Chapter 186 Found him?

Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Found him?

Hours later, Joseph was finally done cooking. He began serving the food at the dining table where the family would have dinner. The dishes were still sizzling hot, and their delicious aroma filled the room.

Before he could finish setting the table, one of the two little rascals came rushing in with smiles on his faces.

"Dad, I want to taste!" Landon demanded immediately.

Joseph grinned, dipped a spoon into one of the saucepans, and scooped some food onto a plate before handing it to him.

"Here you go. You can taste it while I finish arranging everything."

Landon happily accepted the plate while Joseph continued setting the table. For a while, the boy remained quiet as he ate, but eventually, he let out a sigh that caught his father’s attention.

"Daddy, I want to go outside. I miss the world out there. What’s wrong? Why can’t I make friends? What happened to my old school friends? And why don’t you want to contact them or take us back to our previous mansion? I want to know, Daddy."

Landon’s questions came one after another, leaving Joseph momentarily speechless. He raised his head, looked at his son, and forced a smile.

"My boy, there are still some things you won’t understand at your age. The outside world is dangerous right now, and going out there could expose you to things that might take away your innocence. You may not understand what I’m trying to explain, but one day, you’ll realize how important these words are."

It was the same explanation Joseph usually gave whenever the twins questioned their situation. He always hoped it would ease their worries, but this time, Landon wasn’t willing to accept it.

"Dad, you know I’m ten years old now, right? And you know that Erica and I will turn eleven tomorrow. So stop treating me like a baby or someone too stupid to understand anything!" Landon protested.

"If you explain what’s happening and why you’re never around, I might at least understand. Erica always cries because she misses you. You know that, right?"

The unexpected question made Joseph stop what he was doing. He put down his cutlery and turned to face his son properly.

"She cries?"

Landon nodded.

"Sometimes, she thinks you’ve abandoned us. And I see Mom looking at your pictures at night as if she’s afraid you’ll never come back. It hurts me so much."

His eyes began to fill with tears, but he continued speaking.

"You don’t even come home for our birthdays. Sometimes, I feel like I hardly know you, and it’s not fair. It’s not fair to Erica either."

Joseph stared at him, unable to find the right words.

Landon wiped his eyes, but his tears continued to fall.

"I just want a normal childhood. I’m tired of all these expensive gifts, toys, and enormous houses that feel so empty. I want us to be together. I want Mom and Dad with me. If I can’t go outside, then at least let me have my parents around. Is that asking for too much?"

His voice echoed through the room, and Joseph felt something tighten in his chest.

He had never expected to hear such words from his son. He knew the twins missed him whenever he was away, but he had convinced himself that the gifts he sent home and the comfortable life he provided were enough to make up for his absence.

Apparently, he had been wrong.

The truth was that Catherine had never told him how deeply his absence was affecting their children. Perhaps she had been trying to protect him from their complaints, or maybe she had simply hoped he would eventually find more time for his family.

Whatever the reason, Joseph hadn’t realized how lonely they had become.

"Oh, Landon. Come here, my boy."

He opened his arms, and Landon immediately rushed into his embrace.

Joseph held him close, allowing the boy to bury his face against his chest. For a while, neither of them spoke. He simply rubbed his son’s back, feeling guilty for the tears he had caused.

"You know I love you so much, right?" Joseph finally asked.

Landon nodded against him.

"And look at you. You remind me so much of myself when I was younger. You have the same vibrant spirit I had back then."

He pulled away slightly so he could look into his son’s face.

"I’m not trying to be an evil person, and I haven’t abandoned you. It’s just that there are bad people out there who want to hurt your mother, Erica, and you. I can’t allow anything to happen to my family."

The moment Joseph mentioned the danger, Landon began trembling.

"No! Not them!"

Joseph immediately hugged him tighter.

He hated seeing his son frightened, but he couldn’t pretend the danger didn’t exist. There were people outside who would gladly use his family against him if they ever discovered their existence.

And he couldn’t let that happen.

However, there was another truth he couldn’t bring himself to explain to his son.

The experiments he had permitted were becoming increasingly difficult to control. He knew his decisions might have made him a horrible person, but he had convinced himself that there was no other way to secure the future he wanted for his family.

He had already gone too far to simply turn back.

Still, as he held Landon in his arms, he couldn’t help wondering whether protecting his children from the outside world was enough when his own choices might eventually put them in danger.

"Daddy, I’m scared," Landon whispered.

Joseph lowered his head to look at him.

"I don’t want anything to happen to you either. Promise me you’ll be okay. Promise me you’ll keep coming back and cooking for us."

Joseph’s heart ached at the request.

He gently ran his fingers through Landon’s hair. Despite being so young, the boy had surprisingly long, silky hair that felt soft beneath his father’s touch.

Joseph smiled faintly as he continued stroking it.

