My Daddy Hides His Power Chapter 323 - Side story Part 2 Chapter 19

“Brother, I know this is going to sound weird… but I’m not lying. There really is a baby at home.” 

 

“….”

 

Leon scratched his forehead. He wasn’t an idiot—of course he didn’t believe it.

 

‘Since the seal was lifted, even Cheshire Libre has changed this much.’ 

 

Rain or snow, he always showed up to work on time—never late, never absent. Even back when he was dating Lilith, he had never once asked a colleague for special treatment due to personal reasons.

 

Seeing Cheshire—who had always drawn a firm line between work and personal life—lose his mind after the wedding just proved how powerful the force of newlywed bliss really was.

 

He was going to see his wife at home after work anyway—so why couldn’t he bear to be apart from her even for a moment? What on earth were they doing together that made him act like this?

 

Lilith was no different. Working from home, seriously? Then again, with the Lord of the Wizard Tower doting on her the way he does, he probably agreed without a second thought. 

 

I mean, seriously—at the Wizard Tower of all places, and this is how they do things? Isn’t this basically hiring corruption? That Lord of the Wizard Tower, honestly… totally unfit to manage people!

 

“I believe you.”

 

Leon put down his anger and spoke plainly. Cheshire’s face brightened.

 

“I’ll look after your convenience. But it’s too much for you to not come to work when there are so many eyes watching you. And since you have your own position… let’s just work in the morning.”

 

“Thank you, Brother.”

 

“Instead.”

 

Leon added with a smirk.

 

“All of this permission is only valid if there’s actually a real baby in your home.”

 

“I told you there is one…”

 

“Yeah, sure, I believe you. I’ll bring a few of the kids over after work today. Let’s see… one, two, three—yeah, about four should do.”

 

“What?!”

 

“Haha, why are you so surprised?”

 

Leon smirked and pushed his face right in front of Cheshire.

 

“So you’re just gonna look like some guy who made up a ridiculous lie about having a baby—because you couldn’t admit you just wanted to see your pretty wife?” 

 

“No, I’m serious—there really is a baby!”

 

“Mhm, I said I believe you, didn’t I? Besides, Lilith mentioned having a housewarming party before, right? Today’s perfect for it, don’t you think?” 

 

“Haa, Brother…” 

 

* * *

 

Just an hour and a half after returning to work from lunch, Cheshire came back.

 

“Ahaha! Brother don’t believe you  that much?” 

 

“Mhm.” 

 

When he asked if he could have some time off for a while, Leon said he’d come over after work to actually check if there really was a baby at our place. 

 

“It’s hard to believe.”

 

Cheshire came in limping and asked while washing his hands.

 

“What about Jamie?”

 

“Here you go. Right after you left earlier, he did a little poopy, you know? I gave him a nice clean wash and changed him into a fresh, fluffy diaper~”

 

“Really? That’s good. You worked hard.”

 

Cheshire, who carefully went to the bedroom so as not to make any noise, checked Jamie in the crib and smiled.

 

I leaned against the door and watched him.

 

“I should show Jamie and have a housewarming party.”

 

“What? That wasn’t necessary.”

 

Cheshire frowned as he came out of the bedroom.

 

“When Brother gets here later, let’s just show him the baby and send him on his way.”

 

“What are you talking about? He doesn’t even believe there’s a baby, and still let you leave work early. Didn’t he basically send you home to get ready for the housewarming?”

 

“That’s true. But we really do have a baby—so there’s no need for a housewarming party.”

 

“What are you talking about? Isn’t it not just Brother? Didn’t he say he’s bringing some colleagues too?”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“They’re not coming to see the baby—they’re coming to check out our newlywed home. They think it’s a housewarming party, so how could we just kick them out right away? They probably won’t even have dinner before coming. It’s only polite to serve them something.”

 

“I clearly told him there’s a baby at home. He’s the one who didn’t believe me and said he’d bring people over.” 

 

“Honey? Of course Brother didn’t believe you. Who’d believe something like ‘the newborn son of the youngest daughter of our great-uncle’s eldest daughter’? And since he’s willing to cut you some slack if there really is a baby, shouldn’t you be grateful?” 

 

“That’s true, but….”

 

Cheshire avoided my gaze.

 

“It’s a plan he made out of nowhere without even telling us. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable or bothered, so I’m just going to send them right back.”

 

“Aha?”

 

No wonder—it seemed odd, since Cheshire isn’t the kind of person who’d turn Leon away when he’s offering to help.

 

He was being cautious because he didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable having to entertain a crowd of his coworkers.

 

“Haha, silly! I’m fine, babe. It’s not like they’re barging in unannounced when we haven’t prepared anything. We still have plenty of time before they get here. And… I’m sorry, but…”

 

Housewarming party. What should the landlord do?

 

Preparing the food, I guess.

 

“…I don’t have anything to do anyway.”

 

“….”

 

Cheshire stared at me quietly.

 

Should I serve my husband’s coworkers the hell pasta… or not?

