로그인Night gradually deepened over the Manhattan skyline, leaving behind a silence that slowly settled around the Collyn residence. In the spacious backyard garden, Daven sat alone on a wrought-iron bench, leaning back as he stared blankly at the row of maple trees whose leaves swayed gently in the night breeze. His thoughts were in complete disarray, drifting back to the commotion at the university gate earlier that morning.His fingers occasionally tapped against the armrest of the bench. Deep within his heart, an overwhelming hope continued to swell. He desperately hoped that neither he nor Aurora had been mistaken—that the grown man they had seen in the lobby of the rectorate building was truly Papa Calvin, the man they had been waiting for at the edge of the harbor waves for the past ten years.Lost in such deep contemplation, Daven failed to notice the soft footsteps approaching across the grass.Step.Without warning, a pair of warm, slightly plump hands slipped over his eyes from b
That afternoon at the Collyn residence passed in meticulous tranquility, one that was gradually disturbed by the soft hum of an electric motorcycle entering the front yard. Aurora and Daven stepped through the front door in a hurry. They had not even had the chance to leave their backpacks in their respective rooms before they headed straight for the living room, where Juna and Ziyi were relaxing while keeping Zylan and Dylan, the twins, company as they busily colored in their drawing books.Seeing the tense expressions on their adopted children's faces, still filled with the lingering shock of what had happened, Ziyi immediately rose from her seat."Aurora, Daven, what's wrong? You both look so pale," Ziyi asked in a calm voice, though it was filled with unmistakable concern.Daven took a deep breath to steady his still-racing heartbeat. The young man looked at Juna and Ziyi in turn, his dark gaze exceptionally serious."Uncle Juna, Aunt Ziyi... there's something incredibly important
Malveno Chandler was still standing motionless amid the bustling airport arrival corridor. His gaze remained fixed on the woman's back as she gradually walked away, hurrying toward the elderly woman who had called her earlier. Even after the woman's figure disappeared into the crowd of arriving passengers and vanished beyond the exit doors, Malveno still did not look away.He raised his right hand and looked at his palm—the same hand that had caught the woman's slender waist just moments ago. The lingering warmth from that brief touch still seemed to remain there, slowly spreading until his chest tightened with an unfamiliar pounding heartbeat.Malveno slowly shook his head, trying to drive away the confusion creeping through his mind. Everything about today felt incredibly strange. It had begun with the incident at the university gate involving the teenage girl who had cried hysterically while hugging him, and now there had been the accidental collision with a stranger in the airport
The engine of the black SUV hummed softly as it pulled away from the main lobby of the university's rectorate building. Inside the soundproof passenger cabin, Malveno Chandler leaned back against the comfortable leather seat. His eyes stared blankly out the window, watching Aurora and Daven's figures grow smaller in the distance until they finally disappeared behind the campus gates.The man suddenly became restless. He loosened his tie, which had suddenly begun to feel suffocating around his neck, then let out several long breaths. His fingers tapped repeatedly against his knee in an uneven rhythm. What was this feeling? Why had that brief embrace from the unfamiliar girl on campus left such an overwhelming flutter inside his chest? Why did that hoarse cry calling him "Dad" continue to echo in his ears, as though it were pounding against a tightly locked iron door hidden deep within the corner of his memories?"Mr. Chandler, are you all right?" his personal secretary, who was sitting
The mature man had just been about to step through the open door of the black SUV when a sudden movement from the parking area disrupted the bodyguards' secure formation. Aurora ran with all the strength she had, ignoring the backpack strap slipping down her arm as she pushed through the crowd of students, who immediately gasped at the sight of a girl boldly breaking through the barricade.Before the bodyguards in black suits could notice her movement or stretch out their arms to stop her, Aurora had already lunged forward. Her slender arms wrapped tightly around the man's waist from behind with desperate strength. Her body trembled violently as she pressed herself against his broad back beneath the expensive suit."Dad...! I've missed you so much...!"Aurora's voice broke instantly, echoing across the bustling university lobby. The tears she had held back for months—no, for years—poured out completely, soaking the back of the man's suit. This physical touch, the warmth of his body, a
That morning, the area around Columbia University's main gate was bustling with activity. Hundreds of freshmen, dressed in the signature fashion style of urban youth, filled the walkways and outdoor corridors as they prepared for the first day of campus orientation. The lively chatter, the sound of footsteps, and the steady flow of passing vehicles created the vibrant atmosphere of a new semester.Among the line of vehicles waiting to enter the parking area, a dark gray electric motorcycle slowly weaved through the gaps between the rows of cars. Daven sat behind the handlebars, dressed casually in a loose flannel shirt and dark jeans. Sitting behind him, Aurora hugged her backpack tightly, wearing a simple knitted cardigan with her hair tied into a ponytail.As the adopted children of the Collyn family and the sole rightful heirs of the Ashford Corporation dynasty, their appearance today was worlds apart from anything glamorous. Juna and Ziyi had actually offered them a luxury car com







