The Author's POV

Even after he heard his daughter speak in a cool, detached way, Octavious' face didn't change. He had long since expected such a reaction.

Everything became clear once the power he wielded was no longer with him.

When Melissa looked at him, he was able to tell just by looking at her expression what kinds of feelings were going through her mind at that very moment.

They were expressions he'd seen many times in his life. He wasn't unfamiliar with them.

"May I come in?"

He asked, looking around and frowning at the sight of the frozen girl in the distance. Why was she like that?

"Why do you have to come in?"

It appeared as though Melissa did not want him to enter, as she blocked his path. Octavious lowered his head and fixed his gaze on her.

She looked the same as 'she' did when 'she' was younger. Perhaps she was even more beautiful.

'Her angry look is also the same…'

A long-forgotten pain began to reappear in his chest, and his expression nearly collapsed. He was able to retain it after a fierce struggle, and after looking around, he returned his gaze to Melissa.

"I need to talk to you."

***

His voice was calm and soft, but the manner in which he spoke made Melissa feel as though she could not refuse, and she moved to the side in reluctance.

"Make it quick."

She had no desire to interact with the man in front of her, but what could she do? Kick him out? The world's strongest human?

'Pft, as if that stubborn bastard would even bother listening to my demands.'

Melissa could only resign herself to the situation and lead him toward her private lab where there was no one. It was in a bit of a mess at the moment, but she didn't care in the least bit. Since he came so abruptly, she had no time to clean it, and even if he had made an appointment, she wouldn't have cared.

He was a stranger that shared the same blood as her in her eyes.

Clank―!

She closed the door behind her and turned to look toward her father. She wanted to get this done quickly.

"Out with it, what is it that you wan―!"

Feeling a rough hand against her cheek, Melissa froze halfway through her sentence. Her eyes soon opened wide as she looked at the man standing opposite her in shock.

"What are you doing!??"

She smacked the hand away and moved several steps back. With her sleeve, she rubbed her cheek and glared at the man.

my father, but

look exactly like

much the contents of his voice that made her freeze, but the softness

she hear him speak to her

see her usually expressionless father staring at

to

like you when she

had an idea of whom

no idea how to react at the

is starting to

of life, this was the first time that her father had talked about her mother, and she could vividly see the emotions in his

He looked… frail.

took off her glasses and pinched

from me? You don't have to pretend to be like this, if you want something, just ask away.

a nearby stool

was behaving was giving her

Emotions made her cringe.

neglect she faced during her younger years made her emotionally immature. She wasn't capable of understanding emotions properly, and anything

research and avoided people. It wasn't so much that she hated them, but she was incapable of

repulsed her and gave

the side of her

want

current behavior was akin to torture

***

similarly sat down on one of the nearby stools. He covered his mouth with his hand while leaning his

many things that he wanted to say to her now that he had finally managed to regain clarity over his own head, however, as he

couldn't recall everything, but the few tid bits that he managed to remember were no pleasant

face, the times he saw her cry, and the times she tried to meet his expectations only for

felt his

failed as

unconsciously blurted out

she looked at him with a baffled

daughter, he felt himself

the price he had to pay for

more ways than you can imagine. She was my everything. I was happy back then. In more ways than you could imagine. It felt as though I had everything in my

spread across his face as he thought back at those

was truly

could ever ask for

a soft chuckle at the last part, and he felt something toward the corner of his eyes. He slowly lowered his head to gaze at Melissa who was staring at

His gaze softened.

imagine just how happy I was when I heard of the news that she was pregnant… I was happy, really

that

Every day I would

and the smile that had spread

moment I lost her was