"Okay, then. But if you want anything to drink later, please feel free to ask the servants to bring it for you. Make this place your home and be free to ask for anything you want," Lloyd didn't insist on giving drinks to Claire. Instead, he turned to Leena again and looked at her beautiful face. His daughter was beautiful but there seemed to be another beauty that was overlapping with her face. Leena really looked like her mother. Yes! His precious wife whom he had been missing so much. He had traveled a lot but never once could he let go of his memories about her during his trips. There were even some days when he thought that he couldn't live without all those great memories with her. His wife was stamped in his head, in his mind, and in his heart forever. He closed his eyes for a while and then looked at Leena again. He could still remember his wife like things were just yesterday. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. What had happened to them made him believe in fate. Otherwise, she wouldn't have passed away so early and left him alone like this. He felt like an abandoned child all these years after she had left. He was always lonely. Nonetheless, it also worried him that she might be alone in heaven and he wished to see her again soon.
"Daddy, what happens? Is there anything on my face? Why are you staring at me?" asked Leena confusedly. It was just now that she noticed how Lloyd was looking at her intensely. Besides, his eyes were so profound and misted like there were some things that he wasn't telling her.
"Well, nothing! I was just thinking of how beautiful my little baby has turned out to be. No matter what happens, you'll always be the prettiest princess in the world. After all, you are my child," Lloyd smiled at Leena and reminded himself that he shouldn't be gazing at his daughter like this in public. He had never told her a lot about his wife and he didn't want Leena to know about what he was thinking about. Thus, he diverted her attention away from his real thoughts and tried his best to cover the sadness he felt. However, he was still upset about what happened to him and his wife. It could be because he was getting older that he couldn't stop reminiscing about his younger years, especially those that he had spent with his beloved wife.
"Haha! Daddy, this is so typically you! I bet there is no one in the world who would ever boast about himself as shamelessly as you," replied Leena jokingly. She chose to sound funny though she could tell from his eyes that he was hiding something. His answer was too vague and it wasn't common for her dad to be as mysterious. Whatever he said must be his way of disguising his real thoughts and Leena was kind enough to pretend that she believed his excuse. Nevertheless, she had marked this down in her heart. She would find out about his thoughts one day.
"Well, I'm sorry for that, my girl. But hey! You're so typically you too! You know what I mean, right?" The aged man laughed happily and loudly. He knew that Leena was a clever girl. Her thoughts were always different from other people. Thus, her answers were always unique too.
"Of course, I know what you mean. You were just pretending to give me compliments but in reality, you were boasting about yourself! It is your way of screaming out 'Hey, I've got the perfect genes!' without directly saying that I owe my princess look to you as my father king." Leena replied playfully to her dad as she gave him a curtsey. She bent one of her knees, bowed her head, and held the side of her skirt elegantly as she said 'my father king'. What a lovely but mischievous little princess she was! It was the reason why everyone couldn't help but laugh whenever they were with her. However, as Lloyd's daughter, Leena had known her father too well. She could easily read between his words and know when he was boasting. For Pete's sake, he had acted like this for more than twenty years since they lived with each other.
Who has the perfect genes?" Leena was still acting when a voice suddenly interrupted them. It was Belinda, who was walking towards them quickly. Belinda was smiling when she asked the question out of curiosity and took everyone's attention. She was definitely a stunner in her professional suit. Her couture office wear fitted her slim figure so well that her aura had filled the whole room with her confidence and power. It was easy to tell that she was not the type to be underestimated by others because she was a strong and competent lady in business.
"Belinda, you're finally back! I miss you so so so much!" exclaimed Leena excitedly as she welcomed her sister-in-law. She secretly peeked behind Belinda to check if there was another prominent figure coming in. She had completely left her dad upon seeing Belinda and threw herself into Belinda's arms while giggling. She ran to her so quickly and strongly that she didn't seem to worry about knocking Belinda down at all.
"Leena! You're already a married woman. How can you still behave like this? Do you know what you look like right now? You look like an uneducated little girl! I would definitely give you a hard spanking tonight if I weren't your brother. Someone needs to teach you how to behave like a fair lady." Leena heard another familiar voice which made her turn. She didn't need to guess who was coming as she knew that baritone voice like the back of her hand. Nobody else in this house could talk in such a cold and emotionless tone except for her brother, Duke! Thus, she had nicknamed him "Mr. Cold". In contradiction to Belinda's fire like energy, Duke's presence was cold enough to freeze hell. The way he lashed out upon stepping in was already a sample of how his temperament worked. Nonetheless, his eyes were filled with care and concern to his one and only precious sister while he was staring at Leena.