“It’s gone now. I think,” Anastasia added. “But I can still remember the feeling. It was… scary.”Her hands trembled again, and she squeezed them into fists to stop it, but it didn’t help much.“Shh, everything is fine now, baby. You’re here now,” Seraphine said, gripping tightly onto Anastasia’s hands. “You don’t need to think about everything.”Seraphine kissed her forehead, whispering that she was okay, that she wasn’t alone.While Oliver stayed on the other side, his hands resting onto Anastasia’s shoulder, steady and strong.But deep down, Anastasia wondered if they were wrong. Whether they are just saying those things because she’s their daughter.‘What if next time, the light came back, and I couldn’t stop it?’ Anastasia thought, the fear evident in her expression. ‘What if next time, someone really got hurt?’“You won’t be able to hurt anyone like that again, my princess,” Oliver said, his tone firm and convincing. “Don’t worry about it. Everything is over now.”Hearing those

“Oh, leaving so soon, Seraphine?”Seraphine froze. Her shoulders tensed, her breathing ragged as she turned slowly, her eyes narrowing in confusion.Victoria’s smile was thin, venomous, telling Seraphine indirectly that she wasn’t done. Not yet.”“Running away, are we? Just like always, even when we were families that were rivals before,” she said, her voice taunting. “Guess that’s what happens when you can’t control your brat, huh?”She looked at Anastasia, who immediately hid beside Seraphine because of fear and nervousness.“Pathetic,” Victoria mumbled, then her gaze went back to Seraphine. “Maybe if you spent less time chasing men and more time raising your daughter, she wouldn’t be such a—”Seraphine’s body moved before her brain could catch up.She immediately went forward, pulling Victoria up before Seraphine slapped her.SLAP!The sound echoed through the room, sharp and startling.Victoria’s head snapped to the side, her eyes wide with shock as she clutched her cheek, which h

Seraphine nodded as she sighed in relief, believing Oliver’s words.As soon as they reached the car, Oliver opened the car door, gesturing for Seraphine and Anastasia to get in. “Let’s go. I’ll drive,” he told Seraphine, his tone calm yet authoritative. “I know that you’re tired, so let me do this for you.”Seraphine hesitated at first, but after a while, she nodded. “Alright.”As Seraphine gently helped Anastasia into the car, Oliver moved to the driver’s side door, ready to step in.Suddenly, a breathless and desperate voice called out behind him.“Mr. Hunt! Wait, please!”It was Principal Smith, her shoes stepping loudly on the pavement as he jogged after Oliver. Her face was pale and slick with sweat, but she ignored it.She couldn’t let Oliver go. She still needs to say something important to him.“Can I… talk to you for a minute?” he asked, his breathing ragged.Oliver didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he closed the car door and leaned toward it with his arms folded.“What is

Oliver ran a hand down his face, his fingers lingering at his temple, as if trying to ease the pressure building behind his eyes.“I’m not blaming you,” he added, voice softer now, the tension in his shoulders relaxing just a little. “But I need you to be more cautious, Sera. This isn’t just about the schoolyard fights.”Seraphine’s heart raced in nervousness. “What are you saying?”“I’m saying the Hawthornes don’t cross our paths by accident. Not anymore,” he said, his tone low. “There’s too much history. Too much at stake.”And now that he has introduced himself at that school, and Victoria saw him personally, Dominic will also know about his real family.Or the question is, what if they already know about it in the first place?“I see,” Seraphine answered with a nod, caressing Anastasia’s hair one last time before covering her body with a blanket. “I will request the school to transfer sections.”Hearing those words, Oliver was about to argue, but before he could do that, Seraphine

Oliver’s lips thinned into a tight line. His gaze was cold and intimidating, and everyone in the room could feel it.With a low voice, he said, “Find out who Aidan really is. And keep an eye on Dexter.”“Commander?” Nick tilted his head, narrowing his eyes slightly. “What’s going on? You never involved any family member in our missions before.”“And Dexter is just six years old,” Samuel seconded the motion.“I just said monitor them, not harm them,” Oliver said, his tone low and authoritative as he corrected their thoughts.He added, “We don’t harm citizens, not without a valid reason.”Oliver’s gaze darkened as he stared into the screen, the weight of the past pressing down on him like a storm cloud. He exhaled slowly. “They crossed a line this time, and that makes everything personal.”His words hung in the air, increasing the tension.Ray blinked, realization dawning on him. “Wait… does this have something to do with your family? Did they harm someone?”Oliver nodded as his eyes