LOGINDaphne's POV
"You are John's daughter? Then who are Tabitha's parents?" Derek asked.I was very dissatisfied with him when he mentioned Tabitha. "How was I supposed to know about that? I only found out about all of this after my mother passed away."Of course, it was not the time to find out Tabitha's birth parents now. Regardless of whether John was my father or not, I considered him the closest person in my heart."Since you knew he was your father, why did you still treat him like that? He had suffered head injuries long ago."With deep grievance, I said, "I didn't mean to. We haven't met in years, and I only recently discovered the truth. I wanted to find him, but I heard he disappeared after becoming a vegetable."I've seen photos of him, but he looks so different now that I didn't recognize him at first. Derek, I didn't want this either! I've already hurt my mom. How can I bear to hurt my biological father?"Derek saw me torn by grief but shoEven though Daphne had lost her right to succession, the Amber's Eye Pack still supported her. Her living expenses and quality of life were the same as before.The moment Tabitha entered the estate, a man she didn't know approached her. "You must be Dr. Vanessa? I've heard so much about you. Please, save my sister."Tabitha stopped. She had never seen this man when she was part of the Amber's Eye Pack.Judging by his outfit, he was likely Calvin, the adopted heir from the side branch."I'll do my best," Tabitha replied.Calvin looked delicate, with fair skin. If he wore a vintage suit, he would look like a refined scholar.He seemed clean-cut and not like someone who was plotting anything.Yet, the fact that he was chosen as the heir meant he wasn't simple.Even though Amber's Eye was declining, Alpha Elliott still carried weight. He wasn't to be underestimated.Tabitha hadn't seen Daphne in years. She had no idea what s
Leopold rubbed the ring Gloria left behind. His eyes were deep and contemplative. He was definitely thinking hard."It's been almost four years. She really had the nerve to keep hiding like this."At a seaside restaurant in Seattle, Tabitha spoke softly, sharing her past.The details that were once cold facts in documents now seemed to take on warmth as she told her story.When she reached the emotional parts, Tabitha's eyes turned red, but she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall."Cedrick, thank you for listening. I've been alone for so many years. No family, no friends. Sometimes I just want someone to talk to, but there's no one. That's why I always messaged you. You must think I'm super annoying, right?"Austin finally understood why she had so much to say.She was Tabitha.He thought back to the countless messages he had received. He had always been cold toward her, but for her, he might have been her only comfort.
Derek and Alvin had investigated Austin years ago. They heard Austin was demoted after a failed mission.When the organization found out he was taking private jobs, they finally kicked him out.Lisa's request was one of those small, private jobs—and he just happened to cross paths with Tabitha.He had that old leg injury back then. Derek recognized it instantly.After being expelled from the organization, Austin had completely vanished.Derek and Alvin searched for years without a single lead. They never expected Tabitha to find him.Alvin frowned. "How did Tabitha find a guy we couldn't even track?""Don't forget, she has Lucian. They have their own contacts."Lucian was a gray-area figure that Derek had been trying to find for years, too. He knew Tabitha held Lucian in high regard.Even without romance, Lucian was absolutely like family to her.Derek and Tabitha's relationship had just started to mend, so
"Damn it!" Leopold cursed under his breath. He could only watch Tabitha drag the man out and disappear from the cafe entrance.Then it hit him. Tabitha had been holding the man's sleeve tightly as she ran.A smile crept onto his face—Derek was being cheated on!Thinking about that, Leopold's mood instantly lifted.He stripped off his soiled white jacket and tossed it to his attendant. "Put this bill on Derek's tab. And send him the dry-cleaning bill for this suit, too."Tabitha was in Seattle. With his resources, she couldn't escape him.Leopold pulled out his phone and called Derek. It rang several times before being forwarded to Alvin's phone."Alpha Leopold, Alpha Derek is in an important meeting right now. He can't take calls. Is there something urgent?" Alvin's voice sounded cautious through the receiver.Leopold leaned against the wall, his tone dripping with schadenfreude. "It's nothing major for me. Just tell him
Austin clearly wasn't used to that kind of closeness.As an assassin, he was guarded against everyone. He wouldn't just eat something offered by another person."I..." He was about to decline, but the word didn't leave his mouth.Seeing him hesitate, Tabitha speared a berry with a small fork and held it near his lips.Her eyes were bright with anticipation. "Hurry, eat it! The ice cream inside will melt."Against his better judgment, Austin opened his mouth and bit down.In that moment, he caught sight of the red bracelet on Tabitha's pale wrist. His eyes instantly narrowed.That bracelet was Joanna's!He had bought the cheap bracelet just to earn Joanna's trust. It wasn't expensive, but Joanna had been thrilled.A good assassin was supposed to be a master of disguise.But now, away from his mission role and back to his "real" self, he struggled to handle Tabitha's sudden warmth."What's wrong? Doesn't it t
Tabitha waved a hand, resting her fingertips casually on the tablecloth, as if discussing something trivial. "I was traveling a while ago and just ran into it. I remembered you mentioning it, so I brought it back. I thought it would look beautiful if you painted it.""How can you 'just run into' it like that? You clearly..." Austin stopped midsentence. His gaze suddenly fixed.Tabitha happened to lift her hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. A shallow, light brown scab on her palm became visible.The injury was from a few days ago when she was searching for the edelweiss in the wilderness. The wound had healed, but the scab hadn't fallen off yet, making it stand out starkly against her pale skin."What happened to your hand?" Austin's voice subconsciously deepened. His eyes were locked on the scab.Tabitha seemed a little embarrassed by the question. She quickly hid her hand behind her back, curling her fingers, and deliberately chan







