Chapter 29
The grand living room of the luxury penthouse was bathed in a brilliant, warm afternoon light. The crisp, clean aesthetic of the room was softened by the presence of colorful wooden blocks, storybooks, and the joyful sounds of childhood. Emily sat comfortably on the plush, oversized sofa, dressed in soft, casual clothes, holding three-year-old Megan in her lap. Four-year-old Olivia sat beside them, meticulously turning the pages of a large picture book. "And then the dragon flew away, and the princess built her own castle," Olivia read aloud, her crisp American accent sweet and melodic. Emily smiled genuinely, a deep, profound warmth filling her chest. She kissed the top of Megan's head, breathing in the innocent scent of her daughters. The terrifying, apex predator who had overturned massive banquet tables and dismantled criminal syndicates was entirely dormant. Here, in the safety of her heavily fortified sanctuary, she was simply a mother. "Did the princess have a big table in her castle?" Megan asked, looking up with bright, curious eyes. Emily let out a soft, melodic laugh, her mind briefly flashing back to the shattered crystal and ruined feast of David Carter's seventieth birthday. "Yes, sweetheart," Emily promised, holding her daughters tightly. "But in her castle, the table is only for good food and people who love each other."
