Why the serious look? It’s kind of scary... Ava’s smile remained unchanged as she waited for Faye Vaughn to continue. Faye wasn’t hiding anything; she glanced at Poe Vaughn before continuing, "Children are adorable, they’re the most beautiful gifts from the heavens. I see you like kids too, so you should hurry." "Have them soon, then maybe they can be flower girls or boys with our Erin." Turns out it was about pressuring them to have kids, she thought it was something else. "Got it, I’ll take note." She responded particularly submissively, as if she had really taken it to heart. Seeing the smile she’d had all night, Faye Vaughn stopped talking, looked at Poe Vaughn, and winked: "Little Poe, you have to work hard." Poe Vaughn looked at Faye Vaughn, and a low "hmm" escaped his throat. Faye Vaughn’s smile became even more cheerful. Meanwhile, Ava quickly glanced at the person next to her, surprised at how easily he agreed. The car stopped beside them, everyone said their goodbyes, and Ava and Poe Vaughn got into the car. Faye Vaughn waved at Ava: "Sister-in-law, feel free to come over anytime. Our Erin loves playing with her aunt." Ava smiled and agreed: "Sure." "I’ll come play with Erin whenever I have time." She had promised Erin she would return to play with her, and that was genuine. However, next time she visits, she needs to bring gifts. The car window rolled up as the car slowly drove out of the villa, and Ava watched in the rearview mirror. Faye Vaughn was still standing there, waving with a smile. Ava’s lips curled up as she recalled today’s events and the faces of the elders of The Vaughn Family. She realized that the elders, as well as the younger members, were very approachable, not at all like the mysterious and intimidating image portrayed outside. Thinking about it, Ava couldn’t help but say, "Poe Vaughn, your family is really nice." "Not at all like what I initially thought." She felt cheerful, radiating a sense of lightness. Poe Vaughn sat beside her, feeling her good mood, gently tapping with his fingertip. Hearing her words, he asked, "How are they different?" His voice was as deep as usual, with little emotion or warmth, but if you listened carefully, you’d discover a subtle difference from before. Lower, softer, with indulgence and a hint of unnoticeable affection. Ava didn’t notice the difference in Poe Vaughn’s voice. To her, he seemed just the same as usual, unchanged. "How are they different..." Ava thought back carefully, then said, "There were rumors that everyone in The Vaughn Family is extraordinary and not to be trifled with. If you mess with them, you’ll be in serious trouble." "Before this, I was quite afraid of The Vaughn Family too. I thought everyone in the family was very intimidating — very serious, dignified, powerful, and unreachable, or rather, impossible to reach. Like you." As Ava spoke, she glanced at the person next to her, squinting with a serious look on her face. Poe Vaughn looked ahead into the night, listening to her words, and the tapping of his fingertip paused. Ava continued, "But!" "After meeting your family today, I found out that everyone in The Vaughn Family is quite approachable, easy to talk to, just like ordinary people, and easy to get along with." "I really didn’t expect it at all." As she said this, Ava looked surprised and thoughtful. She had always thought that a big family like The Vaughn Family would feel very distant, like a place so far away that you could see it at a glance but could never reach no matter what. That’s exactly how it felt. But that’s not the case. They’re humans too, eating the same food as ordinary people, no different from us. Listening to her words, Poe Vaughn resumed tapping with his fingertip again, but he remained silent. The Vaughn Family members aren’t actually that approachable. What Ava saw today was approachable only because she was inside the Vaughn Family’s doors. If she hadn’t entered them, she wouldn’t have seen today’s scene. So, she wasn’t wrong in thinking what she originally did. Ava was in a good mood, feeling like no words could convey her happiness, especially in the confined space of the car that limited her pleasure, so she lowered the car window, letting the night breeze in. She closed her eyes, embracing the wind, her lips curving upwards. Not bad, not bad, her mood was great, and even the wind felt sweet. The car had the air conditioning on, and when Ava lowered the window, the heat surged in, and the cold air went out. Poe Vaughn could clearly feel a gentle warmth rushing in, mixed with Ava’s scent, surrounding him. Meanwhile, her long hair flew around, landing on his face, brushing against him. At that moment, a strand of hair flew onto his eye, dancing freely, without care. He narrowed his eyes slightly, watching the dark hair and smelling the light fragrance, turning his gaze towards the person beside him. She was turned towards the window, eyes closed, with the wind blowing her hair into disarray and making the beads on her hairpin sway. The streetlight lit her face, her lips curved upward, wanton yet free, full of joy. He gazed at her, his eyes never leaving. Meanwhile, outside the Silvermist Isles, a white car drove in. Jace Kingsley sat inside, taking out his phone to look at his message history with Ava. He hadn’t contacted her since yesterday. She had told him she’d be busy, so he held off, not wanting to bother her. He’d held back until now. But now two days had passed, and he should be able to contact her. Besides, he had found a reason to reach out to her. Jace looked at the time on his phone, then swiped past the message page, opening his contacts to call Ava. The white car moved smoothly forward as he held his phone to his ear, listening to the ringing. His heart began to race a bit. Ahead, a black car smoothly approached. The road was wide, enough for two cars to pass. The black car drove this way, and Jace’s car drove forward, quickly passing each other. Jace looked straight ahead at the lights in the night, noticing the car within view, but he didn’t pay it much mind. All he was focused on now was waiting for Ava to pick up the call. However, when the car passed by, a clear face under the moonlit night drew his attention. Jace paused, instinctively turning to look, and just then, he saw that smiling face, eyes closed, disappearing from outside the car. His heart raced, and he immediately lowered his phone, rolling down the car window. As the car moved away, he could only see her side profile. He immediately called out, "Stop!" Screech—! ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel·fıre·net The car came to a halt. Jace quickly opened the car door and got out, but the car had already driven far, and he couldn’t see her anymore. Still, in his mind’s eye was her very recent appearance, and he was certain he wouldn’t mistake her. Clutching the phone, he watched the black car, noting the car brand and license plate, then picked up his phone.