Chapter 192: The Visualization of Happiness

Chapter 192: The Visualization of Happiness
The next day, the family drove out to the main Prescott estate. When they arrived, the entire family was already there.

Eva jumped out of the car clutching her doll and ran toward the front doors. "Great-Grandpa!" she shouted.

Alistair was rolled out onto the terrace in his wheelchair. He had survived the poisoning years ago, but his health had never fully recovered. He was older now, and more fragile, but his mind was still sharp. When he saw Eva, his face lit up with a genuine, toothy grin.

"There she is!" Alistair laughed as the girl hugged his knees. He patted her soft hair. "Did you miss your Great-Grandpa?"

"I missed you every single day!" Eva said. Her sweetness always did the trick. Alistair laughed harder, looking happier than he had in years.

"Eva, do you remember me?" A man stepped forward. Harrison looked down at the girl with a fond, gentle expression. He saw so much of Eleanor in her.

Eva tilted her head, thinking hard. Then her eyes went wide. "I know you! You’re Daddy’s brother! You send Mama paintings every month. She likes them a lot!"

Alexander and Eleanor walked up just in time to hear that. Eleanor glanced at Alexander, knowing how much he hated the idea of other men sending her gifts. Surprisingly, Alexander remained calm.

"How long are you staying this time?" Alexander asked his brother.

"A month or two," Harrison replied. "Then I’m heading to Egypt. I want to see the desert."

Alexander nodded. "I heard you had a girlfriend. Why didn't you bring her?"

Alistair looked up, interested. "You had a girlfriend, Harrison? Why am I just hearing about this?"

Harrison glanced at Eleanor and then back to his grandfather. "It was nothing serious. We broke up a while ago."

Alistair sighed. "You’re getting older. You should settle down soon. You can't spend your whole life wandering the world."

"That’s the plan, actually," Harrison joked. "Alexander runs the world, so I can just be the family bum. I’m happy just eating, drinking, and traveling."

Alistair grumbled at him, but he didn't push. He knew Harrison had a different soul than Alexander. The two brothers chatted for a while, and Eleanor took Eva out to the gardens to play.

The gardens were massive, filled with flowers of every color. Eleanor watched as Eva ran across the grass, trying to fly a kite. The sight of her daughter’s freedom brought a peaceful smile to her face.

"Mind if I join you?"

Eleanor turned to see Harrison sitting down on the bench beside her. "I thought you were talking business with Alexander."

"He’s talking about the company with Grandpa. I don't understand half of it, so I slipped out," Harrison said. He watched Eva for a moment. "Time flies. She’s already four."

"It feels like I was just pregnant with her yesterday," Eleanor agreed. "But what about you? You really should find someone. Even Daphne is getting married soon. You’ll be the only single one left."

Harrison looked shocked. "Daphne is getting married? Last time I talked to her, she said she was going to stay single longer than me."

Eleanor laughed. "You know Daphne. She probably found someone just so she could come home and brag about it to you."

Harrison laughed and shook his head. He looked out at the horizon, his expression turning serious. "Actually, I did try to find someone. Alexander probably told you. She was an artist. She looked like you... her style was like yours."

Eleanor knew where this was going. "Then why did it end?"

"Because even if she looked like you, she wasn't you. I didn't want to waste her time or mine. It wasn't fair to her."

"You have a version of me in your head that doesn't exist, Harrison," Eleanor said gently. "Even if I were with you, I wouldn't be that version. It’s not love. It’s an obsession with a memory."

Harrison smiled, a bit sadly. "You’re right. It probably is."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, talking about his travels. He told her about the mountains in Switzerland and the lights in Paris. Eleanor listened with a hint of envy. "It sounds wonderful. I’d love to see those places. But I’m tied down now. I don't think I’ll get the chance."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Harrison said, nodding toward the house. "That man over there has been staring at us for ten minutes. With how possessive he is, he’ll probably buy the whole country of Egypt just so you can visit it safely."

Eleanor turned and saw Alexander standing by the glass doors. He was watching them with a dark, intense gaze. But the moment his eyes met hers, his expression softened instantly.

"I should go back inside," Harrison said, waving to Eva. "See you at dinner."

Alexander walked over as soon as Harrison left. He wrapped an arm around Eleanor’s waist, pulling her flush against him. "What were you two talking about for so long?"

Eleanor decided to tease him. "He told me about his life on the road. It sounded so romantic. I told him the next time he leaves, I’m going with him."

Alexander’s grip tightened. His eyebrows knit together. "No, you’re not. If you want to see the world, I will take you."

"But Mr. Prescott is so busy," Eleanor teased. "You don't have time for vacations. You stay here and make the money, and I’ll go play with Harrison for two or three years..."

She didn't get to finish. Alexander pinched her waist, making her jump. He didn't let go, pinning her against his side so she couldn't move.

"Okay, okay! I’m kidding!" Eleanor gasped, laughing. "Stop being so jealous. I was just teasing you. Let me go!"

Alexander didn't look convinced, but he loosened his grip slightly.

"Mama! Daddy! What are you playing? I want to play too!" Eva ran over, out of breath.

Eleanor used the distraction to slip away from Alexander. She knelt down and used her scarf to wipe the sweat from Eva’s forehead. "You’re a mess. Go change your clothes and rest for a bit. Dinner is almost ready."

"Okay!" Eva grabbed both their hands, one in each of hers, and began skipping back toward the house.

After dinner, as the sun began to set, Alexander took Eleanor and Eva to a private stretch of beach.

The sand was white and cool under their feet. Eva immediately ran toward the water, two nannies following close behind to keep her safe. Alexander and Eleanor walked along the shoreline, their fingers interlaced. The cool sea breeze blew through Eleanor’s hair. It was a perfect, quiet moment.

"You never told me," Eleanor said suddenly. "How did it start? I don't remember seeing you in college."

Alexander stopped walking and looked out at the ocean. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "It was a very normal afternoon. My family was falling apart, and I was at the university to file my transfer papers. I knew that once I signed those papers, my life would be dark and dangerous forever. I was prepared for a life of misery."

He turned to look at her, his eyes full of emotion. "Then I saw you. You were carrying a massive easel on your back. You were wearing a yellow sundress, and you were laughing at something a friend said. The sun was hitting you so perfectly it looked like the light was following you. I realized right then that as long as you existed, the world wasn't entirely dark. I never forgot that moment."

Eleanor felt her eyes grow damp. She had no idea that a single, random moment of her life had been the anchor for a man for ten years.

"Daddy! Look! What is that in the water?"

Eva’s voice broke the silence. Alexander walked over to where the girl was pointing at the waves.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"Right there! Lean closer!" Eva said, looking very serious.

Alexander leaned down, trying to see what she was pointing at. Before he could say anything, Eva scooped up a handful of seawater and splashed it right into his face.

"Hahaha! Got you!"

Eva didn't wait for a reaction. She turned and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. Alexander wiped the water from his eyes and laughed. He chased after her, catching her in just a few strides.

"Oh, you’re in trouble now!" he joked, lifting her into the air.

"Mama, save me!" Eva shrieked happily, pointing at Eleanor. "Mama is my shield!"

She scrambled behind Eleanor, using her mother as a human barricade. Alexander reached around Eleanor to grab the girl, and soon the three of them were playing a chaotic game of tag on the sand.

They played until the sky turned black and the stars came out. On the drive home, both Eleanor and Eva fell into a deep, peaceful sleep in the back seat.

Alexander drove slowly, glancing in the rearview mirror at the two people who were his entire world. He saw them sleeping soundly, safe and loved.

He smiled to himself. This, he thought, was exactly what happiness looked like.

— THE END —