He had missed so many moments of his children’s lives that he sometimes wondered how much they had changed without him noticing.

He knew their birthdays, their favorite meals, and the toys they enjoyed, but perhaps he didn’t know as much about their feelings as he should.

"I’ll do everything I can, my boy," he promised.

He wiped the tears from Landon’s cheeks with his thumb.

"As I said, Daddy is fighting the bad guys and protecting all of you. So, tell your sister that I love her too. I’ll tell her myself during dinner, but don’t ever forget that you’re my precious boy. I want you to keep smiling, okay?"

Landon sniffled and nodded.

Joseph gave him a reassuring smile before continuing.

"One day, I don’t know exactly when, but you’ll be able to go outside again. You’ll play as much as you want, pick flowers, and make friends. You won’t have to spend all your time inside this house."

Landon’s eyes brightened slightly at the thought.

"But until that day comes, I need you to be strong for your mother and sister. They need you, and I know you can do that for me."

After another sniffle, Landon finally managed a small smile.

Joseph felt relieved to see it.

"Now, that’s my handsome boy."

He playfully tapped Landon’s nose before gesturing toward the dining table.

"Come and help Daddy finish setting everything up. Your mother will be here soon, and we can’t let her arrive before we’re ready."

Landon quickly wiped his face and moved to help.

Together, they arranged the plates at their designated places and placed the accompanying utensils beside them. Joseph showed him where everything belonged, and Landon followed his instructions until the table was finally ready.

For the first time that evening, father and son seemed to have found a little peace.

Just then, Catherine arrived with Erica, who had apparently been searching for her brother.

"I told you he wasn’t missing. He was probably with your daddy," Catherine said as they entered the room.

Erica pouted when she spotted Landon standing beside the dining table.

"Landon! We were supposed to be playing tag, but you left me!"

Her complaint made Joseph chuckle as he hurried over to her.

"Well, my baby girl, come and eat. I’m sorry about that. Your brother helped me finish preparing everything, and guess what? I made your favorite."

Erica’s pout disappeared almost immediately.

"Really? What did you make?"

Joseph pointed toward the dishes on the table.

"Your favorite lamb stew. It’s over there on the left. Go and see for yourself."

Erica’s eyes widened, and she rushed toward the table with a delighted smile.

Landon could only facepalm.

That girl and food!

It was almost impossible to keep Erica upset whenever her favorite meals were involved. One moment, she could be complaining about something, and the next, she would forget all about it as soon as food appeared.

"Careful, baby girl. Don’t run around the table," Catherine warned, following her daughter with an amused smile.

Erica slowed down, although her attention remained fixed on the food.

Joseph shook his head affectionately before turning toward his wife.

"All right, love. Come and sit down before the food gets cold."

He pulled out a chair for Catherine, who smiled and took her seat. The twins settled down as well, and soon, everyone was gathered around the dining table.

The atmosphere felt peaceful, with the delicious food and the sound of Erica happily talking about her favorite dishes filling the room.

For Joseph, it was a rare moment of normalcy.

He watched his family as they began eating, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to forget about the responsibilities waiting for him outside their hidden home.

He had promised Landon that he would try to be around more often. Perhaps he really needed to make an effort to keep that promise.

After all, he couldn’t keep telling himself that everything he did was for his family while leaving them to feel as though they had no place in his life.

He had to find a balance, even if it wasn’t going to be easy.

Just as he was about to reach for another serving, Erica suddenly looked up from her plate.

"Daddy, are you staying with us for our birthday tomorrow?"

Joseph froze.

He slowly raised his head, only to find Catherine looking directly at him. Landon had also stopped eating, waiting for his answer.

Their expectant expressions made him feel as though he had been caught in a trap.

He almost choked on his food.

"Well..."

He struggled to find a response, but the words refused to come.

He knew how important the twins’ birthday was to them. He also knew he had disappointed them on previous occasions by failing to show up. Yet, with everything happening outside, he couldn’t make a promise without knowing whether he would be able to keep it.

Before he could respond, something suddenly began ringing in his pocket.

Joseph paused and reached inside, pulling out a communication device.

It wasn’t an ordinary phone. It was a portable telephone-like device used by important high ranking officials within the safe zone to communicate with one another.

The unexpected interruption made Catherine frown.

"Baby, remember what we agreed on? No calls during dinner. We shouldn’t allow distractions while we’re eating together."

Joseph glanced at the device, then raised his free hand apologetically.

"I’m sorry, but I have to take this."

He pushed his chair back and stood up, leaving the dining table as he walked toward the other side of the room.

Behind him, the family remained seated, and he could feel their unanswered question hanging in the air.

Would he stay for their birthday?

For a moment, he hesitated.

But the call continued, and he knew it might be something important.

Finally, he answered.

The moment he heard the voice on the other end, his expression changed.

"What?"

His eyes widened, and he tightened his grip around the communication device.

"You found him?!"