Chapter 229: My favorite has always been —
Meanwhile—
At the backside of Adelyn’s apartment, a blonde woman dressed in leather pants and a fitted black biker jacket leapt down from the wall with effortless ease.
Her movements were swift and fluid —as though climbing up and down a building without support was no more difficult than walking on flat ground.
"See? It wasn’t difficult at all," she said, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeves. "Knocking a few metal pipes was enough to solve the problem."
Asher frowned at her.
But before he could respond, another voice cut in from the side.
"You didn’t climb up there to solve the problem," a young man said as he stepped into the dim light. "You went there to officially invite her in."
As he moved forward, his appearance became clearer. Dressed casually, he didn’t look older than twenty-five. Yet there was something in his presence —something unfathomable —that warned against underestimating him.
Especially not because of his age.
"Now that she’s officially beside Boss, moving right in his house," he continued, his gaze shifting toward Asher, "we can’t be sure when disaster might strike."
He paused deliberately.
"This is all your fault."
Asher’s frown deepened, his gaze sharpening.
Seeing the look in his eyes, the young man elaborated without hesitation.
"You saw what kind of destruction she nearly caused last time," he said. "And yet, you still allowed her to cross paths with Boss again. What if things repeat? This time, I’m not sure we’ll survive it."
Before the tension could build further, the blonde woman —Eve —lightly knocked him on the back of his head.
"You really have a talent for predicting disasters," she said dryly. "How about predicting one for yourself? I’ll help make it come true."
She raised her fist playfully, though there was a hint of warning beneath it.
"Eve!" the young man snapped in frustration. "I’m not making things up. We all know what happened back then. Boss almost destroyed himself —he was ready to perish along with this world. If not for—"
Before he could finish, Eve placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"History doesn’t always repeat itself," she said calmly. "And right now, she’s the only solution we have."
Her lips curved into a faint smile.
"If her presence can keep Boss grounded ... then bringing them closer isn’t a bad decision."
Then, her gaze shifted toward Asher, a teasing glint appearing in her eyes.
"And besides ... if Asher agreed to it, why are you so against it?" she asked. "Do you think you love Boss more than him?"
Emmet snorted, crossing his arms.
"What’s there to think about?" he scoffed lightly. "If not more, I definitely don’t love Boss any less than him."
Asher shot him a look.
But Emmet didn’t back down in the slightest.
"Don’t look at me like that ..." he added confidently. "Just give me a chance, and I’ll prove it to you."
Asher rolled his eyes.
"Then keep waiting for eternity," he replied flatly. "Because I’m not giving you that chance. Not now, not ever."
Eve watched the exchange and laughed softly.
When both of them turned to look at her, she simply shrugged.
"You two can keep competing," she said lightly. "I was never part of that race."
She paused just long enough to draw their curiosity.
"My favorite has always been—"
They leaned in slightly, waiting.
But she only smirked.
"... I’m not telling."
"You—"
"You—"
Before they could protest further, Eve waved her hand dismissively.
"Alright, let’s leave," she said. "We came here quietly. It’s only right we leave the same way."
And just like that—
The three of them melted into the darkness, their figures disappearing into the shadows as if they had never been there at all.
—
At that same moment, Dylan’s car passed along the road nearby.
No one else noticed anything.
But Ford did.
His eyes caught the fleeting silhouettes —not by accident, but with deliberate attention.
His gaze lingered for a second before shifting to the rearview mirror, where the image of the small family of three reflected back at him.
A faint sense of relief flickered across his eyes.
Dylan noticed.
But before he could dwell on it—
A soft voice broke the silence inside the car.
"Mama, did someone make you really upset today?"
Dylan turned his head.
His gaze fell on Adelyn —only to find her staring at the little girl, as though something deeply hidden within her had just been uncovered.
Adelyn paused.
Her eyes lingered on Eira, confusion flickering within them.
How did she know?
How could she possibly tell?
But then—
Eira shifted in her arms, turning around fully to face her. Her little hands reached up to gently cup Adelyn’s face, forcing her to meet her gaze.
And in that moment—
Adelyn understood.
The girl had seen through her.
Through every wall.
Through every barrier she had so carefully built over the years.
"Mama," Eira asked again softly, her voice gentle and warm, "who bullied you?"
Her tiny brows furrowed slightly.
"Tell Eira," she continued, "and Eira will never talk to them again."
Adelyn couldn’t help but smile.
She reached out and gently pinched the girl’s cheek before leaning forward to press a soft kiss against it.
"Such a big punishment?" she teased lightly. "You’re going to give that without even knowing who it is?"
Eira’s expression turned serious.
She shook her head firmly.
"If someone makes Mama upset," she said with quiet certainty, "Eira doesn’t need to know who they are. She just won’t like them."
It was such a simple, childish declaration.
And yet—
It warmed something deep within Adelyn.
Like a soothing balm placed over wounds she hadn’t even realized were still bleeding.
"Hmm?" Adelyn murmured softly. "And what if Mama is upset with herself? Will the punishment still be the same?"
At that—
Eira paused.
She thought for a moment.
Then, without another word, she wrapped her small arms around Adelyn’s neck and nestled into the crook of her shoulder, breathing in her scent as if grounding herself there.
"Mama ..." she whispered softly, "don’t be upset with yourself."
Her tiny fingers clutched gently at Adelyn’s clothes.
"Eira is here with you."
And just like that—
Before Adelyn could even realize what was happening—
A tear slipped silently from the corner of her eye.
One she had been holding back for so long ... she couldn’t even remember when it had started.
Her arms tightened around the little girl instinctively.
Holding her close.
As if afraid to let go.
"Of course," she said softly, letting her lips curve in a faint smile. "Mama isn’t upset anymore."
She pressed her cheek lightly against Eira’s hair.
"Mama has got Little Eira with her, after all."
