Win My Husband Over to Find My Child
Chapter 325: The Summer Night of Nightmare

Chapter 325: The Summer Night of Nightmare

Calix, Leslie and Calliope continued spending family time with Old Madam Xu, Andrian, Harper and the others from tea time to post-dinner. Their lively chatter and happy laughter echoed in the air, the sounds carried along by the passing summer breeze.

After dinner, Calix announced they were going to play sparklers in the backyard. His words earned excited cheers from Calliope, Amelia and Evelyn. Old Madam Xu jestfully said how playful they were.

"Let’s go!"

"Yayy!"

The adults and children immediately moved from the dining room to the backyard. Calix had already instructed the helpers to prepare the sparklers there.

The coolness of the early summer evening was a welcome relief after the heat of the day. The huge family gathered at a spot near the pond. One big tin can loaded with water stood next to a garden faucet, waiting to be filled with used sparklers.

Calix passed everyone a few sparklers each. Calliope and Amelia were the most excited ones. They couldn’t stop chattering about playing sparklers together for the first time.

"Be careful ah. Don’t touch the fire, okay?" warned Calix to Calliope and Amelia for the third time.

"Okay, Papa."

"Mia understand ah, Second Uncle."

Vernon was tasked to light the children’s sparklers before doing so for the others. Soon, the handheld fireworks emitted sparks of bright lights, followed by sizzling sounds.

Wide-eyed in wonder, Calliope and Amelia couldn’t look away from the shower of lights of the sparklers. The sparks bounced on their faces, illuminating the children’s joyful smiles.

"Little Aunt, look at Mia’s sparkler!"

"Poppy’s sparkler too! Little Aunt, cute lights!"

"Hahaha! Let’s make them dance ah!"

A cheerful Evelyn raised her sparkler high to the air before waving it, drawing simple patterns of light in the darkness of the summer night. Calliope and Amelia were easily charmed by what they were seeing.

"Here, here, Grandpa wanna play too."

Andrian lit up his sparklers as he crouched on the ground. Calliope and Amelia went ohh and ahh watching their grandfather do the same thing as their youngest aunt.

"Great-Grandma too. Harper, come and play along."

"Hahaha~ Yes!"

Old Madam Xu and Harper joined the small crowd. More merry laughter resonated in the air, coming from their direction.

Chuckles slipped out of Calix’s mouth as he watched his family playing together. He glanced at Vernon, finding his elder brother having an intimate moment with his wife Lucille.

The lovebirds also lit some sparklers as they played not far from the small group. They seemed to be lost in their own pink bubbles.

"Leslie, let’s play. Wanna sit on the grass? Don’t worry about your dress ah."

Calix hurried to Leslie. His smile softened seeing the look of wonder in her eyes. She enjoyed watching his family’s attentiveness toward Calliope.

"Hehe, okay... Help me walk..."

Bending down, Calix supported Leslie to stand up from the wheelchair. They exchanged chuckles as they moved to a place not far from the pond.

Leslie sat on the soft grass, lightly holding the sparklers. Calix crouched next to her, also doing the same thing.

"What a happy summer night..." Leslie whispered in bliss.

Calix’s gaze on Leslie softened, his smile dripping with honey. He echoed the same sentiment before adding, "Let’s do it again at our home. I’ve restocked more sparklers for us."

"Hehe, looks like you’re the most excited one..."

After spending some time together, Calix and Leslie joined the others. Caliope excitedly showed her sparklers to the husband and wife, earning some laughter and head pats from them.

The lovely little event eventually came to an end. Everyone retreated to their bedrooms with tired yet delighted smiles, parting with the wishes of sweet dreams and good nights.

Calliope would sleep with Leslie and Calix instead of Old Madam Xu and Amelia. Even though she was happy to spend more time with her great-grandmother and cousin, she opted to be with her parents that night.

"My buttercup smells so good now. Good night, Poppy."

"Hehehe, good night, Papa~"

Calix smooched Calliope’s chubby cheeks, picking up the sweet fruity scent of children’s body wash. The little one took a shower after playing and sweating in the smoke.

"Mama, good night~"

Leslie lowered her chin, pressing her lips on Calliope’s small forehead. She whispered affectionately, "Have sweet dreams, my darling... Sleep well..."

The little dumpling fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes. She lay in the middle of the huge bed, hugging Mimo as always.

"Won’t you sleep?" Calix looked at Leslie while covering Calliope’s tiny body with a blanket, "Your eyes are droopy now."

"Yes... I’m sleepy... How about you?"

Leslie patted Calliope gently as she lay on one side, facing the little one. She also showered after returning from the backyard.

"It’s a tiring day. I’ll switch off the lights," Calix reached out for the remote controller. He adjusted the temperature before turning the lights out, "Have a good sleep, Leslie."

"You too, Calix. Sleep well..."

Leslie’s voice resonated softly in the dimness of the room. Shutting her eyes close, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Calix immediately lay on the bed, pulling the blanket up. He didn’t have the time to lament losing a private moment with Leslie alone tonight as he also quickly fell asleep.

In the beginning, only rhythmic faint breathing echoed in the quiet bedroom as the three people lay sleeping on the bed.

The child was the only restless one. She tossed and turned on the bed, kicking off the blanket in the process. She eventually calmed down as she scooted closer to her mother.

Without anyone noticing it, the man’s face contorted in his sleep. He didn’t make any major movement yet, his troubled expression conveyed the nightmare chasing him.

Until...

"H-hah!"

Calix abruptly opened his eyes. Cold sweat broke on his back. Frightened, he sensed his entire body shivering. His erratic heartbeat almost exploded in his chest.

"What... was that?"

Shaking his head, Calix pushed himself forward to sit on the bed. Gasping, his ragged breathing sounded eerie in the quiet bedroom.

Calix grasped the blanket, unconsciously balling the fabric in his fists. His shaky pupils looked randomly around the room.

The chills from his dream—nightmare—just now still terrified him.

"Did I..." Calix took in a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he uttered to himself, "...just die?"