Chapter 427

After all, he had no identity or standing. Once he figured that out, a trace of desolation flickered in Leonard’s eyes. He parted his lips but ended up saying nothing. “I understand.” With his gaze lowered, Leonard no longer looked anything like the carefree man he was before. He had come to a clear realization. It was inappropriate for him to be here now. Not just because of his identity, but because of where he stood. If he really wanted to visit Grace, he could only come along when the staff were free. Other than that, he was nothing. Leonard set everything down and gestured to Lucas to bring them along later. “You’re right. I’ll leave for now. If there’s a chance, I’ll come by to visit Madam Grace.” Lucas said nothing but gave a slight nod. That was enough. He would bring the items over and pass on the message. In the end, Leonard turned and left. He thought–surely, he’d have a chance someday. He was hopeful. Under the sunlight, Leonard’s figure looked a little lonely. But Lucas felt nothing about it. After all, this man had his eyes on Aurora. As a man himself, Lucas understood Leonard’s intentions all too well. There was no way he could leave such a potential threat lingering nearby. He couldn’t be at Aurora’s side all the time. What if he overlooked something and Leonard took advantage of it? That was something he would never tolerate. Without giving Leonard another glance, Lucas lifted his foot and walked toward the ward. Leonard walked away with a lonely silhouette. With the sun setting in the west, he looked utterly alone.

When he got home, he saw Nora sitting on the sofa. The television was still playing cartoons, but she just sat there, holding her doll without moving, staring at the screen. “Nora, I’m back.”

Leonard’s voice carried a clear fatigue, but when facing Nora, he tried his best to hide it. He didn’t want to bring any of his bad emotions to her. Even with his return, Nora barely reacted. She just quietly held her doll and kept watching the screen. Leonard sighed and sat down beside her, then pulled her tightly into his arms. “Nora, I’m not a good brother. I let you down.” He rested his chin on the top of her head and couldn’t help but murmur, “I showed up too late. Now, I don’t even have a chance. “If I could, I’d want to have met her earlier. Would that have given me more of a chance?” His mind was filled with Lucas’ face, the warning in his eyes. Yes, in the end, he had lost to time. He hadn’t met Aurora first. If only he had, things might have ended differently. When Jasmine came out, this was the scene she saw. Her son, who had always been proud and confident in everything he did, now wore a look of defeat. For the first time, she saw that expression on his face. He had always been the one who smiled the most. But now, there wasn’t a trace of joy left in him. Not only that, but his eyes were tinged red, and a quiet sadness seemed to hang over him. He was her own flesh and blood–how could she not feel heartache?