True Father

"Yes," Iris replied, her voice choked with emotion. She pressed herself closer to Jin Liwei, taking comfort from his body heat and allowing it to wash away the cold fear caused by the nightmare. "I'll remember."

"Good." Jin Liwei gave her waist a gentle squeeze. "There are so many things that I want to ask about your past life but now is not the time. You're tired and you need to rest. And I also know that you want to receive your brother Nikolai's blessings first to tell me everything. So I'll just wait for now until both of you are ready to tell me about your past lives."

She nodded. "I'll still tell you everything even if Big Brother says no. But I'm hoping that he'll give his blessings. I'll feel a lot of better if he does."

"He will, love," he told her. "Your brother loves you."

A small smile finally brightened her weary expression. "Yes, my big brother loves me."