Chapter 129: Home

"Isn’t it already getting pretty big?"

Erik looked at the three women around the dining table as he said it. Elowen smiled, Meira laughed aloud, while Laviana still held her cup in her hand. She looked at Erik for a few more seconds before taking a sip, but the moment the cup touched her lips, she set it back down.

"Careful," Meira said. "If you say that, there might really be more people tomorrow."

"You just heard me name three people."

"I’m talking about after those three."

Erik looked at her. Meira smiled and reached over with her fork to take the last piece of meat from his plate. This time, Erik did not stop her, because he was already full. Just as she lifted the meat to her mouth, she caught Elowen’s gaze.

"I’m allowed to take it," Meira explained.

"I didn’t ask."

"Master didn’t stop me."

Laviana laughed. Erik ignored the mother and daughter, stood up, and picked up his empty plate. Elowen immediately took it from his hand and carried it to the sink along with her own. Watching her silver hair tied neatly behind her neck and the apron she had yet to take off, Erik remembered Elowen’s tense expression when she cracked the first egg. He walked over to help her set the dishes aside.

Breakfast had not been perfect, but Elowen had still been secretly watching to see whether he finished the portion she had cooked. Erik lowered his head and lightly kissed her cheek.

"Use a little less salt next time," he whispered.

Elowen turned toward him, her turquoise eyes narrowing slightly. "You said it was delicious earlier."

"I ate it all."

She looked at the empty plate before nodding in satisfaction. Behind them, Meira saw this and immediately turned to Laviana.

"If I learn how to cook, do you think Master will stand behind me and hold me just to guide me?"

"If you hold a pan," Laviana replied, "he’ll stand behind you to stop you from burning the house down."

Meira was about to argue, but Laviana had already stood up. Her smile remained on her lips, yet her gaze was directed at Erik. She waited until he and Elowen returned to the table before speaking.

"Erik, I want to ask more about Vylana."

Erik sat down. "Ask."

"You just said that if she wants to come, she can come." Laviana kept her hand on the back of the chair, her fingers lightly brushing the carved wood. "Do you mean she can come visit me, or can she move in here with us?"

Elowen looked up at Vylana’s mother. Meira stopped teasing as well. What Erik had said earlier had come out naturally during breakfast, but moving into this house was different from dropping by every now and then.

"You want Vylana to move in?" Erik asked.

"Mhm." Laviana looked straight at him. "I want to be close to my daughter. And I know she wants to be close to you too."

Erik did not answer immediately. Seeing his expression, Laviana understood that he was thinking about what Vylana had done to Saraya. She pulled out her chair, but instead of sitting down, she walked around behind Erik.

"I know what she said to Saraya," Laviana said. "Vylana told me after the two of you confronted each other."

"Did she tell you why she did it?"

"Yes." Laviana placed both hands on Erik’s shoulders. "She likes you. She was jealous. And at the time, I pressured her. I wanted her to seize the opportunity instead of standing there and watching."

Erik looked up at her. Laviana did not avoid his gaze.

"I can’t say she only followed my orders," she continued. "Vylana chose to say those things to Saraya. But I also can’t pretend I had nothing to do with it, then push all the responsibility onto my daughter."

Her hands slowly rubbed across Erik’s shoulders. Throughout breakfast, Laviana had watched how he treated everyone: helping Elowen with the dishes, giving Meira the last piece of meat, even asking the entire household before inviting Felyn, Carmilla, and Runi to come over. Because she had seen herself included in those decisions, she wanted even more to ask him directly about Vylana.

Laviana lowered herself and wrapped her arms around Erik’s shoulders from behind. Red hair slid across his cheek; when she tilted her head, her breath brushed against his ear. She kissed it lightly, then her long tongue gently touched it once more before stopping.

"I know I’m choosing a moment when you’re more likely to soften," she whispered.

"At least you’re willing to say it."

Laviana laughed quietly, but her arms around him did not loosen. "If you need reassurance, I can give you more money. Company shares, even the whole company, as long as you give Vylana a chance."

Erik held her wrist and gave it a light tug, bringing Laviana around in front of him. He did not let go when she came to a stop between the dining table and his chair.

"Laviana, don’t give me your company."

"I knew you would refuse."

"Then why say it?"

