Chapter 293

The drive home was quiet, with Nathan behind the wheel and Ethan lost in thought.

Sophia wanted to ask him about the elderly couple she had seen earlier that morning, and the frail old man lying in the hospital bed. But the tense silence made her hesitate.

Lily, sensing the heavy atmosphere, stayed unusually quiet as well.

Ethan’s mind was elsewhere.

At eleven that morning, just after wrapping up a meeting at Blackwood Enterprises, he had received a call from his father, Richard.

"Dad?" Ethan answered coolly.

"Ethan, you can't abandon that child!" Richard's voice was firm.

Ethan scoffed. "She's my daughter. Whether I keep her or not is my decision, not yours."

Richard's tone softened. "Ethan... I know I don’t have much influence over you anymore. But I’m speaking from experience. I failed you and your mother. I let you suffer abroad for years."

He sighed. "But I had no choice. The Blackwood empire couldn’t afford instability. If every heir fought for power, the family would have crumbled."

"Yet despite everything, you returned—stronger than ever. You took control of Blackwood Enterprises on your own terms."

"That proved one thing: blood is blood. Legitimate or not, ability is what matters. That child—your daughter—has the same fire in her eyes that you do. If you reject her now, don’t be surprised if she resents you later, just as you resent me."

Richard’s voice grew weary. "Your grandparents are nearly ninety. I’m past sixty. The manor is full of old people with no laughter, no joy. That little girl is your daughter—but she’s also our granddaughter. Can’t you at least think of us?"

Ethan exhaled sharply as the car pulled up to his estate. "I’ll consider it."

He hung up and carried Lily inside.

As they stepped into the elevator, he glanced down at her. "Lily, did you like the old people you met this morning?"

She blinked thoughtfully. "The grandpa in the bed was nice. The other grandpa was okay. But the grandma was scary."

Ethan smirked.

Of course.

The two men were her blood relatives. The woman wasn’t. Even a child could sense that.

"Who were they?" Lily asked again.

Ethan didn’t answer.

The door swung open, and Sophia stood waiting. "You're back," she said softly. "We need to talk."

Ethan raised a brow as he slipped off his shoes. "About?"

Lily immediately launched into an excited recap of her day. "Mom! I met two grandpas and a grandma! The grandma was mean, but I beat the other grandpa!"

Sophia’s eyes widened. She turned to Ethan. "You took her to see your grandfather?"

Ethan ignored the question. "You said you wanted to discuss something?"

Sophia bit her lip. "You’ve accepted that Lily is yours, haven’t you?"

Finally, she was catching on.

Ethan gave her a sidelong glance. "What did you want to talk about?"

He guided Lily to wash her hands before settling at the dining table.

Margaret, the housekeeper, had prepared dinner—including a special dish for Lily: golden corn fritters, crispy on the outside, drizzled with sweet and tangy sauces.

Lily’s eyes sparkled. "Wow!"

Sophia smiled at Margaret. "Thank you."

Margaret nodded. "Enjoy your meal as a family. I’ll bring dessert later."

Family.

The word made Sophia’s chest tighten.

Lily was already digging in. "Mom, cut it for me!"

Sophia carefully sliced a piece, but before Lily could grab it, Ethan intercepted.

"Careful," he warned, fanning the hot fritter with a napkin.

Sophia wiped Lily’s eager mouth. "Blow on it first, sweetheart."

Ethan handed the cooled bite to Lily. She took it with a delighted squeal.

"It’s so good! Daddy, more!"

Ethan chuckled, reaching for another piece.

Sophia smiled. "Let it cool first."

For a moment, in the warmth of the kitchen, it almost felt like they were a real family.