2025-08-29 00:41:29
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 240
The credits of Home Alone scrolled lazily up the dome wall, bright against the dim glow of the dining space. But no one rose to move, no one spoke for a long moment. The room carried that quiet heaviness left after laughter—the kind where joy had filled every corner, only to leave echoes behind. Jackson leaned comfortably against his father’s side, blinking sleepily but fighting to keep his eyes open. Ryan sat sprawled, arms behind his head, grinning like he’d just come from a comedy club.Sarah reached over and touched the remote, breaking the silence. “So… do we stop here, or should we let the night carry us further?”Jackson instantly shot upright. “Another movie! Please, Mom! Please!” His small hands pressed together in mock prayer.Emily chuckled softly. “He won’t let us sleep until we do.”Ryan leaned forward dramatically. “Then we have to. Because what kind of cruel monsters deny a child his joy?”Jack’s gaze shifted to his son, steady and unreadable for a moment, before he gav
Chapter 239
The last of the rice clung stubbornly to plates, turkey reduced to bones and scraps, when Ryan leaned back and stretched with a groan. “Alright, I say we end this feast the right way. Movie night. Who’s in?”Jackson’s hand shot up before anyone else could speak. “Me! Me! Let’s watch something funny. Something with pranks.”Emily arched a brow, already knowing where this was going. “You mean the one you’ve been asking about since last week.”“Home Alone!” Jackson shouted, bouncing in his seat. “The kid is a genius! He takes down grown-ups all by himself.”Ryan smirked. “Sounds like someone you admire, huh?”Jackson puffed his chest. “If I had paint cans and marbles, I could protect this dome too.”Jack’s lips curved faintly as he stacked his utensils neatly. “Discipline first. Then pranks.”“Dad!” Jackson groaned. “We’re done eating. Please?”Sarah caught Jack’s eye, a soft plea in her expression. “Let him have this. It’s been a long week.”Jack held her gaze for a beat, then gave a sm
Chapter 238
The hum lingered faintly in the dome, quiet but steady, like a second heartbeat none of them could fully ignore. Yet the warmth of the table—the rice, the turkey, the shared presence—drew their focus back to each other. Forks tapped softly against plates, the smell of food clung to the air, and voices rose and fell like ripples across still water.Ryan leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach with a satisfied groan. “This is almost as good as the meals we had on the DragonJet.”Lena’s brow lifted, amused. “Almost?”Ryan grinned, stabbing another bite of turkey. “Well… nothing beats watching movies while floating weightless, trying not to spill food everywhere. Admit it—those four months before Mars were unforgettable.”Jackson perked up instantly, eyes wide. “Yeah! Dad, do you remember when we watched Ice Age? The part where the squirrel kept chasing the acorn? You laughed, Dad—I saw it!”Jack’s expression barely shifted, though his eyes softened faintly. “I didn’t laugh.”Jackso
Chapter 237
The dining section of the dome had been carefully set, the scent of rice and roasted turkey wrapping the room in warmth that almost disguised the sterile hum of machinery. Plates clinked softly as Matilda and Emily arranged them in neat rows. Sarah laid out utensils while Lena poured water into tall, narrow glasses. Their faces carried the quiet glow of work finished, their movements practiced and graceful.“Food’s ready,” Matilda finally announced, her voice carrying with a lilt that hinted at satisfaction. She straightened, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead.From the training section, Jack’s voice cut through, steady but softened. “Ryan, Jackson—enough. We’ll finish later.”Jackson groaned, mid-stretch on his yoga mat. “But Dad—”Jack raised a hand, his expression brooking no debate. “Bath first. Discipline includes cleansing. Then we eat.”Ryan rolled onto his back, chest heaving with exaggerated drama. “Finally! My body was about to give up on me.”“You said that two set
Chapter 236
The steady rhythm of exertion filled the dome, weights clinking against the floor as Jack and Ryan pushed their bodies with relentless determination. Jackson, panting but determined, alternated between jogging the small track and wobbling through half-formed yoga poses, his eyes flicking often toward the barbells he wasn’t allowed to touch.Jack’s voice cut through the air, calm but firm. “Control your breathing, Jackson. Steady, not rushed. Let the air carry your movement.”Ryan grunted through another set of curls, sweat dripping down his temples. “He’s already got the fire. Just needs the patience beaten into him.”Jackson puffed his cheeks, stubbornness in his small frame. “I am patient.” He jogged faster, arms pumping, as if to prove the point.Jack shot Ryan a faint smirk before lowering himself into push-ups once more. “Patience isn’t about speed. It’s about consistency.”From the kitchen, the aroma of simmering rice and roasting turkey began to drift outward, mingling with the
Chapter 235
The Martian dawn crept slowly through the dome, soft amber light piercing the thin atmosphere and spilling across the living quarters. The hum of the life-support systems grew louder as the facility adjusted oxygen levels and lighting for the day cycle.Jack stirred first. His eyes blinked open, the faint glow of the ceiling lights catching the hard line of his jaw. He rose without hesitation, slipping from the couch where he had fallen asleep. With quiet precision, he rolled his shoulders, stretched, and crossed the room toward the training section of the dome.Ryan followed not long after, yawning and rubbing the back of his neck. “Morning already? Feels like I just closed my eyes,” he muttered, though there was a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.Jack was already setting down weights, his movements practiced, almost ritualistic. “Discipline doesn’t wait for comfort,” he said calmly, gripping the iron and pressing upward in a slow, measured rhythm. His arms flexed, veins pus
You may also like
Rise Of The Sole Heir
Estypen77.4K viewsThe Guardian's Sword
Talking Cigarette1.6M viewsThe Secretly Rich Man
Two Ears is Bodhi7.3M viewsTHE GREAT GENERAL
Ardy-sensei128.8K viewsThe Devil's Guardian Angel.
LordGrimX101 399 viewsThe Romanov Diadem: Oblast Dmitrovka
Zoya Dmitrovka1.1K viewsEXILED HEIR IS GOD OF WAR
Muse236.0K viewsThe Lost Heir Of Sargent
Slytherin_Era35.8K views