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.

that you're my father, but

look exactly

hearing his voice. It wasn't so much the contents of his voice that made her freeze, but the

did she hear him

more shocked to see her usually expressionless father staring at her with an expression that was different from its usual

to

like you when

an idea of whom he

idea how to react at

stomach is starting to

her father had talked about her mother,

He looked… frail.

and pinched the middle of her

You don't have to pretend to be like this, if you want something, just ask away. I'll see if I

on a nearby stool

he 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

buried herself in her research and avoided people. It wasn't

her and gave her

side of

I want

akin to

***

stools. He covered his mouth with his hand while leaning his

to regain clarity over his own head, however, as he looked at his daughter

tid bits that he managed to remember

of how he had treated his daughter for the past few years… the disappointment in her face, the times he saw her cry, and the times

felt his heart

as

unconsciously blurted

at his words and she looked at him with

a forced one. Every time he looked at his daughter, he felt himself drowning in even

was the price he had

breath. "It affected me in 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

spread across his face as he thought back

truly

everything that I could ever ask for in a partner. Caring,

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

His gaze softened.

I heard of the news that she was pregnant… I was happy, really

to marry her, that was singlehandedly the best

thought of starting a family excited me. Every day I would wake up thinking about the future…

the smile that

her was the moment that