Mika then realized Charlotte by his side needed the same treatment. She was just like her mother and could easily be swayed when it came to affection from him.
But before he could even turn to offer her the same calculated affection—Charlotte surprised him.
She pushed forward, gently pulling his shoulder until he looked at her, then pointed a still-wet finger at herself.
"W-What about me, Mika?" She asked, her voice tight with hopeful anticipation. "You love me as well, right? You love me, just as much as you love Mama?"
Her eyes searched his, not with jealousy or accusation, but with earnest vulnerability.
And she knew exactly what Mika was doing.
She wasn't stupid. She could see through the game, the sweet-talking, the careful deflection.
But right now?
She didn't care. She just wanted to be included. To be loved.
