Chapter 2
Aspen thought back to the first time they met. Everyone claimed Quill loved her, so much so that he even doted on her child with another man. She believed it too.
He had relentlessly pursued her from the moment they first met. Over the years, many sought her wealth or beauty, but no one else seemed to love her so genuinely—not even Corey. That was why she married Quill.
Now, five years had passed, and his attitude toward her and Nora had never wavered. How could he possibly be willing to leave?
While she pondered this, Quill appeared at the private room’s door, dripping wet. He was holding the watch he had retrieved from the lake.
His voice sounded faint as he addressed Aspen. “I found it.”
His lips were pale, and he clearly wasn’t in good shape. Just speaking those words seemed to drain all his strength. The next moment, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the floor.
Before he lost consciousness entirely, he vaguely thought he saw Aspen’s expression change as she rushed toward him.
It must have been an illusion. Since Corey’s return, Aspen and Nora couldn’t distance themselves from him fast enough. Why would they care if he fainted?
When Quill regained consciousness, he realized he was lying at home. The sound of cheerful conversation drifted in from the living room. He slowly got up, steadied himself, and walked out.
There were only three people in the living room: Aspen, Nora, and the one person they both wholeheartedly acknowledged—Corey.
They were seated on the couch, chatting animatedly. But their laughter faded as soon as Quill appeared.
Aspen glanced at him and said flatly, “Corey will be staying here for a while. Get a room ready for him later.”
Nora, who rarely acted obedient in front of Quill, was now nestled in Corey’s arms. She was speaking in a sweet, childish tone. But when her eyes turned to Quill, her words grew sharp.
“This is my home, and he’s my dad. Of course, he should stay here. Uncle Quill, you’re not going to object, are you?”
Quill forced a faint smile. What right did he have to object?
Aspen had never loved him. Nora used to call him “Daddy” before Corey’s return, but now she called Corey “Daddy” and referred to him as a mere “uncle”.
He was nothing more than a nanny in their eyes. How could he possibly have any say in their decisions?
“Alright,” Quill replied calmly while nodding as if this were the most ordinary request in the world.
Aspen narrowed her eyes in mild surprise at how easily he accepted the demand for Corey to move in. Nora, however, didn’t think much of it and grew even more demanding.
“I’m hungry! Go make dinner right away. Daddy likes lobster bisque and baked fish filet—you have to make it yourself!”
Quill’s head was still spinning from diving into the icy lake earlier, but he couldn’t refuse her orders because of the system’s requirements. Forcing himself to push through the discomfort, he headed to the kitchen.
He had to manage everything alone without any household staff to assist. He could even see Aspen and Nora fussing over Corey in the distance through the transparent kitchen door.
One was feeding him pre-dinner fruit brought by the housekeeper, while the other carefully refilled his cup with warm water. They looked like the perfect, harmonious family.
And, in truth, they were. They had always been a family. He was the outsider.
Quill lowered his eyes to avoid the scene and focused on preparing the ingredients in silence. There wasn’t a hint of pain in his gaze. After all, it wouldn’t be long before he reunited with his real family.
