Chapter 1789

"Your mom's right," Andrew said. "Valuable stuff needs to stay safe. Until you can protect what matters, don't show it off."

"Got it. I'll remember everything you say, Uncle Andrew," Lillian chirped.

Outside, Ori barked. Lillian glanced over, her eyes dimming.

She knew it was Ori's signal. Debra was coming.

"Uncle Andrew, do we have to wait till next year to see each other again?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, holding out his pinky. "This is our little secret, right? You promised me, still remember?"

"I do." Lillian hooked her pinky with his. "I swore it was just between us. My mom doesn't know."

"Good," he said, ruffling her hair. "Go on now."

Lillian lingered, reluctant. Debra called out to her from outside. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn findnovel.net

She trudged out, shutting the door behind her. The wind chimes jingled again.

"Lillian." Debra stepped into the flower patch.

Lillian ran to her. "Mommy."

"Why did you run so far?" Debra scooped her up. "No more wandering off with Ori, got it?"

"Yeah." Lillian nodded obediently.

Debra carried her toward the exit. Lillian peeked back at the house.

She remembered being five, lost in the flowers. Andrew had found her, held her hand, and guided her back to Debra. He'd told her to call him Uncle Andrew.

Lillian didn't get why he was hiding from Debra and why Debra came every year yet never stepped into that hut.

That evening, the adults mingled at a banquet, chatting about stuff the kids couldn't follow.

Juan slipped out for a smoke. Seven years on, it was his only stress relief.

Ori padded over and looked up at him.

Juan smiled faintly. The golden retriever never let him close before, but tonight, it nudged his hand holding the cigarette.

"Debra named you Ori," he murmured. "I don't know if it's what I'm thinking. Sometimes I wonder if we could hit reset on everything. That would be nice."

But it was just a pipe dream. What was done could not be undone. The pain and scars didn't erase. Time only dulled them. Dreams always ended.

Jeffery and the Illuminati had taught him that over and over.

Ori sat beside him, gazing at the moonlit sky.

If Juan had one regret left, it was never saying sorry to the kid he never got to meet.

He had been a terrible dad.