"Speaking of family..." Camila suddenly said, her voice light with a hint of mischief. "...there's sothing on the label that I think you missed, Kafka."
Confused about her words, I furrowed my brow and looked down at the jar in my hands. I turned it slightly, scanning the label more closely.
At first, it was just the sa beautiful design Bella had created, with the cute illustrations and the playful font. But then my eyes caught sothing at the very top of the label.
"Kafka's Family Sauces..."
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. The brand na was prominently displayed right underneath, simple yet striking.
My eyes widened in disbelief as the realisation hit like a bolt of lightning.
"K-Kafka's Family?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.
I slowly looked up at them, my expression a mix of shock and awe. Camila and Bella were both grinning widely, their faces filled with pride and anticipation, as if waiting for my reaction to fully set in.
Bella was the first to speak, her excitent bubbling over. "How's the na, Daddy? Pretty cool, right?" She asked, practically bouncing on her heels. "At first, we were going to call it the Vanitas Family, but...We thought it wouldn't feel as personal. Not as intimate, you know? So we kept it as 'Kafka's Family'...What do you think?"
Hearing those words, my heart raced even more. I couldn't believe what I was hearing—or seeing.
They had nad the entire brand after , centred it around the idea of family, and made it sothing so deeply personal.
"W-Why?" I managed to say, my voice trembling slightly. "Why na it after ? Y-You could've chosen so many other things, so why did you choose my silly na?"
Camila stepped closer, her hand resting lightly on my arm. Her voice was soft but steady as she replied,
"Because you're the reason we did this, Kafka. Your love for this family, your belief in all of us, it's what brought this to life...You're the heart of this, whether you realise it or not."
Bella nodded, her grin softening into a warm smile.
"It's true. You're always the one who brings people together, Daddy, just like you did with and my mom."
She paused, her cheeks tinging pink as she glanced down at the jar in my hands, then back at .
"Y-You're like…the magnet that keeps everyone close to each other, Daddy." She added, her voice quieter but filled with sincerity. "You're the one who ties this family together...S-So it's only natural that your na is up front."
I stared at her, speechless. The weight of her words, the sincerity in her voice—it all hit at once. I found it hard to breathe, and I had to take a deep breath to steady myself.
Camila stepped closer, her smile filled with warmth and pride. "She's right, Kakfa." She said softly. "This family…It wouldn't be what it is without you. You've always been the heart of it, even if you don't realise it."
I looked between the two of them, my heart swelling with so many emotions that I didn't even know where to begin. My gaze dropped back to the jar, the words 'Kafka's Family Sauces' staring back at , making everything feel even more real.
My voice was thick as I finally said, "I-I don't even know what to say to you two. T-This...This is incredible."
Camila smiled, leaning in slightly. "Just say you're proud of us." She whispered, her eyes gleaming with affection.
Bella smirked, her voice filled with playful teasing as she added, "And that you're okay with being the face of the brand, Daddy. Because there's no going back now!"
Camila then noticed the trembling look in my eyes, which made her step closer and tilt her head at , her smile equal parts teasing and affectionate.
"Oh, look at him, Bella. He's already such a grown-up, but he looks like he's going to cry." She teased, her tone warm and light, but with a knowing edge.
"What? No!" I shot back instinctively, wiping at the corner of my eye. "I'm not crying. It's.....dust or sothing. The label probably has glitter or..." I trailed off, unable to stop the lump rising in my throat.
Bella giggled at my attempt to cover it up. "Uh-huh, sure. You're not crying at all." She said, crossing her arms and watching with that cheeky grin.
Camila raised an eyebrow, her expression gentle even as she kept her teasing tone. "Oh, Kafka. Just admit it. It's okay to feel overwheld, you know. You don't have to hold it all in."
But I couldn't admit it —not out loud. Because in that mont, my mind wasn't in the room anymore. It was sowhere else entirely.
I thought about the boy I used to be.
Alone...Unwanted...A child cast away into a world that didn't care if I survived.
