e front door. It was drizzling outside. His assistant t

Lucas had tipped him off, which likely mea

ed, and she shot a fu

He stumbled forward and gently cupped her fac

There was no trace of middle-aged paunchiness. A touch of silver at the temples only

a is serious

ily genes are so strong-

softly called

ile lit up his face. Excitedly, he said, "

old you! I recogni

ichard didn't even register Lucas calling himself "Old

ouch. "Sunny, tell Dad, how did you come

want to pretend to be her aunt-she just wa

ke a sci-fi fairy tale.

'm your granddaughter-his da

early used to her calling

e. "Yes, this is Sunny. There's no one else

y, "

els like to be unable

as his daughter, Aria changed her tune instant

most didn't recognize

essing her face. "You must've suffered so m

ile Lucas rolled his eyes so ha

ra face changes

al love" in front of Richard. She held Sunn

. Ste

!" of laughter, and even R

however, dark

constant reminder-even this "fool

expression softened as she hugged Sunny.

her strong perfume. She p

frowned. "Enough. She has her own mother. Don't

displeased, dared n

want to sleep in tonight? We have plen

anyone, so she said, "I'll ju

'd been standing nearby, looked ev

led to ease the tension. "Since your sister is

st fine. Why do I have to give it up jus

ew she had no real grounds. After

rooms in the house, she had to pick her aunt'

ly why Sunny could

en a generous dowry-one of the family's best com

aughter duo was very g

used to that room and didn't want t

nd stayed silent, just glancing at R

k, Sunny said softly, "Why sh

her a sh

t room," Sunny looked at Richar

up your stuff and move to the guest

diately. She bit her lip

idn't even gl

ia hadn't begged him back then to take in her daughter,

y was his real daughter-if she asked for the stars or the

back. "Stop crying. No use. Mr. Wilson told you

like th

ot your

y n

hard, Aria dragged her back to the room, hel

tered the room that onc

n this house. The room was nearly three times the size of hers in the future. So

get this room for Amy proved she ha

andpa prevent the future falling-out

gested Richard take Sunny for a paternity t

. He knew Sunny was h

She was back-that's all that mattered.

elping Sunny get into school. Bor

n communal buildings, and the streets twisted in and out of tiny alleys. But new h

sticks from a street vendor-want

achine. Seconds later, it spat out long, white puffed ric

hy snack, she wand

-school, standing cabinets. The place had maybe a dozen machines, all

ter, even some biza

player on her iPad, but here, sh

ose and they ate your money, win and they spit s

sheartened, a tattooed man

. Stay and play a

tted her empty pockets. "The

ted to the machine. It s

ucks. Pay up be

stunned. "

en dollars, and it was all gone. H

ed slyly. "No

caught in a bind,

te work tee and long short

y-too often, they make a g

rms filled out the shirt perfectly. His body

street basket, hair falling gently o

pears, he got u

him, but she moved too quickl

hile her head hit hi

rose between them-f

powder, sticking to her cloth

epped back and tried to brush off

ack, avoiding her hands, and casu

were simple, they w

clear eyes looked up apologetically. "Really sorry. I

nuinely em

pale and luminous. Her eyes-so much like Lucas'-were b

e swept over her br

ned girl really

arcade behind her. "Yo

Got scammed, and now t

out and pointed angrily at Sunny. "T

stepped in front of her.

man sneered. "

been tricked-clearly unfami

ey left?" he

op

roke-she w

cket. A few coins remained

toward t

Alexander, don't! Th

his hands in his pockets, tur

I'll win it