A week had passed since Elena and Ethan had settled all their supplier arrangements. Now, Elena was busy organizing their belongings at home and putting them inside the space inventory when she heard Ethan call out to her.
"Wife, let's go, or we'll be late for the flight!"
Today, they were visiting Ethan's grandfather in City D. After checking that everything was in order, Elena hurried down the stairs. She spotted Poochi, their lively dog, running back and forth, full of energy. Though still recovering, he was eager to please his mistress.
As Poochi circled around Elena, he felt a surge of happiness. His mistress had finally accepted him, and he could now live with his master and mistress.
"Aww~aw~aw~"
Mistress, you look so pretty today!
"Why are you jumping? Be careful not to reopen your wounds," Elena gently scolded while stroking his glossy fur.
"Aw~aw~awww"
I'm fine now, mistress!
Poochi happily rubbed his face against her legs. Ethan watched, feeling a twinge of annoyance. His dog had become an ardent fan of Elena, following her everywhere.
He had even felt destained when Poochi wanted to sleep in their room. That's their private area, and now Poochi intends to invade it.
Hmm, I should start training this dog, or he'll turn into a little troublemaker.
"Enough playing. Will you stay in the space or join us on the plane?" Ethan asked Poochi.
The clever dog immediately grabbed his mini bag. While being in the space was nice, he preferred the adventure of being with his master and mistress.
"Aww~aww~awww~"
He barked, proudly carrying his bag.
"Fine, but don't bother my wife too much," Ethan said, glaring at Poochi.
Elena looked at her husband with a questioning expression.
Are you sure that's what you mean? It feels like you don't want Poochi to get close to me because you're jealous.
"Wife, why are you looking at me like that? Are you suggesting that—"
Before he could finish, Elena interrupted him.
"When did you become so shameless? It's broad daylight!"
Ethan had been torturing her all week like a wolf who couldn't get enough.
"What do you mean, wife? I was going to suggest we grab a snack since it's already late afternoon. Are you hungry?"
"Whose fault is it? I told you we have a flight in the morning, so we should refrain from overdoing it, and now we have to rebook the ticket." Elena rolled her eyes.
Seeing her frustration, Ethan quickly admitted, "Wife, it's my fault. Please don't be angry."
"What will my grandpa think of me now? I promised we'd arrive in the morning," Elena fretted.
"Don't worry, I called Grandpa. He understands," Ethan reassured her.
Don't worry, my as*, Elena muttered, glaring at him before striding toward the exit, Poochi trotting behind her.
"Little Poochi, don't be like your master, okay? You should take good care of your wife when you have one someday," she advised.
Poochi looked up at her, puzzled but still agreeing.
"Aw~aw~awwww"
He growled playfully at Ethan for making his mistress sad.
Ethan couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. With a light heart, he drove them to the airport.
****
After a two-hour flight, Elena and Ethan finally exited the airport. They quickly spotted the driver Ethan's grandfather had sent.
"Butler Aki, you're here! Did my grandfather send you?" Ethan asked, relief evident in his voice.
"Yes, Young Master," Aki replied, then turned to greet Elena. "Young Madam."
Elena looked at the man who had once sacrificed himself to save Ethan's grandfather. His ending had been tragic; he had been ripped apart by aliens, leaving nothing behind.
"Hello, Butler."
"Let's get inside. It's almost evening, and your grandfather has been waiting for you since morning."
Poochi, who the butler had not seen, immediately barked to announce his presence.
"Aw~aw~~aw~~"
"Oh! Little Poochi is also here. Sorry, little guy, I didn't see you," Aki said, bending down to give the dog a quick pat.
"Come inside."
"You sit on the front. I need to check Poochi's wound. He was running and jumping a while ago," Elena said, concern in her voice.
"Okay, wife," Ethan replied, smiling at her.
They drove to Caldwell Mansion, chatting about trivial matters to pass the time. After an hour, they finally arrived at the gate.
There, they saw Grandfather Caldwell waving at them, a warm smile on his face, along with little Mia, who bounced excitedly.
The Caldwell family has a long legacy of military service. Grandfather Caldwell, Robert, was a famous general in his time and now serves as an elder on the military council in the City D military district.
He had two children: Dexter, Ethan's father, who had died during a military mission, and Liza, now married to Anthony Ford, with their child, little Mia. Liza was a medical scientist in the military laboratory, while Anthony was a renowned mechanical engineer.
In her past life, the military had contracted Aunt Liza and Uncle Anthony for a mission to find rare plants needed in the laboratory. Tragically, a natural disaster struck, leaving them dead in a secluded mountain.
Little Mia was left parentless.
Elena had stepped in as a mother figure during those dark times. As an only child, she had always loved children, and since having kids during the apocalypse was unwise, she focused her attention on Mia, considering her as her own.
However, in the fourth year of the apocalypse, little Mia contracted a lung disease, and with no medicine available, she died young. Elena had cried for days, and soon after, Grandfather Caldwell followed, leaving them vulnerable in military camps.
Now, back in the present, Elena felt grateful for a second chance. Looking at little Mia's lively expression, she couldn't help but smile, though tears threatened to spill. Memories of their struggles and the moment Mia had died weighed heavily on her heart.
"Grandson, you're back!" Grandfather Caldwell greeted Ethan, his tone casual.
Before Ethan could respond, his grandfather, accompanied by little Mia, brushed past him.
Seeing Elena, Grandfather Caldwell's face lit up. "Granddaughter, how are you? Why do you look so thin? Did Ethan not take good care of you?" He shot an accusatory glance at Ethan.
Elena almost burst out laughing at her grandfather's antics. She felt a wave of happiness and relief as she was reunited with them.
"Grandpa, I'm doing fine! I'm not thin; it's just the dress making me look that way," she grins.
Little Mia, who had been quietly observing, chimed in with her cute voice, "Sister Ele, I called you last time, and we pwayed on the phone with my mcpwincess. I still wemember you! Am I a good giwl?"
"Of course! Our little Mia is the most obedient and prettiest girl in the world," Elena said, her heart swelling with affection.
Little Mia jogged toward Elena and wrapped her arms around her warmly.
Seeing this, Ethan immediately warns his niece, "Be careful! Don't jump on your sister Ele."
"I know, bwother," she replied, giggling
"Sir, let's get inside first. They've been on the plane for two hours and driven here for an hour. They need some rest," Butler Aki whispered to Grandfather Caldwell.
He nodded and said, "Let's go inside first, granddaughter."
Elena quickened her pace, eager to follow little Mia, who was excited to introduce her to her new doll friends, leaving Ethan and Grandfather Caldwell behind.
"Grandson, I think Elena likes kids. You should start your own family and produce a great-grandson for me to play with," Grandpa Caldwell urged, a twinkle in his eye.
Hearing this, Ethan nodded. He wanted to, but with the apocalypse looming, there was little time for such thoughts.
"Grandpa, I have something to tell you. Let's head to the study room."
Grandpa Caldwell looked at his grandson seriously, sensing the importance of what Ethan was about to say. They both walked toward the study room with different thoughts.