My Beloved Has Risen from Death's Embrace novel Chapter 389

"Huh?"

Upon hearing this, Xanthea immediately tightened her grip on his hand.

She was nervously and didn't know what to do, waiting for Orion to say something to break the awkward silence, and now he was leaving?

No way!

Feeling her hand tightening, Orion caressed her hand and reassured her softly, "Don't worry, I'll just be outside."

"Okay."

The door to the study closed, and Xanthea immediately picked up the fine porcelain tea set she had brought with her, placing it on the desk, "Grandpa Theodore, this is a gift for you, Orion picked it out."

She still felt a bit guilty, so she added the last sentence.

Theodore chuckled, "Such an honest and adorable child."

"I'm sorry!" Xanthea bowed her head, embarrassed, "I had planned to choose a gift myself."

"It's not your fault. I asked Orion to bring you over on short notice."

Huh?

So that was it. No wonder Orion had brought her here without informing her. She had misunderstood him.

Theodore continued, "I hurt my leg a while back and need to go abroad for some rehab, thought I'd see you before I leave."

"You hurt your leg?" Xanthea looked at him with concern, "How is the injury?"

"It's fine, just that I can't stand up to entertain you now."

Theodore put away his calligraphy papers and paintings away, reaching for the teapot nearby. Xanthea immediately walked over and took it from him, "No worries at all, I can do it myself!"

Watching her carefully pour the tea, Theodore's smile widened, "Xan, I've always appreciated you."

Theodore took a sip of tea, his gaze turning reflective as if lost in distant memories.

He couldn't remember how long it had been since he last saw Orion smile.

"Ori, despite his young age, has always been more mature than his peers, which is related to the complex dynamics within our family at that time, and in part, to me."

"After Juliette's death, in order to stabilize the Lockwood Group, I arranged for Orion to have a stepmother through marriage. I didn't expect this decision would leave him with indelible scars and shadows from his childhood. By the time I realized, it was too late. It was all my fault."

Juliette? That was Orion's birth mother.

The indelible scars and childhood shadows? Were they referring to his burn scars and the horrific "matricide" rumors in the news?

Xanthea thought Theodore was going to tell her all about Orion's hidden childhood traumas, halfway through, he suddenly turned the conversation back to her, "Has Orion told you about these things?"

Xanthea replied, "No."

Theodore nodded, just as he had guessed.