Chapter 977:

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After Felix left for the racing qualifiers in Gildensun, Clarice quickly realized that staying alone in that quiet house would drive her up the wall. Rather than sit around counting hours, she packed up her boy-girl twins and moved back to the Moore Estate.

When Adora and Galen were dropped off, she clicked her tongue and scolded her brother and sister-in-law for being careless parents. Even so, she didn’t hesitate. She gathered the children in with brisk efficiency, naturally stepping into the role of head of the household.

“Alright, just get the hell out of here, both of you. I’m tired of looking at you,” she said, waving the couple off while balancing sweet little Adora in her arms. “Don’t worry. I’ll be at home. I can handle these four children.”

And just like that, Austin and Brinley were free to begin their long-awaited time alone. They kept things simple and sweet, walking along sunlit beaches with the sea breeze tugging at their clothes, wandering through snow-capped mountains to admire the endless stretch, riding horses across wide grasslands as the sun dipped low and painted the horizon gold.

𝗙оl𝗅оw us 𝗈𝗻 𝘨𝖺l𝗇𝗈𝗏е𝘭s.𝘤𝘰𝗆

Austin handled every detail, accommodations, routes, meals, leaving Brinley with nothing to worry about. All she had to do was stay by his side, radiant and relaxed, basking in his unwavering affection. They were inseparable. Conversation flowed easily between them, and when the mood was right, neither of them held back. They made love.

Back at the Moore Estate, things were far less poetic.

With four children under one roof, Clarice’s days became a relentless rotation of small crises. Hardly had she coaxed her crybaby son, Leo, into a nap when Adora would appear, indignant and on the verge of tears, accusing Galen of snatching her toy. She would settle that dispute, only to hear Gloria, her daughter, wailing her heart out from another room after wetting the bed.

From morning to night, Clarice moved nonstop. Sometimes she was so busy she barely remembered to drink water. And yet, when she looked at the four children, loud, messy, impossible, a quiet satisfaction settled in her chest.

Felix’s trip stretched into three full months. She worried, of course. Racing was never gentle. But every night, without fail, he called. His steady voice reassured her, and little by little, the anxiety that had followed her around began to ease.

One night, after finally getting all four children to sleep, she sank onto the sofa, exhaustion pulling at every muscle. The clock read eleven. No call. A flicker of unease stirred. She picked up her phone, debating whether to call Felix first, then hesitated. What if he was resting?

Just as she was caught in that indecision, her screen lit up. It was Felix.

She answered immediately, but before she could speak, his voice came through, tired, but vibrating with excitement. “Honey, I got first place!”

The tension that had quietly been building inside her loosened all at once.

“Mm. I figured you would,” she replied, forcing her tone to stay level even as a smile curved her lips. “When are you coming back?”

“First thing tomorrow morning,” Felix said quickly. “Clarice, I missed you like crazy.”

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