Chapter 824
Chapter 823:
Discovering the feeling of having a brother was unlike anything she’d ever known. Loneliness used to be her only companion, and survival felt like a brutal war fought with no chance to retreat. She’d always pressed forward, teeth gritted, because stepping back even once spelled disaster.
But now, everything had shifted. She had a safety net beneath her. If she stumbled or faltered, she wouldn’t crash to the ground. This time, she could let herself lean back, knowing someone would catch her.
As the truth of it settled in, her vision blurred with fresh tears. These weren’t tears of pain—they were the warm, overwhelming kind that only true happiness brings.
Fifteen years had been spent crafting armor, forging protection from sheer will and bitter experience. Whenever the world cracked her shell, she’d always patched it back together herself. That old armor felt lighter now. She had gained something far sturdier: a father’s embrace and a brother’s unwavering strength. This new protection didn’t need mending. It was unbreakable.
A calm contentment took hold as Elliana rested her head against Milton’s shoulder, a silent gesture of gratitude and belonging.
Words hovered on her lips—she wanted to tell him how much she wished to meet their father at last. Before she could, Milton’s phone rang sharply, breaking the stillness.
Her gaze drifted to the phone’s screen. The caller ID said it all—Dad.
Elliana’s breath hitched. For most of her life, the word “father” had tasted of poison. She had blamed him for everything: for chasing her mother away, for the ache that had never left her chest. The thought of him had filled her with disgust, with fear, with anger too raw to name. But not anymore.
Now, that same word pulled at her like gravity, stirring something deep within. It felt as if she were a seed straining for sunlight, a river pulled homeward by the sea. The ache that filled her chest was sharp and urgent—a desperate longing for her father’s arms.
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As a little girl, she had watched Paige nestle into Darin’s arms, envy twisting inside her. How she had yearned for that—a father’s protection, a safe place to hide from the world. She’d tried, again and again, to win the tiniest bit of affection from Darin, only to be met with cold indifference or outright rejection. Those moments had left scars that ran deep, convincing her she was too flawed for anyone—especially a father—to love.
Even now, as the infamous Death Thorn, she still felt the chill of those childhood wounds. But clarity finally dawned. The fault was never hers. She wasn’t unlovable. She just hadn’t found her real father—until now.
Milton let the phone buzz a few more times, a slow grin curling his lips as he glanced at Elliana. “That’s Dad again,” he murmured, amused. “Dad’s getting impatient. He’s probably calling to nudge me faster—he can’t wait to meet you.” With a quiet laugh, Milton finally tapped the screen. “Hey, Dad p>
Right on cue, a flurry of concern poured through the speaker. “Milton, where are you? Why aren’t you home yet? And your sister, is she with you p>
Leaning against Milton’s shoulder, Elliana listened intently. Something tightened in her chest—tender and overwhelming—and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. That voice! That was her father! Her real father!
The voice on the other end was thick with longing, brimming with a restless yearning meant only for her. In every syllable, she could feel the weight of twenty long years of searching, of hoping without proof, of never surrendering to silence.
“She is with me, Dad,” Milton replied, his voice calm and sure. He glanced sideways at Elliana, his smile softening with quiet pride. “She’s sitting in my car. We’re on our way home now p>