Elijah and Kasey were both struck by the same overwhelming shock. The doctor's profound emotions sent shivers down their spines, foreboding something terrible."What's the matter, Dr. Sheridan?" Kasey asked, her voice tinged with worry.Dr. Sheridan handed them Nala's medical report. "When she arrived at the hospital, she had injuries, so we conducted a comprehensive examination. The results revealed pathological changes in her blood..."They stared at him, their eyes wide with fear."In simpler terms, she has leukemia.""What?" Kasey felt her strength wane and struggled to catch her breath, nearly stumbling.Elijah steadied her, though he also felt drained. He put on a facade of composure."Are you absolutely certain?" He enunciated each word carefully. "Dr. Sheridan, is this truly our daughter's report?""I wish I could be wrong," Dr. Sheridan said somberly. "I was concerned when the report came in, so I rechecked it myself. Unfortunately, the diagnosis remains the same. It's
Lena's heart squeezed, overwhelmed by sadness. This continued for the next few days.Chris would visit while she slept and quietly leave as she woke up. He would bring a different meal daily, and the house would always be spotless, instantly lifting her spirits. He had been doing everything without disturbing her.Then, one day, he made pizza. Thinly sliced pepperoni, the perfect temperature—it melted in her mouth. Tears flowed uncontrollably, breaking the barrier she had erected.She rushed in and immediately saw Chris upon opening the door. She wanted to call out, but her throat felt blocked. Her mouth opened, but no sound emerged.However, he halted and turned slowly. When their eyes met, he smiled gently.Lena ran to him, crying, and hugged him tightly."It's okay, Lena," he said, patting her head. "It's all over now. You have me. You don't need to be afraid."All she could do was cry. He allowed her to release her pent-up emotions, understanding she had held onto too much
Lena chuckled softly before picking up the phone call. After a brief conversation with Alexander, she returned to sit across from Chris, savoring the meal he had prepared."Was it Alexander? What did he say?" Chris asked.Lena smiled, not directly addressing his question. "What do you think a boy his age worries about?""Hmm..." Chris pondered. "When I was his age, I had endless classes every day.""Really?""Yes, the Hamertons were quite strict with us kids. My parents were somewhat more lenient, but Zuko and Toph had it even tougher."Especially Zuko, groomed as the future heir to the entire Hamerton Group. The elders had big expectations, and he had been meticulous from a young age. Such an upbringing shaped a highly qualified heir but robbed him of childhood joys."You gain some, you lose some," Chris mused. "Life can't always be perfect, and not every moment is delightful. We're quite fortunate, really. Many people can never hope to reach our starting point in their entire
Zuko had told him that Zephyr often faced tricky questions from Cordelia when they were young. Even after Zuko got married, Lina didn't spare him from those questions. Now, it was his turn!It seemed like the fate of Hamerton men, an inevitable part of their lives no matter how hard they tried to avoid it!"No, no, I... How could I possibly… With her... She..."Chris grew flustered and sweaty, and Lena couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. She burst into giggles.She enjoyed the food. That evening, she finally let go of the past and started anew.-Winter passed, and spring arrived.Bianca and Drake had faced the consequences. Bianca, in particular, brought disgrace upon the family and was shunned by the entire Mosleys.Fleur paid no attention to Drake's nonsense at the event. However, the power of rumors was relentless, and this incident became widely known within their circle.Despite that, Fleur, true to her character, fiercely defended against the gossip.She often
Elijah and Kasey stood outside their daughter's hospital room, gazing at her. Nala used to be full of life, but now she was frail and weak. Their hearts ached terribly like they had been crushed.A doctor approached with the latest test results.Kasey couldn't find the strength to look up, and Elijah hesitated but finally asked, "What do the results say?"The doctor sadly shook his head.Elijah clenched his lips, tears welling up in his eyes. Over the past few months, they had reached out to every possible relative, including the Chriss and Patton families, for compatibility tests, but none had matched. The latest test involved a distant Chriss relative.Elijah leaned against the wall and closed his eyes in pain while Kasey covered her face and wept.The doctor sighed and tried to console them, saying, "Ms. Nala's condition is currently stable. We can keep searching in the bone marrow registry, but it may take time.""What if we have another child?" Elijah suddenly asked. "I've
Elijah and Kasey had never been so close since their marriage."Elijah, I beg you..." Kasey grabbed his clothes. "I can't lose Nala. I want her to live well. I know you have many grievances about our marriage, and I've done things that embarrassed you. But as long as you find your brother and he goes for testing, Nala will have a glimmer of hope, right?"As long as there's even a glimmer of hope, I won't give up!"Elijah, have some pity on me! Πity me as a mother, okay?"Kasey was sobbing, and Elijah found it hard to breathe, feeling like his heart was being shredded."With your family's influence, finding someone should not be difficult! If not, my father can also help."Elijah remained silent for a long time. He then looked into her eyes and said softly, "Kasey… It's... It's not my brother.""What?""That illegitimate child back then was a girl. In other words... Nala really has an aunt!"-Lately, Zuko had been feeling a bit depressed.His daughter was nearly a year old,
