"Mom..." Kevin sniffled, his eyes slightly reddened.
Hearing her son's soft, tender voice, Ariana's heart melted. She spoke gently, "Be a good boy and listen to your brother these days, okay? Help take care of your little brother. Mommy will be home soon."
Kevin gripped the phone tightly and asked in a small voice, "Will you bring my sister back, too?"
Ariana's lashes fluttered slightly. "Yes."
The joy in Kevin's eyes instantly faded, replaced by a shadow of gloom. He hesitated for a moment before murmuring, "Then... I'll wait for you at home and be good."
Ariana smiled.
Her eyes softened with an indescribable warmth. "Mm, you're such a good boy."
After a pause, she asked, "Where's your little brother?"
Kevin's gaze flickered. "He's sleeping."
Ariana hummed in acknowledgment. Since her youngest was asleep, there was no need to wake him. She then spent the next few minutes giving Lucian a long list of reminders before finally hanging up, reassured.
To be honest, Lucian's maturity had taken her by surprise.
She had expected the children to be restless after so many days, even with adults looking after them. After all, she had been stuck in the hospital, and Lambert rarely came home.
The three of them must have been so lost.
Yet, against all expectations, little Lucian had remained so composed.
Too composed for a child barely over four years old.
While it warmed her heart, a faint pang of guilt pricked at her. She hadn’t been a proper mother to them.
Ariana closed her eyes, exhaustion weighing heavily on her heart. Ever since waking up, she had been drowning in weariness. She didn’t understand what was wrong with her.
At a complete loss for what to do,
She could only remain silent and let things unfold as they would.
Facing Lambert now, Ariana found herself utterly devoid of conversation topics. Every encounter with him only deepened the exhaustion in her heart, a weariness so crushing it threatened to suffocate her entirely.
She realized—
She still cared.
She cared about Irene, cared about the fire that had indirectly caused her child to be born prematurely and frail.
She knew Lambert had likely guessed as much, which was why he had been treading so carefully around her lately. She could sense his guilt, his fear, and unease. He was doing everything in his power to make amends, but every time she thought of her daughter—still in the incubator, still fighting for survival—she simply couldn’t bring herself to face him properly.
It wasn’t just Lambert.
She, too, was on the verge of breaking.
Seeing Ariana hang up the phone, Lambert took it from her hand. Her body was still weak, and even the slightest exposure to radiation was to be avoided.
His voice was soft as he asked, "All done? Are the kids behaving at home?"
Ariana lowered her lashes, instinctively avoiding his gaze. Her tone was light, almost detached. "They’re fine. Lucian is looking after his little brothers. He’s very responsible." Before Lambert could say another word, she quickly added, "I’m tired. Goodnight."
With that, she lay down, turning her back to him.

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