Chapter 1459

Lucian hadn't expected his father to be so eager to collect Estella. After hanging up, he checked the time. It was relatively early, so he considered calling Roxanne, but changed his mind, grabbing his jacket and heading downstairs.

Catalina had just prepared dinner. Seeing him, she called out, "Dinner's ready, Mr. Farwell."

Lucian paused briefly. "Eat without me. I won't be dining at home." He strode out without waiting for a reply.

Catalina stared, bewildered for a moment, then understanding dawned. Aha! Only one person could elicit that expression from Mr. Farwell. He was surely visiting Ms. Jarvis again—and likely having dinner there.

Roxanne had just finished cooking and seated the three children at the table when the doorbell rang. She put down her fork, checked the monitor, and upon seeing Lucian, was momentarily stunned before rushing to open the door.

Lucian stood there, tenderness in his eyes. After their time in Miralaea, his demeanor toward her had softened considerably. Despite her familiarity with this gentler side, a sense of dissonance remained. He had always presented a cold exterior to the world.

"Why are you here? Weren't we supposed to avoid each other for two days?" she asked, puzzled.

Madilyn had suggested this on their return from Miralaea, to avoid being seen together. Roxanne had agreed, but hadn't expected this unexpected visit.

Lucian raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing. "Shouldn't you let me in first if you want to avoid being seen with me? If I stand here, the media might get a photo…"

Panic flickered across Roxanne's eyes. She quickly opened the door, then cautiously peered outside, checking for any onlookers before closing it.

Seeing her tense demeanor, Lucian reassured her in a deep voice, "Don't worry. I had the bodyguards sweep the area."

Only then did Roxanne relax. The project was progressing well, and she didn't want a repeat of her recent ordeal.

Lucian's arrival delighted Archie, Benny, and Estella. They abandoned their dinner to crowd around him affectionately.

Roxanne found this astonishing. She'd anticipated the boys would find Lucian off-putting, but he was surprisingly patient with them. In fact, they seemed to like him almost as much as they liked her.

Her astonishment was mingled with relief. Their fondness for him eased her concerns about their future acceptance of their identities.

Roxanne fetched a place setting for Lucian. "You haven't eaten, have you? Let's eat together." Her attitude towards him had completely changed after the past few days; her previous awkwardness had vanished.

Lucian nodded and sat down.

"Is something wrong? Why are you here at this hour?" Roxanne asked again.

Lucian glanced at the children before murmuring, "We can talk later. Let's eat first."

Roxanne nodded, understanding his expression, and didn't press him. The family of five was together again, a sight that filled the children with such joy they beamed throughout dinner.

Afterward, sensing their parents needed to talk, the children tactfully retreated to the back garden to play.