Chapter 275: Returning to the Palace and the Joy of the Two Little Girls
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Liliana, Charlotte, and Fiona froze, exchanging surprised glances.
Their shock faded quickly, replaced by the joy that lit up their faces.
Liliana was about to rush to the door to greet Leon, but her two daughters darted ahead, cutting her off.
“Daddy!” Charlotte and Fiona squealed with delight, racing toward the door on their little feet.
They flung the door open and were greeted by a tall, handsome figure—the father they had missed so dearly.
“Daddy!” Both girls leapt up, wrapping their arms tightly around Leon’s legs like two koalas, rubbing their faces against him in excitement.
“Fiona? Charlotte?” Leon exclaimed in surprise as the two suddenly appeared, clinging to his legs.
However, his surprise soon faded, replaced by a soft smile that blossomed on his lips.
“What are you two doing in your mother’s workspace at this hour?” He asked gently, lifting them into his arms with care.
At his question, Charlotte and Fiona, who had been radiating joy, instantly shifted to pouty expressions.
“We were so worried about you, Daddy,” Charlotte said, hugging Leon tightly and rubbing her cheek against his.
“Yeah! We searched the whole palace for you this afternoon, and we got so anxious we couldn’t even sleep,” Fiona chimed in, her round eyes welling up with tears.
That afternoon, Lyra had told her, along with sisters Charlotte, Iris, and Stella, that they could finally leave their rooms.
Naturally, they were overjoyed and immediately set out to find their daddy so they could play together.
But after searching the entire palace, they couldn’t find him anywhere, leaving them all startled and worried.
They attempted to ask Lyra, only to discover that she was nowhere to be found either.
To make matters worse, their mother hadn’t explained anything to them, heightening their unease and concern over their daddy’s absence.
As he listened to their words, Leon remained silent for a moment before finally releasing a quiet sigh.
“I’m sorry for making you worry,” Leon said softly, gently patting their backs.
Seeing the concern and sadness on their adorable faces, a deep sense of guilt washed over him.
Especially after what he had done with Athena earlier, the shame weighed heavily on him, making him wish he could slap himself.
Charlotte and Fiona exchanged glances, sweet smiles blooming on their lips.
“It’s okay, Daddy,” Charlotte said, wrapping her small arms around Leon’s neck. “We were just worried about you leaving us, but it looks like that’s not the case. So you don’t have to feel guilty!”
“Yeah! Sister Charlotte is right! You don’t need to feel guilty, Daddy!” Fiona chimed in, nodding vigorously. She planted kisses on Leon’s cheeks, rubbing her chubby right cheek against his left over and over.
A warm feeling washed over Leon as he absorbed their words, strengthening his resolve to uphold the trust they had in him.
After sharing a few more words with them, he turned to Liliana, finding her gazing at him with a mix of confusion, longing, and complexity evident in her red eyes.
With a soft sigh, he walked slowly over to Liliana and halted right in front of her.
He gently set Charlotte and Fiona down and offered Liliana a warm smile.
“I’m sorry for worrying you, Liliana,” Leon said, reaching out to caress her beautiful, charming face.
Liliana remained silent, biting her lower lip, unsure if the Leon before her was real.
But the moment Leon’s warm, gentle palm touched her cheek, she realized it wasn’t a dream; this Leon was truly here!
Without hesitation, Liliana stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him.
“You really had me worried, you foolish man!” Liliana whispered in an exasperated tone, but the smile blooming on her lips revealed her underlying happiness.
Leon smiled gently and hugged Liliana back affectionately.
“Yes, I truly am a fool, and I’m very sorry for that,” he replied softly, closing his eyes as he gently brushed her long white hair.
Liliana’s concerns only strengthened his resolve not to hide the issues he had with Athena.
He didn’t want to jeopardize the trust Liliana had in him by being dishonest.
Though the aftermath might be difficult, he was prepared to face the consequences and accept them.
Meanwhile, Charlotte and Fiona, witnessing the intimate embrace, were taken aback and quickly covered their eyes with their small hands.
“Sister, this is the first time I’ve seen Mommy with such a gentle expression, acting so spoiled,” Fiona whispered softly to Charlotte, glancing through her slightly parted fingers.
“Yes, you’re right, Fiona. It’s also my first time seeing Mommy like this. But considering how much she loves Daddy, it’s not too surprising,” Charlotte replied, peeking at Leon and Liliana, who were still cuddling closely.
Before their daddy arrived, their mommy frequently wore a cold and indifferent expression that sometimes frightened Charlotte and her sisters.
She was strict about everything, from table manners to bedtime, which made them feel anxious.
As a result, the image of their mommy in their minds was often defined by two traits—strict and cold.
However, everything changed with their daddy’s arrival in the palace, bringing warmth like the sun illuminating the world.
Their mommy, who had always been cold and indifferent, gradually began to smile more often, her demeanor toward them becoming gentler.
The palace, once gloomy and monotonous, transformed into a vibrant place, and Charlotte felt immense gratitude for her daddy’s presence in their lives.
After a few moments of cuddling, Leon and Liliana finally parted, smiles brightening their faces as they gazed at each other.
“By the way, Leon, how did you come back? I initially thought Athena had taken you to her palace, and I even planned to go there and bring you back if that were the case,” Liliana asked, her gaze filled with worry and curiosity as she examined him to ensure he was alright.
Charlotte and Fiona, overhearing her words, widened their eyes in shock, exchanging looks that mirrored their surprise.
“Sister, did you hear that? Daddy wasn’t in the palace earlier because he was kidnapped!” Fiona whispered, her voice trembling with shock and concern.
At first, she thought their daddy’s absence was because he was angry or no longer loved her and her sisters.
However, she never imagined it was because he had been kidnapped!
To make matters worse, the kidnapper was Athena Hellness, the Empress of the Dragon Empire!
Fiona’s anger swelled at the thought, her chubby cheeks puffing up like balloons.
In contrast, Charlotte remained silent, but a flicker of anger crossed her usually graceful and calm features.
Leon, hearing Liliana’s explanation, felt even more embarrassed and guilty, though he kept his feelings hidden.
“Ahem! It’s a bit of a long story, but you don’t need to worry; I’ll explain everything,” Leon said gently, stroking Liliana’s delicate face.
Liliana blinked in curiosity but refrained from asking more questions, simply replying, “Alright.”
After exchanging a few more words, Leon finally gathered Fiona and Charlotte into his arms.
“In that case, I’ll take Charlotte and Fiona to my bedroom first, then I’ll come to yours,” Leon said with a faint smile.
From Liliana’s explanation, he understood that the reason the two of them were in her room so late at night was that they couldn’t sleep.
Their restlessness stemmed from his absence, which had left them worried and unable to relax.
Fiona, in particular, could only drift off peacefully if she was on his belly or snuggled in his arms.
Liliana smiled and nodded, saying, “Alright, I’ll wait for you in my room.”
Leon nodded in response and, without another word, stepped outside with Charlotte and Fiona in his arms.
“Good night, Mommy!” Charlotte smiled, waving her right hand at Liliana.
“Good night, Mommy!” Fiona chimed in, leaning her cheek against Leon’s shoulder as she waved.
“Good night, and sleep well,” Liliana replied with a gentle smile.
Once the three disappeared from her sight, Liliana’s warm expression turned cold as she brought her right hand to her nose and sniffed.
“Why does Leon smell like that…?” Liliana inquired, her eyes narrowing slightly.
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