Dante leaned back slightly on his palms, looking at his sons with eyes soft and a warm expression.
"I mean that…"
Another pause, another drag of silence, thick enough to make Alina's breath hitch.
"I love her."
The room fell absolutely still.
Lucien's mouth opened.
Sable's eyes went round as stars.
And Alina's entire body tingled all the way to the tips of her fingers, her whole being turning warm as if someone had quietly wrapped her in sunlight. He loves her? Not a crush… not simple liking… not mere admiration. Love.
Her brain almost burst into tiny fireworks, and she had to bite her lip to keep her face from exploding like a tomato.
She nervously looked at Lucien and Sable.
Lucien was the first to speak, his expression completely blank, as if Dante had just announced the results of a weather report, not a life-changing confession.
"So?" Lucien asked calmly. "We love her too."
Alina nearly choked on air.
