Evening...
In the dining room, Liliana, clad in a red dress, walked up to the dining table and carefully set down two plates of food.
She surveyed the spread of dishes with a satisfied expression.
"Everything is ready. Now, it's just a matter of waiting for the four little ones."
Stepping back into the kitchen, she removed her apron and hung it neatly in its place.
Afterward, she returned to the dining room and sat quietly, waiting for Leon and the children to arrive.
Her gaze drifted to the large windows across from her, where snowflakes gently fell, blanketing the world outside in white. Subconsciously, a faint smile tugged at her lips.
"This year's winter feels different," she murmured softly.
Since childhood, she had always loved winter, eagerly looking forward to it every year.
However, after conceiving Charlotte, Iris, and Fiona, winter no longer felt magical. Instead, it beca the season she despised the most.
Her hatred was not without reason. Winter had arrived just days after she and Leon were caught in that unwanted incident.
That winter, frustration consud her—her innocence had been stolen by a man she hadn't even known at the ti. Worse still, he was human, the very kind she had loathed the most.
The season she once cherished had beco a painful reminder of mories she wished she could forget.
However, things were different now. She had finally begun to heal from the trauma and slowly co to terms with it. Moreover, the man she once despised had now beco her partner.
Winter had, at last, returned to being the season she loved—just as it had been before.
At that mont, the sound of footsteps echoed from the dining room entrance. Monts later, Leon, Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella stepped inside.
"Good evening, Mommy!" Charlotte greeted with a bright smile.
"Good evening, Mommy!"
"Good evening, Aunt Liliana!"
Iris, Fiona, and Stella followed suit, their faces beaming with cheerfulness.
Liliana responded with a warm, radiant smile. "Good evening, girls. Co on, the food is ready."
The four of them nodded eagerly and quickly took their seats.
Liliana turned to Leon, who was still standing by the door with a smile on his lips, and asked in confusion, "Why are you just standing there? Aren't you going to sit down?"
Leon folded his arms, leaned casually against the wall, and let out a chuckle.
"You greeted the children, but not . I'm deeply hurt," he said, feigning sadness.
Liliana: "..."
She hadn't expected Leon to act like a child.
Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella burst into laughter at his antics.
"Daddy, you're too childish," Charlotte teased, giggling.
"How can you be jealous of us little ones?" Iris chid in playfully.
Unfazed, Leon simply shrugged. "I'm not jealous. Just heartbroken that your mother forgot about ."
As he spoke, he put on a wounded and pitiful expression, making Liliana's lips twitch slightly.
"Alright," she said in a resigned tone. "Good evening, my dear. Now co and sit down—dinner is ready."
Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she raised an eyebrow. "Happy now?"
Leon nodded with satisfaction and strode over to his seat beside her. "Very! Thank you for the warm welco."
Liliana rolled her eyes but showed no trace of irritation. She knew Leon was only joking—he was never truly jealous of their children.
After all, she knew him better than anyone.
As she expected, Leon was only joking. He deliberately acted that way to keep their relationship lighthearted and free from awkwardness.
As the saying goes, "A relationship that's too serious can quickly beco dull."
"Alright, let's start dinner," Leon said warmly.
"Okay!" Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella cheered excitedly before digging into their al.
The atmosphere was warm and lively, filled with small talk and laughter that echoed through the dining room.
Suddenly, Leon paused, reached into his pocket, and pulled out four small gift boxes. With a gentle smile, he handed them to the girls.
"These are New Year's gifts for you," he said.
They blinked in surprise, staring at the gifts in disbelief.
"Gifts? We're getting presents again?" Iris asked, eyes wide.
It had only been a month since they received their birthday gifts, and she hadn't expected another so soon.
This was the first ti they had ever received gifts twice in a single year!
Like Iris, Charlotte, Fiona, and Stella were equally puzzled. A New Year's gift? That was sothing they had never heard of before.
"New Year's gifts are a tradition in my hotown, so go ahead—take them," Leon insisted, holding the boxes out to them.
Since their father was so insistent, they didn't refuse.
Instead, they eagerly accepted the gifts, their faces lighting up with joy—especially Fiona, whose round, innocent eyes sparkled with excitent.
"Wow! This is the first ti I've received gifts so often!" Fiona exclaid happily.
The remnants of sauce on her cheeks only made her look even more adorable.
"Thank you, Daddy!" She hugged the gift box tightly, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
To her, the contents didn't matter—if it ca from her Daddy, she would cherish it no matter what.
"Thank you, Daddy!"
"Thank you, Uncle Leon!"
Iris, Stella, and Charlotte also expressed their gratitude, their voices filled with the sa joy as Fiona's.
anwhile, Liliana watched them with a soft smile, though deep down, a small pang of envy flickered within her.
Since being with Leon, she had never once received a gift from him. Still, she remained composed, quietly continuing her al as if unaffected.
Just then, Leon nudged her arm. She turned to find him smiling warmly as he held out a small gift box.
"Happy New Year, my dear Liliana. This is for you," he said affectionately.
Liliana froze for a mont before a genuine smile crept onto her lips. But in the next second, she regained her usual cool deanor and let out a soft snort.
"Hmph. I thought you had forgotten about ," she muttered, feigning annoyance, though she still took the gift without hesitation.
Leon chuckled and gently took her hand. "Forget you? Impossible. You're the woman I love most."
His words—sweeter than honey—made Liliana's heart flutter.
A beautiful, radiant smile broke through her composure.
"Thank you…" she whispered.
Charlotte, Iris, and Fiona exchanged glances before letting out a quiet sigh.
"So Mom can get shy after all," they murmured in unison.
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