Their gazes met, and Delicia’s heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth, about to smooth things over, but then she saw Stephan’s smile. It wasn’t his usual lazy, nonchalant smirk; this one seemed genuinely joyful, illuminating his entire face.

“Alright, in the future, I’ll tell bedtime stories to both you and our child,” he said.

She was rendered speechless. Wasn't he getting a bit too far ahead? The idea utterly baffled her, and she almost bit her tongue. The moment he spoke those words, an image involuntarily popped into her mind—a cozy room lit by warm light, a child peacefully drifting off to sleep, and two inexperienced parents telling bedtime stories.

“Nope! Hold it right there!” she yelled in her mind. She hurriedly changed the subject. “Wait, let’s focus on the main topic. Since the real map has surfaced, it must have a traceable lead. Who has it? Do you have any information?”

Stephan gave her an amused side-eye. Her attempt to change the subject was anything but subtle. He took his time, watching as Felicia’s cheeks blushed, the redness spreading all the way to her ears. She clearly wanted to crawl into a hole but still forced herself to appear calm and serious. It made her even more adorable.

Stephan decided not to push her too far. After all, this wildcat had a fierce bite. Just last night, she’d left two teeth marks on his shoulder, not to mention the scratches on his back.

Leaning lazily against the couch, Stephan drawled, “There aren’t any concrete leads, but I have a theory. If I’m not mistaken, the real map should be in the hands of the Fuller family’s adopted daughter.”

Felicia blinked in surprise and blurted, “Kayla?”

Stephan reached out to tuck a stray strand of Felicia’s hair behind her ear. The gesture was so natural it seemed second nature to him.

He continued, “Kayla has abandoned the Fuller couple. Rumor has it she has reunited with her biological family and is now under the protection of the Cartell family. They’re hiding her very well.”

“The Cartell family?” Felicia muttered. “Where did this Cartell family come from?”

She lowered her head, sifting through childhood memories. She vaguely recalled Tabitha often boasting about having a cousin who married into the Cartell family. If that were true, then that Mrs. Cartell would be Kayla’s distant aunt.

Perhaps Kayla possessed something that caught the Cartells’ attention—something valuable enough to forge an alliance and secure their protection. And that something was undoubtedly the real map!

Felicia’s thoughts raced. “If Kayla really brought the map to the Cartells, they’d definitely want to keep it for themselves. They’d focus entirely on concealing it! To avoid suspicion, they might even set up traps or false trails. You have to be extra careful when tracking them.”

Was she worried about Stephan?

Stephan chuckled softly, clearly pleased by her reaction. “The Cartells have indeed sent out people secretly. But as soon as they left, news spread that the real map was in their possession. Right after that, various factions…”

Felicia’s eye twitched. With a teasing tone, she asked, “Let me guess. You leaked that news, didn’t you?” Stephan neither confirmed nor denied it.

“But the Cartells were prepared for it. This time, they even brought two extra people with them,” Stephan continued, stopping and looking directly into Felicia’s eyes.

She lingered for a moment before realizing what he meant and asked, “The Fuller couple?”

It was acknowledged that the real map potentially came from the Fuller couple.