"Because it’s what I can offer right away." Her smile faded. "I don’t know how to fix what happened."

Erik looked at her for a moment. Laviana could handle contracts worth enormous sums on her own, yet right now she was simply waiting to see whether he would close the door on Vylana.

"Vylana can come here," he said. "She can stay as well, if Elowen, Meira, and Vylana herself all feel comfortable with it. But living under the same roof does not mean everything between her and me has been resolved."

Laviana nodded. "I understand."

"I want to hear Vylana tell me what she expects herself. If she only has to come because you moved here, then first let her decide whether she wants to live in the same house as all of us."

"I’ll ask her."

"And as for Saraya, she’s the one Vylana needs to apologize to." Erik looked at Laviana. "I can’t accept an apology on Saraya’s behalf, and I can’t force Saraya to forgive her. Vylana needs to understand what she did wrong, then find the right time to speak with her herself."

Laviana did not object. She had heard Vylana admit that she had deliberately made Saraya doubt Erik, and she had also heard her daughter recount how Saraya had treated him during the three months they lived together. Both things could be true.

"You still don’t blame her enough to hate her?" she asked.

"I blame what she did." Erik gently squeezed her hand. "I also know Vylana is more than that one thing. I need time to see her more clearly."

Laviana lowered her gaze to their clasped hands. Erik had not promised to love her daughter, but he was honestly stating what he could give. For Laviana, that answer was enough for her to let out a breath.

"You’re calmer about this than I expected," she said.

"If you had asked me on the day I learned the truth, I might have answered differently." Erik paused before continuing. "Now, I don’t want to use my anger to decide whether Vylana gets to walk into this house. And I don’t want to nod along to everything you ask just because you’re hugging me."

Laviana looked at him. Erik raised a hand to touch her cheek, his thumb lightly stroking the skin beneath her eye.

"I can be good to other people," he said, "but caring about them does not mean anyone gets to decide things for me. If we want to live together for a long time, we have to be honest with each other about things like this."

"I am being honest." Laviana pressed her cheek into his palm. "I even admitted earlier that I was deliberately seducing you."

"That part, I already noticed."

"Did it work?"

Erik looked at her from very close range. "A little."

Laviana laughed and leaned down to kiss him. The kiss began as lightly as a thank-you, then slowly deepened as Erik held her waist. Laviana reached behind his neck, her fingers threading into his black hair. She did not rush away; when their lips parted, their foreheads were still resting against each other.

"Only a little?" she asked.

"How much do you want me to say?"

"At least enough for me to feel that offering my company wasn’t pointless."

"Your company still belongs to you."

"Then I’ll repay the debt another way." Laviana tilted her head again, her lips nearly touching his ear.

"I can hear that," Meira spoke up.

Laviana turned around. Meira was resting her chin on her hand as she watched them, her green eyes full of amusement. Elowen, standing beside the sink, was looking over as well, though her cheeks had already turned slightly red.

"Are you planning to livestream it?" Laviana asked.

"After this morning, I don’t dare."

"You don’t dare?" Erik repeated.

Meira immediately corrected herself. "I’ll ask first."

Elowen walked over and gently rubbed her mother’s head. "Today, just keep your phone in your pocket."

Meira grabbed her daughter’s hand and rested her head against Elowen’s arm. "As expected, you still love Mother the most."

"I’m keeping an eye on you."

"You said that in such a gentle voice."

Laviana smiled and stepped back so Erik could stand. The conversation about Vylana was over, but she had no intention of calling her daughter and telling her to pack her things immediately. First, she wanted Vylana to hear Erik’s answer for herself, then make her own decision.

Erik looked at the clock. "Let’s look at Felyn’s room first. Then we’ll go to the hospital and ask her."

Meira stood up. "I already had them keep the south room on the second floor empty."

"Show me the path from that room to the garden too."

All four of them left the dining room. As she passed Erik, Laviana lightly took his hand once, then let go to head up the stairs with Elowen. Erik watched the two of them. One had accepted his proposal, while the other had just asked for her daughter to come live with them; behind him, Meira was still taking the chance to stuff the last piece of meat into her mouth before catching up.

The house truly was about to become more crowded. Erik only hoped that everyone who entered it could say for themselves why they wanted to stay.