PBPGD

CHAPTER 120

Spring gave way to summer, bringing endless days of scorching heat. It also brought about significant change in Del Casa as well as Cayen.

The northern region of Valencia welcomed an endless chain of Gaiorian machinery. Walls, buildings, and lakes sprouted from the empty fields, but it was nonetheless an arduous task to build a city on land that had been long-abandoned.

The general consensus was that if it hadn't been for Cayen's renowned architect Rodrigo Barnett and Gaior's acclaimed engineer Whitson Liber, the city wouldn't have become what it did.

But as the overseer of the plan, Claude had to spend half of the month at Valencia. To him, those days were nothing short of hell. The eight-hour round trip to Del Casa wasn't the difficult part, however, the real torture was arriving after Lia fell asleep and leaving before she woke.

Only once Ivan's health started deteriorating from making the long trip for days on end did Claude set up temporary living quarters in Valencia.

'I hope the baby will take after the grand duchess.'

lan's first words at the news made Claude scoff.

'Don't worry, the baby will take after both of us.'

'Why don't you send him or her to study in Gaior when they grow up? I'm willing to be the godfather, if you ask.'

'The Crown Prince has claimed that position already, I'm afraid,'

'You can have more than one godfather.'

For a moment, Claude had debated cutting out Ian's tongue but decided against it-partly for international peace, but mainly for Lia.

Of course, he quickly did an about-face with this decision when lan crossed the line with his next comment.

'Did you know that the woman who took your first kiss and mine is the same person?'

Even as he brandished his sword, Claude
regretted not taking out his gun. Ian raised both hands in surrender as Claude's sword cut off the tip of his hair, but both men knew that Ian wasn't the one who lost in this encounter.

"Where is Camellia?" Claude demanded as he stepped out of the car. Exactly twelve days and twenty hours had passed since he left for Valencia.

"Lady Ihar is visiting downtown, my lord," Caruso answered. "She is volunteering at the nunnery today with Lady Jasmine."

Claude shed his jacket and folded his sleeves as he listened to Caruso. He then undid his tie, which Caruso caught deftly and folded over his arm. Claude climbed into the driver's seat, shirt billowing with the warm breeze.

His tanned skin stretched taut over his muscled arms as he grabbed the wheel. Caruso worried for his lord's health, as he had just finished a long journey from the Valencian fields, but he knew Lia was Claude's panacea.

He bowed as Claude glanced at him, the scar on his forehead lending him a cooler air. "Drive safely, my lord. I'll have the afternoon meeting prepared for your return."

Claude turned the wheel hard, causing the pile of gifts in the backseat to slide around violently. They were from Gaior and included a long letter from Laura. He couldn't wait to see his wife's face light up at the presents.

***

"Miss Lia!"

Lia swept up Jessica as the little girl bounced to her, showering her with kisses. Jessica had just turned four years old, but she was much smaller than other children her age.

Interestingly, her hair and eye color were exactly like Lia's, which caused the girl to form a strong attachment to her. She stuck to her like glue from the moment Lia stepped into the nunnery until she left.