The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet (Thalassa and Elowen)
Chapter 1044

"Mom, I want the chocolate fudge one." Elowen pleaded, her cherub cheeks flushed with excitement.

"I want the old-school vanilla." Sophia raised her hand, eager to voice her choice.

"I want that fruit sorbet." Dorian licked his lips, already longing for the taste of ice cream before even having a bite.

"I want that popsicle." Atticus chimed in, his cute little face all aglow.

Thalassa took note of everyone's requests, fetched their preferred flavors from the freezer, and handed each child their treat. She then grabbed several more ice creams and a few bottles of chilled water and headed to the checkout counter.

Callum stood there with wallet in hand. "Put it on my tab." he said.

He signaled Thalassa to place the items on the counter.

Thalassa, not wanting to feel more indebted to Callum, offered politely, "I should pay, really. I can't thank you enough as it is."

"Your card is from back home; if you swiped it, there would be a transaction record. Lysander can trace it in no time, pinpointing when and where you spent money. Plus, this is Weston Country; your home currency couldn't fly here." Callum explained.

Thalassa was taken aback, nearly making a blunder. "Then I must trouble you, Mr. Gordon. Once things settle down, I'll get some local currency."

Callum gave her an assuring smile and told the cashier to ring them up.

After paying, the kids were contentedly munching on their ice cream, little faces quickly smeared with cream and syrup, looking like adorable messy kittens. Thalassa watched them and felt a heartwarming glow.

Once in the car, she handed the driver and Callum the extra ice creams. "Cool off a bit."

Callum took two popsicles without any fuss. "Good idea. Have one yourself, cool down."

He unwrapped one for the driver and kept one for his own enjoyment.

"Will do." Thalassa replied, passing one to Evelyn.

"I'll just have some ice water. Weird, how come Weston Country is so hot?" Evelyn said, taking a bottle from the bag and unscrewing the cap before taking a sip. "Weston Country is tropical. It's hotter than most places. But the heat doesn't last all year - just three months of peak temperatures." Callum provided some insight.

"Three months! Gosh, you could practically cook in this heat." Evelyn exclaimed, her habitual complaints spilling out.

She had been complaining all the time when she lived with Thalassa and the kids. It became her habit; she'd complain upon she opened her mouth.

Her words were casual, but Callum took notice.

He glanced at them through the rear-view mirror and said, "Sorry for the rush. This place is a bit out of the way, which means Lysander won't think to look here. Once we get a chance, we can relocate to another country if needed."

Realizing her mother's complaints had struck a chord with Callum, Thalassa quickly explained, "Mr. Gordon, my mom's just commenting on the climate, not blaming you. We'll get used to it. Adapting is part of life, no matter where you are."

"Yeah, yeah, I was just remarking on the weather. Didn't mean to sound ungrateful or anything." Evelyn added, realizing she might have spoken too freely.

Back home, one could be blunt and speak their mind, knowing the family would tolerate all flaws without taking offense. But elsewhere, some decorum was necessary even with the closest of friends. "Don't worry. I'm not upset. I was just discussing future plans. If you really can't stand the climate here, we can always consider moving." Callum said with a light-hearted smile, easing their worries.

"Oh, alright, as long as you don't mind, that's fine." Evelyn sighed in relief, anxious not to have upset their host.

After all, they were in a foreign land. They had to rely on Callum's kindness with no other options at hand.