Chapter 962


    Amelia exined in time, "If it were not for Nora who warned them not to leave the room until they


    finish their homework, I guess they are more than happy toe downstairs looking for you."


    This time Patrick did not know what to say.


    Sensing his embarrassment, Amelia had not continued to say anything else out of kindness.


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    She invited him again, "Come upstairs with me. Ashley said that she is not motivated to study


    without you."


    "I don''t have to be responsible for her grades!" Sulking, Patrick said.


    Amelia looked at him and said, "Are you sure? You''re also the one whoined that I deprive


    you of your privilege to concern their study, aren''t you?"


    Patrick waspletely speechless.


    He thought of taking the opportunity to give Amelia a lesson so that she would not simply show face


    at him. However, it turned out that this waspletely useless for her.


    Her face was saying "It is totally fine if you are noting". He was stuck in an embarrassing


    dilemma.


    But neither could he bear to go extremely harsh on her nor ignore herpletely.


    Eventually, Patrick had chosen to follow Amelia upstairs.


    This time, Amelia did not knock on the door. Instead, she reached out to the doorknob right away.


    ncing up, she called out to the kids who were waiting earnestly near the study table, "Tada!


    Look! Who''s here!''


    "Uncle Pattrick!" Ashley immediately jumped on his feet as if she was meeting her idol.


    Patrick was not moved by her enthusiasm. He reminded her solemnly, "Ashley, I remember that we


    had just metst night."


    Ashley immediately stopped cheering. With her expression earnest, she said, "Uncle, don''t you


    know that seconds feel like hours when I''m not with you?"


    Upon saying this, she threw herself in direction of Patrick enthusiastically.


    Patrick was not moved at all. He shoved her away ruthlessly.


    Ashley did not seem angry at all even if Patrick had made it clear that he did not want to hug her.


    Instead, she chuckled as if she thought that Patrick was ying hide and seek with her. Again, she


    threw herself into him.


    Over time, Patrick either dodged away from her attack or he shoved her away. Amelia began to feel


    sorry for Ashley, "Patrick, why not you just hug her."


    Not only she saw Ashley was covering in sweat, she had noticed that the kid had begun panting.


    Amelia felt that there was a need for her to say something.


    She could tell that Ashley would not be able to focus on her homeworkter if she continued to y


    with him.


    Patrick stunned for a while upon hearing what Amelia had said.


    It was also right at this time that Ashley had grabbed the opportunity and hug his thigh. She


    eximed in excitement, "I catch you! Finally, I catch you! I win this time!"


    Patrick could not bother of his niece right this moment. Instead, he squinted at Amelia and sneered


    coldly, "I never know that you''re such a generous person."


    "Generous? What does he mean?"


    Amelia was puzzled. However, she did not want to ravel herself with this confusion.


    After all, Patrick''s mood was unpredictable. She did not want to seek any more problems for herself.


    She nced at Ashley who was overwhelmed with excitement, "Ashley, now that you''ve seen your


    uncle. Aren''t you supposed to return to your seat and solve your mathematic questions?"


    "Huh?" Ashley looked up with her face reddened. It took her a while to respond to Amelia, "Amelia,


    can I y for a while more?"


    Amelia knew that it was not possible to reason with this kid all the time. Hence, she put up a


    disappointed look and said, "Ashley, we came to agree that you''re going to study once you see your


    uncle."


    If you go back on your words now, this isn''t any different from cheating on me. Are you really fine


    with doing this to me?


    Had I known that you will not keep your promise, I won''t call your uncle here for you."


    Hearing this, Andrew who had always taken a side on Amelia hurriedly said, "Ashley, listen to


    Amelia."


    "Fine! Will do!" Pouting, Ashley let go of Patrick''s leg and sat on the floor. She then mumbled, "I''m


    going to finish my homework now. Auntie Amelia, you know what? You''re stricter than my dad. Even


    mommy doesn''t nag as much as you do... Ouch! Who is this?"


    Just as Ashley was making aint of Amelia''s cruelty, someone struck her head from behind.


    She stood up right away from the floor in shock.


    Enraging, upon turning around and seeing who was the culprit who had hit her, she was stunned.


    She then said cheekily, "Oh, it''s you, Patrick! Can you be a little more gentle next time when you


    want to touch my head? I''m timid after all. I will suffer a shock if you pat me with your full strength."


    Touch? Pat?


    The corners of Amelia''s mouth twitched. She guessed that she had underestimated Ashley''s


    affection towards Patrick. This kid was not only admiring her uncle, but she was also blindly


    obsessed with him!


    Apparently, Patrick''s strike was a painful one for her. However, as soon as she realized that it was


    Patrick who hit her, not only her anger faded right away, she even looked for an excuse for him


    hitting her!


    Patrick was immune from Ashley''s trick. He ordered sternly, "Apologize."


    His words had sent Ashley into puzzlement. She asked, "Apologize? For what? To whom?


    Patrick swept a nce at Amelia. The message in his eyes was clear enough even for a kid to


    understand.


    "Ohhhh!" Grinning, Ashley said, "Now I see! I said that aunty nagged more than mommy did. That''s


    why uncle touched my head, am I right?"


    Amelia was dumbfounded. Even until this moment, Ashley had refused to admit that Patrick had hit


    her.


    "Hold on!


    ording to what Ashley said just now, does that mean that Patrick is speaking for her?"


    Amelia could not help thinking.


    Patrick''s gaze that fell on Ashley was getting sterner. At first sight, it seemed like he was giving her


    a warning but upon closer inspection, one would realize that he was impliedly urging her to


    apologize.


    Meeting his gaze, Ashley immediately turned around and ttered Amelia, "Amelia, I shouldn''t have


    said that you nag more than mommy does!


    What I''m trying to say is that you concern about my study more than my mom does! You''re the role


    model of all the stepmothers out there! Ouch! Patrick! Why are you hitting- wait, touching my head


    again?"


    Meeting Ashley''s eyes which were already tearing up, Patrick said sternly, "No more jokes, Ashley.


    Apologize properly to your aunt."


    Ashley was already on the verge of crying after getting hit by her beloved person two times in a row.


    In fact, it was wholly heartbreaking for her.


    "Patrick! You used to love me the most! Mommy told me that you always hugged me to sleep when I


    was small.


    But ever since you got married, you''ve changed! You be a bad person.


    You only have Auntie Amelia in your eyes. Aren''t young girls are more attractive to men in this


    society? You have such a bad taste!"


    Squinting, Patrick raised his hand in silence.


    Ashley seemed to have foreseen the uing strike this time.


    As soon as Patrick raised his hand, she immediately covered her head and said, "No! Patrick!


    Please don''t touch my head anymore! I''m already having trouble solving math questions. If you


    touch again, I don''t think I''ll be able to solve any of them anymore!"


    A few secondster, Patrick''s hand did notnd on her head as expected. Ashley plucked up her


    courage and sneaked a nce at him. She then said sheepishly, "Seriously, Uncle Patrick. I feel like


    every time your appearance cheers me up."