The cottage exuded a rustic charm, its weathered stone walls covered in creeping ivy that had grown thick over the years. Standing two stories tall, it had a steeply pitched roof with dark, aged shingles that contrasted against the soft hues of the stone. Flower boxes brimming with vibrant blooms adorned each of the windows. Your next read awaits at m v|l-e’-NovelFire.net

A narrow cobblestone path led from where the cars had landed to the front door.

It might not rival the grand mansions and manors of the Grimaldi family, but Anthony could feel the love and care that had been poured into maintaining it. His sons seemed to share his thoughts, all of them thinking, ‘So this is where Emmaline—where Emmy—had lived for the past 20 years or so.’

The one who broke their silent appreciation was none other than Nicol.

“Wow! The house is so pretty!” he exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder. “It looks like something out of a storybook!”

“I think so too,” Astrid said with a smile.

Wulfric gazed at Aster’s smile, then shifted his attention to the house before them. When they first met, he hadn’t paid much attention to this place. His mind was too preoccupied with getting under Aster’s skin. But now, seeing the house clearly, he had to admit—just like the kid had said—it was actually quite pretty.

Aster’s smile, filled with nostalgia and pride as he spoke about the house, revealed just how many happy memories he must have cherished here. It made Wulfric wonder if he should build a similar house in Alluna once they were married, creating a place where they could forge their own memories together.

If everyone there heard what Wulfric was thinking, they would definitely think he was living up to his reputation as a crazy guy. What do you mean by ‘marry’? The two of you were not even in a relationship yet!

“Is this where Brother Aster grew up?” Nicol asked, looking up at Astrid with excitement sparkling in his eyes.

Astrid nodded with a smile. “Yes, your Brother Reas and I both grew up here.”

Nicol glanced at Reas with reluctance, as if he couldn’t avoid admitting that Reas had also grown up alongside Astrid.

This brat. Reas could only shake his head as he stepped forward toward the door. He didn’t bother knocking; his parents never locked the door, anyway. Being the only house in the vicinity, they felt secure in their close-knit community and trusted their neighbors completely. Besides, if any stranger dared to break in, his father would have no trouble taking them down.

And that wasn’t even considering the security measures built into the house.

Aside from his father, who was very serious about that kind of thing, to the point of transforming the house into some kind of fortress pretending to be a fairy tale cottage, Uncle Leigh also helped a little. And that ‘little’ help was already enough to completely transform this house into a safe place.

The only reason Reas could easily open the door and enter was that the house’s facial recognition system identified him as one of the owners. Since he was the first to enter, those following behind were automatically granted access as well. However, if the security system detected that he was being coerced into opening the door, gaining entry wouldn’t have been so simple.

“Is it alright to just go inside?” Casey asked worriedly.

Astrid responded with a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. I’ll take you to the drawing room while Reas calls Mom and Dad.”

The twins moved in perfect sync, as if they had planned their actions in advance. Astrid led the group to a drawing room, while Reas headed deeper into the house, likely to call their parents.

Walking inside, this time, Anthony marveled at the house’s interior.

As Anthony stepped inside, he took in the house’s interior. The whimsical charm of the exterior carried through into the drawing room, where the design was simple but welcoming. The walls were painted in soft, earthy tones, and large windows allowed natural light to fill the space.

A comfortable sofa, along with a pair of armchairs, was arranged around a stone fireplace that looked like it had seen many evenings of warmth. A large, woven rug that added a touch of color to the room covered the wooden floor. On the mantel above the fireplace, there were a few family photos and small, meaningful objects, giving the room a personal touch.

The room had a straightforward, lived-in feeling, making it clear that this was more than just a house—it was a home.

A home that his daughter had created for herself. Sёarch* The Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Without them.

Anthony closed his eyes tightly, trying to steady the storm of emotions swirling inside him. Facing his daughter like this wouldn’t be wise.

He took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he tried to compose himself. It had been 20 long years since he last saw his daughter, and the weight of those years pressed heavily on his heart. The mistake he had made back then, the decision that tore them apart, haunted him every day.

Now, standing just moments away from seeing her again, the fear of what she might say—of how she might look at him—was almost too much to bear.

But he knew he couldn’t avoid this moment. He had to face her, to try to make amends for the pain he had caused. With one last deep breath, Anthony opened his eyes, determined to meet whatever came next with as much courage as he could muster.

“Please, everyone, take a seat,” Astrid told them.

Just as everyone was about to sit down, the door to the drawing room opened once again. The first one to walk inside was Reas. And then followed by a tall man with shaggy brown hair. An eyepatch covered one of his eyes. Behind him walked in a petite woman with long ice-blue hair and a pair of sapphire blue eyes.

At that moment, Anthony, Thomas, and Casey were rooted to the spot, their eyes fixed on her as if time itself had paused.

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