Chapter 485

Percival drove in silence. Odalys sat beside him, and Evander occupied the back seat. None of them spoke during the journey.

Upon arriving at Stewart Villa, Percival pulled over and parked.

"Evander, take it slow," Odalys said, exiting the car and opening the back door for him. Percival joined her, assisting Evander.

The three stood in the courtyard, remaining outside.

"Odalys, you said you brought him back. Is he here?" Evander's voice trembled. He glanced around, an indescribable feeling welling up inside him. His gaze fell on the century-old tree, a place he'd previously ignored. But something felt different; a mix of sorrow and unease, a feeling he couldn't articulate, weighed heavily upon him.

As an old soldier, Evander had endured blood and hardship without shedding a tear, but tonight, he felt inexplicably hollow. In the time tunnel, he'd thought of his son, Morpheus. Now, back at Stewart Villa, his thoughts returned to him. Evander regretted not having more conversations with Morpheus while he was alive, always preoccupied with family matters. Even after Morpheus's death, he hadn't given him a proper farewell. The guilt gnawed at him.

"Evander, under the tree," Odalys said softly.

With Percival's support, Evander carefully approached the tree. They stood together, saying nothing, as though silently accompanying or speaking to someone. The wind rustled through the leaves, its cool touch carrying the chill of the night. A few yellow leaves drifted to the ground.

"Good, it's back," Evander murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He seemed to age visibly, his once-straight back now hunched. Slowly, he bent down, brushing away fallen leaves and weeds. Leaning against the tree trunk, he sat on the ground.

"Dad's here to keep you company," Evander said softly. He sat in silence, gently touching the soil.

Odalys turned her head, feeling a lump in her throat. Percival stood still, quiet and steady. Time ticked by. Evander muttered something under his breath, perhaps to himself. He leaned against the tree, eyes closed, his voice carrying faint laughter mixed with choked sobs.

At 1:20 AM, Percival looked at Evander's closed eyes.

"Grandpa," Percival called out, his voice hoarse. There was no response. He called again in a deeper voice, but Evander remained silent, causing Percival to panic. He called out again. Odalys noticed his alarm and saw him stumble forward. Standing before Evander, Percival extended a trembling hand to check his breath. He felt a faint warmth and heard a soft moan.

"He's asleep," Odalys whispered.

Percival was a little embarrassed. He'd been terrified that his grandfather would die then and there. He'd never considered his grandfather old until this moment.

"Yes, he's asleep," Percival said, his voice heavy with mixed emotions. Percival was always stoic, consumed by the Stewart family business. However, seeing Evander in such a state made him realize he'd never truly been present for his family.

Percival crouched and carefully picked up Evander. This was the first time Percival had ever held his grandfather. He'd always thought Evander was so full of energy that he didn't need anyone's protection, but now he realized how old he was. Despite Evander's usually imposing physique, he felt weightless. Percival held him tightly as they walked towards Stewart Villa. Odalys remained silent, quietly accompanying them. After Percival carried Evander upstairs, she hurried ahead to open the door, and he gently laid him on the bed.

"He's likely overwhelmed with grief," Odalys said softly, lowering her voice.

As Percival softly responded, they noticed a collection of photographs neatly arranged on a table by the window. Odalys stepped forward. She saw numerous photographs across the wall, featuring Percival, his father, his great-grandfather, and many others, both familiar and unknown. "One year, two years, three years" Odalys read the simple labels. Her gaze wavered. She was struck by the bitterness in Percival's voice when he said, "These mark the years since my father passed." Unbeknownst to them, Evander had quietly documented the passing years, fearing he might one day grow too old to remember. They stood there together, saying nothing.

After a long while, Percival reached out and tightly grasped Odalys's hand. Though he said nothing at first, the strength in his grip conveyed everything he felt. "Odalys, I want to be with you," Percival said. He lowered his gaze, taking in her delicate features. Never before had he felt such an overwhelming urge to hold on to life. He believed he was nearing death and yearned to live, to truly embrace life. He wanted to live to protect her. He wanted to live to stay by his grandfather's side. He wanted to carry the weight of their world. There were too many things to do. No matter how difficult, he wanted to live.

"Alright," Odalys responded, looking up at him. At first, marrying Percival had been a means to escape the Stewart family. Healing him had been an unexpected detour. She always belonged there. Everything they had endured together had bound her too tightly to walk away. He had shown her something unexpected. She wanted to be part of the Stewart family.

"You're tired," Percival said. While their emotions lingered, there was plenty of time to face them later. Life stretched out long before them. Noticing her dirty clothes, she nodded, quickly turning to leave for her room.

Percival watched her retreat until she disappeared. Only then did he make his way to the study.

After showering, Odalys dried her hair and leaned against the bed, her gaze drifting to the moonlight through the floor-to-ceiling window. "Time tunnels, the junction of energy. If the two are connected, does that mean only I can open the time tunnel?" she murmured. The night's mysteries and the time tunnel weighed heavily on her mind. She held her breath, trying to stop herself from thinking about it. But the scene from tonight kept replaying. Unable to shake it off, she hurriedly climbed out of bed and saw a figure outside the window. When she focused, she recognized it as Percival's father, Morpheus. He was holding a cup, tilting his head slightly as he met her eyes. Then, he raised his hand and gestured for her to come closer.

"Morpheus," Odalys whispered as she walked barefoot to the floor-to-ceiling window. Although Morpheus was sitting under the tree in the courtyard, his figure seemed to be right outside her window. Oddly enough, she didn’t feel afraid. Instead, she reached out and took the cup he offered her.