Elysia stepped into the Bradford family''s ancestral hall for the first time and was truly astounded. The hall was vast and tall, making her feel incredibly small, like an ant stepping into a skyscraper. The walls of the hall were lined with portraits of deceased members of the Bradford family, each apanied by a description of their life''s journey. From a distance, Elysia could only see the portraits, unable to read the inscriptions below.


    In the center of the hall, there were many memorial ques, each with candles and fresh flowers ced in front. There were also monks in the hall, chanting prayers and blessings, adding to the solemn and respectful atmosphere. Members of the Bradford family stood in front of the ques, bowing collectively before proceeding to light incense in honor of their ancestors, family by family. Gideon, being the eldest in the Bradford family, was the first to step forward. He was followed by Tarquin and Elijah. Although Tarquin''s aunts were older, their status did not surpass his due to their gender, so they had to wait their turn. Once Tarquin''s aunts had paid their respects, it was time for the more distant rtives of the Bradford family.


    As Gideon lit his incense, Tarquin turned to Elysia, "When it''s our turn to honor my dad, you can stay here with the kids if you''d prefer." He didn''t pressure her, knowing well she wasn''t Elijah''s biological mother. The privilege of honoring his father was reserved for Elijah''s biological mother, so whether Elysia participated was of little consequence to him.


    Before Elysia could respond, Elijah piped up, "Daddy, I want Mommy and Elliot, Evan, and Emmett toe with us. Grandpa would be happier." Having his daughter-inw and grandsons present would surely bring joy. Elijah looked at Elysia with hopeful eyes, "Mommy, Daddy said Grandpa was a great man. Let''s all light incense for him, to make his year a happy one."


    Elysia nced at Tarquin, who remained calm, "It''s up to you." Though she wasn''t Elijah''s biological mother, a polite gesture of lighting incense for Elijah''s grandfather was eptable, and he wouldn''t object. As it was Tarquin''s turn, he stepped forward confidently. Elijah clung to Elysia, leaving her no choice but to follow under the watchful eyes of the assembly.


    The Bradford family frowned collectively at this! They saw this act as more significant than Tarquin had anticipated, associating it with formally recognizing Elysia''s status within the family. By bringing Elysia to light the incense, Tarquin was essentially dering her his spouse in the eyes of his father.


    Elysia could feel the cold stares from behind, her nerves kicking in. She was naturally timid, and the eerie atmosphere of the ancestral hall,bined with the cold res, made her uneasy. As Tarquin took the incense for her, their eyes met, his gaze reassuring her: "Don''t worry, I''m here for you." Elysia took a deep breath, feeling a bit more settled. She then signaled Elliot, Evan, and Emmett to follow Elijah''s lead. The six of them together paid their respects to Kendrick.


    Kendrick, originally named Killian Bradford, had used Kendrick as his name for safety reasons during his studies abroad. When he and Elizabeth had no choice but to marry overseas, they used the name Kendrick on their marriage certificate. They bowed deeply, and Tarquin ced the incense in Kendrick''s personal um, a tradition he followed every year, dedicating his respects solely to his father.