novelraw Chapter 664: It’s Been Over a Decade, Is This a Comeback?
Chapter 664: It’s Been Over a Decade, Is This a Comeback?
Chapter 664: Chapter 664: It’s Been Over a Decade, Is This a Comeback? Delphine saw the man with sharp, slanted eyebrows that swept towards his temples, a roguish grin playing at the corners of his lips, and a leather coat that barely skimmed the ground. He was none other than Nathan Leclair, the only son of the Leclair family’s second household who had left Southeast Asia years ago.
If Ignatius Leclair was ice, then Nathan was fire. Even the proud Bessie Leclair had suffered numerous setbacks at Nathan’s hands during their childhood.
Nathan had a fiery temper and an intense hatred for injustice.
"What’s this? Not happy to see me back?" Nathan raised an eyebrow, clapped Isaac on the shoulder, and said, "Big brother, I specially went to Xiang City to bring Isaac home for the New Year. Who would have thought, after so many years apart, you’d already have a kid? Why didn’t you let me, his uncle, know?"
Ignatius’s phoenix-like eyes darkened as he noted Nathan’s arrival at this particular time. His handsome face revealed a hint of contemplation. He replied casually, "You should’ve informed me ahead of time about your return. I could’ve sent someone to pick you up. It’s been over a decade since you left. I assumed you’d never set foot here again in this lifetime."
Delphine watched the brothers exchange words, put Benjamin down, and turned to Isaac, calling softly, "Little Isaac."
The teenage boy had changed significantly, no longer the clingy child who followed his siblings everywhere in her memory. His gaze now carried a rebellious edge instead of innocence. Seeing Delphine, he remained silent.
"Come on, you little rascal," Nathan said cheekily as he patted Isaac, leading him to the side room. As he passed by Delphine and Benjamin, his narrow eyes briefly swept over the girl who used to dawdle behind them like a sluggish snail years ago. To his astonishment, all these years later, she was still with Ignatius and had even given birth to two children.
Nathan noticed the little girl she was holding, radiant like a porcelain doll, her large black grape-like eyes glistening. Despite her tiny frame, her expression carried an unexpected depth. As he rummaged through the large backpack slung over his shoulder, he pulled out his last handful of candy and shoved it into Benjamin’s hands, grinning as he said, "This is all I’ve got for now. Uncle will buy you lots and lots of candy next time."
Benjamin’s eyes widened as he stared at the dashing uncle who had seemingly fallen from the sky and at the handful of candy he was holding. In a sweet, sticky voice, he exclaimed, "Uncle, pirate captain! So cool!"
Pirate captain? Nathan glanced at his leather coat and ripped jeans, then nodded with a chuckle, "You’ve got good taste."
With Nathan’s return and Isaac tagging along, save for the absent Bessie, the younger and junior members of the Leclair family were essentially all present. The old patriarch’s hearty laughter could be heard even through the door.
Delphine led Nicholas and Benjamin into the side room. The man still stood under the pomegranate tree, his jet-black phoenix-like eyes narrowing slightly, his lips devoid of any trace of a smile. Everyone believed the Leclair family’s second household took Nathan to America because Nathan, in his youth, had gotten involved with drugs. In truth, their exile was due to the second household’s defeat in the Leclair family’s internal power struggle, which led to their banishment.
Over a decade later, was this a comeback? Ignatius extended his long, powerful, defined fingers and pressed a hand to his brow.
This Chinese New Year’s Eve at the Leclair family was especially lively. Nathan set off rows of fireworks in the courtyard with the two little ones, creating a dazzling display of blooming lights and winning over their hearts in an instant. Even Isaac, who had been aloof, now revolved around Nathan like a satellite.
That evening, the old patriarch took the young and junior members of the Leclair family to stay up through the night, while Delphine put Nicholas and Benjamin to bed. Because the festivities had continued late into the night, everyone rose later the next day. When Delphine descended the stairs, she saw the old butler approach her and say, "Miss Delphine, both the eldest master and the patriarch have gone out and won’t return until evening."
The first day of the new year, and neither Ignatius nor the old patriarch was present. A sense of unease began to creep into Delphine’s heart as she asked softly, "Did something happen?"