NovelEnglishChapter 438 "No means no." "Then we're not leaving." York and Zachary had made up their minds: they wouldn't leave until they saw Claire. They dug in their heels at the Tempest estate, refusing to budge no matter how many times they were shooed away.
Orion watched the two of them like a hawk, determined not to let them slip past. But he hardly spared a glance for Sean.
Sean gave the tof troublemakers a cool, disinterested look, then turned and walked out of the mansion without another word.
The grounds behind the house were sprawling and serene-a perfect place to be alone. Sean liked the quiet, so he wandered toward the backyard, his small figure walking with a straight back and a calm, measured pace, as if the noise of the world simply didn't touch him.
Meanwhile, in the garden- Claire was crouched among the flowers, waiting...and waiting. Half an hour went by, but Orion never came. Her legs were numb from sitting in the sposition for so long.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtDid Orion forget about her? Whatever. She needed to get up and stretch her legs.
With that thought, Claire slowly stood. But she'd been crouching for too long; her legs prickled with pins and needles. As soon as she tried to straighten up, her knees buckled, sending her stumbling forward a few steps- until she landed flat on the ground with a soft thud. When she looked up, she saw a pair of shoes right in front of her.
She thought it was Orion, so she put on her most pitiful voice and complained, "What took you so long, big brother? I've been waiting for you in the garden forever." As she spoke, Claire tipped her head up.
But the moment she saw who it was, she froze.
It wasn't Orion standing there.
The boy in front of her had pale skin that caught the sunlight, glowing softly. His eyes were bright as stars, but cold and distant, as if he kept the world at arm's length. His nose was straight and sharp, his expression severe, lips set in a thin, unsmiling line.
Though he was still a child, it was clear he'd grow into someone who'd turn a thousand heads someday.
Fine strands of hair fell over his forehead, fluttering in the light breeze.
He looked down at her, his gaze landing on Claire.
For a moment, their eyes locked. The icy look in his eyes softened ever so slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
He stared at the girl who'd just fallen at his feet, saying nothing for a long moment. Then he reached out his hand, his voice calm and cool. "Orion's... sister?" Claire's mind went blank. She couldn't hear anything anymore-she could only see the boy standing in front of her.
She'd pictured this reunion so many times. She just never imagined it would happen so soon, so unexpectedly. He didn't look exactly like the tall, striking, stoic man she remembered...but she recognized him instantly.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHe was the one who had broken into her life like a ray of light at her darkest hour, pulling her out of the shadows. Her Mr. Foster-Sean, just ten years old.
He was still a child, with the last é
traces of baby fat on his cheeks, but already there was something about him, a coolreserve that warned others to keep their distance. Most of all, it was those beautiful eyes-clear and cold, yet so achingly familiar- that made Claire want to cry.
Right now, nothing else mattered. For Claire, the world had narrowed down to just this one boy.
She didn't care about her numb legs, didn't even feel the sting from her fall. She scrambled to her feet, arms flung wide, and threw herself into Sean's arms, clutching him tightly around the waist. ' "Mr. Foster, I finally found you again." Her voice trembled, thick with emotion and relief.
Tears poured down her cheeks, hot and unstoppable, soaking through Sean's shirt: She cried without
holding back, her shoulders shaking with each sob, as if she were finally letting go of all the pain and longing she'd carried for so many years. The warmth of her tears burned against Sean's chest, almost as if they could scorch him.
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