Chapter 1682 - 1656: As Far as the Eye Can See, Eternal as Heaven and Earth: His Loss and Fulfillment

"Mm, we have Robert, Robert is our son!"

Daxton Lancaster buried his face in Violet Zimmerman’s shoulder, his tone firm.

After a long while he finally lifted it, and Violet clearly heard the sound of him inhaling.

Daxton gently patted Violet’s shoulder. "Violet, let’s sleep too. Put Robert on the side, the bed is big enough, the three of us can sleep together as a family."

"Okay."

It wasn’t that late yet, only eight o’clock. Daxton was already lying on the bed with his arm around Violet, and right beside the couple, Robert Lancaster was sleeping soundly.

The light in the room was off, half the window was covered by the curtains, and the moon hanging on the willow branches cast a cold vertical shaft of light inside.

Daxton’s arm was tucked under Violet’s neck, his other hand interlaced with hers. The couple lay there together, gazing at the moon outside the window—something that had never happened before.

"...Violet, let’s give Robert a little brother. One child is too lonely... While he’s still small, later he and his brother can play together,

just like Joseph and me. The two of us are three years apart, we went to school together, watched movies together, when we fought with classmates we went in together, and we even stole classmates’ lunch boxes together..."

Looking at the moonlight outside, a gentle smile tugged at Daxton’s lips, and in front of his eyes appeared the scenes of going to and from school with his younger brother Joseph Lancaster.

Other families had lots of kids and were always arguing, but he and his little brother never did.

He was the older brother and knew how to give way, and his younger brother Joseph was always completely obedient to him. Whatever he told him to do, his brother listened. Later, when he didn’t go to high school, his brother cried for days, saying he’d broken the promise they’d made as kids to take the college entrance exam together...

Blood brothers, blood thicker than water—this kind of bond is something no one can replace. That’s why he wanted to give Robert a younger brother, like him and Joseph, going to school every day with their backpacks together, so he wouldn’t be lonely.

"Daxton, why are you only close with Joseph, but things are so much worse between you and Aurora?" Violet asked, puzzled.

Daxton withdrew his gaze to look at her and said with a laugh, "Girls are all delicate. Tell me, which big brother likes taking his little sister along to play?"

Violet pressed her lips together. It did seem that way. She had two older brothers at home, and every time they went out to play they’d rack their brains trying to shake her off.

"Violet, I, Daxton Lancaster, have always kept my word. As long as Joseph isn’t married yet, I can turn a blind eye to you two having contact in private."

Daxton spoke as if nailing it into stone, because that really was how he felt in his heart. What he hadn’t expected was that his younger brother Joseph would remain single for life because of his wife.

When Joseph knelt in front of his big brother Daxton, sincerely begging him not to force him to take a wife and have children anymore, the very first reason that occurred to Daxton was that Violet had secretly told his brother about his promise...

And it was from that day on that Violet’s nightmare truly began.

...

Joseph Lancaster lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep, wearing a newly bought pajama set—the couple’s style. He’d bought Violet a matching set too.

Even though she always left right after they were done, he still bought her pajamas. As long as she put them on, even for just one minute, he could imagine that they were a real married couple.

He reached out for the alarm clock on the bedside cabinet—almost nine now. Normally by this time Violet would already have come over.

When he called her during the day to tell her about Vesper Carter’s job transfer, he’d already said he’d bring her chicken legs back, and he’d reminded her not to eat too much at dinner.

Putting the alarm clock back, Daxton lifted the covers and got out of bed, then stood in front of the window and pulled the curtain aside.

The path leading to his brother and sister?in?law’s place was empty, not a single shadow, and the little villa where his big brother lived...

Only then did Joseph notice that there was just a faint light coming from the first floor, while the entire second floor had already gone dark.

His brows furrowed involuntarily. Could it be... big brother was giving sister?in?law a hard time again?

That shouldn’t be. After all, it was at his suggestion that sister?in?law came over, and they’d only been together three times...

Even though that’s what he told himself, Joseph still couldn’t relax. He went back, scooped up his clothes and pants, hurriedly threw them on, and strode out of the room.

"Second Young Master, where are you going so late?"

Seeing Joseph hurrying down the stairs, Blair Williams, who’d been watching TV, stood up.

Joseph gave her a faint glance, not thinking much of it. "I’m going over to Mom and Dad’s for a bit. Just leave the door unlocked for me, no need to wait up."

"Oh, oh, got it, Second Young Master." Blair replied with a smile, but as soon as Joseph went out, the smile quickly faded from her face.

The previous couple of nights Madam had come over every evening to bring late?night snacks to Second Young Master, delivering them straight to his room and staying for a full half hour. Today Madam hadn’t come, and Second Young Master had rushed out in a panic. Looks like the two of them...

Heh heh!

Blair sneered to herself in secret. She had to find a chance to report this to the Family Head; she couldn’t let such a perfect opportunity for earning merit pass her by.

The autumn night was cold, but Joseph, wearing only a thin shirt, didn’t feel it at all.

Under the streetlamp his steps were hurried. His head was bent, lost in thought, so much so that he didn’t even notice his younger sister Aurora Lancaster who had just come back from extra classes.

"Hey!" Aurora softened her footsteps and waited until Joseph walked right up to her before suddenly calling out. It was so abrupt that Joseph instinctively startled.

When he saw his little sister Aurora standing in front of him, he said helplessly, "You little brat, you almost scared your second brother into a heart attack!"

"Heh heh..." Aurora laughed, looking very pleased with herself.

"Second Brother, where are you hurrying off to? You didn’t even see me!"

Joseph paused for a second, then quickly smiled. "Oh, I left a file in the car. I’m going to get it now."

"Ah, Second Brother, then you should hurry back. You’re wearing so little, don’t catch a cold!" Aurora reminded him, concerned.

Only then did Joseph notice he was wearing just a shirt. Because he was worried about Violet, he hadn’t wanted to go back for a jacket and waste time. He gave a perfunctory response and hurried off again.

"In such a rush—anyone who didn’t know better would think you were sneaking off to meet some woman!" Aurora muttered at Joseph’s retreating back.

At some point, the old willow tree had already become Joseph’s outpost. With both hands shoved into his pockets, he leaned against the trunk and lifted his eyes to look toward Violet’s room.

The light in the room was off; the half of the window without curtains reflected the moonlight, giving off a cold feeling, like the night itself.

The little villa was quiet. Only the first?floor living room let out a faint light that flickered now and then—that was the television.

He let out a long breath, not sure if it was a sigh or a kind of reassurance.

The lights were off—that meant they were asleep. No sounds—that meant big brother wasn’t making things hard for sister?in?law. Clearly everything was peaceful, and yet—

Joseph lifted a hand and pressed it to his chest, where a dull sense of loss lingered.

He pushed himself off the tree trunk, just about to turn away, when a baby’s cry rang out. Right after that, the light in the room snapped on, and a woman’s familiar voice floated out.

"Robert, don’t cry, Mommy’s holding you, Mommy’s right here, oh, oh... don’t cry..."

Listening to the woman’s patient voice and his son’s sobs gradually dying down, Joseph couldn’t help the smile that curved his lips.

His wish was just that simple: as long as he saw his woman and his son happy, he was content.