Chapter 409\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucien\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
73%\u00a0<\/p>\n
+5 Pearls\u00a0<\/p>\n
I leaned back in the chair, legs crossed with ease, one hand resting casually on the armrest, the other flicking ash from my cigarette with idle grace. The whole room melled faintly of tobacco and cold silence. I wasn\u2019t in a hurry to move-until I heard Mrs. Beck\u2019s voice calling from outside the study.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYoung Alpha, dinner\u2019s ready.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cComing,\u201d I called out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With a slow exhale, I snuffed the cigarette into the ashtray and rose. Before heading out, I opened the study window to let in a breeze, dispelling the last traces of smoke clinging to my clothes. Riley had just been discharged. Her body was still healing-I wouldn\u2019t let even the smell of smoke make her feel uncomfortable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I adjusted my shirt cuffs and made my way downstairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment I reached the foyer, I saw Grandma, Mrs. Beck, and Mia all flocking around Riley like mother wolves guarding a precious pup. The sight hit me harder than I expected. Grandma was holding Riley\u2019s hand the same way she used to hold mine when I was younger-full of warmth, pride, and love.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRiley, don\u2019t feel shy here. This is your home now. If there\u2019s anything you want to eat, just tell me. I\u2019ll have Mrs. Beck make it for you,\u201d Grandma said with a kind smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mrs. Beck emerged from the kitchen, holding a steaming plate. \u201cRiley, I didn\u2019t know your favorite dishes, so I just made what I\u2019m good at. Please try it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mia chuckled. \u201cGood choice. Our young miss loves braised meat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cReally? Then have as much as you want,\u201d Grandma said cheerfully. She picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece in Riley\u2019s bowl, her eyes full of expectation. \u201cGo on, give it a try.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley looked dazed, caught off guard by their care. Her eyes glistened slightly-like she was trying not to cry. She whispered, \u201cWe should wait for Lucien\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Grandma waved her hand. \u201cDon\u2019t wait for that brat. If you\u2019re hungry, you eat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walked in right on cue and raised a brow. \u201cOuch. Look like I\u2019m no longer her favorite.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Grandma gave me a sharp look. \u201cAt least you remembered to show up. I figured you were planning to\u00a0<\/p>\n
starve.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I held up my hands in surrender. \u201cMy bad. Needed to ai out the smoke.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was about to sit across from Riley, butGrandma grabbed my arm and shoved me down beside her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I glanced at Riley, whose wide eyes mirrored my own surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright, time to eat!\u201d Grandma announced, then turned to Riley again and started piling more food into her bowl.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mia and Mrs. Beck followed suit like synchronized warmors, leaving Riley\u2019s bowl looking more like a mountain. She looked overwhelmed, unsure of where to even start.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I leaned in and said softly, \u201cIf they keep going, you won\u2019t need dinner for a week.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:11 Mon, Jan 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
W G\u00a0<\/p>\n
73%\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 409\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u767d\u00a0<\/p>\n
+5 Pearls\u00a0<\/p>\n
I split her food in half into a side plate and smiled at he surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEat up. You\u2019re way too thin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That made Grandma laugh so hard her eyes turned inte slits. \u201cWell, well, my grandson\u2019s finally grown a heart.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mia and Mrs. Beck giggled too, covering their mouths like gossiping hens. Riley\u2019s cheeks turned bright red, and she ducked her head, silently nibbling her food.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The meal was warm in every way. Grandma sat at the head of the table, Riley to her left, and I beside her. Mia and Mrs. Beck sat opposite, sharing stories and gently urging Riley to eat more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked a little shy, but the glow in her eyes told me he felt it too-this rare, quiet moment of belonging.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time dinner ended, Riley tried to get up and help with the dishes, but the others wouldn\u2019t hear of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just got out of the hospital,\u201d Mrs. Beck scolded gently. \u201cLet us handle it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly,\u201d Mia chimed in. \u201cWe\u2019ve got this. Go relax.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Grandma didn\u2019t waste the opportunity to push her back down next to me. \u201cYou two are young. Go talk. Get to know each other better.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, she herded Mia and Mrs. Beck into the kitchen like sheepdogs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silence settled in the living room as Riley and I sat side by side on the sofa. She looked unsure, her fingers nervously twisting in her lap.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I finally broke the silence. \u201cEmbroidery uses all sorts of tools. There\u2019s this specialty shop I know that carries every color of silk thread and some decent quality hoops. I can take you there tomorrow, if you\u2019d like.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes lit up. The tension in her body melted instantly. She nodded, a smile playing on her lips. It was subtle, but real.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And in that moment, watching the way her smile bloomed like something delicate and unexpected-I felt it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to be the reason she kept smiling like that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not out of gratitude.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But because she was finally home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Send Gifts\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u3002\u00a0<\/p>\n
924\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 409 Chapter 409\u00a0 Lucien\u2019s POV\u00a0 73%\u00a0 +5 Pearls\u00a0 I leaned back in the chair, legs […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20684"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20684\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}