Lena blushed and smiled as she followed Chris into the business class section.Meanwhile, Bianca remained in her spot. Before she could even utter "Chris", the train attendant politely intercepted her. "Miss, these two seats are yours now. Please have a seat!""You..." Bianca blankly glared at her.The train attendant bowed and asked with a smile, "Is there anything else I can assist you with?"Bianca rolled her eyes repeatedly in frustration but ultimately sat down and turned to look out of the window.-This was Lena's first time in a business class section. She had never known that train carriages could be this spacious. Business class seats not only allowed her to sit comfortably, but she could also recline."How is it?" Chris asked with a smile.It was not that Lena did not mind Bianca's presence. Her jealousy dissipated once she looked at Chris' face. Despite that, she still teased him with Bianca's tone. "Not bad at all, Chris!"Chris was rendered speechless and felt be
"Oh, why is little Sephy ignoring her Uncle Toph now?" Toph chuckled dryly. "Little princess, Uncle Toph will have to give you away in marriage one day!"Zuko coughed and chuckled. "Hey, don't change the subject!"Toph glanced at Arya, seeking her support.Arya couldn't help but laugh and looked at Zuko and Lina. "Can we go easy on him?""In that case, he has to confess!" Lina raised her eyebrows. "Why did you tell Bianca about Chris and Lenny's travel plans? She's on the same train with them!""I..." Toph awkwardly scratched his head.The situation that day went like this—Bianca mentioned seeing his comic adaptation on a website and was eager to meet this talented comic artist. Gradually, he got carried away with the flattery, answering whatever she asked."I... I didn't think much at the time!" Toph said, embarrassed. "Besides, Chris and Lena are doing a good deed this time. What's there to hide? Plus, I wanted to honor our childhood friendship. We used to play together as kid
Toph dashed out but halted abruptly, his usual carefree grin replaced by a somewhat serious look.Lina was puzzled. "What's the matter?"Toph forced a smile and replied, "I... I don't think I'm going after all."Lina asked, "Why?""Well, Arya knows how to get back, and we're not in the middle of nowhere. She can always call a taxi, and the Bayers won't let her travel alone. Even if she doesn't call a cab, there will be bodyguards to pick her up... I-I don't need to worry about her!"Zuko caught the hint. He understood that Toph's past relationship with Renee had left him emotionally scarred, nearly preventing him from loving again.However, life had to move forward. Toph couldn't spend his whole life dwelling in that shadow.Toph avoided their gazes, saying, "Come on, give me the little princess. You two can go on your date or do whatever you want. Leave the baby to me. You can rest easy! Haha!"He took Persephone from Lina's hands. The little one cooperated exceptionally well,
Despite the complaints, Zuko couldn't bear the thought of their daughter sleeping in a separate room. It was his idea to bring the crib into their bedroom.He gently approached, took their baby girl from Lina's arms, and began soothing her with tender words."Honey, you should go to sleep first. I'll hold her for a while," he said.Lina's eyes glistened with tenderness.Even before Persephone was born, Lina had read many posts about women's challenges after childbirth on different websites. Some described husbands who offered little help, acting like absent parents. Others talked about widow-style parenting, where women cared for their children and husbands, leaving themselves exhausted.Zuko, however, was different.Since Persephone's birth, he had been actively involved in everything, even though they had hired help for various tasks. He handled diaper changes, prepared bottles, washed them, and even took part in massages and skin-to-skin contact. Despite having caregivers, he
At Centrolis Prison.The tall building cast a somber shadow beneath the gray sky, and the surrounding barbed wire sent shivers down spines.Lina frowned, her steps heavy as if each foot carried a thousand pounds."If you don't want to go, you don't have to," Zuko said and wrapped his arm around her, sensing her unease. "Dealing with someone like her isn't necessary..."Lina glanced down, then replied softly, "Let's still go and see her. We've shared so many experiences, and those real memories can't be easily discarded. I'd rather believe Renee is ill than accept that she's gone bad."Zuko's grip on her shoulder tightened, and he walked alongside her with determination.The meeting place had a transparent partition. Lina saw the iron door open, revealing a haggard and cold face. Renee's eyes betrayed indifference, and she smiled mockingly.Renee wore rough clothes, her once-long hair cut short to her ears. She sat across from them, looking like a lifeless puppet.After a long s
Zuko's expression darkened."Lina, I asked you here today for one reason only," Renee said, looking at Lina intently. "You're a mother now. Whatever you do, please prioritize your daughter."Lina frowned. "What do you mean?""Cuz, are you planning to keep Lena with you?"Renee's eyes gave off a mocking gleam, unsettling Lina."I've been having nightmares lately... Remember when we were kidnapped and taken on that ship? We met Madame Krys there."Remember her? She was a human trafficker! Haha!" Renee laughed oddly. "She had another identity—she was Lena's mother!""Have you said enough?" Lina's face grew serious. "If you called me here just for this nonsense, I don't want to hear it!"Lina stood to leave.Behind her, Renee's voice turned hysterical and venomous. "You're guarding her like a treasure, but have you considered she's Krystal's daughter? She's the child of a human trafficker!"Lina halted, her back stiff as she turned around.A prison guard moved to restrain Renee,
Bianca suffered during the few days in the mountainous area.She had followed Chris and Lena all the way, but when they got off the train, it seemed like Chris had completely forgotten her existence.When they boarded a bus to head into the mountains, she didn't have any change, so Chris kindly helped her buy a ticket. But his demeanor toward her was like she was a complete stranger, merely assisting out of goodwill.Bianca tried to strike up conversations with him, but he brushed her aside, showering all his attention on Lena. Throughout the journey, Bianca gained nothing more than witnessing their affectionate interactions.In the mountainous region, she made it her mission to show up wherever they went, even visiting the local school and volunteering to take photos of the children with her camera. But Chris' attitude toward her remained lukewarm. His gaze was solely on Lena.Moreover, the signal was terrible in the mountains, making it difficult for Bianca to find someone to ve
Chris paused, then embraced her even tighter. Edward chuckled and excused himself to fetch some hot water.The mountain air had turned a bit chilly, and the desolate surroundings stirred up unpleasant memories deep within Lena."I ran away from there after growing up, and I've never dared to return," she whispered. "Even though I came here to teach in this mountainous region, I can never cross that mountain.""It's okay," Chris reassured her, gently caressing her hair. "There's nothing worth missing in that place. Plus, he's not your biological father."Lena looked up at him. "Chris, can I ever overcome this mountain? Do you think it's possible?"Chris' heart tightened. As he gazed into her bright eyes, he found himself at a loss for words."Lenny, you don't need to conquer everything in life. We won't be staying here, and this mountain won't relocate to Centrolis. This may be the last time you see this mountain in your life."So, avoiding it isn't a bad thing." He smiled tender