"Are you sure?" Leland asked Sophie to confirm. She nodded.
"Don't dirty your hand with her blood," Sophie said gently. She was uncomfortable when she remembered Karenina and her poisonous words. She only wanted to vent that she had a bad day, but she didn't wish to linger on the memory of what happened earlier.
Sophie tightened her hug around Leland's back. It was so wide, that she couldn't really wrap her arms around it. Slowly, her awful mood improved.
They sat in that position, without saying anything, just enjoying the blissful silence for half an hour, until Sophie felt hungry.
"I want to eat something," she said.
"Let's eat," Leland nodded. He helped her get off his lap and took her hand to go to the dining room. They walked holding hands and acted like everything was fine.
It was as if Nicholas didn't come to the manor this morning asking to talk to Sophie and his kids, and also there was no Karenina causing a commotion.
Since Leland didn't seem to want to discuss about Nicholas and acted like the other man didn't exist, Sophie understood that it was his way of coping with the recent development. He didn't want to say anything about the issue because he had nothing good to say.
If they talked, he might end up saying hurtful things about Nicholas and he didn't want to have an argument with Sophie. Not when she was pregnant like this.
Earlier, when he saw her protruding tummy, while Sophie was on his lap, Leland was deep in thoughts. He knew she was under a lot of stress. Stress was bad for her pregnancy. Losing their first pups five years ago still left deep marks on him and he was terrified to go through the same thing.
He couldn't control external factors, like the fact that Sophie's first husband suddenly came back from the grave, or the fact that he started to remember the past and now was trying to claim Sophie and the boys.
Leland could only control his reaction and how he would handle things on his side. It was better to keep quiet when it was just the two of them and even forget about the doctor.
Different story if he met with Nicholas. He wouldn't hesitate to fight that man to leave his family alone, but he wouldn't do it in front of Sophie.
They ate dinner peacefully. Even Luciel who was usually rowdy looked calm and quiet during the meal. After they finished eating, Sophie went to see Jan and brought him food. The boy looked very sleepy but he ate his food obediently.
Sophie was relieved to see his condition was much better now. Thank god Jan was a lycan, she kept telling herself.
A normal human child would have probably died of internal injuries if he got into a similar accident as Jan did.
"You are doing great," Sophie praised Jan. "Soon, you will be running out and about."
Luciel pursed his lips and shook his head, disagreeing with what Sophie said. "We can't run around... the workers are still rebuilding the manor."
"Oh.. that's right," Sophie sighed. "Sorry about that."
A good part of the manor was destroyed when Nicholas and Lucas were fighting and now their men were still doing repairs and even rebuilding some parts. The family couldn't leave the manor in the meantime because Jan was injured and the healer said he shouldn't be moved.
"Maybe we can move somewhere now that Jan is better," Leland suggested. "Find a place with a better environment."
Somewhere slightly far from the capital.
If only Sophie was not pregnant, Leland would suggest they return to Frisia. Now, he thought it was better to keep Sophie and the children there while he did his mission in Riga.
Initially, he decided to bring his whole family on this mission because he thought it was safer for them to be with him, and... he also couldn't live apart from them for a long time. It would be too hard to leave them behind.
"Moving?" Sophie widened her eyes. "Where?"
"Hastings can be a good option. I do have a place there and you are familiar with the town," Leland explained. "I also have several other properties that we can use. You just choose what you want."
Sophie never heard this before. She only knew Leland had his castle in Hastings, the one he bought from the late Baron Ferdinand. Sophie really liked that place and it was where Luciel and Jan were born. She didn't know about the other properties.
"I keep my men there. We have people around the country, staying in properties I acquired over the years, ready to be mobilized when we need them. They take care of the properties well."
"I see...." Sophie looked at Luciel's frowning face and then at Jan who was lying down in bed, looking much better than yesterday.
It's true, the manor repairs would take a long time and the children would not be able to live comfortably while the repairs were being done. Also, it would be nice to get a change of scenery.
In all honesty, Sophie was missing Hastings too. She spent years of her life there. Basically, she grew up there. That town held a special place in her heart.
It was also where she met Nicholas for the first time after they were adults.
"Hastings sounds good," Sophie smiled. "It's not far, so the journey can be done comfortably."
"We can go tomorrow if you want," Leland said. "You are due in two months. It will be good for you to give birth in a calm and peaceful setting."
The capital was surely not such a place. There was nothing calm and peaceful about Livstad ever since they were invited to the royal party and met Nicholas Hannenbergh.
"What do you think, boys?" Sophie asked Luciel and Jan.
Luciel was reluctant. Going away from Livstad meant he wouldn't be able to meet Uncle Nic again. However, Jan nodded vigorously. The usually quiet boy was too bored after being cooped up in this room for a long time that all he wanted now was to go somewhere.
"Let's go, mommy," Jan said firmly.
.
.
.
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From Missrealitybites:
Ahhh... so, the family will really move. Will Nicholas stop them? What will he think about their moving? I will write more chapters today.
PS: Thank you so much, everyone, for supporting this book with all your lovely comments, votes, gifts, and golden tickets. I would like to thank the Top 3 golden tickets contributor in Marc 2022:
dear Kelly Goodwin, Tierra James, and ZZgirl. You are wonderful. Thank you so much!
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