Chapter 204

Before long, a child finished his pastry and ran over to me, laughing as he asked to play. Seizing the opportunity, I gently slipped Sophia's hand from my arm and lifted the child high above my head. His giggles filled the room as I smiled back at him. When Sophia turned her head, she caught the moment—me and the child sharing a smile. For a fleeting second, a thought crossed her mind. If she hadn't taken precautions, would she and I already have a child as adorable as this one? More children finished their pastries and began to gather around me, their excited chatter filling the space as they shared their stories in the Happiness Orphanage. Sophia stood quietly to the side, a gentle smile adorned her face as she watched me interact with them. Paul sat a short distance away, observing her gaze as it rested on me. Her eyes were warm and soft, radiating an unmistakable tenderness. He couldn't help but recall the tabloid headlines he had read recently and dismissed them as unreliab