Chapter 729 Catch the child’s attention

Karmen stepped out of the car with a thin file tucked neatly under his arm. The mansion’s grand doors opened before him, and he walked inside with his usual composed stride.

The moment he entered the living room, he slowed.

Katelyn was sitting on the couch, playing with Noah. The little boy lay comfortably against her lap while she gently held his tiny hands, occasionally tickling his fingers to make him laugh. Soft giggles filled the room.

Karmen paused for a second before greeting her.

“Your Highness.”

At the sound of his voice, Katelyn looked up. Her face instantly brightened.

“Karmen!” she exclaimed warmly.

She lifted Noah slightly into her lap so he could look behind her. The child tilted his head back curiously, his wide eyes settling on Karmen’s face as if he were carefully studying the familiar figure.

“I’m glad you finally arrived,” Katelyn said, standing up from the couch. “I actually have something to give you. Wait here for a moment.”

Before walking away, she glanced at Noah and then back at Karmen.

“Will you hold him for a few minutes?” she asked.

Karmen hesitated for only a fraction of a second.

“Yeah… sure,” he replied, though he already braced himself for the possibility that Noah might start crying the moment he left Katelyn’s arms.

He placed the file he had been carrying onto the nearby table and carefully took Noah from her.

To his surprise, the baby didn’t cry at all.

Instead, Noah simply stared at him with quiet curiosity, his dark eyes fixed intently on Karmen’s face as if trying to understand who he was.

Katelyn smiled at the scene before turning and walking down the hallway.

Left alone with the child, Karmen shifted Noah slightly in his arms and looked down at him.

“Come on,” he said softly, attempting a playful tone. “Say ’uncle.’”

Noah didn’t respond.

Instead, he calmly brought his thumb to his mouth and began sucking on it, still gazing at Karmen with the same thoughtful expression.

“Where are your mom and dad, hm?” Karmen asked softly, looking down at the child in his arms.

Noah seemed to catch one familiar word.

“Mama?” he babbled, pulling his thumb out of his mouth before letting out a cheerful giggle.

A line of saliva glistened around his lips from the thumb-sucking. Karmen immediately reached into his pocket, pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief, and gently wiped Noah’s mouth.

“You’re making quite a mess there, little one,” he murmured with a faint smile.

Just then, a deep voice echoed across the living room.

“Karmen, you’re holding Noah? I thought Katelyn was the one taking care of him.”

Both Karmen and Noah looked toward the staircase.

Gabriel was descending the stairs with Amelie beside him. He was dressed formally, clearly ready to leave for the office.

The moment Noah saw him, his entire expression lit up.

“Papa!”

He immediately began wriggling in Karmen’s arms, his little legs kicking eagerly as he tried to lean toward Gabriel. His tiny hands stretched forward while his face twisted in determination, clearly trying to escape Karmen’s hold.

“Hey, hey—what’s going on?” Karmen laughed, tightening his grip slightly so the boy wouldn’t slip. He looked down at Noah with amusement. “Why is he acting like this?”

“Because he wants to be in his papa’s arms,” Gabriel replied with a small smile.

He stepped closer and gently lifted Noah out of Karmen’s hold.

The moment Noah settled against Gabriel’s chest, he quieted instantly, wrapping his tiny arms around his father’s neck as if he had finally reached the place he wanted all along.

“Karmen, you seem to be glowing these days,” Amelie said with a playful smile as she looked at him.

“What? Me?” Karmen let out a light laugh, clearly amused by the comment.

“It’s the glow of being in love,” Gabriel added teasingly, shifting Noah comfortably in his arms as he gave his friend a knowing look.

Karmen didn’t respond to the teasing right away. The smile on his face lingered as his gaze moved past them toward the hallway.

Katelyn and Sage were walking toward him.

Both of them looked calm yet excited, the quiet kind of happiness that often surrounded people preparing for a major step in life.

When they reached him, Sage spoke first.

“Katelyn and I are getting married next week,” he announced warmly. “This is a small gift from us.”

He gestured toward Katelyn, who was holding a neatly wrapped box. She stepped forward and handed it to Karmen with a gentle smile.

“The invitation cards aren’t ready yet,” Sage continued, glancing briefly at Katelyn before looking back at Karmen. “But they should be prepared by this evening or tomorrow morning.”

Karmen accepted the box with both hands.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. Then his expression softened with genuine happiness for them. “And congratulations to both of you on your upcoming marriage.”

“Thank you,” Sage and Katelyn replied at the same time, exchanging a brief glance before smiling.

Just then, Gabriel shifted Noah slightly in his arms and looked down at him.

“Noah, go to your mama now,” he said softly. “Daddy is getting late for the office.

He kissed the boy’s forehead before carefully passing him into Amelie’s arms. Noah’s tiny fingers instinctively tried to cling to Gabriel’s collar, but his grip was too weak to hold on for long.

The moment he realized he was no longer in his father’s arms, his face scrunched up.

A second later, loud wailing filled the living room.

Amelie gently adjusted Noah against her chest, rocking him slowly as she patted his back.

“Karmen, you and Gabriel should leave now,” she said calmly while continuing to soothe the crying child.

Gabriel, however, looked visibly unsettled.

“But Noah is crying,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of panic as he watched his son struggle in Amelie’s arms.

Amelie glanced at him and gave a small, reassuring smile.

“He’ll keep crying if you stay around,” she said gently. “Let him learn.”

Gabriel hesitated where he stood, clearly reluctant to leave.

“I’ll be back soon, Noah,” he said softly, trying to keep his voice steady. “Don’t trouble your mother.”

He lifted his hand and waved gently.

Noah, still sniffling, looked up in his direction. Large tears clung to his lashes, and the sight made Gabriel’s chest tighten painfully. For a moment, he nearly gave in to the urge to stay behind.

He could have postponed the meeting. He could have stayed and held his son until he calmed down.

But responsibility held him back. His duties were not something he could ignore.

Just then, Sage stepped forward, sensing Gabriel’s hesitation.

“Noah, look,” he said lightly, picking up a small yellow duck toy from the couch. “Your toy is waiting for you.”

He wiggled the toy gently to catch the child’s attention.

The distraction worked.

Seeing Noah’s focus slowly shift toward the toy gave Gabriel the small opportunity he needed. Taking advantage of the moment, he turned and walked toward the entrance with Karmen, who had already picked up the file from the table.

A few minutes later, they were seated inside the car.

As the vehicle began moving, Gabriel leaned back slightly and exhaled.

“I’ve never felt the urge to put my work aside before,” he admitted quietly. “But ever since Noah came into my life… I keep wanting to focus on him all the time.”

Karmen listened without interrupting.

“But you can’t neglect your duties for too long,” he said calmly. He placed the file on Gabriel’s lap.

“The new proposal from the Blood Dominion,” he explained. “They want to start a trade partnership with you.”