Adelyn froze for a second.

His words didn’t make immediate sense to her.

But when she noticed the way he was looking at her —as if quietly waiting for her answer —she forced herself to think it through seriously before responding.

"If you’re asking me honestly, Mr. Warren ..." her voice was steady, yet confident, "no, I wouldn’t have blamed you."

Dylan didn’t react right away.

He knew her well enough to sense there was more coming.

And he was right.

Because the very next second, Adelyn continued,

"... because I wouldn’t have let you keep her away from me in the first place. Not when she belongs to me."

Her gaze dropped to the little girl sleeping in her arms, and her lips curved into a soft, gentle smile.

When she lifted her eyes again, her expression had already returned to its usual composure.

"You know I can be quite territorial," she added lightly. "If something belongs to me, I won’t give it away willingly."

Dylan watched her in silence.

He knew that already.

And perhaps ... that was exactly why Eira was with him.

Because deep down, he knew —she would never let go.

As he looked at her, Adelyn’s attention suddenly shifted outside the window.

Her eyes caught sight of the grand, affluent residential complex ahead —one whose very name symbolized status, luxury, and authority.

Her pupils widened slightly.

"Is this ... Sanctuary Heights?"

Even though she had only returned to Ashvale after seven years, she still remembered this place clearly from before.

The gates opened automatically, and the car glided in smoothly, moving along the pristine driveway before finally coming to a stop.

"We’ve arrived," Ford announced.

Adelyn looked out curiously, her gaze settling on the mansion-like house not too far ahead.

She was about to step out of the car—

However—

Dylan stopped her.

"Wait," he said.

He stepped out first, circling around the car before opening the door on her side.

Adelyn watched him quietly.

He looked down at her and said, "Let me carry her."

Understanding his intention, Adelyn nodded without hesitation.

As he carefully lifted Eira from her arms, their hands brushed lightly.

A faint chill ran through her fingers —sending an unexpected flutter through her chest.

Stepping out of the car, she almost spoke —almost asked if she should head back instead.

But just as the thought formed—

Eira stirred.

This time, not just slightly.

The little girl rubbed her eyes as she slowly opened them.

And perhaps because Adelyn wasn’t the first person she saw —panic flickered instantly in her eyes.

"Mama?"

"Yes, baby," Adelyn answered immediately, without missing a beat. "I’m here."

Eira turned toward the familiar voice at once.

The moment she saw Adelyn, the anxiety in her eyes melted away.

Her gaze then shifted to Dylan.

"Dada ... did we reach home?"

Dylan gave a soft hum and nodded.

Eira gently patted his arm, signaling for him to put her down.

He complied without a word.

Adelyn didn’t quite understand why—

Until the little girl walked straight to her, reaching out to hold her hand.

"Mama," Eira said softly, tilting her head up at her, "let Eira take you inside."

Adelyn hesitated.

Just moments ago, she had been thinking of leaving from here.

But now—

That thought no longer felt possible.

In the end, she sighed inwardly and nodded.

"... Alright. Let’s go."

Eira’s face lit up instantly.

Holding her hand tightly, she gently tugged her forward.

Adelyn couldn’t help but glance back at Dylan—

Only to find him walking a step behind them, silent and composed.

—————— 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Meanwhile—

Back at Adelyn’s apartment—

A black Mercedes had been parked outside for quite some time.

Yet, no one had stepped out of it.

Passersby occasionally glanced at the car, but with the dim streetlights casting uneven shadows, it was difficult to make out who was inside.

After a while, someone finally approached and knocked on the window.

Behind him stood a security guard, watching cautiously.

As the window rolled down—

Xavier’s striking features came into view.

The man who had knocked paused for a moment. He felt the face was familiar —but couldn’t quite place where he had seen him before.

In the end, he decided to introduce himself instead.

"Hello, sir. I’m Charles David, the managerial secretary of this apartment complex," he said, gesturing toward the building behind him. "I received a call from one of the residents. They mentioned you might be here looking for me."

Xavier’s brows furrowed slightly in quiet irritation.

"You’ve got it wrong," he said calmly. "I’m not here for you."

The secretary paused, then leaned back slightly to take another look at the car.

It was an upscale vehicle —far beyond what was usually seen in this modest residential society.

Naturally, it had attracted attention.

Normally, the secretary wouldn’t personally come to receive someone just because they are arriving in such a car.

But recently —ever since the Warrens had shown interest in nearby land —the value of the area had surged significantly.

Several real estate companies had begun circling around, expressing interest.

Although no deals had been to their door yet, the secretary remained hopeful.

So when he heard about a luxury car parked outside —he had come in person, thinking it might be a potential client.

Did he misunderstand?

"You’re ... not here for me?" he asked again, as if hoping the answer might change.

Xavier’s frown deepened slightly, though his tone remained composed.

"I’m not. You can leave."

"Then ..." the secretary hesitated, curiosity getting the better of him, "may I ask who you are here for?"

Xavier’s gaze sharpened slightly.

"Why? Can’t I wait here without reporting to you?"

The question caught the secretary off guard for a moment.

But quickly recovering, he replied politely,

"I apologize, sir. This is a gated community. We do our best to ensure the safety of our residents."

Xavier understood the implication behind his words.

"I’m not here to cause trouble," he said. "I’m just waiting for someone."

"So ... you know one of our residents?"

Xavier gave a small nod.

The secretary relaxed slightly.

"Oh, I see. Then why not go up and meet them?"

Xavier’s gaze drifted toward the apartment building.

His expression grew complicated.

The secretary noticed it and followed his line of sight.

"... Are you unsure of the flat number?" he asked carefully.

Xavier didn’t respond.

Taking that silence as confirmation, the secretary quickly added,

"If that’s the case, we can help. Just tell us the name, and we’ll check with them."