Chapter 424 Alone and Shadowed, Antonio Valencia
A furrowed brow creased Brady's forehead as he studied his sister, Sarah. "You seem to have lost weight," he noted, a hint of accusation in his tone. "Didn't I tell you to take care of yourself when you're alone? You need to be kind to yourself, Sarah. You can't shoulder everything on your own. If anyone dares to bully you, just let me know. I'll take care of it."
The implication hung heavy in the air. Had Antonio Valencia been tormenting her again, reducing her to this state?
Sarah felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. Some things were too complex to be explained in a few words. "Brother, I'm doing fine. In fact, I've gained weight. If you don't believe me, ask the kids."
Harper, ever the peacemaker, chimed in. "Uncle, there's no need to worry. Mommy was sick recently, and we were kidnapped too. All of that has made her look a bit weary. But everything's resolved now," she assured him, her voice filled with affection.
At the mention of the kidnapping, Brady's expression shifted instantly. He didn't need to ponder to know that Antonio Valencia must have been involved in some way.
His gaze darkened as he turned to Antonio. "How did you all get kidnapped? What exactly happened?" he demanded.
Antonio, seated nearby, sighed inwardly. He knew Brady would never look upon him kindly. "I'm still investigating the suspects. Don't worry, this won't happen again in the future," he assured him, his explanation brief.
Brady scoffed, his disdain palpable. "Regardless, I can't let my sister and her children get hurt."
Sarah felt a twinge of frustration. "Bro! We owe Antonio for this. Without him, the kids and I would have suffered even more!" she defended.
Brady's response was a cold snort, but he refrained from further comment. Antonio felt a pang of discomfort. He hadn't even managed to pacify his eldest son yet, and now his strained relationship with his brother-in-law was resurfacing.
The four children picked up on the tension between their uncle and father. Ethan quickly intervened, grabbing Brady's hand. "Uncle, let's not fight anymore. It's over now."
"Uncle, you mentioned that you volunteer at the International Wildlife Rescue Organization. What fun things do you do there?" Harper asked, her eyes lighting up at the prospect. She loved animals, and the idea of such a place excited her.
Brady indulged them with tales of his adventures, including a rescue mission for a polar bear on a glacier. At that time, its leg was broken, and myself and the other volunteers helped bandage it."
"Is the polar bear really cold?" Ethan asked curiously.
"Does its fur look like Bush's fur?" Harper was also very thrilled.
"Is it really not afraid of the cold at all? Does it sweat in the summer?"
Ethan was even more delighted. He had been well protected since he was young and couldn't go to extremely cold or hot places.
So, when he heard about the Arctic, he was very curious.
Brian shook his head helplessly, "The polar bear is a bear, and Bush is a dog. How can their fur be the same? And of course, it's not afraid of the cold, its body must be cool."
Brian couldn't understand why they asked such childish questions.
Brady indulgently ruffled Brian's head. "Let's not talk about that. I’ve brought gifts for you four."
"That's great! I love receiving gifts the most. Thank you, Uncle!" Harper clapped happily.
Brady brought out his suitcase and, after opening it, it was filled with gifts, all packed into five separate bundles.
Actually, Brady didn't know that Ryan was also here at first. The other gift was actually intended for Sarah.
But fortunately, he had prepared two gifts for her in the first place, so Ryan didn't feel left out.
Although this child belonged to Antonio Valencia, he was also innocent.
Harper looked at the peculiar toys in her hands and especially liked them. "Wow, what is this? I have never seen anything like it before!"
"These are all gifts that I bought for you during my travels to different countries and some souvenirs from our organization. I got this customized little polar bear when I was in the Arctic."
Brady distributed all the gift boxes to the four children and also handed out various gifts he had prepared for them.
"Sarah, this one is for you."
It was a customized gift - a pendant featuring a cartoon version of her. She accepted it with a smile, assuring her brother that she was no longer a child who needed gifts.
In the spacious house, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful. But amidst the joy of giving and receiving, Antonio sat alone on the sofa, a solitary figure in the midst of familial warmth.
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