Chapter 11
About two hourster, Seraphina found herself back at Leandro’s front door.
From the entrance, she could see the garage, and Leandro’s car seemed to be missing. Just as she
was about to ring the doorbell, the door suddenly swung open from the inside.
Karan was slinging a big bag over her shoulder, yelling back into the house as she stepped out, “You
stay put, no running around, got it? Your dad will be home tonight!”
Mid–sentence, she turned her head and saw Seraphina standing at the doorway, looking taken aback
and then annoyed, “Didn’t you already take off? Why are you back here?”
“Karan, I think I left something here, so I came back,” Seraphina replied with a smile, then nced at
Karan’s bag. “You heading out?”
Karan grimaced, adjusting her bag and grunting in response.
Seraphina hesitated for a moment before asking, “Can I go in and look for my stuff?”
Looking like she was pressed for time, Karan shot her an irritable nce, “Just go in and find whatever
you need, and leave as soon as possible! And don’t go chattering with Valerio, gol it?”
Seraphina nodded promptly, “Alright, got it. Take care, Karan!”
With that, Karan hurried off, looking like she was indeed in a rush.
Upon entering the house, Seraphina spotted Valerio sitting at the table, working on a pile of art
supplies. He looked at her, obviously having heard her exchange with Karan.
Seraphina waved at him with a smile, but he quickly looked down and started to sketch more furiously.
Seraphina didn’t bother with him further, she took a symbolic stroll upstairs and was back down in no
time. Despite having spent the night here, her recorder had always been in her bag, so if it had fallen
out, it would have happened in Leandro’s car.
The present situation left her with no choice but to wait for Leandro. But how would he react when he
saw her in his house again?
As she pondered this, she approached Valerio. He didn’t look at her but seemed to sense her
approaching, his sketching grew even more frantic the closer she got.
“What are you drawing?” Seraphina asked as she picked up the assignment brief from the table.
Apparently, the assignment was for the child to create a family album with the help of their parents,
featuring a family portrait and individual pages for each family member.
Valerio was obviously working on the family portrait four identical stick figures, big heads atop bodies
made up of a few strokes resembling matchsticks.
Seraphina guessed that the figures were supposed to represent Bruce, Gloria, Leandro, and Valerio
himself. But it seemed like a crucial person was missing. However, the rough sketching didn’t seem to
match the standard. one would expect from a six–year–old.
Under Seraphina’s gaze, Valerio’s sketching became erratic.
“It seems like no one at home can help you with this assignment,” Seraphina sighed, “You’re one lucky
kid. I haven’t drawn for seven years, and now I’m picking up a pencil to help you with this.”
With that, she pulled up a chair next to Valerio, picked up a pencil, and quickly sketched out Bruce and
Gloria. When it came to drawing Leandro, she paused and handed the pencil to Valerio, “Would you
like to try drawing. your dad?”
Valerio stared at her sketches of Bruce and Gloria for a moment before epting the pencil from her
and copying her style to draw Leandro. Despite hisck of drawing skills, his sketch, although crude,
somewhat
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resembled Leandro.
Seraphina quickly averted her gaze and pointed to thest empty spot on the paper, “Now it’s time to
draw yourself.”
Valerio held the pencil, his brows furrowed in deep thought, but he didn’t make a move.
Seeing this, Seraphina took the pencil from him, “Let me help you.”
She cupped Valerio’s chin, studying the little boy in front of her. Valerio was truly beautiful, with wless
skin, dark hair, and bright, clear eyes. He looked a lot like his handsome father, Leandro.
Seraphina lowered her gaze, starting to sketch with her long eyshes casting a shadow on her
cheeks.
When she looked up at Valerio, she found him looking at her, his eyes full of curiosity. She patted his
chin and said with a smile, “You’re such a looker, why are you so quiet? Girls your age aren’t usually
into the silent type. How do you expect them to approach you if you don’t talk? Don’t you feel sad when
the girl you like is always ying with other boys?”
Valerio just stared at her, his bright eyes quickly dimming. He didn’t answer Seraphina and just went
back to his drawing.
Seraphina blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing was this child mute?
Night fell, the vi bathed in warm light. Seraphina sat at the dining table, guiding Valerio through the
last page of the assignment.
When Leandro arrived home, he saw the scene of the two figures huddled together. It was a
harmonious sight. Leandro took off his shoes and entered the living room. Hearing the noise,
Seraphina looked up at him. “Mr. Reynolds, you’re back?” Finally seeing him, Seraphina leaned back in
her chair, smiling at him as if studying his reaction.
But Leandro just gave her a nce and turned to Valerio, waving him over. Valerio slid off the dining
table clutching the justpleted scrapbook and hurried over to Leandro.
Leandro flopped into the couch, taking the scrapbook and asked, “Where’s Karan at?”
Seraphina sauntered over and said to Valerio, “Karan had some urgent stuff to handle, so I stepped in
to look after you and even helped finish up today’s parent–child project.”
Leandro was leafing through the scrapbook. It was clear from the book that Seraphina had put in a ton
of work. The cartoon versions of Bruce, Gloria, and Valerio showcased her top–notch drawing skills,
but his own cartoon was obviously different – clearly Valerio’s masterpiece.
Seraphina moved in front of him, “It’s not bad, is it?”
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Leandro shut the book and handed it back to Valerio, “You scoot upstairs first.”
Valerio nced at Seraphina, who winked at him. He quickly looked away and then silently headed
upstairs.