The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Weight of a Father’s Heart

For a long time, Maximus didn’t answer.

He just looked at Serena. His eyes were deep, unreadable, and heavy with thoughts only he knew.

Serena waited quietly, her hands clasped together on her lap. Her heart was pounding, though her face remained calm.

The silence stretched until it almost hurt to breathe.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Maximus spoke.

"...I don’t have a photo of her," he said slowly.

His words fell softly, but each syllable cut through Serena like a blade.

Her eyes flickered, and the small, faint hope faded away before it could take shape.

"Oh..." she murmured, her voice almost too quiet to hear.

For a second, she looked down. Her fingers trembled just slightly, then stilled again.

Her face didn’t show much emotion, but her eyes told the truth that something inside her had just broken a little more.

Maximus saw that look. It was small, but enough to make his heart twist painfully in his chest.

He wanted to reach out. To say something. To explain. But he didn’t. Because he knew he couldn’t.

Because the truth was, he did have a photo of Elara. Hidden safely away, where no one could find it.

He’d kept it for years with himself, her smile frozen in time, the one thing that still kept him sane on his darkest nights.

But how could he show it to Serena?

How could he let his daughter look at that face, the face of the woman who had been his mate, his love, but not Serena’s mother?

He couldn’t risk it.

He couldn’t bear the thought of Serena hating Elara.

Because Elara was innocent.

And so was Serena.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was fate, which was cruel and merciless to them.

So he only watched her quietly, forcing himself to stay silent even though every part of him wanted to tell her everything.

Serena didn’t look up again. She sat still, her expression calm, but her thoughts were far away.

Maximus took a slow breath. "Serena..." he said softly.

She finally looked up. Her eyes were dry but tired.

"You should rest," he said gently. "It’s been a long day. You’ve gone through a lot. Don’t think too much tonight. I’ll send someone to check on you later. Make sure you eat something before sleeping, alright?"

nodded faintly. "Yes,

was polite

his eyes. He stood up slowly and looked at her once more before turning

there for a second, as if he wanted to say something else, but no

my daughter," and

behind him with

silence for a

but empty at the same time, or maybe it was her heart

and whispered to herself, "You don’t have her photo... or you don’t want

lips curved in a

kind that hides pain

the background, and

she leaned back on the couch, her eyes staring blankly

faded from

drifted to the

his entire life. The woman who wasn’t her mother. Or maybe she was not even his daughter,

that she couldn’t see it, because maybe seeing Elara would explain many things and would prove that she was right all the

***

walked out of Serena’s room with his heart clenched so

He didn’t look back.

closed behind him, he felt something

a deep breath and tried to steady himself, but his

down the hallway, he saw Vaelen waiting for him near the end. The young man’s face was

said quickly, stepping forward. "How

could see the concern in Vaelen’s eyes; it was genuine and pure. It reminded him of how

fine," Maximus said quietly. His voice sounded rough even to his

closed door behind him. He looked like he wanted to ask more, but Maximus’s tone left no

"Alright... I’ll check on

room before turning and walking

stood there for a few seconds more, his gaze on the door. Then he let out a long sigh...one that

slowly, each step heavy. The hall felt colder

of

he wasn’t

saw her

he

daughter that he was nothing more than a selfish man who had

loved him because he had found the one

of father would she see him as after that? Would she not only think that he abandoned her mother for

even more. The guilt was like a

only he

even when fate

kind. She didn’t deserve the pain she got from being

one night... everything went

was lost in the haze of emotions and

when morning came... he realized the

It wasn’t Elara.

It was Elarliya.

hit him, he had wanted