Chapter 140: journey has started

Chapter 140: Chapter 140: journey has started

The brothers fell quiet because they couldn’t honestly deny it.

Madame drew a shaky breath and pressed her lips together, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over again.

"Of course I want her to be safe. I care about that girl, and I don’t blame her for any of this. But I cannot bear the thought of losing the sons the Moon Goddess blessed me with."

Reid stepped behind her and wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Yeah, our attention might get a little distracted," he admitted, earning himself a disapproving look from Enzo. "But you should have a little more faith in us. We know how to look after ourselves, Mother, and we know how to look after Amelia without getting ourselves killed in the process."

Madame sniffed and reached up to pinch his arm.

"You had better know what you’re doing."

"Ow. I’m trying to comfort you, and this is the thanks I get?"

"Then try being comforting for once."

Reid chuckled, but he loosened his embrace enough for her to turn around. Enzo gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb.

"Reid is right. We’ll come back."

Madame searched his face, as though she could somehow determine whether he was telling the truth simply by looking into his eyes. Eventually, her breathing began to settle, and some of the tension eased from her shoulders.

"Then you had better come back alive," she said, pointing a finger at all three of them. "All of you. I want you to put my enemies to shame by returning in one piece, and I want you to remember that I am not going to sit here and let them keep controlling your lives forever."

Her voice grew firmer as she continued.

"I’ll do everything in my power to get you all and Amelia out of this place. I’ll find a way to give you all a new life somewhere you can live without having to answer to these people, and then I’ll finally get the grandbabies I’ve been waiting for."

Reid’s face brightened at once. "Is that all Mother wants from us? A few grandchildren, and she’ll be happy?"

Madame arched a brow at him.

"What else can you give me besides headaches and the occasional heart attack?"

Reid pressed a hand against his chest, looking genuinely wounded.

"That’s hurtful. I thought I was your favorite."

"You thought wrong."

Dean quietly laughed under his breath, and even Enzo’s lips twitched at the exchange. Madame reached up to ruffle Dean’s hair, much to his obvious displeasure, before looking at all three of her sons with a tired but genuine smile.

For a moment, she seemed content simply to have them standing in front of her. Then her gaze shifted toward the doorway.

"Where is Amelia?"

"Downstairs," Enzo answered. "It’s almost time for us to leave."

Madame nodded and straightened her clothes before following them out of the room. The four of them descended to the ground floor, where Amelia, Amy, and Caleb were already waiting in their mission gear. Several other recruits were moving around an armored vehicle, securing equipment and loading the last of the supplies for the journey.

Madame’s attention went straight to Amelia.

"Amelia, sweetheart."

Amelia turned at the sound of her voice and immediately walked over. However, the moment she saw Madame’s red, swollen eyes, her steps slowed, and guilt settled across her face.

"I’m sorry for making you worry," she said quietly.

Madame shook her head before Amelia could blame herself any further.

"This isn’t your fault. You haven’t done anything to deserve this punishment, and I refuse to pretend otherwise." She glanced briefly toward the armored vehicle, where the brothers had gone to check the equipment. "Hopefully, by the time you return, I’ll have found a way to get this punishment lifted altogether."

Amelia lowered her eyes for a moment, uncertain how to respond to such kindness when Madame herself was already dealing with so much. "I don’t want to cause any trouble for you."

"Nonsense." Madame reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "What is the point of having all this wealth and power if I can’t use it to protect the people I love? You don’t have to apologize for letting me care about you." ℯℯ𝑙.

Amelia’s expression softened, and she squeezed Madame’s hand in return.

After a moment, Madame studied her face with renewed interest, as though remembering something she had wanted to ask for a while.

"What about that problem you were dealing with? Has it been resolved?"

Amelia nodded.

"I’ve recovered the memories of my past lives."

Madame’s eyes widened, and the concern on her face gave way to genuine delight.

"You have? That’s wonderful!"

Madame smiled warmly before her curiosity got the better of her again. "And what about my sons? Have things progressed between you?"

Amelia immediately thought of the recent moments she had shared with each of the brothers, and the memory brought an unexpected smile to her lips. She tried to suppress it, but the corners of her mouth had already lifted, and the warmth creeping into her cheeks made her efforts rather pointless.

Madame noticed every bit of it.

Her eyes brightened with unmistakable satisfaction, and she leaned a little closer, lowering her voice as though they were sharing a particularly delightful secret.

"Oh, my goodness. It seems I’m going to have grandbabies much earlier than I expected."

Amelia’s smile faltered.

"Madame!"

"What? I haven’t even asked you for a date yet, and you’re already blushing like that." Madame gave her hand another affectionate squeeze, looking far too pleased with herself. "At this rate, I might have to start preparing the nursery before you all return."

The smile on Amelia’s face softened. She knew Madame was trying to hide her worries behind her teasing, and for a moment, she wished she could promise her that nothing bad would happen. But with the mission ahead of them, she couldn’t make promises she wasn’t certain she could keep.

"I’ll do my best," she said quietly.

Madame studied her face before reaching up to smooth a stray strand of hair away from her cheek. "You’d better. I’m not done with you yet."

Before Amelia could ask what that meant, Caleb’s voice carried across the courtyard.

"It’s time to go."

Madame glanced toward the armored vehicle, where the others were already climbing inside. She gave Amelia’s hand a final pat and stepped back.

"Go on. We’ve finished our conversation anyway. Unless you’d like to stay and tell me more about what happened between you and my sons."

"Goodbye, Madame!"

Amelia hurried toward the vehicle before Madame could say anything else. She climbed inside, settled into her seat, and turned to wave through the window.

Madame waved back, her smile remaining in place until the engine rumbled to life and the armored vehicle began to move. She watched it cross the courtyard, her hand slowly dropping to her side as the distance between them grew.

Only when the vehicle disappeared from view did her smile fade.

She let out a long breath and rubbed at the space between her brows. Madame could only hope they would all return to her.

She turned toward the main building, intending to head back inside, but stopped when she noticed someone approaching from the opposite end of the courtyard.

The main elder.

He walked toward her with his hands folded behind his back, his expression as composed as ever. Madame waited for him to speak, though the sight of him alone was enough to sour her mood.

"Did you come to say your final goodbyes to your sons?" he asked.