 

After a while, we reached an agreement without saying a word just by looking at each other and nodded.

 

I smiled and pointed to the front door where Cheshire had entered less than 10 minutes ago.

 

“Let’s buy the ingredients, honey.”

 

* * *

 

Marriage.

 

Cheshire Libre was now a married man—and he had a wife. 

 

House.

 

The two-story house that his father gave him was decorated beautifully according to his wife’s taste.

 

Baby.

 

It’s only temporary, so it’s a bit of a shame—but still, he has little Jamie, who’s absolutely adorable and the spitting image of his wife.

 

‘Whew.’

 

Cheshire felt excited all over again.

 

His heart was pounding with excitement—he had finally formed the kind of family he’d always dreamed of having someday.

 

“Please give me ten shrimps.”

 

Even while grocery shopping, his heart remained light and excited.

 

Right now, Jamie was still too young to come along…

 

Someday, when they had a baby of their own and the child was old enough, the three of them might be able to go grocery shopping together as a happy little family.

 

His steps felt light as he made his way back.

 

He was going to turn it down out of concern that Lilith might be uncomfortable, but the truth is—he’s actually looking forward to the housewarming party.

 

His coworkers are coming over to see their new home, and they’re sure to be jealous—of the stylish house, his lovely wife, and their adorable baby.

 

His life was eventful.

 

But now he had found ordinary happiness.

 

What Cheshire liked was the fact that he could finally show someone just how happy he was.

 

[Attention, Husbands! ~Spring Flower Festival~]

 

On the way back, he came across a flower shop.

 

Cheshire stopped in his tracks, his eyes catching the sign without meaning to.

 

There were many beautifully blooming spring flowers.

 

He could also see his beloved wife’s birth flower.

 

“Would you like to see the flowers?”

 

The flower shop lady who was watering the flower pot greeted him happily.

 

“Yes, a bouquet of flowers as a gift….”

 

“That’s wonderful! I’d be happy to help. Who is the gift for? A lover?”

 

“No.”

 

Cheshire said, his throat tickling for some reason.

 

“My wife.”

 

* * *

 

A bouquet edged with red roses. At its center, a shy Aristata blooms, like delicate purple fairy wings.

 

Aristata. Lilith’s birth flower. 

 

Lilith was left speechless when her husband returned with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

 

“Wow….”

 

Lilith barely managed to speak after standing in front of the doorway for a while without moving.

 

“Really… oh, really pretty. Thank you, honey.”

 

Jamie, who had been in Lilith’s arms and then moved to Cheshire, felt happy but also puzzled. His daughter seemed more touched than he had thought.

 

Considering how often he used to bring bouquets home during their dating days, this wasn’t the first time she’d received flowers.

 

“Do you like it that much?”

 

Cheshire was surprised to see his wife’s eyes reddening and thought the same thing.

 

“Mhm.” 

 

“Have I… not bought you enough flowers? Sorry. I’ll do it more often.”

 

“No, um, what I mean is… this is the first time I’ve received flowers since we got married. Waiting for you at home and then getting them feels different—it’s a feeling I can’t quite put into words.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Mhm. Did you think of me while you were out shopping?”

 

“I always think of you.”

 

“Pft.” 

 

Smiling with the bouquet in her hands, Lilith reached out her arms. As Cheshire bowed his head, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

 

Jamie, who was caught between them, was used to the affectionate behavior of this happy newlywed couple.

 

They’d gotten so used to grabbing each other and kissing whenever they passed by inside the house that it was almost embarrassing to think about it now.

 

“If I had finished cooking and then received flowers, I’d feel ten times prouder and more touched. Can a simple breadwinner like me even deserve something like this\~?”

 

“What are you talking about? Let’s do it together.”

 

Smiling, they gently laid Jamie in the crib and headed to the kitchen together.

 

Jamie felt happy while watching the couple organizing the shopping baskets side by side.

 

The fact that the daughter he could have kept in his arms for the rest of his life had found a new companion and built another family fence.

 

That realization hit him.

 

He sometimes felt a pang of regret for not holding the baby longer and sending her off so quickly, but…

 

In truth, whether it had been 10 years, 20 years, or even a lifetime by his side, the feeling of reluctance to let go would have been the same.

 

So Jamie—no, Enoch—calmly handed his daughter’s hand over to his son-in-law.

 

Whether sooner or later, the time had come to let her go from his embrace.

 

For now, he’d have to endure this strange emptiness. But thinking that he hadn’t lost his daughter—instead, he’d gained a wonderful son-in-law who loved and would protect her just as much as he did—made it bearable.

 

“Don’t come in again!”

 

“Ouch, I got it!”

 

Before he knew it, Lilith was standing beside him with an awkward expression. She held out her index finger, which already had a fresh scratch—probably from some mishap she’d just caused.

 

“Mom accidentally cut her finger instead of the onion, so Dad had to send me away~”

 

“….”

 

Jamie swallowed a sigh and laughed.

 

Ha, our princess…

 

What should he do when she’s still a baby… .