Bennett Family Villa.
Luna had already parked for half a minute, yet Elliana showed no reaction, so Luna had to remind her.
"Oh, okay." Elliana snapped back to reality, hurriedly reaching for the car door, only to be restrained by the seat belt.
"What’s got you distracted? Your dad doesn’t seem like a nice person; what are you upset about? Just skip tomorrow’s event, out of sight, out of mind."
Elliana unbuckled her seat belt, lightly responding, "Hmm."
She thought a lot along the way; she didn’t want to go tomorrow either. She wasn’t Shawn Lyle’s only daughter.
And she didn’t want to see the man who betrayed her mother.
"It’s so late, you might as well not leave." She got out of the car and said to Luna, who was still inside.
Luna waved her hand and said, "I’m busy, no time to stay here. Go inside, I’m leaving."
As she entered the gate, Lana greeted her with a smile, but upon seeing her unwell appearance, quickly restrained her smile and asked with concern, "Young lady, what’s wrong?"
Trying not to worry Lana, she forced a smile, "It’s nothing... exam retakes are mentally draining, I’m just tired."
Lana immediately understood, saying, "Then please rest well after your bath, would you like anything to eat?"
"Luna and I ate outside, no need to worry about me, go rest early."
"Girl, time to wake up."
After being called by the man for over ten minutes, Elliana gradually awoke, finding herself leaning in his arms.
Last night, when she went to sleep, Norman hadn’t returned.
After a long silence, her groggy mind suddenly remembered—today was Shawn Lyle’s birthday.
The man tapped her nose lightly, asking gently, "Want to get up and change clothes?"
She liked the morning Norman; it was as if the morning made the man exceptionally gentle. She snuggled closer into his arms, saying, "Not going today."
"Hmm?" The man was slightly surprised, then agreed, "Alright, if you don’t want to go, just sleep a bit more."
"Norman..." The man’s unquestioning response moved her, yet also made her feel a bit aggrieved, her nose souring as she struggled to hold back tears.
Tears moistened the man’s chest.
"There, there, don’t cry." The man knew why his little girl cried, but he didn’t know how to comfort her.
The little girl didn’t want him to know, and he didn’t pry.
"There, don’t cry. I’ll stay home with you today, alright?"
South Hill Park, located on the outskirts, is a semi-natural park with lush green mountains and waters.
Elliana wore a white lace-trimmed sun hat, her body wrapped in an apricot floral white dress, as the gentle breeze lifted her skirt, making her appear particularly radiant under the bright sun.
She walked on the white cobblestone path, step by step toward the lotus lake ahead.
Though the lotus flowers of May had yet to bloom many, the fragrance still permeated the entire lake.
A casually dressed man followed behind her, and she turned, making a circle before him with a charming smile on her face.
"Norman, do I look good?"
She figured it out. Why should she be sad? Even her mother wouldn’t want her to be sad from beyond.
No matter how happily she smiled, her heart remained blocked.
Elliana stood at the edge of the lake as the man strode toward her, wrapping an arm around her waist and easily lifting her.
She sat there on his arm, as if held like a child; she remembered that Norman loved holding her this way when she was young.
"Be careful; if you fall, I won’t save you."
"I won’t fall, and besides, you haven’t answered my question."
The man said nothing, silently gazing at her.
Beyond the endless mountains and rivers, nothing compared to the person in his arms; the answer had long been written in his eyes.
"Norman, put me down, people are watching!" Elliana lowered her head slightly, embarrassed by the gazes of other park-goers.
The man showed no intention of letting her down, instead asking, "Want to go to Lake Heart Pavilion?"
"No, there are already many people at Lake Heart Pavilion. Let’s go to Little Door Creek; put me down first!" Elliana blushed and said, "I’m all grown up; you can’t hold me like a child anymore."
―――Lyle Family Villa.
The open space in the backyard was already hosting a grand cocktail party, the birthday celebration had officially begun, and people from high society smiled as they held wine glasses, searching for their interests.
Shawn Lyle hadn’t invited too many guests; besides essential relatives, he only invited some business acquaintances, including Norman Bennett.
However, Norman Bennett was absent.
"Why isn’t Elliana here yet? Phoebe and Joy haven’t come either." Florence wore a fitting black dress, holding a wine glass.
Beside her was Ada Lee, meticulously dressed in an expensive, gentle apricot fishtail dress.
"Mom, Elliana’s presence isn’t important."
The most important thing was whether Norman Bennett would come.
Otherwise, who was her meticulously dressed self meant for?
"It must be something that delayed them. Wait here, I’ll find your second uncle and ask."
An off-road vehicle stopped outside the villa’s backyard wall, its body tall enough for someone standing on it to see over the wall.
Luna stepped out from the vehicle, carrying a large black bag.
"Second brother." Florence waved to Shawn Lyle, who was talking to businessmen.
Shawn Lyle politely excused himself from a group of people before approaching Florence.
"Second brother, why hasn’t Elliana come yet? Didn’t you inform her?" Florence was anxious but tried to keep her tone gentle.
Her words left Shawn Lyle momentarily surprised; he hadn’t notified this daughter since he didn’t believe Elliana would forget his birthday.
Thinking of this made him a bit angry, and he said, "I’ll call her."
The Little Door Creek scene was expansive and tranquil; it wasn’t open as a tourist spot since the stone paths hadn’t been completed, but being the investor, Norman Bennett could openly bring Elliana here.
Elliana’s bare feet waded through the creek’s stones. Since it was a gentle section, the man reluctantly allowed her to enter the water, where the slow stream brushed her legs, cold and chill.
The man stood by the shore, watching her, and told her she could only play for an hour.
At that moment, her phone rang, but she was busy catching small crabs and didn’t have time to answer. She said, "Norman, answer the phone for me."
The man took out the phone from the bag and, seeing "Dad" flashing on the screen, he hung up without hesitation.
Seeing him put the phone back in the bag, she curiously asked, "Who was it?"
Over at Shawn Lyle’s side, he couldn’t get through the call, and eventually, the phone shut down directly. It was clear this was a sign of not wanting to answer him, how could he not see it?
"Damn girl!" Hearing the broadcast on the phone infuriated him enough to almost smash the device!
At this moment, a young woman turned the corner and approached him, "Dad, what’s wrong? Hasn’t Sis arrived yet?"