Miss, My Father loves you
Chapter 21 What Can I Do For You

"Mrs. Ji, milk will help you fall asleep." A servant beamed a pleasant smile. "The butler asked me to make sure you drink it while it is still warm. It would not be as enjoyable if it is cold."

As it turned out, the gesture was instructed by the butler. Daryl nodded, "I see. Thank you very much."

As soon as the servant stepped out of the room, Daryl gulped the glass of milk and dozed off.

The next morning, the sun was radiant and gleaming. Daryl woke up earlier than usual and made her way to the kitchen.

The chef greeted Daryl the moment he saw her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Ji!"

"Top of the morning to you too."

Daryl asked the chef about Zack's and Benjamin's breakfast favorites. After a few enumeration, she felt fortunate that the food he mentioned was familiar to her taste buds. So, after rolling up her sleeves, she began assembling her mise en place. The chef wanted to stop her from cooking, but to no avail. In the end, all he could ever do was watch from the sideline.

At daybreak, Zack and Benjamin had knocked themselves up early and tied their shoelaces for their morning jog around the villa. The moment Benjamin opened the front door,

he was greeted by the savory scent of breakfast in the kitchen. He rushed towards Daryl with a gleam and said, "Mommy, why are you up so early?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd cook for you and your daddy."

Daryl smiled. "You should go upstairs and change your clothes first. You are dripping with sweat!"

She wondered how long Zack made his son run to be this clammy.

Benjamin ought to grub on at least a couple of steamed buns, but he was soon pulled back by Zack as he took him upstairs to wash up.

The three sat together in front of the breakfast feast. Ever since Daryl came, the ambiance in the villa became much homely.

Zack chewed on his food leisurely. Somehow, he sensed a pair of eyes staring at him.

He lowered his eyes and then swiftly looked at Daryl, but she managed to dodge his gaze on a close call.

She was stealing glances at Zack. When she was almost caught in the act, she felt like she was a busted criminal-her heart raced to a drumroll!

Noticing Daryl's reaction, Zack grinned.

"Daddy? Mommy? Why are you winking at each other during mealtime?"

asked Benjamin with his pursed lips.

Daryl's face blushed to crimson. She picked up some food and put it on his plate. "Here, Bennie. Have some more." Zack glanced at the flushed woman beside him and raised his brows. This was interesting. What did this woman want?

After the tasty feast, Zack placed his bowl and chopsticks on the table and turned to Daryl. 'Til be off to work once I get changed. Would it be a bane if you send Benjamin to his school today?"

"Not at all," said Daryl as she shook her head.

When he heard her assurance, Zack did not gaze at her anymore and went upstairs to get dressed.

"Mommy, you want to tell Daddy something, right?"

asked Benjamin. He noticed that she had a thought that boggled her mind. "If you want to speak to him, then you better do it now because Daddy will surely go home very late." "Is that so?"

Indeed, Daryl wanted to talk to Zack about the filming. She excused herself from the table and followed Zack upstairs.

Seeing her running in a fret, Benjamin giggled with a sly smile on his adorable face.

When Daryl landed a step on the second floor, Zack just entered his bedroom, but the door was not latched to a close.

She slowly approached the door and hesitated for a few seconds, but she shrugged the doubts off and swung her knuckles to knock.

Just before she could land a thump, the door opened with Zack looming in front of her. He knew she would be there. Zack was six-foot-one. A few inches more. He gazed down at Daryl with an expressionless face. "Something wrong?" he asked in his deep and resonant voice.

"I just..."

Daryl's words stumbled as her fingers interlocked in a state of nerves. She bit her plump lips and plucked up the courage to say, "Can you tell the production crew that I don't want to play the female leading role for the Queen of Charm. I'll just play the supporting role." Hearing the bizarre request, Zack squinted his eyes, and his face turned to gloom. "Are you even hearing yourself right now?"

What was wrong with this woman's mindset? Why couldn't she just play the leading role? Stupid!

Daryl could not bear the threatening aura of the man in front of him. She swallowed and said, "I want to take things slowly this time. Besides, the actress for this role has already been decided. Something just feels wrong if I suddenly step up and steal the position from her." Deep down, Daryl didn't want to be hated even before she started filming.

'What did she mean by stealing the role? She should know better about how this industry works. That actress trampled every single competition just to win the leading role!'

Zack was pissed by her nonsense. He looked at her dead in the eye and sneered. "Since you're making excuses not to act, then don't act at all!"

He raised his volume in annoyance before he slammed the door in Daryl's face.

She was petrified by his temper. She did not understand why Zack got angry. Daryl came to her senses, and she remembered that Zack had stated it would depend on his mood when she asked for resources.

But she could still not fathom why he was so triggered just now?

Benjamin was patiently waiting downstairs for her to take him to school. Daryl did not want him to come to school late, so she went downstairs.

Meanwhile, Zack was tethering his necktie when he heard the sound of the car engine. He scowled and pondered, 'Really? She just left like that?'

His thoughts were interrupted as the phone on the bedside table rang abruptly.

The screen showed that it was a person from the film crew.

"Mr. Ji, Ms. Ye refuses to take the leading role.

She says she'll take the supporting role. What do you think about this?"

For the sake of Daryl's debut, Zack even replaced Jackson, the director of Queen of Charm. They didn't dare to offend Zack.

"It doesn't matter,"

said Zack nonchalantly. "Just make sure that Daryl won't have any scenes of intimacy, holding hands and the likes. Use a substitute woman for those. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Mr. Ji. I'll keep that in mind."

After they came up with a compromise, the crew over the phone felt a rush of relief. Zack finally bestowed his verdict, and the movie could now resume its progress. Zack ended the call right there and then before he went back to work. Meanwhile, Daryl was just about to drop off Benjamin, but the boy was reluctant to let her go.

"Mommy, I don't want you to leave me." Benjamin threw himself into his mother's embrace. "I don't want to go to school today. Okay?"

Daryl smiled at him softly and caressed his head with love. "You know that's not possible, Bennie. You have to attend school."