Chapter 156 Perfect Peace

Chapter 156 Perfect Peace
Evan stared at his phone screen one last time. His fingers moved quickly across the glass, deleting the message permanently. He drew a long breath, letting the cool night air calm the thoughts that had briefly churned inside him. Impossible. Everything was over. Edwin, Viktor, and everyone who had ever threatened their lives were now buried history.

He knew that in the business world he lived in, dark messages like that were often nothing more than cheap attempts by low-level competitors to shake his composure.

“Evan? Why are you taking so long?” Alice’s voice called from inside the bedroom.

Evan turned, slipped his phone into his pocket, and walked back into the warmth of the room. “Just making sure all the doors are locked, love. Come on, let’s sleep.”

Two Months Later.

Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains of the nursery, now filled with bright, cheerful colors. Lucas, who was eight months old now, was busy on his play mat. He was no longer content to stay still. The little boy was now an expert crawler, moving surprisingly fast as he chased a colorful ball rolling ahead of him.

“Lucas! Not that way, there’s a table corner there!” Alice called out, laughing as she quickly caught her son’s chubby waist and pulled him back to the center of the mat.

Lucas only laughed in delight, proudly showing off the two bottom teeth that had just begun to grow.

Evan entered the room carrying two cups of coffee. He placed them on a side table safely out of Lucas’s reach. “He really can’t stay still anymore, can he?”

“He gets his energy from his father,” Alice replied as she fixed her messy hair after chasing Lucas.

“Rico just called. He said the intelligence report about that so-called ‘person from the past’ who sent the dark message back then was pure fraud. It was just a frustrated former staff member of Edwin trying to extort us. The police arrested him this morning,” Evan said casually.

Alice stopped moving and looked at Evan with relief. “Thank goodness. So there really is no threat at all anymore?”

“None, Alice. Absolutely zero. Our world now is just Lucas’s immunization schedule and plans for summer vacation,” Evan said as he sat on the floor with them, letting Lucas crawl onto his back.

Downstairs, Lavina was busy in the kitchen with the household chef. She was preparing a new baby food recipe she had found in the latest health book. Zavian sat at the dining table, but his attention was not on the financial newspaper in his hands. It was on the sound of Lucas’s laughter drifting down from upstairs.

“Zavian, stop pretending to read. Go upstairs and play with your grandson,” Lavina scolded gently as she sliced organic apples.

“I’m waiting for the right moment, Mother. I don’t want to interrupt the parents’ time,” Zavian said, even though his foot was already tapping impatiently.

Not long after, Evan came downstairs with Lucas sitting proudly on his shoulders, Alice following behind them.

“Look who’s hungry!” Evan announced.

Zavian immediately stood up and smoothly took Lucas into his arms. “Come here with Grandpa. Let’s see what Grandma has prepared for you today.”

“Today’s menu is apple and pear puree,” Lavina said as she placed a small bowl in front of Lucas’s high chair.

“He already had a banana this morning, Grandma. Isn’t that too much fruit?” Alice asked.

“Fruit is good for his digestion, Alice. Don’t worry too much,” Lavina replied as she fed Lucas a small spoonful.

Lucas accepted the food enthusiastically, making cute little noises and banging on the tray of his high chair. The dining room was filled with warmth and laughter. There was no longer any talk of betrayal or hostile takeovers.

In the afternoon, Evan invited Alice into his study. The room that once felt cold and rigid now looked different. There were family photos on the desk, and a small fenced play area in one corner where Lucas could stay while his father worked.

“I want to show you this,” Evan said as he opened a large folder on the teak desk.

Alice looked inside. It was a draft design for the charitable foundation they had discussed some time ago. “This is… the Elino-Grizelle Foundation?”

“Yes. I combined both our parents’ names. The main focus is educational scholarships and children’s healthcare. I want their legacy to be remembered as something that gives life, not just business conflicts,” Evan explained.

Alice touched the foundation’s logo, a blend of a rose and an oak tree. “It’s beautiful, Evan. Thank you for doing this.”

“I want Lucas to grow up seeing that his last name brings good to many people,” Evan said as he pulled Alice into his arms. “We’re done with all legal matters. Starting next week, I’ll move all Nathaniel Group operations into an automated system under Rico’s supervision. I really want to focus on you.”

