Chapter 603

Morning light slowly slipped through the gap in the hotel curtains. Soft rays of sunlight crept across the wooden floor before settling beside the bed, which was still rumpled after a long night.

Althea opened her eyes slowly.

For a few seconds, she simply lay there without moving, letting the quiet of the morning fill the room. Outside the window, the city of SunCity had already begun to stir to life. But inside the room, everything still felt peaceful. 1

She turned her head slightly.

Her husband was still fast asleep.

He lay on his back, one hand resting near his head. His face looked far more relaxed than it ever did when he was at the office or sitting through long meetings. His breathing was steady. There were no tense lines on his forehead, none of the cold, guarded expressions he usually wore when making difficult decisions.

Althea watched him for a moment.

There was always something about seeing Daven like this that made her pause-as if all the burdens he carried every day had finally been set aside, allowing his body a few hours of true rest.

She lifted her hand and gently brushed a few strands of hair away from Daven’s forehead. The touch was light, but it was enough to make him shift slightly. His eyes opened slowly.

Blue as the ocean, his gaze settled on Althea with unmistakable warmth and love. A faint smile curved on his lips as he pulled her closer into his arms.

“Good morning,” he murmured, his voice still rough with sleep.

Althea smiled softly. “Morning.”

She shifted slightly in his embrace, finding a more comfortable position against him. In response, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“How long have you been awake?” he asked. “A while?”

“No,” Althea answered quietly. “Just now.”

Daven tilted his head, studying her face. “You were watching me again, weren’t you?”

Althea didn’t answer right away. She only smiled faintly. “Maybe.”

Daven chuckled softly before reaching for her hand.

“You should’ve woken me up.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” Althea said. “You looked very tired last night.”

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Daven exhaled slowly. “The past few days have been exhausting.”

Althea knew it wasn’t just ordinary fatigue. Too many things were still happening behind the scenes- legal investigations, corporate reports, and countless possibilities they had to anticipate. Especially the situation that had dragged so many unexpected names into the spotlight.

She looked at him again.

“Darling.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been thinking about Eli.”

Daven didn’t seem surprised. It was as though he had expected the topic the moment she began speaking.

“I already told you everything yesterday,” he said quietly. “And honestly, I’m still worried about her. Even though we haven’t heard anything from Mom and Dad, I assume Eli is doing okay.”

“I don’t think you need to worry too much,” Althea said gently. “I’m sure Eli can handle some things on her own-including whatever decision she makes. She’s not a foolish girl. And from what I’ve seen, she doesn’t have Selena’s cunning nature.”

Althea let out a long breath and nodded slightly. She had seen the same thing. Eli still seemed awkward, but the girl was clearly trying to adapt.

Still, something lingered uneasily in Althea’s mind.

“I don’t want her to be dragged into Selena’s problems,” she said softly.

Daven looked at her seriously.

“Neither do I.”

Althea gently slipped out of his embrace-earning a small pout from Daven-but it turned out she only wanted to lean back against the headboard of the sofa. He immediately helped her settle into a more comfortable position, then allowed his shoulder to become her support again. 1

Moments like this made Daven feel like someone Althea could completely rely on.

“We don’t know what Selena might do next,” she continued quietly. “Or who else has worked with her. They used a girl as innocent as Eli for their own purposes.”

Daven nodded slowly. “That’s why we have to make sure Eli is in a safe position.”

Althea looked at him again.

“Not just emotionally safe,” Daven said calmly, “but legally as well.”

His words made Althea fall silent for a moment. She understood exactly what he meant. If the

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investigation ever expanded further, they couldn’t leave even the smallest gap that might drag Eli into trouble.

“Her status needs to be clear,” Daven continued.

Althea nodded slowly. “You mean Eli’s birth documents?”