Chapter 98: A Present and Meeting Iris Again in the Garden
“By the way, Daddy,” Charlotte said, still hugging Leon’s neck, “I forgot to tell you something.” She spoke in a hurried tone.
“Hm? Forgot something?” Leon asked, his curiosity evident in his voice.
Charlotte released her embrace, meeting Leon’s gaze directly as a small smile graced her lips.
“Hehehe~ I actually forgot to mention that I prepared a present for you today,” Charlotte said, a hint of cunning gleaming in her eyes.
Leon was taken aback, casting a curious gaze her way.
“A present?” he asked spontaneously.
“Um! A present! But it’s not here; it’s on the garden bench, and you have to see it for yourself,” Charlotte giggled, excitement echoing in her voice.
Leon smiled and gently stroked her soft, round face as he asked, “Can’t I find out about the present without going to the garden?”
“Of course not,” Charlotte replied with a playful tone, shaking her head. “It’s a surprise; you have to see it for yourself.”
“Pfft, alright. I’ll check it out myself, and I’m eager to see what presents you’ve arranged,” Leon said lightly, chuckling a little.
It is the first time Charlotte has ever prepared a present for him, and he found himself growing increasingly curious about its contents.
Would it be a bracelet nestled inside a gift box placed on the garden bench?
Or perhaps something entirely different?
Observing Leon’s guessing expression brought a smile to Charlotte’s face, brimming with happiness.
She was confident that her daddy would be delighted with the present she had meticulously prepared.
“Then I’ll play with Fiona, and you’ll have to pick up the present by yourself,” Charlotte declared.
She planted a kiss on Leon’s cheek and promptly hopped off his lap, scampering with her little legs towards Fiona, who had only completed 2 out of 100 pieces of the puzzle.
As the warmth of her kiss lingered on his cheek, Leon smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.
‘This little girl has changed and released all the restraints in her heart…’ Leon murmured with a sense of comfort in his heart.
He felt fortunate that he could quickly identify the issues in Charlotte’s heart.
Otherwise, the little girl might have lived a life consumed by pent-up resentment and jealousy, which could have gradually darkened her spirit.
If that had occurred, Leon would have regretted it for the rest of his life.
‘Hah, being a father is quite hard, but very fun,’ he chuckled inwardly.
After a moment, he stretched his somewhat stiff limbs, rising to his feet with deliberate care.
His gaze returned once more to Charlotte and Fiona, engrossed in solving the puzzle together.
Unwilling to interrupt their concentration, Leon quietly made his way to the room’s door and stepped outside to discover the surprise Charlotte had arranged for him in the garden.
As he exited, Charlotte, who had been covertly observing his departure, couldn’t help but smile faintly.
‘I wish Iris and Daddy could reconcile soon, and we three sisters could always be together to support Daddy,’ Charlotte murmured with a smile, imagining a future where she, Fiona, and Iris could be gathered with Leon.
Lost in her reverie, Fiona’s voice suddenly broke through beside her.
“Sister, what about this part?”
Upon hearing that, Charlotte immediately snapped back to reality, her gaze shifting towards the direction Fiona was indicating.
With a gentle smile, she reached out, retrieving the puzzle piece and carefully placing it into position.
“This piece,” Charlotte replied casually.
“Wow! You’re incredible, sister!” Fiona’s eyes sparkled as she applauded Charlotte.
Pride illuminated Charlotte’s little face as she basked in Fiona’s praise.
“Okay, let’s finish this and collect Daddy’s promise to grant our wish!” Charlotte exclaimed eagerly.
“Okay! Let’s do it!” Fiona raised her chubby hand in agreement, cheering enthusiastically.
With fervent determination, the two sisters dove into piecing together their puzzles.
…
In the palace hallway, Leon strolled leisurely, his mind wandering.
“I’m really curious about the present Charlotte prepared,” Leon whispered, rubbing his chin in contemplation.
Even after making several guesses, none managed to convince him.
After all, despite Charlotte’s mature and graceful demeanor, Leon couldn’t help but wonder what a little girl like her could possibly prepare as a present?
As Leon walked, absorbed in thought and guessing, suddenly, without realizing it, he found himself already strolling through the hallway adjacent to the garden.
“Hey~ That little girl really managed to pique my curiosity like this,” Leon chuckled to himself before stepping into the palace garden.
However, just as he took a few steps into the garden, his strides came to an abrupt halt.
In the middle of the garden, he spotted a little girl with long white hair and a red ribbon atop her head, seated on a garden bench.
Her expression was a mixture of confusion and anxiety, as if she were awaiting something.
Witnessing this, Leon couldn’t help but feel stunned and taken aback.
“Ha? Iris? Why is that girl there?” Leon blinked in confusion.
The little girl seated on the bench was none other than Iris—his second daughter among the triplets.
It had been several days since he last saw her, and in that time, she hadn’t crossed his path.
Now, as she sat in the garden, occupying the very bench Charlotte had mentioned as the spot for the present, it left him perplexed.
Was Iris connected to Charlotte’s presents, or was her presence merely a coincidence?
Leon pondered deeply, but no matter how many times he tried to guess, he couldn’t feel confident in his assumptions.
“Well, regardless of whether Iris has something to do with Charlotte’s present or not, I happened to be searching for Iris to mend our relationship,” Leon said softly, a gentle smile gracing his lips.
Honestly, he harbored guilt toward Iris, realizing he had been somewhat indifferent to her.
Certainly, it wasn’t intentional neglect, but rather a recognition that a different approach was necessary with Iris.
However, after understanding Charlotte’s feelings, Leon’s perspective on the matter immediately shifted 180 degrees.
He realized that his passive approach to Iris might have been a fatal mistake, potentially driving her further away instead of bringing her closer.
Despite her seemingly cold demeanor, she was still just a three-year-old girl in need of her father’s attention.
Quickly, Leon snapped out of his contemplation and let out a small sigh.
“Ha~ I really have a lot to learn in this regard,” Leon said with a hint of bitterness.
After regaining his composure, Leon took a deep breath and approached Iris on the garden bench.
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