Chapter 827: Chapter 832 Reconciliation

“I used to wear my heart like a banner, pride myself on how deeply I felt. But you know what? Ali that emotion was like wearing rose–colored glasses, blinding me to my own daughter…”

He looked at Damien, his face bare with remorse. “Thank you for helping me realize the harm I caused.”

This man, who appeared to be in his fifties, spoke with such sincerity that Damien couldn’t help but smile. “Cherry would be thrilled if she knew you felt this way,” he said. “When she found out about last night, she was terrified you would be hurt. We’re only here because she was afraid you would be upset and wanted to brighten your day. She truly sees you as family, and if you could see her the same way… well, I genuinely believe it would mean the world to her.”

Beckham nodded eagerly. “I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. I spent the whole time reflecting on the past five years. The truth is, I failed as Cherry’s father. I showered Gwenn with love and devoted everything to her, and what did I get? Lies and betrayal. Maybe, right from the beginning, I shouldn’t have… shouldn’t have pretended Gwenn was mine.”

He stood before Damien, his shoulders slumped. “Yes, it’s all my fault. Every bit of it.”

“Dad, it’s not your fault,”

Beckham’s voice trailed off, replaced by a clear, choked–up female voice. Both men in the kitchen spun around, their eyes landing on Cherise.

She stood behind Beckham, tears shimmering as she addressed the older man.

“Dad, don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. You were just trying to do the right thing, to continue caring for Gwenn after I returned. You weren’t wrong about that. And just like me… I could never just replace you with Uncle Elvis. We share blood, but we’ve been apart for so long. I know it’s difficult. But it’s not your fault.”

Sniffling, Cherise wiped her tears away. “But hearing you blame yourself like this, it hurts. I’ve always wanted to be closer to you, Dad. But you always seem so distant…”

Cherise sniffled, her eyes watery but her smile brave. “Are you finally ready to accept me, your farm–

raised daughter?”

Beckham felt tears prick his own eyes. “I… I never…”

He wanted to say he never rejected her, but the words caught in his throat.

Since the DNA test five years ago, Cherise had been his daughter in his heart. But somewhere, there was still a difference in how he treated her compared to Gwenn.

“From now on,” he declared, stepping forward and pulling Cherise into a loose hug, “you’re my only daughter.”

As for Gwenn, she knew what mattered to him, yet she still helped Raymond escape. That meant she had never considered his feelings or regarded him as her father.

Cherise’s tears finally spilled over. Despite the reconciliation years ago, the unfair treatment from Beckham had always weighed on her.

Now, how could she not cry tears of joy with the weight lifted?

“Okay, okay, enough crying!” Two pigtails bounced as Serafina stomped over, grabbing Cherise’s sleeve with one hand and Beckham’s shirt with the other.

She chirped. “Grandpa wants to do your hair! Pretty braids, just like mine!”

Serafina twirled her braids, her voice bubbling with excitement, “Look at my beautiful braids, Mommy!”

She giggled, swinging her hair. “Grandpa said he never braided your hair when you were little. Do you think he could do it now? He’s really good at braids!”

Cherise’s eyes widened. She glanced at Serafina, then met Beckham’s gaze, a hesitant smile tugging at her lips. After a moment, a warm feeling spread through her. “Sure, why not?”

Turning to her father, she added, “It’s been ages since anyone touched my hair. If you’re up for it, I’m game!”

Beckham practically beamed, his hands buzzing with nervous energy. “Of course I am! Let’s do it!”

Cherise chuckled. “Alright, let’s see what you can do. You’ve never braided my hair before.”

Suddenly, Soren popped up, holding out a comb. He warned Beckham, “Hey, Grandpa. Sera and I only have one Mommy, so don’t mess it up too badly. Otherwise, we might have to find a new one!”

“Uh–huh! Mommy needs a beauty makeover just like Sera!” Serafina chirped, nodding.

Cherise chuckled, shaking her head at the two chatterboxes. “You two wouldn’t stop talking for a second, would you?”

Though she teased, her voice dripped with love and appreciation. She understood their attempt to lighten the mood.

Right! Why cry on a day like this?

With a smile, she let Serafina pull her down to the floor.

Watching from the sofa, Beckham reached over and gently removed the band from Cherise’s high ponytail. Her dark hair cascaded down like a silky waterfall.

“Beautiful hair, just like your mom’s,” he murmured, running a comb through it.

Cherise raised an eyebrow. “You used to comb Mom’s hair?”

Beckham chuckled, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. “Oh, yeah. She wouldn’t leave me alone until I learned.”

He reminisced that Cherise, adopted into their family as a young girl, had long, unruly hair that she hated managing. So, Beckham, ever the patient one, learned how to comb it for her.

Beckham chuckled, remembering a mischievous glint in Cherise’s mom’s eyes. “Yeah, your mom wasn’t one to let me get away with slacking. If I forgot to comb her hair, barn! Surprise doodle in my homework!”

Cherise’s eyes widened. “No way! Mom actually drew in your school stuff?”

Beckham chuckled, a twinkle in his own eyes. “Well, let’s just say forgetting to brush her hair once resulted in a colorful surprise hidden in my history book. It wasn’t exactly helpful for my grades, but I have to admit, it was pretty funny.”

In the kitchen, Damien paused momentarily, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. The sound of running water echoed the playful banter from the living room.

The kitchen counter buzzed with the sudden vibration of Damien’s phone. He frowned, glancing at the screen before answering. “Yeah, Charles?”

Charles‘ voice crackled through the receiver, “Just got the lowdown on Tristan. It turns out he snuck back into Adania today. My sources even snagged a copy of the sneaky email he sent to the company after landing. Do you think it’s time we put him under close watch?”

Damien sighed, rubbing his temples. “Keep an eye out for now, that’s enough. We’ll figure out the rest later. I have my hands full right now.”

“Hands full with what? Didn’t you tie up all the loose ends at the office?” Charles scoffed.

Damien chuckled, a hint of warmth creeping into his voice. “Work’s all sorted; I’m just dealing with some… family matters now.”