The following night, Nelly decorated the backyard of Dave's castle with some tables and chairs under the dim lights. Furthermore, she also prepared a variety of fruit juices and wine.
The atmosphere was great.
Meanwhile, Tony and Ben were getting busy with the barbecue on the other side of the backyard.
Donna looked on from the side and commented, “Watch out, Tony. Don't burn the meat.” Then, she added, “Ben, I like to eat this one.”
Turning to Tony , Donna asked again, “Tony, you guys haven't done this for a long time. Are you getting rusty?”
Tony heaved a sigh of frustration. “Why don't you come here and do it yourself?” Hearing that, Donna immediately shook her head. “I don't know how to do it.”
“Keep quiet if you don't know how,” Tony rebuked her. Donna pursed her lips at her eldest brother.
Meanwhile, Nelly was slowly drinking a glass of red wine. She had a black shawl draped over her body, exuding an indescribable gentle aura.
Nelly could not help but grin when she looked at the three little munchkins. Right then, Donna walked toward Nelly and sat directly next to her. “Nelly .” “Huh?”
“Why did you suddenly think of having a barbecue tonight?” Donna probed with a smile.
Nelly explained, “I wanted to invite Dave to dinner to express my gratitude. However, the accommodation and all the food here are provided by him. I couldn't think of anything else and decided to have a barbecue. There's nothing more thoughtful than preparing everything by yourself.”
After hearing her explanation, Donna nodded thoughtfully. “I got it, Nelly .” In response, Nelly reached out and caressed her head.
Glancing around, Donna asked, “Why aren't Daddy and Alpha Dave here yet?”
Nelly took a glance at her watch. “They should be here soon. Let's wait a little longer.”
As she spoke, the figures of Alpha Kilian and Dave appeared from the side. Seeing their arrival, Donna immediately cried out as she darted toward Alpha Kilian , “Speak of the devil. Daddy!”
Alpha Kilian bent over and caught her.
“Daddy, you're finally here,” Donna said with a pout.
Smiling, he asked, “What's the matter? Have you been waiting for a long time?” With a nod, she responded, “Yeah. I waited until I got hungry.”
“You little glutton.” Alpha Kilian gently flicked Donna on the nose.
Standing beside him, Dave was taken aback by the scene before his eyes.
The spacious venue was exquisitely decorated. He could tell that they had put a lot of effort into this. Most importantly, the atmosphere gave him a sense of peace.
Nelly sat not far away with her long hair cascading down her shoulders. Her every move was captivating that night.
Dave had not witnessed such a sight for many years.
To be precise, this warm atmosphere made him feel out of place, yet he yearned for more at the same time.
He seemed to begin to comprehend why people in their line of work wanted to retire and return to live a normal life.
I didn't understand the reason in the past. However, it makes sense to me now.
At that moment, Donna looked at him from the side. “Alpha Dave, what's the matter?”
Hearing her voice, Dave instantly snapped back to reality. “It's nothing,” he replied with a smile. “Then, are you satisfied with what you're seeing?” she probed.
Nodding, he answered, “Yes, I'm quite satisfied. This place is nothing more than a residence for me. However, it looks livelier now.”
Donna 's lips curled into an impish grin. “What's so funny?” queried Dave.
“Alpha Dave, I knew you would like it. I'm glad that all my efforts into the design have not gone to waste,” she uttered.
Dave quirked an eyebrow at her comment. “Did you decorate this place?”
“Yes!” Donna nodded confidently. “I was the one who laid out all the lights and their placement here.” A hint of approval flashed across his eyes. “I didn't know you were so talented.”
“Well, this is nothing. All those years of watching romance dramas have finally paid off for me,” Donna replied, feeling proud of herself.
Both Dave and Alpha Kilian smiled at the adorable little girl. Then, Alpha Kilian carried his daughter in his arms and walked to the other side.
Looking at the two little boys who were still barbecuing at a near distance, Alpha Kilian asked, “Nelly , is this what you meant by your solution?”
Nelly nodded in response. “After giving it some thought, I figured it was better to let them do it themselves.”
Alpha Kilian let out a chuckle. “It's indeed the right decision.”
Looking at Dave on the side, Nelly said, “Although it's still your place, hopefully, it will look different to you after some decorations.”
Dave nodded after sweeping his gaze around. “Very good. It doesn't look the same as before. This was originally a residence, but the atmosphere feels livelier with the decorations.”
“If you don't like these things, you can remove them at any time,” Nelly suggested. “There's no need for that. I'll leave it like this since it looks pretty nice,” Dave stated. A smile bloomed on Nelly 's face when she heard his compliment.
Right then, Alpha Kilian picked up a bottle of wine from the side before pouring two glasses. He handed one to Dave.
The two of them sat down to enjoy the wine.
Looking at the two young boys who were busying themselves with barbecue not far away, Dave could not help but grin. “Even though Tony and Ben are gifted, they still act childish at times. Well, they're two good boys!”
A smirk appeared on Alpha Kilian 's face. “Someone has taught them well.” “Alpha Dave, am I not a good kid?” Donna queried.
Seeing her blinking eyes, she looked very much like Nelly . Dave broke into a smile and exclaimed, ”You're the best!”
“That's more like it!” Donna 's lips curled into a satisfied grin.
At that moment, Dave took out an item and probed, “Donna , do you like this?”
Looking at the piece of emerald in Dave's hand, Donna reached out to take it. After observing it, she exclaimed, “Alpha Dave, this... is a quality piece of emerald!”
“You can tell the difference?”
“I went to an exhibition when I was abroad. I was lucky enough to see some amazing stuff. An expert appraiser told me that he specializes in assessing emeralds. I got to learn something from him,” Donna explained.
At her words, Dave raised an eyebrow. It seems that none of the three children is a simpleton. “So, do you like it?” he asked again.
“Dave!” Alpha Kilian barked.
Dave defended himself. “I haven't given these three kids anything before. Consider this a meeting gift from me.”