Back in the private room, Aurora held Nana Rossi’s hand, smiling warmly as Nana shared stories, laughing at her playful jokes.
Lucas sat close by, his gaze filled with affection as he watched the two.
Just then, the door opened, and Gabriel stepped in with the three children.
Caleb led the way, grinning as he saw Nana Rossi, while Aria and Leo entered, glancing around the cozy room with wide eyes.
"Nana!" Caleb said happily, rushing up to her side. "We ca to see you! And look, my friends ca too."
Nana Rossi bead, reaching out to ruffle Caleb’s hair before turning her gentle gaze to Aria and Leo. "Oh, what beautiful visitors! Co closer, little ones."
Aria approached shyly, casting a quick, curious look at Caleb. "Are you Caleb’s Great-Nana?" she asked, her small voice tinged with wonder.
Nana laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Yes, I’m his Great-Nana. But guess what?" She leaned in closer, smiling warmly. "I’m also your Great-Nana."
Aria and Leo exchanged a confused glance, and Caleb’s smile faltered slightly, though he quickly covered it up.
Leo looked up at her, his brow furrowed. "How can you be our Great-Nana too?"
Caleb folded his arms, feeling a strange twinge inside as he watched Nana smile at them.
He loved his Great-Nana, and she was his... wasn’t she?
Seeing her now, sharing that sa smile with Aria and Leo, he felt an unexpected, tight feeling in his chest.
Silently, he clenched his fists.
Lucas noticed the confusion on their little faces. He cleared his throat and said gently, "Because you all share the sa daddy."
Aria’s eyes widened, and she looked at Caleb with amazent. "So... Caleb is our brother?"
Leo’s face lit up with excitent, and he turned to Caleb, grinning. "Our real brother?"
Caleb blinked, forcing a smile as his insides twisted a bit.
They were nice, Aria and Leo, but... his Great-Nana was supposed to be his alone. And his dad too.
A flicker of annoyance made him press his lips together, but he tried to keep his smile in place.
Aurora noticed his tiny clenched fists, and she reached out, gently resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Caleb, isn’t it wonderful?" she said softly. "Now you have two new friends—and they’re your siblings."
Caleb looked at her, nodding slowly as if he understood, but inside, he felt a little pouty.
Sure, they were fun to play with, but now they were his siblings too?
It felt like he’d just lost a special part of himself, sothing he didn’t want to share.
After a few more monts with Nana, Gabriel gathered the three children and walked with Aurora and Lucas back to the car.
As they drove, Aurora sat in the front with Gabriel, while Lucas sat in the back with the children, keeping an affectionate eye on them.
When Gabriel stopped at Aurora’s mansion, Aria and Leo gave Caleb a cheerful wave goodbye, clearly excited and delighted to have him as their brother.
"Bye, Caleb!" Aria said, waving from the mansion’s driveway.
"Co play with us again!" Leo added, grinning brightly.
Caleb smiled back, giving them an excited wave as they drove off. But as soon as they were out of sight, Caleb’s smile dropped, and he inwardly pouted, folding his arms tight.
"I don’t want to share Daddy or Nana," he thought, feeling his small hands ball into fists. "Sharing them ans I’ll have to share my toys too. No way!"
Lucas, seated beside him, noticed the slight frown and furrowed brow on Caleb’s face. "What’s wrong, buddy?" he asked gently, watching him carefully.
Caleb imdiately put on his best fake smile, looking up at Lucas with wide, innocent eyes. "Nothing, Daddy," he replied sweetly, though a hint of tension remained in his expression.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "You sure? You look a little upset."
Caleb hesitated but quickly forced a brighter smile. "I was just... thinking about the castle we built, and how it almost fell over," he said, trying to sound cheerful. "It was scary."
Lucas chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Ah, I see. Well, maybe next ti, you’ll make it even taller."
Caleb nodded, doing his best to keep his expression neutral, but inside, his thoughts were stormy.
"Just wait till I tell my an mummy," he thought with satisfaction. "She would never let share Daddy—and she’ll scare those kids away for good."
---
After reaching the mansion and tucking him into bed, Gabriel and Lucas left Caleb to rest for the night.
But Caleb wasn’t ready to sleep.
Feeling determined, he quietly slipped out of bed, tiptoed down the dim hallway, and stopped outside his mother’s room.
Taking a breath, he knocked on the door.
Inside, Julia was seated at her vanity, staring dreamily into the mirror, anticipation glowing in her eyes.
Her heart leaped at the knock, and a smile tugged at her lips.
"Could it be Lucas?" she wondered, excitent building as she glanced at her reflection.
She’d ssaged him earlier, urging him to co see her.
Reaching for her perfu, she gave herself a light spritz, her heart racing at the thought of him finally relenting.
"Who’s there?" she called in a low, eager voice.
"It’s , Mommy," ca Caleb’s small voice from the other side.
Julia’s hand froze, the smile sliding off her face.
Disappointed, she set the bottle down with an irritated sigh, pushing her moisturizer aside as she rolled her eyes.
"Just my luck," she thought sourly, feeling a prick of annoyance.
"What do you want, you spoilt brat?" she muttered to herself in a low voice.
Caleb, unaware of her annoyance, spoke again. This ti, his voice carried a hint of urgency. "I want to tell you sothing about Mrs. Aurora."
Julia’s expression changed instantly.
Aurora?
She hadn’t expected that. The na alone piqued her interest, and she recalled the last ti she’d coached Caleb to keep an eye on Aurora.
She’d told him to report anything unusual, to watch her carefully whenever she was near Lucas.
"Finally," she thought, a pleased smile playing on her lips. "The boy’s proving to be useful after all."
Clearing her throat, Julia quickly smoothed her expression, replacing her earlier irritation with a welcoming smile.
"Alright, co in," she called, her voice now soft and inviting.
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