I rembered those endless, cold nights, the emptiness that had been my constant companion, and the quiet ache in my chest every ti I realized there was no one waiting for , nо one to care if I succeeded or fell apart.
And yet, here I was now. Sohow, despite everything, I had this. A family...A real family.
A woman who had poured her heart and soul into bringing people together and a daughter whose lightness and creativity could fill any room with warmth.
I had people who cared about so much that they'd worked in secret, rallying my entire family to create sothing beautiful—not for themselves, but for .
The thought hit like a wave, and I couldn't hold it back anymore. Without another word, I stepped forward and pulled them both into my arms, wrapping them in a strong, unrelenting hug.
Hug~
Bella yelped in surprise. "W-Whoa—Hey!" She exclaid, her voice muffled against my chest. "You're hugging too hard, Daddy! I can't breathe!" Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire
But I didn't let go. My arms tightened around both of them, and I felt the warmth of their presence, the weight of their love anchoring in a way I'd never thought possible. My throat burnt, and I blinked hard to keep the tears at bay, but they spilt over anyway.
Camila laughed softly, her voice low and soothing as she wrapped her arms around in return.
"Just let him be, Bella." She said gently, her hand stroking my back. "n don't show their emotions like this often. When they do, it's better to embrace it before it slips away."
Bella hesitated, her body stiff for a mont before she let out a resigned sigh.
"Fine." She muttered, her tone softer now. Slowly, her arms ca up to return the hug. "But he's squishing ." She grumbled under her breath, though I knew she was happy to be in my embrace at the mont.
I honestly couldn't speak. The words were stuck in my throat, drowned out by the sheer weight of the mont. All I could do was hold them tighter, feeling the overwhelming mix of gratitude, love, and disbelief coursing through .
At that mont, my mind replayed Camila's words: You're the heart of this family. And Bella's: You're the magnet that ties us all together.
How had I gone from being a boy no one wanted to the man standing here, surrounded by love and warmth I'd never dared to hope for?
How had I been so lucky to find people who didn't just see but believed in , who loved enough to make the centrepiece of sothing so incredible?...Who knows?
Camila's hand then rested lightly on my cheek, drawing out of my thoughts. She leaned in close, her voice barely above a whisper. "You've given us so much, Kafka. This was just our way of giving sothing back to you."
Bella, still pressed against , muttered, "Yeah, Daddy, and you better not forget it. This wasn't easy, you know."
I let out a choked laugh, my voice trembling. "I don't deserve any of you." I managed, my words coming out rough and raw.
Camila pulled back slightly, just enough to et my gaze. Her eyes were warm, shining with the kind of love that could break through even the darkest mories.
"Don't say that." She said firmly, her smile gentle. "You deserve all of this and more. And we'll keep reminding you of that until you believe it."
Bella nodded against my chest, her earlier teasing replaced with sincerity. "You're stuck with us now, Daddy. No takebacks."
I laughed again, pulling them both tighter one last ti. My tears were flowing freely now, but I didn't care.
For the first ti in years, I didn't feel like I had to hold anything back.
As the mont stretched on, Camila leaned her head against my shoulder, her arms still wrapped around . Bella relaxed fully into the hug, her own arms tightening as if she'd finally understood the importance of what we shared.
And there I stood, one man overwheld by the love he never thought he'd have, holding two of the many won who had given him a family he'd always dread of, while they hugged him back with everything they had to give.
But just as the mood was settling into sothing serene and beautiful, a sudden knock echoed through the house, followed imdiately by the sharp ring of the doorbell.
The sound cut through the quiet mont like a blade, making all three of us stiffen.
Camila pulled back slightly, her brows knitting together. Bella straightened, glancing toward the door with wide eyes.
There was nothing inherently alarming about a knock or a doorbell, but sothing about it—about the timing—sent a faint shiver down my spine.
I exchanged a glance with Camila, whose expression now held a flicker of unease. Bella shifted on her feet, biting her lip.
I don't know what it was, but sothing told this wasn't going to be soone delivering good news...
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