Chapter 302: A Special Moment

Artemio had taken Lara in as a child and raised her under a regime of relentless training. He shaped her into something far more dangerous than an ordinary operative—teaching her discipline, survival, deception, and the ruthless precision needed to carry out orders without hesitation.

When Lara was old enough, Artemio sent her to Arnold who was living under a new identity: Armand Reyes.

To the outside world, Armand was simply a member of a quiet farming family, living an unremarkable life far from the shadows. But beneath that façade was another life entirely—a carefully guarded double identity as one of Artemio’s most trusted secret agent.

Armand had been the perfect blade: sharp, reliable, deadly and a lovestruck fool.

Until, a year ago, that blade was lost in the most senseless way imaginable—a car accident that claimed his life before Artemio could ever make use of him again.

Artemio had lost a formidable weapon with Armand’s death. But more than that, the loss forced him to confront a fear he had tried to ignore.

Lara was still out there.

And if he wasn’t careful, the girl he had spent years molding into his finest weapon might become another precious asset he would never get back.

...

For once, Lara made it home before dinner.

The moment the gates of the Laguna manor came into view, she felt a strange sense of accomplishment—as if she had just won a battle no one else knew she was fighting.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had arrived home this early.

The auction had consumed most of her days lately, and whenever she wasn’t dealing with that, she was helping Amelia turn her novel into a screenplay. They were finally nearing the end of the process, which meant filming would begin soon.

And somehow, Lara had also agreed to appear in it.

She still hadn’t figured out how Amelia had managed to talk her into that.

Lara sighed as she stepped out of the car.

I really need to learn how to say no to that woman.

She barely had time to close the car door.

"Mommy!"

A small blur came flying toward her.

Lara’s face immediately broke into a smile.

"Shay—"

Too late.

The little girl crashed into her, wrapping both arms around her waist with enough force to nearly knock her backward. A second later, a black furball came charging after her, tail wagging wildly.

"Mommy, I missed you!"

Shay stretched up and attacked Lara’s cheeks with a barrage of kisses.

Lara laughed helplessly.

"I missed you too!"

Midnight, apparently unwilling to be left out of the reunion, began licking Lara’s feet.

"Hey, you two," Lara said, laughing as she tried to fend them off. "Give Mommy a chance to breathe."

Neither listened.

From a few steps away, Ares watched the spectacle with an expression that grew increasingly offended.

Apparently, no one had noticed him.

Not his daughter. Not the wolf.

Shay finally pulled back, still holding onto Lara.

"Mommy, why do you always come home late now?"

The accusation was so serious that Lara almost laughed again.

"I’m just busy with some things, sweetheart."

"Busy with what?"

"The auction. And helping Auntie Amelia with her movie."

Shay’s little nose wrinkled.

"Is that why you don’t have time for me?"

There it was.

The guilt.

Lara immediately crouched so they were eye to eye.

"No. Never that."

Shay considered her answer for a moment.

"Then can you play with me and Midnight today?"

Lara glanced at the wolf who had grown bigger sitting beside them, his tongue hanging out as if he had been waiting for the invitation.

She smiled.

"Okay. Mommy will spend the afternoon with you."

Shay’s face lit up.

"Yay!"

She threw her arms around Lara again.

Ares finally decided he had endured enough.

"You heartless child."

Shay froze.

Ares strode over and scooped her up before she could escape.

"Didn’t you see me standing here?"

Shay looked at her father. Then at Lara. Then back at Ares.

Her expression said everything.

Ares narrowed his eyes.

"Well?"

Shay wriggled in his arms.

"Put me down."

"Why?"

"Because I want Mommy."

"I am your father."

"I know."

"Then why are you acting as if I don’t exist?"

Shay finally managed to escape his hold and immediately ran back to Lara.

She hugged her mother’s leg and looked up at Ares with complete sincerity.

"Because you’re not as soft as Mommy."

Ares stared at her.

Lara bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"And," Shay continued, completely unaware that she was making things worse, "you don’t smell as good as her."

There was a beat of silence.

Then Lara lost the battle and burst out laughing.

Ares gave his daughter a flat look.

"Unbelievable."

Shay merely hugged Lara tighter.

Ares turned his attention to Lara, ready to complain.

But the words died before they could leave his mouth.

His expression softened.

She was smiling down at Shay, one hand gently stroking the little girl’s hair, sunlight catching in her eyes.

Ares couldn’t help staring.

Shay wasn’t wrong. Lara was soft. She was warm.

And, yes, she smelled damn good.

He had no idea how his daughter had become the family expert on such things, but apparently, she had inherited his ability to recognize the truth.

Lara was the sweetest thing in the entire manor.

And judging by the way Shay was clinging to her, Ares wasn’t the only one who thought so.

"Fine," he muttered.

Lara looked at him.

"Fine?"

"I’ll allow you both to have your reunion."

Shay grinned triumphantly.

Ares pointed at her.

"But don’t forget who your father is."

Shay thought about it. Then she turned to Lara.

"Mommy, can we have ice cream?"

Ares closed his eyes.

"She definitely got that from you."

Lara laughed.

"Of course she did."

And for the first time in days, the manor felt lively again.

...

Shay grabbed Lara’s hand and immediately dragged her toward the sprawling lawn at the side of the manor, with Midnight bounding after them.

"Come on, Mommy! I have something to show you!"

Lara laughed as she let herself be pulled along.

"What is it?"

Shay stopped in the middle of the lawn and turned around, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Sandro and I have been practicing our sword fighting."

She pointed proudly toward the boy waiting nearby.

"We’re really good now. We’ll show you!"

"Really?" Lara settled onto the grass, curiosity piqued. "Then show me what you’ve learned."

Shay’s face lit up.

"Sandro!"

The boy hurried over and handed her a wooden sword.

Lara raised an eyebrow.

"Where did you get that?"

"I made it myself," Sandro said proudly.

Ares, who had followed them outside, glanced at the wooden weapon before looking at the boy.

"Not bad."

Sandro straightened with pride at the unexpected praise.

The two children moved into position.

For a moment, they looked almost comically serious—small warriors standing several feet apart, wooden swords raised, their expressions filled with fierce concentration.

Then Shay lunged.