Chapter 150 A Palace ny the Sea
Chapter 150 A Palace ny the Sea
Evan placed his phone back on the round table on the balcony. The tension that had briefly crossed his face melted into a faint smile. He noticed the unease in Alice’s eyes and immediately took his wife’s hand.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you anxious,” Evan said, his deep baritone soothing. “The developer was simply overexcited. That secret room turned out to be nothing more than an old wine storage cellar. The door was carved with the initials of the previous owner, which just happened to resemble your name. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Alice let out a long breath, her tense shoulders finally relaxing. “You really need to stop wearing that serious expression, Evan. My heart hasn’t fully recovered from all the drama in our past.”
“I promise, that was the last time,” Evan chuckled softly. “How about we go there tomorrow? The doctor has already cleared you for short trips, and Lucas is in excellent condition. I want us to spend our first weekend as a complete family in our new home.”
Alice searched her husband’s eyes for certainty. “Just us? Without a security team stationed in every corner?”
“Only the outer security at the distant gate. Inside the house, it will just be you, me, Lucas, and the sound of the waves,” Evan replied firmly.
The next morning, the Nathaniel estate was busy yet cheerful. Rico and several servants loaded baby bags into the car’s trunk. Zavian and Lavina stood on the terrace, seeing the small family off.
“Make sure you take good care of Alice and Lucas, Evan,” Zavian said, patting his son’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Father. I’ve already arranged for the best groceries to be delivered there every morning,” Evan replied.
Lavina kissed Lucas’s forehead as he slept in Alice’s arms. “Enjoy yourselves, my dear. This house will feel empty without that little cry, but you need time for yourselves.”
The car drove through the massive Nathaniel gates. The journey to the coast took two hours along a beautiful seaside route. Alice could not stop smiling as she watched the blue ocean stretch endlessly beyond the car window.
When they arrived, Alice was left speechless. The beach house stood majestically atop a low cliff, its modern minimalist design framed by expansive glass walls that allowed an uninterrupted view of the vast sea from every angle.
“Evan, this is far more beautiful than in the photos,” Alice whispered as they entered the main living area.
Evan set their bags down on the sand-colored leather sofa. “I wanted you to have a place where you could truly feel free. No thick stone walls. No dark history. Just the sea air.”
Their first night in the beach house felt almost magical. After Lucas fell asleep in his crib placed in the corner of the master bedroom, Evan prepared a simple dinner on the outdoor balcony. They ate seafood pasta and fresh orange juice, yet it tasted better than any formal banquet.
“Evan, look at the stars,” Alice said, pointing at the clear black sky. “There are so many more here than in the city.”
Evan stood behind her chair, gently massaging her shoulders. “That’s because there’s no light pollution here. It’s just us and nature.”
Alice turned to face him, her eyes filled with affection. “Thank you for making this dream come true. I feel so safe. For the first time in my life, I don’t have to keep looking over my shoulder to see if someone is following me.”
Evan knelt in front of her, holding both her hands. “I spent years of my life building fortresses because I thought that was how you protected people. But through you, I learned that the greatest protection is creating peace in the hearts of those we love.”
“You’ve done that, Evan,” Alice said softly, caressing his cheek. His face looked more relaxed now, free from the constant tension of business battles.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, bathing the room in a golden glow. Alice woke to a small movement beside her. She turned and saw Evan lying on his side, gazing at Lucas, who was placed between them on the large bed.
“You’ve been awake for a while?” Alice whispered, her voice still husky with sleep.
“I can’t stop looking at him,” Evan replied quietly, his voice incredibly gentle. “He opened his eyes for a moment earlier, then fell asleep again. He looks at the world the way you do, Alice. So calm.”
Alice moved closer, resting her head on Evan’s arm. They stayed silent, admiring the tiny being who embodied their victory over every obstacle they had faced.
“I want him to grow into a good man, Evan. He doesn’t need to be as hard as you were,” Alice said, touching Lucas’s small clenched fingers.
“He will be better than me because he has a mother like you,” Evan replied. He kissed Alice’s forehead, then pressed a soft kiss to their baby’s cheek.
