Chapter 609: Activating Dog-Slaughtering Mode

“Ian can’t hold you!” Candy said, exasperated. She pulled Sweetie into her arms. “If you keep this up, Ian is going to leave!”

Sweetie pulled her hand back, her big, dark eyes still fixed on Ian Monroe.

“Come in, everyone, have a seat.” Candy welcomed them in, holding Sweetie.

“Wow, what a spread!” Jasper Rockwell’s eyes immediately landed on the various candies on the table. He picked one up and offered it to Ian Monroe. “Ian, want one?”

“No,” Ian Monroe refused flatly, sitting in a corner of the sofa and trying to minimize his presence.

Melody Monroe walked over to Candy and took out the gift she had prepared.

“This is a birthday present for Sweetie.”

Candy took it and opened it. “Wow, it’s so beautiful! Sweetie, do you like it?”

Sweetie was clearly more interested in the box. She took it with her soft little hands and repeatedly opened and closed it.

“Thank you, Melody. This gift is too extravagant. I’ll hold onto it for Sweetie for now.”

“I didn’t know what to buy. I thought about it for a long time before I finally picked this.”

“You really spoil Sweetie too much.”

“Well, that’s because Sweetie is so adorable.” Melody Monroe pinched Sweetie’s cheek.

“I’ve prepared some food. Help yourselves to whatever you like, don’t be shy. Come on, Melody, sit for a bit.”

Melody Monroe sat down next to Ian Monroe and pointed at the things on the table. “What do you want to eat, Ian? Mom will get it for you.”

“Are we having cake later?”

“Yes,” Melody Monroe nodded.

“Then I’ll just wait and have some cake.”

“Okay.” Melody Monroe nodded.

“Earlier today at my in-laws’ place, we laid out a bunch of things for Sweetie to do the traditional first-birthday grab,” Candy said to her guests while arranging the food. “But she wouldn’t cooperate at all and didn’t pick anything. I’ve set it up again, so I don’t know if she’ll grab something this time.”

Hearing this, Melody Monroe’s smile stiffened.

‘Ian never had a first-birthday grab.’

“I didn’t think you’d be back so soon,” Shawn Fisher said to Evan Fairchild.

“I didn’t come back just for a birthday party.”

“I’d be disappointed if you actually did come back just for my daughter’s birthday party.”

“Shawn Fisher, what are you still sitting there for? Hold Sweetie.”

Shawn Fisher immediately stood up and took Sweetie. Her big, pretty eyes kept darting toward Ian Monroe, and she periodically reached out her small hands, wanting to go to him.

“Alright, it’s all ready. Some of these are from my in-laws’, and I’ve added a few more. Surely there’s something here Sweetie will like, right?” Candy said, arranging all the items for the birthday grab.

Everyone looked at the items on the table and couldn’t help but laugh.

“What is this?” Jasper Rockwell pointed to a rice cooker paddle, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

“That’s what Sweetie usually loves to play with. Jasper, you don’t get it. You think kids like to play with building blocks and toys, but what she really likes are pots, pans, shampoo bottles, and things like that.”

After hearing this, Jasper Rockwell looked to his left at Shawn Fisher’s family of three.

Then he looked to his right at Evan Fairchild’s family of three.

‘And then there was him, the lone single guy.’

‘Suddenly, the candy in his mouth didn’t taste sweet anymore.’

‘He shouldn’t have come. Was he invited just so they could flaunt their happy family lives in his single face? This is rough. So rough!’

“Come here, Sweetie. Come to Mommy. Let’s pick something you like from the table, okay?” Candy said, picking Sweetie up and guiding her little hand over the items.