The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 788 - 122 - Awakening And The True Reunion (4)

Juna and I walked away from the others, stepping into a quiet spot where only the breeze could listen to us, and no one else could overhear.

She turned to me, her lips curled into a soft, almost serene smile.

For a woman who’d borne two children and was already in her forties, she carried an ageless grace that seemed to defy time itself.

If someone had told me she was just Zeruel’s older sister, I wouldn’t have doubted it for a moment.

Her skin looked smooth, her posture calm yet strong, and there was something about the way she held herself that erased the years written on paper.

She didn’t look like a mother at all—and nothing about her figure hinted otherwise. But that smile she wore... that was different.

It radiated warmth, kindness, but also a quiet, unsettling knowingness. As if she could see straight through my chest, past the beating of my heart, and read the words etched into my very bones. It was a smile that felt as gentle as it was heavy—like she was silently telling me that she knew truths I hadn’t yet spoken aloud.

"First of all, Leon, I want to thank you," she began, her voice gentle but edged with gravity. "For bringing me back, I mean. I’ve heard from Doctor Natasha that before all of this, I was admitted to a hospital that had already given up on me... but you’re the one who caught me, isn’t that right?"

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment it felt as if time itself paused to listen.

"Well, I don’t think ’caught’ is quite the right word," I admitted, my tone dropping a little, as if weighed down by honesty. "I did it because I had an ulterior motive—or something like that."

"Oh? You’re not going to hide it?" she asked, arching a brow.

"Of course not. Hiding it feels pretty pointless, don’t you think?" I replied, my voice calm, but inside I could feel a slight tension coiling in my chest.

"Fufufu..." She let out a small, melodic laugh, though it felt as if it brushed past something deeper and something sharp. "You seem a little guarded, Leon. Why is that?"

That was because...

I knew what her ability was.

Her eyes weren’t merely for seeing the world. Like the eyes of Isiliraiellyn, who could witness truths that lay beyond the veil of sight, and like her daughter, whose power had only recently awakened, Juna possessed something special, too.

She had the power to sense a lie as easily as a heartbeat. To know, without question, whether the person standing before her spoke from truth or from shadows.

"Well, it seems you’ve figured out my ability," she said softly, her words brushing past my ear like a breeze chilled with memory. "To be honest, even my former husband and my daughters don’t know about it," she added, shrugging her shoulders with a casual grace that somehow made me uneasy.

That single shrug unsettled me more than it should have. It felt so different from the affectionate mother I’d seen earlier, like a fleeting glimpse of steel beneath silk.

"I’m not going to force you to confess your true motives for saving me, but..." She let her words drift for a heartbeat, letting the weight of them settle between us. "I don’t think I can let my daughter’s heart rest in the hands of someone who lies to her."

Ah... so this was her way of protecting Zeruel.

In her eyes, if I truly had a motive, then what I did wasn’t out of love—but out of calculated gain. And this moment, this confrontation, was born after she’d seen me kissing her daughter.

"I’m not lying at all," I said, my voice steady despite the tightening in my chest. "I do love your daughter. You can see that, can’t you?"

Her gaze softened, and I saw the faintest flicker of relief in the depths of her eyes—confirmation that my words rang true.

"And my motive really is simple," I continued, breathing out slowly as if letting the truth itself settle. "I did what I did for profit. If I could find a cure for Eternal Slumber, I could make something out of it. After all, it’s still a widespread illness these days."

"Hmmm... I suppose I can believe you," she said at last, her voice easing like water flowing past stone. "I’m sorry for being suspicious..."

And then, her smile returned—warmer than before, softer and yet somehow stronger, as if she had chosen to trust me despite everything.

"You have to understand this, Leon," she said, her voice dipping lower, touched with something raw and honest. "I’ve been in the hands of the wrong man before, and it cost me dearly. And there were many men... evil men who took advantage of me. I couldn’t, under any circumstances, let that happen to either of my daughters. They’re my treasures."

Every word she spoke carried the weight of scars unseen but deeply felt.

"You don’t have to worry about that," I said quietly. "And I do understand."

"Is that so?" Her smile deepened, glowing with something motherly yet fragile. "Zeruel found herself a nice man, I see..."

"So does this mean you’re giving me the green light to move forward?"

"Well, I still hold some doubts," she admitted, her eyes narrowing playfully yet seriously. "But... I suppose I could." Then she bowed, her hair slipping forward over her shoulders like a silken waterfall. "Please, take care of my daughter. And once again, thank you for bringing me back to them."

This time, the gratitude in her voice felt different. It was genuine, rising up from the deepest part of her heart. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

***

Juna’s POV

I watched Leon as he walked away, the distance between us stretching with every step.

I lifted my hand and waved, my smile lingering warm on my lips, though shadows of doubt still clung faintly in my chest.

To tell the truth, I was still a little skeptical of him.

I had heard some things while I was still lying in that hospital bed, like things that weren’t easy to forget.

But when I looked at him, truly looked, Leon seemed sincere in his feelings for my daughter.

Even so... part of me couldn’t help but hold onto that last thread of caution. After all, I’d once been in the arms of men who treated me as though I were nothing but air. But for now, my daughter’s happiness had to come first—and that meant letting go, if only just enough.

"Mom? Are you done talking to Leon?" Selene’s voice cut through my thoughts, gentle yet eager.

"Yes," I said softly, lowering my gaze to meet her.

Only to find that she wasn’t the small Selene I remembered anymore. We were practically the same height now.

A pang of sorrow tightened my chest—knowing I had missed so much of her growing up. But now, I would see it all with my own eyes.

"Where is he? Did he already leave? Mmph... and here I was, wanting to talk to him too..." she pouted, her cheeks puffing out adorably.

"Fufufu..." I couldn’t help but laugh, warmth blooming in my chest. I reached out, my hand brushing gently over her hair, ruffling it like I used to when she was little. Even if her body had grown, her spirit was still the same precious daughter I had raised.

And now, with me back where I belonged, we were finally whole again.

And it was all thanks to Leon.