The morning passed lazily. Evan insisted on making breakfast himself. In the high-tech kitchen, the CEO of Nathaniel Group looked awkward holding a spatula and cracking eggs.
“Evan, let me do it. You’re going to ruin this beautiful kitchen,” Alice teased from the doorway while holding Lucas.
“No. Stay right there,” Evan replied seriously, in a way that was unintentionally funny. “I watched a tutorial online last night. Sit at the table. Mrs. Nathaniel is not allowed to work today.”
The result was not as bad as Alice had expected. The eggs were slightly overcooked, but Evan’s effort made the meal feel like something from a five-star restaurant.
That afternoon, they walked along the private shoreline beneath the cliff. Evan carried Lucas in a baby carrier against his chest, while Alice walked beside him, holding her sandals. The cool seawater occasionally washed over their feet.
“Look, Lucas. That’s the sea,” Evan said, gesturing toward the waves.
Lucas responded only with a sleepy blink, making Alice laugh. “It seems he prefers sleeping over sightseeing, Evan.”
“He’s conserving his energy to conquer the world someday,” Evan joked.
They sat on a piece of driftwood washed ashore. Evan wrapped an arm around Alice’s shoulders, pulling her close. The horizon before them seemed endless.
“Alice, I spoke with Zavian,” Evan said suddenly.
“About what?”
“About the future. I’m going to drastically reduce my working hours starting next month. I want us to spend more time here, or at the house in England my mother left behind. I don’t want to miss a single moment of Lucas’s growth just because I’m chasing stock market numbers,” Evan explained.
Alice looked at him, deeply moved. “Are you serious? Zavian didn’t object?”
“Father was the one who suggested it. He said he regretted missing my childhood because he was too busy building an empire. He doesn’t want me to make the same mistake,” Evan replied.
“I’m so glad to hear that, Evan. Lucas needs his father, not just the Nathaniel name.”
The afternoon faded into evening. They returned to the house and spent time in the spacious living room. Alice sat on the soft rug, playing with Lucas, who had begun to move his arms and legs more actively. Evan sat on the sofa behind them, holding a book, though his gaze kept drifting back to the scene before him.
Their intimacy felt effortless. There were no discussions of enemies or defense strategies anymore. Their conversations revolved only around simple things that brought joy.
“You know, Evan, I’ve been thinking about painting again,” Alice said. “I used to love it, but all my paints and canvases were destroyed when the Smith house burned down.”
Evan immediately put his book aside. “Tomorrow, I’ll order the best painting supplies. We’ll turn one of the upstairs rooms into your studio. You can paint the sea as much as you want.”
“You always respond so quickly,” Alice laughed.
“Anything for your passion, my love.”
Night fell once more. The sound of waves below the cliff became the perfect lullaby. They returned to the bedroom, but this time the atmosphere felt different. The peace they shared had reached its peak.
Evan helped Alice lie down, then knelt beside the bed. He looked at his wife intently, as if trying to engrave every detail of her happiness into his memory.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Alice asked softly.
“Just making sure you’re real,” Evan whispered. “Sometimes it’s still hard for me to believe that after all those storms, I get to have all this. You, Lucas, and this peace.”
“It’s real, Evan. And it’s forever,” Alice said as she gently pulled him closer and kissed him deeply.
In the quiet of the night, a sudden tapping sound came from the balcony’s glass door. It was not a human knock, but something hitting the glass, carried by a strong gust of wind.
Evan stood and walked toward the balcony door. He saw a seagull perched on the railing, looking exhausted, with something tangled around its leg, a small strip of dark blue fabric often used as a marker on fishing boats.
Evan opened the balcony door and carefully took the fabric. As he held it, he felt something hard inside.
“What is it, Evan? Just a bird?” Alice asked from the bed.
Evan unfolded the cloth. Inside was a rare ancient silver coin. He froze, staring at it under the bedroom light.
“Alice, look at this,” Evan said, holding up the coin. “This isn’t an ordinary coin. It’s a lucky coin I gave my mother when I was six years old. How could this end up here, carried by a bird?”