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Woo YOU

Saturday came quicker than Xenia previewed.

Xenia briefed Sia all week, but the little girl sulked, knowing she wouldn't see Gregory. She had briefly encountered Andrew when her mother came to pick her up at school. Sia remained silent and observed the man. Xenia wasn't sure if she should let Sia spend the day with Andrew, but time was running out.

Andrew planned everything out, and there was nowhere else better than Disneyland to seduce a little girl who loved Princess and a specific Anna in a blue dress.

"Hello Sia, remember me, I'm Andrew, your mother's friend."

The little girl looked at him with wary eyes.

Sia was about to speak, and Xenia's heart raced. She had not forbidden the little girl to mention Gregory's name. Banning Sia said it was the best way to have the child do so, and now Xenia panicked.

"Bonjour," Sia said.

Andrew beamed, "tu veux voir la reine des Neiges? [do you want to see the snow Princess?]"

If Gregory's accent was barely laughable, Andrew's American accent made the little girl giggle. Andrew looked at Xenia and smiled as if to say it was a good sign.

Some people say a man's heart is his stomach; Xenia's heart was Sia. For Andrew, it was essential to have the little girl in his pocket. Luckily enough, he did sincerely appreciate kids. Sia was sweet, the kind to whom you could offer the world, and Andrew did precisely that. All Disney had to offer was in Sia's hands, who had never laughed as much since birth.

The situation stressed Xenia.

"Is there something wrong?" Andrew asked as they took a pause to eat.

"I don't want Sia to be spoilt; it's the first time you are spending the day with her, and you already bought her so much. I don't want her to get used to this."

"It's just once, Xenia, she's at Disney, the place where dreams come true; let her dream a little. Let Sia enjoy her day out. I promise I won't buy anything else."

"Promise."

"Yakseok."

Xenia spontaneously kissed Andrew, making Sia scrunch her nose in disgust. Sia had caught Gregory in bed with Xenia, and she didn't have the same reaction. The child saw them kiss and hug after, and it never appeared to affect her.

On the contrary, Sia seemed fascinated by the signs of affection Gregory and Xenia showed each other. Here, on the other hand, the little girl displayed her discontent, only Xenia saw it, and she felt embarrassed in front of her daughter. In one look, one knew on whose team Sia was on; she missed Gregory. For the little girl, there was only one legit prince for her mother.

Once they finished eating, they walked around a little before deciding to go home after a long day.

Sia slept at the back of the car.

"It is a good day, thank you, Andrew."

"Andrew took Xenia's hand and kissed her knuckles as he drove, "you're welcome. We'll be okay, Xenia, don't worry, I hope Sia likes me."

"I'm sure she does," Xenia reassured, she knew Sia appreciated Andrew, but Gregory's shadow still lingered everywhere.

Time, all they needed was a little time to help them. Soon Gregory would be a distant memory for Sia and her.

Andrew brought them to his house; he didn't mind having mother and daughter sleeping over having a four-bedroom loft.

Xenia placed Sia in the room Andrew prepared for her.

They both watched the little girl sleep before going into the living room.

"I like your necklace and your bracelet, but something is missing."

Xenia touched her necklace and looked at her wrist, "what? I think the ensemble looks good."

Xenia imagined Andrew bringing her a pair of earrings, and the small box which appeared in Andrew's hand could have been precisely that.

"What is it?" Xenia said, feigning surprise while her ears twitched as she thought of how the earrings would look on them.

But the box contents had nothing to do with earrings.

"Xenia Symoné N'Diayé will you marry me?"

Oxygen stopped circulating Xenia was in shock.

"I'm aware it's only been a few months, but for me, it's a certainty. Meeting you again was a sign. We're meant to be together, Xenia. Chose me, and you'll be the happiest wife, and Sia will be the happiest of daughters."

In front of such sincere eyes, there was only one thing she could say-.

"Yes."

Andrew took Xenia's finger and slipped the ring on it. A huge hug and dozens of kisses followed to seal the promise.

"I love you, Xenia."

"I love you, Andrew."

Though the ring attested to the engagement's reality, Xenia could not believe she agreed to marry Andrew.

Was it the shock of being proposed to for the first time and imagining that saying yes was the ultimate option in such circumstances?

Everything happened fast. Xenia's mind swirled until daybreak and up to the point where she could barely distinguish the elements that composed the proposal's memory. Only the Cartier ring on her finger brought back to reality like the little spinning top in Inception.

Now Xenia had one obstacle left.

"Mom, I'm getting married," Xenia announced at the evening meal.

Ann-Catherin shook her head before tilting it back to stare at the ceiling. She clapped her hands together as if she was going to pray, "so help me, God."

Ann-Catherine bolted out of her chair in a flash only to be stopped by Louise, who possessed rapid reflex.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Louise asked as she attempted to retain the middle-aged woman who stretched her hands to try to grasp Xenia, who backed away with Sia in her arms.

"I'm going to knock some sense into your dumbass older sister, who shortens my lifeline with her stupid decisions. Who are you marrying, you idiot? Xenia, you don't have a place to live. You have no job, and you want to marry a man that neither your mom and sisters have even met. What is wrong with you, Xenia Symoné N'Diayé?

The moment for the fairytale glitch had arrived, and something told Xenia it was just the beginning of her sufferings.