“You’re serious? You won’t miss the boardroom?” Alice teased.

“Watching Lucas learn to talk is far more challenging than facing the board of directors,” Evan replied with a laugh.

That afternoon, the extended Nathaniel family decided to have a picnic by the lake within their estate. The staff prepared a large mat and various snacks.

Zavian clearly enjoyed his role as a grandfather. He carried Lucas along the lakeside, pointing out birds perched in the trees.

“Look, Lucas. That’s called a swan. Don’t bother them, they can peck you,” Zavian said seriously, making Alice and Evan laugh from where they sat on the mat.

“Dad, he’s only eight months old. He doesn’t know what a swan is!” Evan shouted.

“He’s listening to me, Evan. Look, he’s nodding!” Zavian protested.

Lavina sat beside Alice, sipping her warm tea. “It feels like a miracle, doesn’t it? After all the storms our family went through, we can finally sit here without fear of spies or attacks.”

“Yes, Grandma. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure this is real,” Alice replied.

“It is real, Alice. Happiness is your right after everything you sacrificed,” Lavina said gently.

That night, the house grew quiet again. After Lucas fell fast asleep, exhausted from playing all day, Evan and Alice sat in the upstairs lounge watching an old movie on television.

Their intimacy felt mature and calm. There was no longer passion fueled by fear of loss, only a deep sense of belonging.

“Evan,” Alice said softly, resting her head on his chest.

“Yes?”

“I’ve decided. I want us to add another member to our family next year,” Alice said quietly.

Evan fell silent for a moment, then looked down at her. A wide smile spread across his face. “Really? I thought you were traumatized after Lucas’s dramatic delivery.”

“Watching Lucas grow makes me forget the pain. I want him to have a playmate. I don’t want him to be lonely as the sole heir,” Alice explained.

“I agree. But let Lucas learn to walk first, so I’m not overwhelmed carrying two babies at once,” Evan said, kissing her forehead.

Their lives continued in a joyful routine. There were no more mysterious letters, no more dark phone calls. The threatening message that had appeared some time ago proved to be nothing more than legal debris from a past already resolved.

A few days later, Evan received a visit from Rico in the front garden.

“Young Master, all remaining followers of Edwin have been cleared. None of them dare surface anymore. We have ensured they remain under the authorities’ watch permanently,” Rico reported.

“Good. Never mention that name again in front of Alice. I want her to completely forget that part of her life,” Evan ordered.

“Yes, Young Master. Oh, and this is the report from the beach house. Everything is ready for your weekend visit.”

Evan nodded. “Thank you, Rico. You also deserve a raise for your loyalty.”

That night, before going to bed, Evan entered the nursery. He saw Lucas sleeping in a prone position, his little bottom lifted into the air, his recent favorite posture. Evan carefully adjusted the blanket.

He stood there for a long moment, watching his son in the darkness lit only by a moon-shaped night lamp.

“You’re safe, son,” Evan whispered. “This world is yours now.”

Evan returned to the master bedroom and found Alice organizing photo albums on the bed.

“Look at this, Evan. This is Lucas when he ate broccoli for the first time. His face is still so funny here,” Alice said, holding up a photo.

Evan sat beside her, flipping through the collection. Their life was now captured in pages of photographs filled with smiles. There were no more pictures of secret documents or strategic maps.

They fell asleep peacefully. But in the middle of the night, Evan woke to the sound of knocking at their bedroom door. His old instincts flared for a brief second. He got out of bed and opened the door quietly.

It was Lavina. She was wearing her robe and holding a small, antique-looking wooden box.

“Grandma? What is it, at this hour?” Evan asked in surprise.

Lavina motioned for Evan to step into the corridor. Her face was calm, but something gleamed in her eyes.

“I just found this in the underground storage room that used to be locked,” she whispered. “It’s Grizelle’s box. I think you should open it now, together with Alice.”

Evan frowned as he accepted the box. “Mother’s box? What’s inside, Grandma? It’s not trouble again, is it?”

Lavina smiled mysteriously. “Not trouble, Evan. But it’s something that will make you understand why you always felt tied to Alice, even before you ever met her.”