Evadne listened, her eyes brimming with tears, as Suri recounted the tale with a heavy heart.


    Battered and barely clinging to life.


    What kind of harrowing ordeal must her mother have endured to have nearly perished so far from home?


    Thaddeus gripped Evadne’s trembling hand tighter, his voiceced with confusion. “Mrs. Ashbourne has been all alone in this foreignnd for so many years, raising children for Mr. Emeric. Didn’t she ever reach out to her family, or visit her homnd even once?”


    Suri shook her head, her gaze lowered. “Never. Not once. Emeric even went so far as to change her citizenship, gave her a new identity, so she could cut ties with her pastpletely.”


    The more they heard, the deeper their bewilderment grew.


    What could have happened to make Mrs. Ashbourne abandon her old life sopletely?


    With each word, Evadne’s curiosity about her mother’s past intensified.


    e years, you


    “Evadne, that’s all I know. And over father has reminded us, more than once, not to tell you anything about your mother.”


    Suri’s eyes pleaded as she took Evadne’s hand. “I don’t know why, but you must trust your father. He truly loves you and your mother. Everything he does, he does for you without a second thought. So please, let’s pretend this conversation never happened. Don’t ask your father about it, okay?”


    Evadne’s heart swelled with a deep, unspoken love for her mother. But she didn’t want to make Suri ufortable, so she could only nod through her tears.


    After a recent ordeal, Emeric’s health, which had just started to improve, was once again on shaky ground.


    Chasel arrived just in time to perform a thorough check-up and administer the necessary medication, stabilizing Emeric’s condition.


    Back in his office, Chasel slumped into his chair, utterly spent, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. As the lead physician, the pressure was immense.


    After all, this was the father of the man he adored!


    This was his first impression in front of his future father-inw, and the pressure was crushing. Who could understand?


    With these thoughts weighing on him, Chasel sprawled across his desk, his l*ps puckering in frustration.


    10:55 m


    Emeric’s life had hung in the bnce, and Chasel had fought tooth and nail to bring him back from the brink of death. Three sleep-deprived nights of standing until his legs. cramped up, both hungry and exhausted. And there was Cassius, doting on his father but scarcely offering Chasel a word offort.


    Once a charmer, renowned for his conquests, now Chasel had taken a tumble for Cassius, tasting the bitterness of unrequited affection for the first time.


    “Cassius. I despise you!” Chasel fumed, nearly shattering the ss atop his desk with a p, his eyes shimmering with resentment. “This is thest time. I swear it’s thest time I help you! Next time, even if you beg, I won’t.”


    Knock, knock, knock-


    The sound of knocking interrupted his brooding.


    Quickly, Chasel dabbed his eyes with a tissue, blew his nose, and walked to the door.


    As he opened it, Cassius’ striking visage greeted him. A gentle smile on his l*ps, his obsidian eyes glittered with a starry sheen.


    “Chasel.”


    His heart skipped a beat, his fingers tightening around the door frame.


    With such tenderness in his voice, Chasel’sposure wavered.


    “Been running ragged these past few days, huh? You haven’t eaten yet, have you?” Cassius lifted the bag he was holding, shaking it slightly. “I remember you told me once that you avoid carbs, but when you’re really stressed and worn out, you treat yourself to fried chicken. So here it is. I wasn’t sure what vor you’d like, so I got a few different ones.’


    Chasel’s mouth watered at the thought, and despite his best efforts, he let Cassius in.


    But he kept his pride, barely giving Cassius a warm look, sitting down with a cold expression, resisting the urge to gaze at him again.


    “As a doctor, it’s my duty to save lives. I would do my utmost to save anyone, not just Mr. Emeric. President Ashbourne, you don’t need to be so formal.”


    “Are you upset?” Cassius asked softly, ignoring Chasel’s coldness.


    “Who’s upset? Not me,” Chasel fluttered hisshes.


    “Then why the tears?”


    Chasel’s heart raced, and he nced inadvertently at the mirror on the wall.


    –


    The reflection showed him biting his l*p, his eyes red-rimmed, his nose tinged pink – the very picture of a wronged spouse!


    Cassius chuckled silently, opening the boxes of fried chicken and setting them before


    10.55


    Chasel with care, providing forks and napkins with thoughtful precision.


    “I’m sorry for all the trouble these past few days,” Cassius said, his voice husky with restraint.


    Chasel’s heart clenched, and he looked up into Cassius’ deep eyes.


    Cassius wiped his hands methodically with a napkin before sitting down beside him. “But you know, with the whole family here and my father ill, as the eldest son, I have to take care of him,fort the family, and find time to steady the ship at thepany. Chasel, it’s not easy for me either. So, I apologize.”


    Chasel’s emotions surged, and he took a big bite of the chicken to hide his feelings.


    “Why apologize? It’s so weird.”


    Cassius’ smile deepened as he watched him eat. “You need to eat more; you’ve lost weight.”


    “Yeah, the vor’s decent. But next time, remember to bring ketchup. My favorite’s always in chicken dipped in ketchup.”


