Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 531: Christmas Eve

Aurora watched as the snow outside grew heavier, blanketing the city in a festive cheer. Tonight, she and Julian were heading to Montgomery Manor for dinner.

Although Oswaldo claimed Christmas was meaningless and insisted it was just a simple family meal, the sight that greeted them upon arrival said otherwise. Two large Christmas trees stood in the front yard, adorned with colorful lights and ornaments. Typically, Christmas trees were placed indoors, but Oswaldo had chosen to put these grand trees outside, adding a unique flair.

Aurora noticed small cards hanging from the trees. Most of them bore wishes like, "May my granddaughter be safe and happy." As people aged, their hearts seemed to grow lonelier. Aurora knew she was often caught up with work and rarely spent time with her grandfather, a thought that filled her with guilt.

The butler was already waiting at the door. Aurora quickly shed her coat and gloves upon entering and, with a joyful bounce, ran to find her grandfather.

"Grandpa..."

Before she could even get close, she heard his voice.

"Checkmate! Let's see how you'll recover from this!" Oswaldo sounded particularly pleased.

"Grandpa, you're playing chess?" Aurora stepped closer and was surprised to see Joaquin sitting across from him. These two had always been at odds, their fiery tempers clashing constantly. Seeing them sitting together for a game of chess was nothing short of astonishing.

are for you... Dad? What are you doing here?" His voice faltered as he spotted Joaquin, momentarily stunned. Joaquin glanced at the gifts in Julian's hands. From childhood to adulthood, Julian had always been at odds with him. Yet here he was, bringing gifts for Oswaldo. Joaquin couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. After all, Julian was

bring gifts

The kids are engaged!" Oswaldo shot him a glare. Some habits never changed-these two

and walked over to Oswaldo. "Grandpa, you're really good at chess. It looks like you're

course! How could he possibly beat me?" Oswaldo's face lit up

a deadlock. Try this move." She nudged

checkmate again!" Oswaldo moved his rook

calmly countered. "How

side with him?" Oswaldo huffed in mock anger. His victory was within reach, but

Knowing her grandfather's love of chess, Aurora wisely stopped before

grumbled, his temper easing slightly. "Of course. Joaquin, what would you

close Aurora and Oswaldo were. In families like theirs, younger generations often feared the patriarchs. Years of building an empire left these elders with a harsh demeanor that made them difficult to

nel5s.com is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Unlike most families driven by profit, Aurora and Oswaldo shared genuine affection. Joaquin couldn't help but envy their bond. He thought of his own children. Julian had suffered the most, growing up withdrawn and cold after his mother's death. He'd left without fully spreading his wings. Hayden, though slightly better, still treated him with a distant