Chapter 230

The flu hit Stella Valentine like a tidal wave.

She spent three full days unconscious in her hotel room before regaining enough strength to move.

Today was her father's death anniversary. Summoning her last reserves of energy, she took both children to the cemetery.

Grace Laurent never showed up.

"Mommy, will Grandpa like my candies?" Luna Roland stood on tiptoes, arranging colorful sweets before the tombstone.

Ethan Valentine quietly placed his treasured Transformer toy beside it. "Grandpa, I'll protect Mommy for you."

Stella's throat tightened as she stared at her father's photograph—forever frozen at fifty.

"Mommy!" Luna suddenly tugged her sleeve. "Can Grandpa really hear us?"

Kneeling, Stella gathered both children into her arms. "Of course he can."

Ethan looked up with startlingly bright eyes. "What about Daddy?"

Her heart lurched.

"If Daddy's been fighting bad guys all this time, does he hear me every day?" Ethan's voice trembled with hope.

Luna wriggled free. "Let's shout really loud! Then Daddy will hear!"

Hand in hand, the children tilted their faces skyward. "Daddy, come home!"

Their innocent voices echoed through the silent graveyard.

Stella's eyes burned.

"Mommy, I'll recite Daddy's poem!" Luna began chanting in her baby voice, "Who in the clouds sends letters down..."

Stella gaped at her daughter.

She'd only read Li Qingzhao's "A Twig of Mume Blossoms" to Luna once.

"Mommy, Daddy lives inside this poem, right?" Luna blinked enormous eyes. "When he comes back, I'll recite it first!"

......

Adrian Roland stood frozen nearby, white chrysanthemums slipping from his grasp.

That cry of "Daddy" pierced his heart like an arrow.

"Mr. Roland?" Penny Anderson whispered.

He didn't hear her. His gaze locked onto the slender figure in black.

"Daddy!" The little girl suddenly shrieked, pointing at him.

Both children came charging like tiny cannonballs—only to skid to a halt when they saw his face.

"Not Daddy..." Luna's lower lip wobbled.

Ethan squeezed his sister's hand. "Our daddy's handsomer."

Adrian stepped forward.

The black suit accentuated his broad shoulders. Backlit by the sun, his chiseled features cast sharp shadows.

The children stared up at him, transfixed.

"Daddy...?" Luna tentatively reached out a small hand.