    park. Is that okay?”


    “You don''t seem too happy,” remarked Cayden as he looked at Avery with a frown.


    The truth was she was unhappy because she was wearing matching shoes.


    “I''m wearing the same shoes as the three of you in public. I''m afraid that others might take a picture


    and make a huge deal out of it,” said Avery.


    A few days ago, the magazines were stered with the news of him eating breakfast with the children


    outside.


    All the single women in the city were discussing who had married a man like him.


    Cayden frowned. “Make a huge deal out of it? Are you afraid that the media will call you my mistress,


    or are you worried that people will find out that you''re my children''s mother?”


    Err...


    Avery wanted to say that both were applicable.


    Cayden locked the car door. When he nced at the identical shoes that both were wearing, he


    immediately became jealous like a man in his first rtionship. “Or are you worried that the man on


    your marriage certificate would see it?”


    He always felt a mixture of lust and frustration whenever he faced Avery.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    “I''m not...” Avery shook her head without any hesitation.


    Looking satisfied with that answer, Cayden lit a cigarette, lowered his head, and said, “Good. Wear


    these shoes for me. If you dare to take them off, don''t think of meeting the kids again.”


    Avery was speechless.


    After apanying the kids to the amusement park, Avery went to the hospital before lunch.


    In the meantime, Dn, who had just driven away from the hospital twenty minutes earlier, received a


    call from his mother.


    “Dn, do you remember promising your dad and me that you''ll apany us to watch a movie or a


    y? I booked three tickets for a y and I''ll start after half past two. Why don''t you drive over and pick


    me and your dad up?” Seeing that the tension between him and his father still had not been resolved,


    Talia wanted to take this opportunity to improve their rtionship.