After Rejection Divorced Luna Becomes A Famous Doctor (Hailey and Dominic) novel Chapter 301

CHAPTER TWOHUNDRED-EIGHTEEN-2

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CHAPTER TWOHUNDRED-EIGHTEEN-2

“Thank you,” Emilia said, her smile unwavering. “You have a lovely home.”

“It’s a mess,” Aria mumbled under her breath.

“Aria,” Dominic said, his voice a low growl. “Enough.”

Hearing her father’s serious tone, she immediately fell quiet, but not without rolling her eyes, earning her another stern look from me.

“Let’s all sit in the living room,” I said, trying to salvage the evening. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”

We all sat down, the atmosphere surprisingly calm. Emilia sat on the couch, next to Liam, who was practically vibrating with nervous energy. I sat opposite them, with Dominic on my left, and Aria on my right, a human wall of teenage angst.

“So, Emilia,” I began, trying to make conversation. “Liam tells me you’re a new student at his school.”

“Yes,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “I just transferred. I’m… really enjoying it so far. Everyone’s been very welcoming. I just wish I’d gotten here at the beginning of the year. I still haven’t figured out the school’s layout.”

“I could show you around,” Liam offered, a little too quickly.

“I’d like that,” she said, her smile genuine.

“I’m sure you would,” Aria muttered, earning another glare from Dominic.

This was going to be a long dinner.

Dinner was a masterclass in subtext. I’d made roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans a deliberately safe, non aggressive menu. Emilia, to her credit, ate everything, even complimenting the potatoes, though she picked at them with a delicacy that suggested her metabolism didn’t require such hearty fare.

Liam, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. He knocked over his water glass, fumbled with his fork, and spent most of the meal staring at Emilia with a dopey, lovesick grin plastered on his face. It was both endearing and infuriating. Dominic was a quiet, brooding presence at the head of the table, his questions polite but pointed, designed to probe without being overtly hostile. He asked about her family, her interests, her future plans, each question a subtle test.

“My father is… very traditional,” Emilia said, when Dominic asked about her family. “He believes in the old ways. In the importance of our heritage. He is a very… protective father. But my mother, she is more.. open minded. She is the one who encouraged me to transfer. She said it would be a good experience for me to learn about other cultures.”

“That’s very wise of her,” I said, sensing the carefully constructed PR friendly answer. She was well trained.

CHAPTER TWOHUNDRED-EIGHTEEN-2

“She is,” Emilia agreed, a sad, distant look in her eyes. “She misses my brother a lot. He… he passed away a few years ago. He was a lot like Liam. Brave, strong, a natural leader.”

I shook my head in sympathy. “I’m so sorry to hear that. It must have been incredibly hard for your family”

“It was,” she said, her voice soft with a genuine pain that gave her a depth I hadn’t expected. “He was on a

hunting trip in the mountains. An accident. It happened very quickly.”

The table fell silent. Even Aria looked subdued, her usual hostility replaced by a flicker of empathy. The loss of a child, a sibling, was a pain that no one should have to bear.

“Sometimes,” Emilia continued, her gaze meeting mine, “I think my father sees a little bit of my brother in me. And it scares him. He’s afraid of losing me, too. So he would be too protective and strict. And my mother doesn’t like that. Reason why she wants me to be independent.”

I saw it then. The vulnerability beneath the polished exterior. She wasn’t just a vampire princess. She was a girl who had lost her brother, who was trying to manage the expectations of a grieving, overprotective father and a mother who wanted more for her. And she saw a kindred spirit in my son. Someone who understood the importance of a legacy.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” I asked, my tone soft.

“I’m 17. I’ll be 18 in a couple of months.” she said.

I felt my stomach clench. She was so young. Too young to be carrying the burden of her family’s expectations.

After dinner, Liam and Emilia disappeared into the backyard, under the guise of getting some fresh air. Dominic and I were left to clean up, with Aria ‘helping’ by sulking at the kitchen island.

“She’s not that bad,” Aria said, out of the blue, her voice barely a whisper.

I almost dropped a plate. “What was that?”

“I said,” she repeated, a little louder, “she’s not that bad. The story about her brother… it was sad.”

“I’m glad you see that, sweetie,” I said, my heart swelling with a strange mix of relief and pride.

“Doesn’t mean I trust her,” she added quickly, her defensiveness back in full force. “But I guess she’s okay. For a vampire.”

It was progress. I’d take it.

Later that night, after Emilia had left with a promise to return, Liam found me in the study. He was quiet, his usual bravado gone.

“Thanks, Mom,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “For… you know. Not being a complete nightmare.” I smiled, patting the seat next to me on the loveseat. “Come here.”

He sat down, the space between us charged with an unspoken understanding. “I know you’re still worried,”

CHAPTER TWOMNDRED EIGHTEEN 2

he began, “and I get it. But… she’s not what you think she is. She’s just… Emilia

“I know,” I said, and I meant it. The girl’s grief had been real. Her affection for my son was evident. “She’s a lovely girl, Liam. And I can see why you like her.”

He let out a breath he’d been holding for weeks. “Really?”

“Really,” I confirmed. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be watching. Like a hawk.”

He laughed, a real, unburdened laugh that made my heart soar. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

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