Adorable Kids Asking for Bear Hug novel Chapter 280

A thorough check was carried out on Denise's body.

After making sure that there weren't any other injuries, both Kenneth and Natasha could finally relax slightly.

Denise was then transferred over to the general ward after the checkup. Because of her high fever, she was muttering in her sleep.

“Daddy... Nat...”

“I'm so hungry and cold...”

“Please come and save me, Daddy...”

She kept muttering those words over and over again while her body broke out into a sweat. Natasha had a grim look on her face as she wiped Denise's body with a cloth. Kenneth, with red-rimmed eyes, was standing by the side as he looked at his daughter.

There seemed to be a sword stabbing his heart every time Denise called him “Daddy.”

Kenneth couldn't imagine how much Denise had longed for him to save her while she was stranded on the mountain for two days and two nights alone.

He did not want to imagine how scared, how cold, and how hungry she must have been.

Upon thinking of that, Kenneth clenched his fists as a murderous aura rolled off his body.

“Take good care of Denise,” he said as he got up, ready to leave.

Somehow knowing what Kenneth was about to do, Natasha suddenly spoke up. “When Denise wakes up, the first person she would want to see is you.”

Kenneth instantly halted in his tracks.

Natasha lowered her gaze while a soft smile appeared on her lips. “It's clear that Denise relies on you more than she ever did on me, Kenneth.”

The man turned around the look at Natasha and then at the young girl on the bed. He smiled bitterly. “So what? I'm not a good father. I can't even protect my own daughter.”

Natasha stood up and met his eyes. “That's what you think. To Denise, you're the best father to her.”

Denise grew up with her since she was a baby. Then, she had always been taking care of herself after she was older. There were even times when Denise was the one looking after Natasha instead. Natasha had never seen Denise being so dependent on someone, so when she saw Denise hugging Kenneth and calling him “Daddy”, she instantly understood that no matter how mature they acted, they were still kids. They needed someone to rely on and to protect them. In fact, Denise needed someone to lean on, and Kenneth was her sanctuary.

Kenneth smiled coldly at her words. “Even so, it doesn't change the fact that I wasn't able to protect her.”

Natasha's eyes were still calm as she replied, “Kenneth, we will never be able to expect when bad people decide to strike us. There's no need for us to blame ourselves just because of others' mistakes.”

Upon hearing that, Kenneth stared at Natasha with a surprised look in his eyes. “Are you comforting me?”

“I'm just telling you the truth.”

However, her words seemed to have knocked some sense into Kenneth. He looked at the frail figure on the bed and soon calmed down. However, his eyes were still as gloomy as ever.

“Denise... called me 'Daddy',” Kenneth said.

It was the first time Denise called him that.

Only the heavens knew how Kenneth felt then. He badly wanted to take her place to go through all the suffering and would do anything as long as Denise was safe.

Natasha was surprised at that. She thought that Kenneth did not care about it, but she never expected him to be so touched by Denise calling him “Daddy”.

She cast her gaze downward for a moment before looking back at him. “They have been calling you that in private. It's because of me that they did not address you that way in public.”

“I know,” Kenneth replied.

“So, don't let them down. I can see that not only Denise but both Benjamin and Anthony depend on you a lot.” Natasha's eyes were still as calm as ever.

Hmm, why is she acting so differently now?

If it were before, Natasha would have mocked him, as she was afraid that Kenneth would steal her kids away from her. However, she did not act that way at all. There even seemed to be some hidden meaning in her words.

It was as if she was trying to tell him something.