Zuko felt somewhat surprised after reflecting on the past few months. There had been no news from Elijah for about three or four months, and it turned out he was searching for someone."Do you know who he's looking for?" Zuko asked.Toph grinned and replied, "Why? Are you interested?""I'm not interested at all!" Zuko responded earnestly."So, you want to gossip about it?" Toph teased. "I didn't expect you to enjoy gossiping, too!"Zuko was about to protest, but Toph beat him to it by handing him a bear headgear."You... be a bear!" Toph declared with determination. "Entertain your daughter as a bear, and then I'll gossip about this with you!"Rolling his eyes, Zuko reluctantly put on the headgear and costume. He then hurried over to Persephone, raising his "paws" and letting out a playful roar.-Upon returning home, Zuko shared the matter with Lina."What? He's searching for... an illegitimate daughter?" Lina exclaimed."Yes," Zuko confirmed. He removed his suit, massaged
"Huh?" Lina had yet to react when she was pressed down on the bed by Zuko. With a blanket covering them, they began their progress for a mini version...-Chris went to Lena's place early in the morning after buying groceries.Lena was enjoying a rare weekend, still in bed. Chris stood at the bedroom door and watched the sun rays shine on her through the window, making her look like she was gilded. Her lips were slightly parted as if she was murmuring in a dream.Chris smiled and placed the groceries in the kitchen. He then approached Lena and gently kissed her forehead. Lena slowly opened her eyes and nuzzled into his embrace like a cat."Why did you come so early?" Lena asked."Alexander mentioned he's coming for lunch, so I got the ingredients early," Chris replied.Lena chuckled. "Planning to show off your cooking skills to him?" Chris grinned. "Of course! I want him to see how capable his brother-in-law is!" Lena beamed with happiness, and the gloomy days were finally o
"Only Morpheus and Sephy aren't like that. They respect and understand me. Sephy told me once, 'One's appearance doesn't indicate anything. A clean heart is what truly matters!'"Rebecca chuckled dismissively."You're a psychologist, yet you fail to grasp this," Wynn said coldly. "Actually, I pity you. You could have stepped out, yet you insist on dwelling on the trivialities."Morpheus has psychological barriers, a consequence of returning from the battlefield. No one has cured his PTSD except Sephy... It shows that a true psychologist is never just a title."What truly heals everything is love!"-One particular morning a year later, sunlight streamed through sheer cream curtains onto the floor.Persephone was sound asleep when she suddenly felt something pressing down on her... Then, Morpheus' strong arms wrapped around her slender waist. She drowsily opened her eyes to find him sealing her lips with heated kisses.Over the year, his kissing skills had improved, and Persepho
With Morpheus' involvement, the police didn't slack off and quickly found Rebecca.That day, Rebecca was preparing to escape from a small port. The boat she had found was an illegally operating one.As she was about to board, piercing sirens sounded nearby.The boat owner, enraged upon hearing the sirens, grabbed Rebecca by her hair and pushed her into the water.Rebecca screamed for help, but he roared, "I didn't expect you to be sent by the cops!""I'm not..." Rebecca choked on water. "Sir, let's leave now. Your boat is fast. As long as we reach the open sea, no one will catch you!""Dream on!" The boat owner wanted to strangle her. "Do you not understand? These sirens are from the royal guards! Who did you bitch provoke?"Rebecca was dumbfounded. Being a foreigner, she naturally didn't understand the local affairs in the Southeast Aciatic region.The police and royal guards quickly caught up, armed, and surrounded them.Rebecca turned pale and trembled all over, her gaze gr
"You had no choice on the battlefield."Persephone looked at him with her crystal eyes. There was a magical power in them. Even if a devil was tearing him apart, her eyes would always bring him back to light.She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Though you killed your father, you saved the country.""Do you really… think so?"She nodded. "You're not at fault. He was the one who made a mistake. You were just fulfilling your job as a general to protect the country."But I also understand that he's your father who brought you up, after all. You guys must have had happy days before that happened, right?"Morpheus held his head low in silence."You did well as the protector of the country," she said softly. "But as a son, you can secretly pay homage to him."Persephone held his hand. "Reconcile with your father, Morpheus. You'll also reconcile with yourself by doing that, okay?"He was stunned for a long time and felt a lump in his throat.-Morpheus stayed with Persephone in the
