Chapter 568

At the hotel room, Roxanne and Lucian cleaned the children, helped them change, and then took them out. Evening had already arrived. A slightly chilly breeze, carrying the faint scent of the sea, blew comfortably on their faces.

Roxanne took the children to the beach, fulfilling her morning promise. It was vastly different from the crowded scene of yesterday. Very few people were present; the beach appeared serene. The waves gently lapped the shore, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Unable to restrain herself, Roxanne removed her shoes and led the children on a barefoot stroll, letting their feet feel the soft sand. Suddenly, Estella exclaimed, “Ah!”

Roxanne turned to see Estella carefully squatting, picking up a colorful conch shell from the sand. “Look, Ms. Jarvis!” Estella exclaimed excitedly, showing Roxanne the conch.

Roxanne smiled. “What a beautiful conch! You can keep this, Essie. You can use it for your arts and crafts.”

Estella’s joy was evident. She carefully cleaned the conch and studied it intently. Despite the Farwell family's wealth, Estella’s autism had limited her travels, so she had only seen such things in books. This was her first time touching a conch. She stroked it lovingly. “So, this is a conch! It’s so pretty!”

Roxanne's smile widened at Estella's delight. She held the conch to Estella's ear. Estella tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“Listen,” Roxanne said, smiling. “Legend says conches hold the sound of the waves. Can you hear it?”

Estella’s eyes lit up, and she listened attentively. After a moment, she nodded vigorously. “Yes! I hear it!”

This time, Roxanne was surprised. She had only been teasing Estella; she never expected a definite answer. For a moment, she doubted herself.

Archie and Benny approached when Estella reported hearing the waves. “We want to listen too!”

Still dubious, Roxanne held the conch to the boys’ ears. After a while, Archie and Benny nodded vigorously, their eyes sparkling.

Their reactions fueled Roxanne's suspicion. Unable to contain her curiosity, she placed the conch to her own ear and held her breath. However, she heard only the gentle breeze.

Frowning, she looked at the children, whose expressions suggested something extraordinary. Lucian approached. Seeing her expression, he asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

Roxanne hesitated, about to dismiss it, but Estella’s voice cut in. “Daddy! A conch!” She grabbed Roxanne’s wrist and excitedly urged Lucian to listen.

Lucian frowned. “A conch? What about it?”

Estella insisted, “There’s a sound in it!”

Lucian glanced at Roxanne, suspecting she had told them something. “Daddy, listen!” Estella persisted. Archie, Benny, and Roxanne had all listened; Lucian was the only one left.