Chapter 74: Harmonious Father-Daughter Interaction

Chapter 74: Harmonious Father-Daughter Interaction

Watching this harmonious scene unfold, Airael wore a blissful smile.

Although it lacked intense passion and seemed rather mundane, sometimes simplicity brings its own happiness.

She had imagined such moments before.

Regardless of anything else, Anna would always be the child of both her and Arthur.

In this tranquil ambiance, Anna slowly grew familiar with Arthur.

Her eyes were often drawn to him, especially fixated on his ears.

Little Anna, sensitive to the differences, noticed that her ears were pointed like her mother’s and the other elves around her, while her father’s ears were not.

Perplexed by this, she stretched out her tiny hand, wanting to touch Arthur’s ears.

But her little arms were just too short to reach them while nestled in Airael’s embrace.

“Touch, touch…”

The little one whined as she extended her hand.

Hearing Anna’s voice and understanding her actions, Arthur took the initiative to lean down, presenting his ear.

With a gleeful grin, Anna touched his ear.

Finding what she wanted to touch, she giggled delightfully: “Hehehe!”

Arthur beamed at his daughter, sharing in her joy.

Though the sight was a bit silly, it was worth it to see her happy.

Airael watched this scene with a smile, content to be a quiet observer, allowing her daughter and Arthur to bond without interruption.

Having learned from past experiences, Arthur had clearly found a way to connect with his daughter.

While the moment might seem comical, the results were undeniable.

Soon enough, Anna had finished exploring that ear and her eyes wandered to Arthur’s other ear.

Her intention was clear; she wanted to touch both!

Arthur quickly understood and turned to comply with her wishes.

Now facing Airael, Anna reached for the other ear.

At that moment, Arthur found himself a bit mesmerized, captivated by Airael’s smiling face.

In his eyes, she looked absolutely beautiful.

“What are you staring at me for?”

Noticing something was a bit off, Airael dropped her smile and questioned Arthur.

Snapping back to reality, Arthur replied with a grin, “Ailia, you looked beautiful just now.”

Airael’s cheeks flushed slightly.

Not wanting to give up easily, she asked, “If I looked beautiful then, does that mean I look bad now?”

Her tone shifted, becoming slightly dangerous.

At this moment, Anna’s curiosity was piqued by the conversation occurring between her parents.

Arthur’s ears were now free for exploration.

With big, confused eyes, Anna watched her seemingly arguing parents.

“You look great now too.”

Arthur responded with a warm smile.

His sincerity radiated; no matter how you looked at it, Ailia was a rare beauty.

With her porcelain-like skin, delicate features, and perfect figure, she was truly a gift from the heavens.

Plus, Ailia understood him well, making her all the more special.

Yet, in that brief moment, Airael seemed to shine even brighter, enchanting him further.

Feeling much better, Airael turned her gaze to Anna in her arms.

Only then did she realize Anna was watching them with curiosity.

Her big blue eyes reflected her wonder.

Following Airael’s gaze, Arthur looked at Anna too.

Caught in a staring contest with her parents, Anna gazed back at them.

Airael then suggested, wanting to deepen the connection between father and daughter, “Why don’t you try holding Anna?”

“Is that okay?”

Arthur was taken aback, a mix of excitement and fear bubbling within him.

He wanted to hold his daughter to feel that connection, but he also worried about scaring her.

“You did fine interacting with Anna just now; she shouldn’t be too afraid of you anymore. Plus, I’m right here!”

With Airael’s assurance and his own budding desire, Arthur nodded, “Then I’ll give it a shot.”

Turning to Anna, he softly asked, “Anna, can Daddy give you a hug?”

His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Anna looked back at him, puzzled.

She didn’t respond, and Arthur hesitated, fearing a repeat of past events.

Airael grew restless with his indecision.

Why was he hesitating? Just yesterday he was quick to scoop her up into bed!

Though the scenarios were different, it boiled down to the fact that hesitant men weren’t exactly charming.

Wouldn’t it be better to take action?

Not wanting to watch this play out any longer, Airael decided to give Arthur a little push.

Leaning down, she addressed Anna, “Sweetheart, how about letting Daddy hold you for a bit? He really wants to hug you.”

With that, she gently handed Anna over to Arthur.

He carefully took her in his arms, apprehensive about how she might respond.

Once cradled by Arthur, Anna didn’t fuss; she was peaceful.

Being held by Daddy felt different than being hugged by Mommy.

Although Anna couldn’t quite put her finger on it, she recognized she didn’t dislike it.

As they became more familiar, she had come to fear Arthur less.

Seeing his little girl snug in his arms brought great joy to Arthur.

“Ailia, Anna let me hold her!”

He exclaimed excitedly to Airael, nearly moved to tears.

Airael felt both happiness and guilt as she watched Arthur.

While her departure had been justified, it ultimately forced Arthur to miss out on his time with Anna as she grew.

Thankfully, she was now making amends.

Though the lost time could not be regained, she hoped for better days ahead.

As if tired, Anna soon drifted off to sleep in Arthur’s embrace, her slumber sweet as can be.

Looking at Arthur, Airael spoke, “Arthur, take her to bed; I have something to discuss with you.”

“Got it!”

Arthur nodded, carefully standing and making his way to the bed, gently placing their daughter down and tucking her in with a blanket.