"No way!" Christopher smirked, glancing at Morpheus. "To him, you're his only princess! I just got lucky for the princess carry, thanks to you!""Yeah, at least you're self-aware!" Persephone nodded, rubbing her chin."We've known each other for so long! What kind of person do you think I am?" Christopher laughed. "I can be a bit shameless at times, but..."But upon learning that the one she loved was the unbeatable god of war, he willingly stepped back, offering his blessings with a smile."Okay, okay. You two stop crowding around me!" Christopher waved his hand. "Sephy needs more rest, and I'd like to get some more sleep, too! Once we heal, let's go out and have some fun together!""You're still thinking about fun?" Morpheus' deep voice intervened with a wry smile. "With the factory explosion incident, the royal family is furious and will thoroughly investigate it. Many people will probably be coming to talk to you both in the next few days. After all, you two are the most direc
"Let's get out first!""Hey, wait..." Persephone pointed to the other side.In moments of life and death, it wasn't appropriate to laugh, but Morpheus still chuckled. The young Prince Christopher was sprawled on the floor in a very ridiculous pose, and they almost forgot about him!"Don't worry," Morpheus whispered. "I won't let anything happen to him."He had Persephone cling to his back and then carried Christopher.Christopher was a tall fellow, so it took some effort to carry them both to a safe place.Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars rushed in. Their sirens pierced the sky, startling a flock of birds.The fire was soon extinguished, and Persephone and Christopher received timely treatment. Luckily, their burns weren't too severe, and even more fortunately, their faces were unharmed.When Christopher woke up, he felt bandages wrapped around his head, and his skin had a burning sensation. His heart sank, and he was almost on the verge of tears."Tell me the truth! A
There was fire everywhere. Flames rushed toward Persephone like menacing dragons. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, but the searing pain coursing through her body became clearer. She struggled to get up, the agony almost unbearable.Despite several attempts, it was futile...Something was pinning her feet down, and stones kept falling on her. She couldn't even muster a shout.Many images flashed through her mind in that fleeting moment, each frame featuring Morpheus' face…She remembered the times they had spent together in Flinge, how he had initially distanced himself from her, then later had exerted every effort to protect her. She recalled how he would gently ruffle her hair and call her "silly goose"..."Morpheus, I'm afraid I might have to go first..."The fire grew fiercer, explosions resonated continuously, and she could no longer hold on.Christopher, who was nearby, wasn't any better.Amidst the roaring flames, he couldn't see anything clearly, only pulling
"No need, you can go back first." Morpheus glanced at him. "I'll wait here for her a little longer.""Prince Christopher wouldn't do anything to Ms. Hamerton...""Alfred, what are you thinking?" Morpheus couldn't help but chuckle. "I know exactly what Christopher is like, but I just want to wait here for Sephy. Christopher mentioned that she'd specifically designed these fireworks for me. Hah! I'm the useless one. I don't even dare to go inside and take a look.""Sir, don't say that.""If I wait here, will it count as accompanying her in her efforts?"Alfred nodded.Morpheus smiled and sent Alfred back. He continued waiting under the tree.The air in Southeast Aciatic was hot and humid. The shade of the banyan tree offered some relief, but it couldn't completely dispel the oppressive heat.Morpheus took a deep breath, about to move elsewhere, when he glimpsed a suspicious figure swiftly darting through the factory's side gate.The security at the side gate was lax, making it e
Christopher struggled to swallow the bite of the sandwich in his mouth for what seemed like ages. He gazed at Persephone, his mind wandering back…He didn't just know Morpheus. He had been close since childhood to the children of the two prominent military families in Southeast Aciatic.Compared to the Harrises, he preferred visiting the Ortons, especially when he got to spend time with Morpheus. He considered Morpheus a friend, a brother even, having engaged in countless mischief together, much to their parents' dismay.In his memory, Morpheus was someone who smiled a lot, radiating warmth and brightness like the Southeast Aciatic sun when he did.However, from the moment Kaiden betrayed the country, Morpheus never smiled again, gradually growing distant from Christopher as well.It wasn't until that evening at the gates of the palace that Christopher felt like it had been a lifetime."I... I don't know him." Christopher forced a smile. "Where would I have met your boyfriend!"
Morpheus wasn't just an ordinary person!Christopher wholeheartedly accepted his defeat to Morpheus."Then... I'd like to invite you to come over to my place for a while as a friend. That's fine, right?"-A few days later, Persephone finally ran into Christopher, who had been missing in action for days, in the classroom."Hey, you finally showed up!" She dashed over, plopping down in the seat beside him and handing him breakfast. "You haven't eaten, right? Let's eat together!"Usually, Christopher would readily accept, but he waved his hands now. "No, no, no!""What's wrong?" Persephone widened her eyes. "This breakfast isn't poisoned!"Christopher awkwardly smiled. "You have a boyfriend, so maybe... we should keep some distance."Persephone burst into laughter. Then she remarked, "Strange... Morpheus was right!""Uh, what?""My boyfriend!" She chuckled. "He made this breakfast. I asked if he could also make a portion for you, and he said sure, just worried you wouldn't tak