The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 126: [Volume 1] - 126 -i am tired.

Chapter 126: [Volume 1] Chapter 126 -i am tired.

. Jay was the first to break the tension, giving her a playful nudge. "Well, if you’re really that scared, we can skip it. But you know, we were kind of looking forward to seeing you scream."

Esme let out a genuine laugh this time, the tension finally easing a little. "Maybe next time," she teased back. "For now, though, how about that ice cream I promised?"

They all grinned, the mood lightening as they agreed. As they walked away from the ride, Esme glanced back one last time, her heart heavy. The past, it seemed, wasn’t ready to let her go just yet.

....

As the day drew to a close and the amusement park lights faded into the distance, the group finally made their way home. The ride back was filled with the usual banter and lighthearted teasing, but Esme was noticeably quiet, her gaze lost in thought as she stared out the window.

The Aron brothers, though lively on the surface, exchanged subtle glances, aware of her silence. They knew Esme well enough to sense that something was off, but they also understood that pressing her wouldn’t help. Whatever was weighing on her, she wasn’t ready to talk about it.

As they pulled into the driveway, Esme was the first to step out of the car, offering a small smile to her husbands. "Thanks for today," she said softly, her voice carrying a weariness they rarely heard from her.

Kai, always the one with a sharper sense for emotions, gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he passed. "Anytime, Esme," he replied, his tone carrying more meaning than the simple words suggested. The others nodded in agreement, each in their way showing support without saying much.

Inside the house, the familiar warmth of home wrapped around them. The brothers went about their usual evening routines, but their eyes lingered on Esme, watching her closely. She moved around the house quietly, her usual energy subdued, as if she was carrying a weight that none of them could lift for her.

Jay, the most restless of them all, opened his mouth to ask her something but stopped himself, sensing it wasn’t the right time. Instead, he busied himself in the kitchen, making tea for everyone, hoping the small gesture might comfort her.

Esme, meanwhile, retreated to the bedroom, letting out a deep breath as she closed the door behind her. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands, the remnants of Cain’s presence still lingering in her mind. She thought about the ride, the memories it stirred, and the unsettling feeling that had followed her throughout the day.

She knew the brothers were worried, and she hated making them feel that way. But how could she explain the storm inside her? How could she tell them about the ghosts from her past without dragging them into the darkness with her?

A soft knock at the door broke her thoughts. It was Kai. "Tea?" he asked, holding a steaming mug.

Esme smiled faintly, accepting it. "Thanks," she murmured, her fingers brushing his as she took the cup.

Kai didn’t say anything more, just sat beside her, his presence comforting and steady. After a few moments of quiet, Esme leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, not needing words, just a quiet understanding that she wasn’t alone, even when the past tried to pull her back.

And slowly, as the night deepened, the weight on her chest began to ease. With the Aron brothers by her side,

Helga’s hand slammed against the polished wood of the table with a loud thud, the impact reverberating through the room. Her face was a mask of fury, eyes blazing as they bore into Aron, who remained surprisingly calm, seated in the chair across the room. The sound of her anger made the baby stir in his arms, letting out a small whimper before Aron quickly soothed him, rocking the child gently.

"What the hell did you do, Aron?" Helga seethed, her voice rising in frustration. Her whole body trembled with pent-up rage, her fingers curling and uncurling at her sides.

Aron glanced up at her, his expression one of mild annoyance, though he kept his voice calm as he held the baby close to his chest. "Did you lose your manners, Helga? No?" His words were steady, but there was a sharpness to them. "You’re scaring the baby."

He turned his attention back to the child, cradling him with such tenderness that it seemed almost surreal in contrast to the tension in the room. The baby’s cries quieted as Aron rocked him, his soft coos filling the silence between them. Helga stood there, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, watching as Aron’s entire demeanor changed the moment the child calmed.

"It doesn’t matter to you, does it?" she spat, her voice laced with bitterness. Her eyes flickered to the baby, who had now drifted into sleep. "You just go on like everything’s fine."

Aron didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he rose from the chair with the baby still in his arms, walking over to the sleek, high-tech cradle on the other side of the room. With practiced ease, he placed the child into the cradle, adjusting the small blanket around him before pressing a button. Instantly, a transparent cover slid into place over the cradle, silencing any sound from the outside world. The cradle’s advanced technology ensured that the baby would rest peacefully, undisturbed by the argument about to erupt between the two adults in the room.

Aron straightened up and turned to Helga, his eyes narrowing slightly as he faced her head-on. "What is it, Helga?" he asked, his voice measured, though an edge of impatience crept into it. "Why are you shouting?"

Helga’s hands clenched into fists as she took a step forward, her entire body bristling with anger. "Why am I shouting? Do you really not see it, Aron?" Her voice cracked slightly, a mix of frustration and something deeper, something wounded.