“Of course I can,” Pharaoh laughed, feeling a lightness he hadn’t felt in a while. “I could change one in the morning, another at night, no problem at all.” He had been bothered by losing his hair, but talking with Orion and seeing his grandson’s bright eyes filled with excitement made him feel at ease. Who cares about hair? With the right wig, he could still be the coolest grandpa around.“That would be so awesome! Grandpa, you have to pick me up from school sometime with a cool wig on. All the kids would be so jealous,” Orion exclaimed, barely containing his excitement at the thought.Watching the lively conversation between her son and father, Nina couldn’t help but laugh. The way they were enjoying themselves reminded her just how playful grandparents could be, almost like “big kids” themselves.Meanwhile, little Gemma babbled, wanting to join in, though neither Orion nor Pharaoh could understand her baby talk. Pharaoh immediately lifted her into his arms. “Oh, my little pri
Freya held Gemma gently, humming a lullaby as she rocked her. Gemma let out a small yawn, reached up to grip Freya’s collar, and fell asleep in her arms. Freya immediately froze, not daring to move an inch for fear of waking her.She even mouthed to Nina, “I got the baby to sleep!”Nina just smiled. She could tell Freya had put real effort into learning how to soothe a child, and with Gemma being such an easygoing baby, the experience had clearly delighted her. After holding her a little longer, Freya reluctantly laid Gemma down.Meanwhile, Pharaoh exchanged a few words with Micah before getting to the point. “You two came all this way. You’ve seen me, and that’s what matters. Have dinner here tonight, rest up, and head back tomorrow.”Micah gave a resigned smile. “We barely got here and have been here less than half an hour, and you’re already trying to send us off?” He understood Pharaoh’s intention. It was his father’s way of being considerate, not wanting to take up their tim
Pharaoh finally nodded in agreement.Now settled in the VIP room, he had double the space of his previous room, complete with a private bathroom and a small kitchenette. There was no gas line, but they could use an electric cooker for meals. The room also included a separate section with a five-foot bed, designed for family members staying over, providing convenience and privacy.Freya brought in their luggage, settling in for the next few days. Nina helped them get organized, preparing to head home with the kids. With things in order for Pharaoh and Micah here, she could breathe a bit easier. It was time to finally address that organization. They had caused enough harm to innocent children and families. It was time they faced consequences.“I’ll be back soon,” Nina said, picking up Gemma and holding Orion’s hand as they left the room. Freya watched them go with longing, hoping she, too, would soon experience the joy of holding her own child. She didn’t care if it was a boy or
At dinner, the three of them shared stories and laughs, with Nash recounting a few lighthearted moments from work. Orion was captivated, putting his utensils down and, in a grown-up tone, declared, “When I grow up, I want to be like Dad, have my own company, make lots of money, and take care of the people I care about.”Nash smiled, encouraging his son’s ambition. “When you’re a bit older, you can come intern at the company.”His hope was to pass the business on to Orion and Gemma, caring little about tradition or gender. If either of his children showed interest in taking on the family business, he would fully support them. And if they chose a different path, he and Nina would back them just the same.Orion shook his head resolutely. “No, I want to start my own company. If you can do it, Dad, I can too!”Nina chuckled, seeing the determination in Orion’s expression. She gave him a thumbs-up, cheering him on, “That’s the spirit, sweetheart! I know you can do it.”After dinner, O
“That's because you're such a good teacher,” Nina replied simply, ending the call.After a quick wash and breakfast, she took Orion and Gemma to the hospital. When they arrived, they found Micah deep in conversation with Pharaoh, seeking his advice.The moment Nina walked in, Freya rushed over, saying, “Let me hold Gemma!”Nina checked in on Pharaoh’s condition, then shared a glance with Micah. He understood immediately, and together they slipped into a side room.Once the door closed, Nina updated him on the mission. “Nash and I are flying out today to take down the Shadow organization. It’s a multinational crime ring involving children, with deep, devastating impacts.”Children are the future of a nation. Kids like Hope, if raised by their biological parents or placed in foster care, would at least have a chance at a normal life. But with that organization, she was being forced into terrible things at such a young age. Who knew what kind of person she would become as she grew up
The bodyguard behind quickly complied, opening the cage door with a rough tug and yanking Hope out. She tried to resist, but the man slapped her hard, knocking her to the ground. Her head was spinning, and she couldn’t utter a word.“Enough noise,” the man in the mask muttered, rubbing his temples. “Shadow One, what did you find out from the investigation I assigned you?”“Micah is already in Birkham, and Nina and Nash are on their way,” Shadow One reported, relaying all the intel he’d gathered.The man in the mask nodded in satisfaction. “And the woman I asked you to prepare, is she ready?”Receiving a confirmed answer, his lips curled into a smirk. It was time for the next act to begin.……Meanwhile, Nina and Nash had just landed after several hours in the air. As they moved toward baggage claim, a sudden commotion erupted ahead. A throng of people surged toward their direction, causing Nash to instinctively grab Nina’s hand. But the crowd was thick, pressing in from all si
Nash agreed to everything calmly. Back at the hotel, he called Orion on a video chat. Unlike his usual cheerful self, Orion stared intently at the woman on the screen, a confused frown crossing his face. Something about his “mom” felt off, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The woman, however, kept showering him with concern, trying her best to act motherly.After a few short responses, Nash ended the call. This hotel belonged to Freya’s family, making it his turf. He had already sent his security team to check for any suspicious figures on the premises, so now it was time to start gathering information.……When Nina finally regained consciousness, she found herself face-to-face with a masked man. She kept her tone steady, cold. “If you went through all this trouble to bring me here, why hide behind a mask? Is your face really that shameful?”The man let out a laugh, handing her a photo of a woman who looked strikingly like her. “What do you think of her resemblan
Time ticked by, and at first, the masked man was filled with confidence. But as the minutes slipped away, unease began to creep in. Why hadn’t he received a call by now? The delay could only mean one thing. His meticulously crafted decoy had failed. If that were true, it meant not only that his true identity would be uncovered, but also that his base could be compromised. If Nash arrived with backup, everything would fall apart.“Nina, you and he must have a deep connection,” the masked man sneered, his gaze piercing as he looked at her. “Otherwise, how could he have spotted the imposter so quickly?” He tried to brush off his failed plan, thinking he still had her as leverage. Both Nash and Micah would be reluctant to let her be harmed, making her a powerful bargaining chip in his hands.He stepped closer, ripping off his mask to reveal a remarkably plain face beneath. “The bet’s over, I lost,” he admitted. “Per our agreement, I’m showing you my face. But there’s one more thing