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?"

faintly. "Yes,

voice was polite but

kind that didn’t reach his eyes. He stood up slowly and looked at her once more before turning toward the

there for a second, as if he wanted to say

my daughter," and then walked out

door closed behind him with

in silence for a long time

at the same time, or maybe

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

in a faint,

hides pain

and the only sound left was her

the couch, her eyes

faint smile faded from her

to the

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

not angry that he didn’t show her the photo, but she was disappointed that she couldn’t see it, because maybe seeing Elara would explain many things and would prove that she was right all the

***

room with his heart clenched so

He didn’t look back.

closed behind him, he felt something inside

breath and tried to steady himself, but his chest still

down the hallway, he saw Vaelen waiting for him near the end. The

Vaelen said quickly, stepping forward. "How is

stopped for a moment and looked at him. He could see the concern in Vaelen’s eyes; it was genuine and pure. It reminded him of how different things were before... when life was simpler, and no one had been

said quietly. His voice sounded rough even to his own

closed door behind him. He looked like he wanted to ask more, but Maximus’s

Vaelen nodded. "Alright... I’ll check on her

last look at Serena’s room before turning and

Then he let out a long sigh...one that came from deep inside his

each step heavy. The hall felt

mind was a mess of thoughts that

wasn’t a good

it the moment he saw her

could he

tell his daughter that he was nothing

ago, he had walked away from a woman who loved him because he had found the one the Moon Goddess chose for

as after that? Would she not

The guilt was like a

only he

that line. Never betrayed his mate, even when fate itself

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

one night...

he was lost in the haze of emotions and longing and had thought he was with

came... he realized the

It wasn’t Elara.

It was Elarliya.

truth hit him,