CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

While Nate comforted Lara and waited for her to stop crying, rubbing her back and enjoying the hug, the twins moved their attention from their parents to the cake.

They had insisted with their grandma to bake a cake with a lot of chocolate, even if their mommy liked oranges. Nate had ordered something very fruity, but they had used their charms on their grandma until she had finally surrendered.

«It's zah-ka,» Scarlet remembered. That's what grandma called the cake.

«No, grandma said zah-ke,» Jaden pointed out. «And she also said tart.»

«Zahka tart? But it's a cake!»

«I don't know, Scarlet...»

«There's so much chocolate on top,» she commented, licking her lips.

Breakfast was ready, in the kitchen and soon to be brought, but she forgot about it while reaching out for the cake and taking some with her bare hand. It was just as promised: full of chocolate. Also, since their mommy liked fruits, they had allowed grandma to put some jam in between, slightly sour. It was their mommy's birthday, after all. They could very well allow some fruits hidden inside.

Seeing his sister eating the cake, Jaden first panicked.

«The first slice is supposed to be mommy's!» he whispered.

«She will have the first slice,» Scarlet pointed out, reaching for a second piece.

Since it kind of made sense - they weren't eating slices - Jaden did the same and tasted the heavenly chocolate and the soft cake.

It was worth the scolding they were going to bear!

«Hey, you two,» Nate said, turning just in time before the twins could ruin every side of the cake.

«Hmm?» Lara murmured, lifting her head from Nate's shoulder, even though unwillingly.

She noticed the twins' hands and faces, stained with chocolate and oh-so-guilty. She couldn't help but chuckle. They took the chance to get their paws on the cake as soon as she and Nate weren't looking too closely.

«How is it?» she wondered.

«Mommy can have the first slice,» Scarlet exclaimed, running to the kitchen and asking the maid to give her a plate and a knife.

She got the plate, but not the knife. Regardless, she ran back and left the dish, now stained from her hands, in front of Lara.

«Daddy, can you bring a knife for mommy?» she asked, using her cutest expression to convince Nate. If Lara could eat the cake in the morning, they wouldn't have been in trouble anymore! There wouldn't have been anything to scold them for, right?

«Are you sure you need a knife? I think you manage well enough without,» Nate commented, crossing his arms and standing straight, waiting for his kids' plan to unfold.

«And a fork or a small spoon,» Jaden added. «Can you bring it, dad?»

«Yes, sure,» he sighed.

He glanced at Lara and couldn't resist her happy expression. If she wanted to eat cake, so be it.

He returned sooner than they thought with a knife, two spoons and two forks, and four clean plates.

«Let's eat this cake,» he said while cutting a piece for everyone.

The pups were going to eat a small one, especially because it was early in the morning. And, also, they already had enough before he could stop them.

He placed the first slice on Lara's plate. He had cut it from the untouched part of the cake. Then, he fed his pups.

«You, daddy? The cake is very good! Grandma made it!»

«You know... I asked for a fruity cake. What is this?» he inquired, pretending to be annoyed and surprised by the amount of chocolate.

It was kind of predictable, in fact, and he knew it since before. His mother had preferred to do as her grandchildren asked instead of following her son's wishes. She had been unfair, but Nate was getting used to it.

«It is fruity,» Lara pointed out while biting the first piece. «It's a Sacher Torte. It has apricot jam inside.»

«Oh,» Nate said. «You recognised it s

«It's not a big effort, Nate. It's quite recognisable.»

«Do you also know how to make it?»

«Yes, I do, but I don't want to enter a competition against your mother. This is maybe the best cake I've ever eaten! I won't make you one; just eat this.»

«Best?» Jaden said, pricking his ears and strolling to his mommy. «It's because Scarlet and I helped.»

«How did you help?»

«We watched carefully while it was in the oven so that the cake couldn't escape.»

«Ah, I see,» she sighed. Her cubs did like watching things in the oven. Especially meaty things.

«I also tried the chocolate before using it to be sure it was good,» Scarlet added, still eating her portion. She reached out to Jaden's plate and, little by little, pulled it closer to her. She could eat his part as well since her brother was busy wagging in front of their mommy.

«I counted the spoons for grandma,» Jaden said. «I can also tell you how many there were. I can remember the sugar... Twelve.»

«I see,» Lara chuckled, picking him up and positioning him on her lap. «You two were so hard-working.»

«Yes, we were.»

«That earns you a kiss,» she stated before leaving a noisy smack on Jaden's cheek.

The boy smiled happily, and his tail wagged even faster. He pricked up his ears and clapped his hands, observing how his mommy ate the cake with even more motivation than before.

«My cubs are so good at cooking,» she said.

Meanwhile, Nate was alone in his chair. He was also eating the cake, but not as blissfully as his daughter and future wife. He felt cut out because he didn't come up with the same idea and didn't help his mother with the preparation.

The pups were years ahead of him in grabbing Lara's attention.

He had just come to terms with everything when a shy hand pulled his sleeve at the elbow. He looked down and saw Scarlet, her eyes directly staring at him like every time she had a request. She was going to say that word, he was sure. He was expecting it.

«Daddy!»

And he was right.

«Yes, Scarlet?»

«Since you're not eating your cake, I can finish it for you!»

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