Chapter 621: Regret
Axel was hunched forward, his elbows resting against his knees, his expression dazed as he stared blankly at the ground.
Without hesitation, Mr. Crow flew directly toward him and landed against his temple.
"Even if you’re a bad person, you shouldn’t give our little Lana hope only to hurt her afterward. Look at her! She’s sad because of you!"
Axel immediately looked up, irritation and guilt mixing together on his face.
"I didn’t want to upset her!" he shouted. "All right, I was just..."
He stopped. The rest of his words refused to come out. Mr. Crow stared at him for a moment before speaking with a cold expression.
"Even if your entire family wants you to stay away from your girlfriend, Lana wouldn’t do that. If she stopped you, then she must have seen something."
The moment Mr. Crow mentioned that, Axel’s expression changed. His pupils contracted.
’That’s right.’
Lana had that ability. She could see things that ordinary people couldn’t. She could sense possible futures.
She must have seen something terrible, something connected to the Mystic Realm, which was why she was desperately preventing him from entering it alone.
The realization struck Axel like a heavy blow. He slowly closed his eyes, remorse spreading across his face.
"It’s over," he murmured. "I made Lana so sad. She definitely won’t forgive me this time."
Mr. Crow gave him a disappointed look before flying toward Lana’s room. When he entered, he found the room empty.
He immediately began searching for her until he finally noticed her in the kitchen.
Lana was quietly preparing food.
Mr. Crow frowned. "What are you doing?"
Lana turned toward him and chuckled softly. "I’m making a meal for Uncle."
Mr. Crow’s expression darkened. "Why?"
He couldn’t understand her. "He almost doubted you. He even said those vicious words to you, and you’re still making food for him?"
Lana smiled faintly. "Of course I’m going to make something for him."
She lowered her eyes as she carefully stirred the food. "Uncle wasn’t truly trying to hurt me. He was just overwhelmed by his frustration."
She paused for a moment.
"He has carried that obsession with finding his girlfriend for so many years. Now that he finally got so close to fulfilling that wish, he was suddenly stopped by someone who wasn’t even willing to give him a reason."
Her voice became softer. "How could he possibly hold all of that inside?"
Mr. Crow remained silent. Lana continued with a small, understanding smile.
"He’s only angry because I didn’t explain things properly. If I lower myself a little and explain everything to him, he’ll eventually understand."
Mr. Crow stared at her in disbelief. ’Is this really the same Lana I know?’
But then again, this was Lana. Whenever she loved someone, she loved them wholeheartedly.
She could forgive them again and again, even when they hurt her.
At that moment, Lucian, who had been nearby, heard everything.
His brows furrowed, and he slowly lowered his head. ’Why should she be the one apologizing?’
Lana was Axel’s niece. She was someone Axel loved deeply. She shouldn’t have to lower herself just to make him feel better.
Lucian’s expression darkened. ’He should be the one apologizing to her.’
When lunchtime arrived, Lana carried out Axel’s favorite food herself.
She placed the dishes carefully on the table, the warm aroma spreading through the room.
Then she looked at Axel with a proud smile. "Uncle, I made this for you."
Axel, who had already been carrying an enormous amount of guilt in his heart, suddenly choked.
His throat tightened, and tears instantly appeared in his eyes.
When Lana saw this, she panicked. "Uncle, don’t... Did I really hurt you that much? I..."
Axel quickly shook his head. "No, Lana."
He wiped away the tears gathering beneath his eyes before slowly standing up. "I just feel ashamed."
He took a deep breath. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that."
His voice trembled slightly.
"I already know what kind of person you are. You would never deliberately hold me back from something important without a reason."
He lowered his head. "You would never become like those people who only think about themselves. I made the mistake of betraying your trust. I am..."
He paused, struggling to say the words. "I’m a bad person for doubting you, and I’m truly sorry."
Axel looked directly at her. "I promise that in the future, I’ll never question you like that again."
Lana blinked several times. "Uncle, all right. It was just a small fight."
Hearing that, Axel immediately shook his head. "No. I’m genuinely ashamed of myself."
Lana sighed helplessly. "All right, all right. I forgive you."
The moment those words left her mouth, Axel let out a long sigh of relief.
Just an hour ago, Lucian had approached him and told him everything. He looked directly at him and asked only one question.
"Was it worth it?"
Axel’s expression stiffened. "Was it worth hurting her?"
Axel had loved his girlfriend deeply for years, but somewhere along the way, he had come to love another person just as fiercely.
That person was Lana. He loved her like she was his own daughter.
And after seeing her sadness, he realised just how deeply his words had affected her.
Lucian continued staring at him.
"Was finding your girlfriend worth making Lana feel like she had to lower herself just to make you understand her?"
Axel lowered his head. His heart ached.
He had already regretted his actions, but when he learnt that Lana was planning to lower herself, that regret became even heavier.
What hurt him most was remembering her earlier words.
’As long as I lower myself a little, my uncle will understand everything.’
Axel’s fingers trembled. ’Why should she lower her head?’
He was the one who had misunderstood her.
He was the one who had lost control.
And yet Lana was the one who had quietly swallowed her hurt, prepared his favourite food, and chosen to forgive him.