Chapter 652

“Yes,” Aileen murmured.

Maurice’s joy leaped, bursting from the confines of his chest.

His arms spread open and enclosed around his daughter.

“Thank you, Aileen…”

Aileen returned his tight embrace and smiled. “Dad, we all heard what you said just now.”

The words caught Maurice by surprise. He turned to Adrian and Silas. The boys were stiff, standing

with uncharacteristic awkwardness.

Maurice never imagined that they would accept him because of what they had heard.

Adrian felt Maurice’s gaze on him and became embarrassed. Hiding behind stubbornness, he said,

“Did you say that on purpose? You must have known we would hear you.”

Seeing the boy desperately try to cover up his own shyness by putting Maurice on the spot, he couldn’t

help but retaliate.

“Maybe.”

“What? Shouldn’t you be denying it?” Adrian turned furious, as expected.

“Adrian, you’re just like Silas. He used to be the exact same way,” Maurice answered with a laugh.

A flush spread all over Adrian’s face.

Silas’s cheeks were burning with the same hue. “That’s not true! We’re nothing like each other.”

Aileen covered her mouth and snickered.

“I think so too. You are our cousin. We’re related by blood, so it would make sense.”

She shrugged without thinking too much.

Maurice being her father was a dream coming true for Aileen. He was tall and handsome, and more

importantly, he treated all of them well. She could tell Maurice loved her mother so much.

Most importantly, her mother felt the same towards him.

They were a family in every sense of the word.

Adrian had nothing to say this time, as if conceding to his sister.

“A family…”

Silas felt a lump in his throat as he repeated the words.

He had lost count of how many times he had imagined that Eliana and the twins were his family.

He didn’t expect his wishful thinking would turn into reality.

“From now on, we’re a family!”

Maurice looked at the children, the sight of them warming him with affection and contentment.

His children.

He was a father. The weight of the word had never felt more real than at this moment. Even the five

years of their separation seemed inconsequential to the feeling of completeness that came to him.

Maurice touched Aileen’s head. With a smile, he affirmed her words. “You’re right, Aileen. We’re a

family from now on.”

The four of them looked at each other, each glowing with happiness. Meanwhile, Bonita and Harriet

returned home after being driven out of the Moran Group.

Their negotiation with Maurice had been a complete failure.

“Mom, what do we do now? Maurice is really going to marry that bitch! I can’t let that happen! You have

to help me!” Harriet frantically begged her mother.

Even just the thought of Maurice and Eliana standing in front of the altar made her want to smash

everything around her.

But Bonita was not in the mood to humor her. She was too exhausted.

“Honey, what else can we do? We’ve tried everything. I’ve done all that I can, but Maurice is too

obstinate. It’s time to give up and move on.”

Bonita’s words fell on deaf ears. Harriet refused to listen to her.

“No! I can’t just accept it like that! Even if I can’t marry Maurice, I’ll die before I let Eliana marry him!”

Bonita grew concerned over her daughter’s bitter fixation on Maurice.

When her husband and her first daughter passed away, Harriet was the only one left to Bonita. She

had made her daughter her entire world, giving her everything she wanted. Harriet had never

experienced loss, and she had never had to yield to anything or anyone.

“Don’t worry, Harriet. You just have to wait.”

“Wait? How long do I have to keep waiting? Am I supposed to just watch Eliana take what was

supposed to be my happiness?” Harriet shouted, almost going into hysterics.

Bonita held Harriet’s hand and smiled meaningfully.

“It wouldn’t be that easy for her to marry into the Moran family. No matter how much Maurice wants to

marry Eliana, she’s still related to the White family. Have you forgotten Jonathan?”

“Jonathan…”

The mention of that crazy man finally seemed to get through to Harriet. Her breathing slowed and she

gradually calmed down.

There was a sly glint in Bonita’s eyes. Her daughter understood what she had meant.

“Maurice is a fool if he thinks he would be able to marry Eliana by taking us out of the picture. It’s not

yet over. Jonathan won’t give up on Eliana. Just wait and see.”