    Chasel savored the chicken, eyeing Cassius’ attire with a pleased curl of his l*ps. “Oh, you wore it, huh? Looks like you’re quite fond of it.”


    “I like it,” Cassius nodded seriously.


    Chasel leaned closer, his handsome face filling Cassius’ vision. “So, what do you like more, that suit, or me?”


    Cassius lifted hisshes, a charming vortex forming in his gaze, drawing Chasel in helplessly. “Is there a difference?”


    Chasel knew the guy was a wise-cracker, and pestering him further would only yield answers he didn’t want to hear. So, in a fit of pique, he grabbed a drumstick and too


    ferocious bite.


    “Thanks, Cassius. I truly mean it this time.’


    Cassius expressed his heartfelt gratitude. “It’s not just me who owes you one, the wh Ashbourne family is in your debt.”


    “You’re not seriously thinking of fobbing me off with just a bucket of fried chicken, are you?” Chasel said with feigned annoyance, although he was devouring the chicken quite earnestly.


    “Of course not. Name your price, anything you want,” Cassius replied.


    No sooner had Cassius finished speaking than Chasel seized his jaw, pressing his fiery l*ps against Cassius’ cool ones in a bold im!


    All the weariness of the past days evaporated in an instant, with Chasel’s domineering


    10:55


    k*ss tinged with resentment, clearly not willing to let this stubborn man off easily.


    While Cassius remained passive, his eyes half-closed and misty, he let the little fox wreak havoc on his l*ps.


    After a round of teasing, chasing, and entangling.


    “President Ashbourne, wise and astute as you are, you should know exactly what I want, with just one k*ss,” Chasel said with a red-cheeked grin, breath heavy, as he wrapped his arms around Cassius’ n*eck.


    Cassius looked down, his l*ps glistening from the k*ss, and slowly clenched his hand resting on his knee, “Next time, wipe your mouth first.”


    Chasel, content, licked the corner of his mouth, a mischievous and alluring smile ying


    on his l*ps.


    “Nope.”


    Evadne, having been informed by Suri about her mother’s past, had been listless, her appetite gone.


    desire


    The next evening, with no desire to eat, after feeding Emeric some porridge, she stood gazing out of the window at the end of the corridor, lost in thought.


    Suddenly, a familiar embrace enveloped her from behind, Thaddeus’forting behind, Thaddeus’forting pheromones wrapping around her.


    Thaddeus held her close, his chiseled jaw resting against her n*eck, his l*ps near her ear, “Won’t you


    have a little something to eat? I had Gordon pick up a bunch of your favorites.” “Not hungry.” Evadne murmured, her eyes downcast.


    “Not hungry? I still remember that time you made a huge bowl of sd and finished it all, in the middle of the night, no less,” Thaddeus recalled her appetite with awe.


    Evadne lowered her head, her voice choked with emotion, “Thaddeus, I miss my


    Thaddeus’ rough thumb caressed her cheek, a wave of tenderness rising in his “Evadne, don’t be sad. Mrs. Ashbourne is in a better ce now, and I’m sure she’s of you all the time.”


    Tears fell despite Evadne’s efforts to hold them back.


    Thaddeus held her, soothed her, k*ssed her.


    Finally calming her emotions, Thaddeus had an idea and took her hand.


    “Come on, Evadne, let’s go somewhere.”


    An hourter.


    AIC


    10:55


    Thaddeus drove Evadne to the North Shore.


    Hand in hand, they stood side by side on the beach, watching the sunset over the sparkling sea, as if enveloped in a golden paradise, their spirits lifted.


    “This is where Mrs. Ashbourne was rescued, thirty years ago.”


    Thaddeus gazed affectionately at Evadne’s beautiful face, “Evadne, I know you want to follow in your mother’s footsteps, to understand everything about her. From now on, we’ll search together for clues about your mother’s past, visiting every ce she’s been. Okay?” Moved to tears, Evadne leaned on his shoulder, her cold sorrow slowly reced by the warmth of happiness.


    “Thaddeus, do you think my


    mother was a daughter of the Sea King?” she suddenly asked. Thaddeus pondered for a moment, “Perhaps she was a daughter of the sea itself.”


    “Isn’t that the same thing?”


    “Indeed, it is.” He chuckled awkwardly, feeling like his IQ had taken a nosedive since falling


    in love.


    Evadne, remembering Suri’s words, felt a profound sadness, “Did my mother swim from the sea? How long did she swim for? How cold was the water? She must have suffered a lot to survive, right? Did my mother flee from somece? Thaddeus, what should I do? I want to understand everything about my mother’s past, it’s keeping me up at night.”


    “We’ll find out slowly. Mrs. Ashbourne lived in Skyrim for so long, even if your father wanted to hide it, there must be some traces left.”


    Thaddeus looked out to the sea, his brows knitting together, and mused aloud, “Evadne, could your mother have been from Helgen, perhaps?”


    10:55