Chapter 401: Introductions

Ethan hadn’t expected everyone to be there.

He had brought Isabelle to Mark’s family home so she could meet the people who had become his family over the years. He hadn’t known that Mark, Elara, and Kaela would be there too after whatever they had gotten up to.

For once, the atmosphere was almost peaceful.

He could smell the warm meal that had been prepared, and hear the conversations and laughter bouncing around the house.

’This is exactly what I needed.’

After the day he had just had, it didn’t get better than clearing his mind alongside his loved ones.

He stepped inside with Isabelle beside him.

"Everyone, I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet."

Clarissa Reed looked up first.

At close to fifty, she had the same warm, practical presence Ethan remembered. She had taken him in without hesitation when he had needed somewhere to belong, and despite everything that had happened since, she still treated him like one of her own.

The trip down memory lane after meeting Victor and Jessica had only made him appreciate her more.

Beside her were the rest of Mark’s family.

Tasha was the stern and protective older sister he and Mark were afraid of, who was now a nurse. Lila was gentler and more empathetic, closer to them in age, but now worked as a cop. And lastly was Maren, who was the youngest and a senior in high school.

She was playful, quick-witted, and seemed incapable of keeping a serious expression for very long.

Ethan pointed toward them one by one.

"That’s Granny Clarissa, and those are Aunts Tasha, Lila, and Maren."

He then gestured toward the others.

"That’s Elara."

Elara smiled politely.

"And that’s Kaela."

Kaela lifted a hand.

"Yo."

Ethan pointed toward the large man sitting nearby.

"And that big idiot over there is Mark."

Mark barely reacted.

"Hey."

Ethan smiled before finally turning toward the little girl beside him.

"And this is my daughter, Isabelle."

The room went silent.

Clarissa’s eyes widened, Tasha froze, Lila blinked repeatedly, and even Maren looked completely stunned.

Nobody seemed to know what to say.

Ethan couldn’t blame them.

He had barely known what to say when he’d first learned about Isabelle himself.

The silence lasted several seconds before Adonis broke it.

He looked at Isabelle.

"What’s up, cuz?"

Isabelle stared at him, then she smiled.

"Hi!"

That was all it took.

The two children immediately started talking and arguing over who was taller.

Ethan watched them with a small smile.

At least their playing was a little more sane than his.

He glanced toward Clarissa and the others.

"So, how have you guys been?"

Clarissa shook her head with a soft laugh.

"We’re fine. How about you?"

Ethan shrugged.

"I’m good."

He asked about work, school, Adonis, and whether anyone needed anything.

It was almost strange.

He had just walked in with a daughter nobody knew existed, yet he was still more interested in making sure everyone else was doing alright.

That was Ethan.

He had always been better at giving than taking, at least directly. Even now, there were things weighing heavily on his mind that he didn’t mention. He simply smiled and asked another question, almost as if avoiding being asked any himself.

After a while, Ethan wandered toward Mark, Elara, and Kaela.

Something was different.

He couldn’t immediately explain it.

Kaela seemed far more relaxed than usual.

There was no restless energy around her, no constant urge to fight or prove something.

Her aura felt calmer, almost refined.

But it wasn’t weaker.

If anything, Ethan felt like she had become considerably more dangerous.

Elara was similar.

Her presence had always been powerful, but now there was something different about it. Her aura seemed calmer, while her posture carried a strange sense of confidence.

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

’Something definitely happened.’

Then he looked at Mark.

Mark had changed the most.

Physically, he looked almost the same.

But there was something about him, something Ethan couldn’t quite put his finger on.

"You good, bro?"

Mark stared at him for a moment.

Then he hummed.

"Yeah."

Ethan wasn’t convinced.

But Mark clearly didn’t want to talk, and Ethan wasn’t about to force him. Especially after remembering that Mark had been the one pushing him to meet Jessica and Isabelle in the first place.

If something had happened, Mark would tell him when he was ready.

Probably.

Ethan grabbed some food instead.

He had learned a long time ago that sometimes people needed space more than questions. Across the room, Isabelle had already found someone else to occupy her attention.

Elara.

Ethan watched as Isabelle sat beside her and began asking questions.

"What do you do?"

"Lots of things."

"Are you strong?"

Elara smiled.

"Very."

"Can you fly?"

"Kinda."

"Do you fight monsters?"

"Yes."

Isabelle’s eyes lit up.

"That’s so cool!"

Elara laughed.

Ethan couldn’t help smiling.

She had always been surprisingly good with children.

Perhaps it was because she was patient. Or maybe it was because, unlike most adults, she actually listened when they talked. Either way, it put Ethan at ease and only made him appreciate Elara even more.

"Hey!"

Adonis suddenly returned from upstairs with a figurine in his hand and waved at Isabelle.

"Want to see the rest of my toys?"

"Yes! Yes!"

The two children immediately ran off.

Ethan watched them disappear up the stairs.

For a moment, the house felt completely normal.

Children laughing upstairs, food being passed around, and people talking.

Kaela argued with Maren about something neither of them seemed particularly serious about. Tasha reminded Adonis not to run indoors, even though he was already gone. All while Clarissa quietly watched everything with the expression of someone who was simply happy to see everyone together.

Ethan leaned back.

He hadn’t realised how much he needed this.

’I have a daughter.’

The thought still felt strange.

But for once, it was a strange feeling he didn’t want to lose.

Ethan looked toward Mark again, who remained unusually quiet.

Elara and Kaela exchanged another glance, which he couldn’t help but notice.

’Something definitely happened.’

And he planned on finding out what very soon, along with getting some things off his chest...