NovelGoldChapter 432 Her eyelids grew heavy, and before long, she drifted off to sleep.
Several hours later, the car glided quietly into Northcrest City.
Still fast asleep, Claire only began to stir when someone gently lifted her. As she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Mr. Tempest's handsface looming close, his features soft with affection.
"Is Claire awake?" Mr. Tempest murmured, pausing mid-motion as he tried to cradle her gently in his arms. He moved with such care, as if afraid even the slightest jostle might wake her-but, despite his efforts, Claire was already awake.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Mr. Tempest's mind. Why did she have to wake up so soon? His brand-new daughter looked so adorably small and soft, like a marshmallow. He imagined how wonderful it would feel to hold her-so different from his eldest son, who was all angles and stubbornness and not the least bit cuddly.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtJust as he reached for another chance to snuggle his precious girl, Claire sat up and, ever the polite child, held up a tiny hand to stop him.
"Daddy, I can walk by myself." With that, Claire hopped out of the car, beaming up at Mr. Tempest with a bright, expectant smile, as if to say, Look at me, Dad! Aren't I amazing? Mr. Tempest blinked, caught between laughter and resignation. So much for hugging his sweet daughter.
He mustered a chuckle. "Amazing. Our Claire is the best." He took her left hand, while Mrs. Tempest clasped her right.
Hand in hand, the three of them strolled toward the villa, radiating the warmth of a perfectly happy family. Trailing behind, all but forgotten, was Orion, his small face set in a serious expression as he trudged after them. Suddenly, Claire glanced back. "Con, Orion! Don't fall behind!" A spark lit up Orion's eyes. The tight line of his mouth softened ever so slightly into a shy smile.
He knew it—his little sister would never forget him.
Their parents hadn't lied: his sister was as adorable and sweet as promised, and he already loved her to bits.
The moment they stepped inside, Claire was stunned. The Tempest family was far wealthier than she had ever imagined. The villa's interiors were all tastefully yel decorated in an understated elegant style that spoke of old money-rich mahogany, gleaming oak, and classic furnishings everywhere she looked.
The living room alone boasted a set of antique couches worth a small fortune, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Everywhere she looked, there were rare woods and custom details the kind of craftsmanship that cost more than most people could dream of spending.
In her past life, what had she missed out on? As Claire stood there, dazed, Mrs. Tempest led her upstairs and opened the door to a new room.
The moment the door swung open, Claire was greeted by a dreamy, sunlit space decorated in every shade of pink-a princess's room, just for her.
Sunshine streamed through the windows, bathing everything in a warm, golden glow.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Claire, we had this room made just for you. Do you like it?" Mrs. Tempest asked gently.
The room was spacious-easily three times the size of any she'd ever had-and absolutely flooded with light.
Claire couldn't help but think back to her first day at the Linwood house. They hadn't even bothered to prepare a room for her.
She'd chosen the first room, only to The seco be told by Ethan that it would be bis study. The second room? Reserved for Vanessa's music lessons. The attic? "That's embarrassing, Ethan had scoffed.
In the end, they'd shoved her into a tiny, windowless storage closet that smelled of mildew.
Now, looking at the effort and love poured into her princess-themed room, Claire couldn't stop the tears from falling. Mrs. Tempest saw her crying and hurried over, flustered. "Claire, sweetheart, what's wrong? Is it the room? If you don't like it, we can change everything-anything you want." Claire shook her head, voice trembling. "No, I love it. I've never had a room this beautiful before." She threw her arms around Mrs. Tempest's neck.
"Thank you, Mom," she whispered.
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