Melissa chuckled, taking Olivia by the arm and pulling her forward.

With a grin, Melissa explained, “Jessie had some urgent business to attend to. Jeslyn asked her to bake a cake together. Since Albert isn't around, Jeslyn wanted Jessie to spend Christmas with her."

Olivia wrinkled her nose and remarked, “Jessie actually bought that? If Albert and Jeslyn tried to sell Jessie, she'd probably even tally up the cash for them."

Melissa simply lowered her head, smiling quietly without adding to the conversation.

Albert was indeed away on a business trip, though it remained uncertain whether he would return that very night.

Losing interest in the topic, Olivia shifted gears, leaning in close and speaking in a hushed tone, “When I arrived here earlier, I noticed."

Marcus shot Olivia a glance and tossed an orange her way, signaling for her to keep quiet.

Olivia got the message and promptly clamped her mouth shut.

It wasn't hard to notice Leonel's frequent presence outside, occurring almost every other day. It was as clear as day.

Recognizing her blunder, Olivia quickly silenced herself and surreptitiously looked at Alexis. Alexis remained composed, engrossed in a fashion magazine, with Evelyn seated beside her, busy with her handcraft. Evelyn's hearing had nearly returned to normal recently.

Olivia felt a surge of emotion, grateful that Alexis and Evelyn were doing well despite the circumstances.

Marcus tossed another orange Olivia's way and then selected a Large one for himself. He peeled it and placed it in Melissa's hand. While Melissa wasn't particularly fond of oranges, Marcus observed, "Your lips seem a bit dry. You should get some Vitamin C."

Even if Melissa found his gesture childish, she still maintained respect for him in front of the others.

Their daughter, Kiana, toddled over to Marcus with the help of the sofa, flashing a toothy smile. She was undeniably adorable.

Kiana, eager for a bite, joined in, prompting Marcus to call out, “Matthew, why don't you peel an orange for your sister?"

Observing the scene, Waylen couldn't help but feel that Melissa was definitely the only one who could tolerate Marcus' quirky nature.

Before long, Marcus and Melissa left with Matthew and Kiana in tow.

As they left, flakes of snow began to drift down from the night sky, thankfully not falling too heavily. The snowflakes danced gently, filling the air with a serene beauty.

Although Melissa longed to experience the snowfall firsthand, the children were already in the car. Instead, she watched the snow through the window as they drove away.

"Marcus, look! It's snowing!" Melissa exclaimed.