While smirking knowingly, Cassidy thought of an idea on how to mess with Adrian for a bit.

Since he just said that he's here to take a break, she might as well make him see how taking a break was really supposed to be. He probably thinks that feeding them will be enough to get it done. Knowing him, he must have not even thought to have fun like them.

​​

"So then, what are you going to do after you call people to set up our picnic?" Cassidy asked with a sly look on her face.

"Watch you from here and make sure you don't drown or get eaten by a shark?" Adrian answered while crossing his arms.

"Hmph... I thought so."

"Huh?"

Not letting her husband question her anything any longer, she proceeds to walk closer to him and take both of his hands. She then beams at him, taking him aback. Their nephews only watch in puzzlement as she starts walking backward and pulling him all the way off the shore.

Since she's staring at him with such a soft smile on, he can't help but zero in on her and looks back straight in her eyes. Thinking that it's unusual of her to initiate physical contact like this, he just lets her drag him away. At this point, he's more than willing to let her take him anywhere she wants to.

He then ends up focusing on her and nothing else -

Not even the ocean water that's pooling around their feet and slowly reaching their ankles.

"You know what I want, bossman?" Cassidy asked with a honeyed tone, sending sweet chills down his spines.

"What?" Adrian blurted out with a dazed expression, too captivated by her beauty to suspect anything.

"This!"

That's when the unprecedented happened.

Gathering her strength, Cassidy went ahead and grabbed Adrian by his arm before turning around with the speed of lightning. She then unceremoniously lifted him up and flipped him over her shoulder, causing his back to land flat on the water and earning a loud yelp from him.

He and his nephews are shell-shocked beyond belief.

None of them uttered a word, and only her triumphant fit of laughter filled the air at that moment.

Damien and his brothers are frozen on their spots. They certainly didn't expect this scene. Much like how their relationship somehow reversed, their uncle was also literally put in a reversed position by their aunt - a sight they never even dared to imagine.

"There you go~! Now that you're all wet, you have no choice but to join us for a swim...!" Cassidy proudly declared, feeling like she just did something bad yet extraordinarily genius.

"Let's have you experience some good fun for once-"

"As I thought, I should really get used to how you always trick and trip me over just to get your hands on what you want..." Adrian suddenly cut her off while looking ominous and sounding gravelly serious, much to her nonplus.

"I see now... If you want it that badly, I'll play with you."

"U-Uhhh... B-Bossman...?"

Only then did Cassidy realize that despite how Adrian looked and sounded, he was smirking mischievously the whole time.

Without a warning, he rose back up on his feet in an instant and encircled her waist with both of his arms. Startled by his retaliation, she screeches out loud in surprise as he lifts her up and puts her on his shoulder. Once again, she finds herself being carried like a potato bag.

"Hey! What do you think you're-"

"My wife is fond of using violence on me just to get a simple message crossed, so I'll be teaching her a very important swimming lesson..." Adrian trailed off with a taunting look and tone.

"One that will also teach her how to use words instead of violence."

Wanting a payback for that stunt she pulled, he continued to carry her on his shoulder and drag her further into the water. All the while, she keeps demanding him to put her down. She thrashes about and kicks her feet around, desperately wanting to break free.

As soon as the water reaches Adrian's waist, lots of sloshing and swashing begin. Cassidy is able to retaliate again as she continues to kick her feet against the water with brute force, splashing it all over his face.

With that, a childish water fight breaks out between them.

"Noooooo...!!! Uncle Bossman's taking Aunty away...!!!" Hugo cried out in distress, already close to tearing up as he watched how his uncle carried his aunt like a captive.

"Let's make Uncle Bossman stop, brother! Aunty might drown!"

"I think it's gonna be fine, Hugo. You're getting the wrong idea," Damien reassured him with a strained smile, still feeling flummoxed by the scene himself.

"Brother Damien, is that what they call flirting?" Joshua asked with a flat expression, making him jolt in surprise for a second.

"Is flirting's the same with fighting?" their youngest brother asked back.

"Maybe? Haven't done it with you guys before, though."

"What's flirting about to begin with?"

"I'm not sure. That's why I'm asking our big brother."

All the eldest can do is sigh at this.

His brothers just keep eyeing him expectantly at the same time, waiting patiently for his answer. Though he knows what they're talking about, he's not about to say it. For him, flirting is an act that's embarrassing to even imagine.

But now that Damien is seeing something like that as their uncle and aunt's water fight carries on before them, he doesn't feel embarrassed at all. Instead, the way Adrian treats Cassidy like a real lover for once is confusing him so much. He finds it hard to believe.

Unlike before, his uncle is forgiving and understanding. He even goes ahead and takes part in her mischievous game, carrying an affectionate and gentle air around him all the while. It's as if entertaining his wife's whimsical wants and antics has become one of his top priorities now.

In the past, Cassidy couldn't even make an advance on Adrian without earning his cold look first.

'Seriously? Has Uncle really started... liking Aunt back...?' Damien grimaced bitterly, finding that possibility as far from relieving since it could be against the rules of things.

'But Aunt said that she... And there's still that one with Ms. Sophie.'

"Big brother...?" Hugo suddenly called for him, making him snap out of his train of thoughts.

"Uncle Bossman and Aunty are calling for us to go there. Brother Joshua already went ahead."

That's when Damien looks back at their direction and finds Cassidy beckoning the two of them over. It appears like their water fight is already over, and so is Adrian's revenge on his wife.

Joshua is rushing there now, looking so excited to join them that he just leaves his stalling brothers behind. It really is an exciting invitation since Adrian himself is now willing to join the fun. He has even gotten rid of his top and is now shirtless.

At that very moment, Damien realizes that it's been a very long while since they have such a lively outing like this.

"Come on, brother! I still need to practice swimming with Aunty!" Hugo enthused with an ear-splitting grin on his face, eager to join them.

"Alright, alright. Just leave your floatie this time," Damien replied before taking his hand and bringing him back to the ocean with him.

From that point, the couple and their nephews proceed to enjoy themselves.

At first, the three boys didn't know what to expect from their uncle at this kind of scenario. It's their first time swimming with him, after all. But then, he turns out to be quite a pleasant companion even in this type of setting.

What's more, they get to see this ever austere uncle of theirs smile more often than usual - which he does ever so genuinely whenever he's talking and looking at their aunt.

"By the way, I could have been carrying my phone in my pocket earlier, you know. Good thing I left it near your belongings. What would you do if it got broken again?" Adrian chided his wife after recalling that he still had to make a call for their picnic.

"Uhhhhh... Buy you a new one?" Cassidy asked a little nervously, appalled by the thought that she could've indeed smashed his phone into smithereens with that stunt.

"With my card?"

"Of course~!"

"Seriously, you..."

Sighing, he just furrowed his brows at her and acted all annoyed, though his endeared smile never left his face. That's their nephew pushed himself in between them and embraced her all of the sudden, crashing into her chest at the same time.

"Uncle Bossman, please don't scold Aunty anymore," Hugo pleaded while squeezing his aunt tightly.

"He's not scolding me, though?" Cassidy told him with a smile, never getting tired of being endeared by his innocent gestures.

"But Uncle sounds and looks angry."

"He's just grumpy as always."

While the two just continue hugging each other and acting all chummy, Adrian keeps a sharp and envious gaze on how Hugo seems to be hogging the softness of his wife's chest all to himself.