chapter1045

Callum had no real ties to them, and his connection with Thalassa was barely more than an

acquaintance's.

Helping them out had already been a stretch, and if he ever got fed up and left them to fend for

themselves, they'd be left homeless.

Deep down, Evelyn was a bundle of nerves, her mind buzzing with the fear of being abandoned and

left with nowhere to turn.

"Evelyn, you need to relax." Callum reassured her, his voice steady and kind. "I brought you guys out

here, and I'll see it through. If you need something, just let me know, and I'll do what I can to help out."

"Callum, you're really sweet." Elowen said with a grin, her face smeared with ice cream, making her

irresistibly cute.

Callum couldn't help but chuckle at her sweet words.

They drove for what felt like an eternity until they arrived at a villa nestled in the countryside, a villa

called Moon Retreat.

By the time they got there, daybreak had kissed the sky.

The city was a furnace, but it was pleasantly cool out here in the country. The villa was cocooned in

lush greenery, an ocean of foliage that seemed to stretch into infinity.

Even the breeze that swept through was fresh with the scent of nature, a cool salve to the oppressive

heat they'd left behind.

"From now on, this is your home." Callum announced as they arrived. "You'll find it's got everything you

need. There's a garden out back and plenty of pantry staples inside — you won’t need to buy anything.

If you run out of anything, just let me know, and I'll have it sent over."

Evelyn gaped at the villa like a kid in a candy store, her eyes wide with wonder. The place was

luxurious, sprawling over a vast expanse, with nothing but well-maintained greenery and a variety of

vegetables surrounding it.

The place was a verdant paradise, an emerald escape from the world, secluded yet blissfully peaceful.

"Mr. Gordon, are you for real? Letting us stay in this amazing place?" Evelyn was over the moon.

"Of course, Evelyn." Callum affirmed.

"But why? Why are you being so good to us? Don't tell me you've got a thing for my Thalassa!" Evelyn

blurted out, her words as straightforward as they were surprising.

At her words, Thalassa's face flushed with embarrassment. She quickly chided Evelyn, then turned to

Callum with an apologetic smile, "Sorry, my mom just speaks her mind. Please don't take it to heart."

"No worries, you all should head in and get some rest. It's been a long haul." Callum suggested.

"Sure, Mr. Gordon. Why don't you come in and take a break too?" Thalassa suggested, ushering the

kids into the grand hallway of the villa.

Callum watched her retreat. A soft glow of affection emerged in his eyes.

The kids, who had slept through the drive, were now wide awake with curiosity about the new place

and showed no signs of wanting to sleep. They raided the fridge, pulling out an assortment of ice

creams.

Elowen, the little gourmand, had already started her feast.

"Elowen, take it easy, honey. Too much of that and you'll get a tummy ache." Thalassa warned, her

words barely out before the sky was filled with the thunderous roar of an engine.

Could it be a plane flying overhead?

For some reason, Thalassa's heart began to race with an unexplainable anxiety.