The Billionaire Twins Need A New Mommy! - Chapter 343

Chapter 343: Before The Big Day
[Young Residence]

Melissa watched as everyone busily prepared for the big day — her engagement party. Tomorrow was the event itself, yet the house was already in full motion. However, the smile on her face faltered slightly as a thought crossed her mind.

“Melissa!” Jasmine’s voice echoed from across the room. “Dear, what are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be leaving for your hotel by now?”

Melissa turned to her mother with a faint frown. Seeing her expression, Jasmine’s own softened with concern as she stepped closer.

“What is it, dear?” Jasmine asked. “Is something wrong?”

“Mom, tomorrow is my engagement party… but Dad still isn’t here.” A light sigh escaped Melissa’s lips. “Will he miss my engagement?”

“Of course not!” Jasmine quickly held her daughter’s hand. “Melissa, your father may be busy with the company, but he would never miss your special day.”

“But it’s been weeks since he left. Have you heard from him?”

No, Jasmine hadn’t. Lawrence hadn’t answered her calls nor responded to any of her messages.

“Of course,” Jasmine lied smoothly, nodding. “Your father and I have been through worse. Even when he’s upset, he still loves you. He won’t miss your big day.”

Melissa studied her mother’s reassuring smile, still unsure. “Really?”

“Yes! I’ll call him again later — or maybe visit his office,” Jasmine promised, patting her hand. “Don’t worry about anything else. Tomorrow is your day, Melissa. Just focus on yourself, alright?”

Her mother’s words eventually soothed her, and Melissa let herself be guided to the waiting car. Jasmine waved as it drove away, but once the vehicle neared the gates, her smile slipped.

“Lawrence…” she muttered, curling her hands into fists. “Are you really that heartless?”

Jasmine had been preoccupied with her own plans lately. She told herself she wouldn’t worry about Lawrence anymore. She needed to secure herself and Melissa first, just in case. But deep down, she still hoped he would come to his senses.

The longer he stayed away, though, the more her resolve hardened.

*****

Meanwhile, Melissa sat quietly in the backseat, her lips pressed together. She glanced back through the window to see her mother already walking back into the house.

Once the car passed the gates, she turned toward the driver. “Before we head to the hotel, I’d like to stop by LL Construction first.”

The driver met her gaze through the rearview mirror, then nodded silently. Without a word, he adjusted course. Melissa leaned back against the seat, releasing a long sigh.

It wasn’t that she didn’t believe her mother — she did. But worry gnawed at her anyway. She knew her parents weren’t doing well, but as their daughter, she still hoped they would reconcile before her engagement. She wanted reassurance from Lawrence. The kind only a father could give.

*****

Melissa expected to find her father simply overworked. Maybe he was too busy to answer calls or come home. That would have been acceptable. But what she found instead left her speechless.

Standing at the office doorway, she scanned the scene. Beer bottles and cans littered the coffee table, his blazers were strewn across the furniture, and half-eaten takeout boxes covered every available surface.

And there he was — Lawrence — slumped on the couch, asleep, unshaven, and disheveled.

If not for the documents and office equipment, she would have thought she’d walked into a bachelor’s apartment.

“What is this…” she whispered, closing the door behind her. Disappointment flickered across her face, though concern quickly took over her eyes.

Stepping closer, she picked up one of his blazers, only to grimace at the sour smell.

“How can he run a company like this?” she muttered, glancing down at him. Up close, she could see the dark circles under his eyes, the uneven beard, and the general neglect.

She drew a deep breath, unsure whether to wake him or leave quietly. Before she could decide, Lawrence moved with a groan, his brows knitting together.

“Ugh…” He slowly blinked his eyes open and winced as a sharp throb pulsed in his head. Raising a hand to his temple, he muttered, “Damn it…”

Forcing himself upright, he froze when he saw a figure standing nearby. He squinted — one eye still half-closed — before realization struck him like thunder.

“Melissa?”

Melissa frowned lightly. “Dad.”

They stared at each other in silence. When he finally processed that this wasn’t a dream, panic kicked in.

“Ah—!” Lawrence scrambled to his feet, hastily collecting bottles and trash. “I’m sorry. I just had a long night and drank a little too much to relax.”

Melissa watched quietly as her father rushed around, trying to tidy the chaos. When he looked back at her, he forced a strained smile.

“Why don’t you take a seat first?” he offered, only to realize there wasn’t a clean one available. He awkwardly cleared one of the chairs before motioning for her to sit. “I’ll just clean this up, okay?”

“…”

She said nothing, but sat down anyway, watching him move around the room. It was the first time she’d ever seen her father like this, and her worry began to outweigh her disappointment.

“Dad,” she called softly.

“This will be quick,” he muttered, cutting her off as he called for his assistant to clear the trash.

Unfortunately, his “quick” wasn’t quick at all. He made several calls, gathered up the mess, and even went to the bathroom to wash his face before finally returning.

When he sat back down, the room was a little tidier and his forced smile a little brighter. Yet, the neglect he had done to himself was still clearly visible.

“Melissa, I didn’t know you’d come today,” he said lightly. “I know this looks bad, but I wasn’t drinking every day. It’s just that last night, I—”

“My engagement is tomorrow, Dad.” Melissa’s voice cut through his excuses like a knife. “Did you forget?”

Lawrence froze. His silence was enough of an answer, though.

“You did forget, didn’t you?” She whispered, and the look on his face told her everything.

He did forget one of the most important things in her life. And somehow, her disappointment weighed heavily now than it ever did. As for Lawrence, his heart felt heavy, seeing the pain in his daughter’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, Melissa.”