Chapter 204: Departure to the Capital

Robertson, Irene, and Stefan had been staying in the small town for some time. After spending a while getting to know Irene better, Robertson felt the time was right to persuade her to return to the capital. He had expected it to be a difficult task and had even prepared a long speech in advance. However, to his surprise, none of that was necessary— Irene agreed without hesitation. Robertson was overjoyed and said "good" three times in a row. Excitedly, he asked Barton to arrange their flight back to the capital and began packing their luggage. As for Itha, who was still recovering from his injuries, Robertson saw no issue in taking him back to the capital as well. Itha was already awake, and despite his injuries, his mind was clear, and the doctors had praised his quick recovery due to his excellent physical condition. Irene smiled and said, "Father, you and my brother should go ahead. I’ll bring Grandmother and join you in the capital later." Robertson hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to part with his daughter so soon. Although he had spent days asking her about everything from her childhood, he still hadn't had enough time with her. Surrounded by family, he resorted to playful stubbornness. "No, I won’t leave without you." Irene smiled helplessly. "Father, this is just a small town, and the medical facilities here aren’t great. Staying here isn’t good for Itha's recovery." Robertson quickly responded, "I'll go with you to meet your grandmother. After all these years, she’s taken care of you, and I must thank her in person." With Robertson insisting, Irene had no reason to refuse. Before leaving, Irene went to see Itha. He was unaware of the arrangements being made and smiled broadly when he saw her. "Sister, how have you been lately?" Irene didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You’re the one wrapped in bandages and lying in bed. I'm perfectly fine." It was clear that Itha cared deeply for her, which warmed Irene’s heart. Though they hadn't exchanged many words, being together felt comfortable, as if the many years of separation had never happened. Itha believed this was the natural connection between siblings. Looking at Irene, Itha spoke with affection, "About your engagement with Stefan, we brothers have your back. We’ve agreed that you should marry whoever you like, not just him. The world is full of good men, and we’ll support whoever you choose!" Although his words were perfectly normal, coming from Itha—who had a buzz cut from the army and carried an aura of menace—he looked more like a bandit ready to kidnap someone for marriage. Irene laughed, "Isn’t that just like forcing someone into marriage?" Itha grinned, "Of course not. You’re our family’s treasure, and whoever marries you will be the luckiest man alive. Everyone will envy him!" Irene couldn’t help but laugh. Itha seemed beyond help at this point. In his eyes, even if she set off a firecracker, he’d probably say it smelled sweet. "Don’t worry, brother. I can handle this myself. Don’t forget, I was the one who rescued you!" Hearing this, Itha relaxed a bit. "Alright, but remember, you have seven brothers behind you, ready to help anytime. If anyone bullies you, don’t just stand there—make sure you get even!" Irene listened to Itha’s long-winded advice with a smile. If her other brothers were present, they would have been astonished. Since when had Itha become so talkative? In truth, Itha likely understood Irene’s character well. In just a few hours, he had seen her quick thinking, calm demeanor, and decisive actions. His rational side knew she was capable of taking care of herself, but his emotions still made him worry. For Irene, being fussed over like this was new. Apart from her grandmother, it was the first time someone had shown her such concern. Stefan wasn’t one to nag—he always ensured her safety through his actions. But this wasn’t a bad feeling. Irene listened with a smile as warm sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating both of them and the picture of a little girl on Itha’s phone. The adorable girl held up a toy car, triumphantly sitting on a boy of about two or three years old. Itha looked at the photo, smiling. "This was when you had just started talking. You and our seventh brother were playing together, fighting over toys. Father was worried that he’d accidentally hurt you, but it turned out you were the one who knocked him over." Irene leaned over to look at the photo. It was a heartwarming scene, as if that joyful moment had crossed time to reach her now. After a moment’s hesitation, Irene looked at Itha, who was still smiling, and finally spoke up. "But I don’t have any memories of my time with the Norman family." Itha froze for a second, his eyes reddening slightly. Then he smiled again, "You were so young then. What could you remember?" Irene suggested, "Maybe we should do a DNA test, just to put everyone’s minds at ease." Itha shook his head, pointing to his hair and eye color. "We look so much alike—no need for a DNA test. You’re my sister, and if anyone doubts that, I’ll make them regret it!" Irene nodded, watching Itha’s emotional response. She narrowed her eyes slightly, having long suspected internal strife within the Norman family. Even Hausmann had warned her that the Norman family was a dangerous place. The DNA test was a must. That evening, Irene gave the samples to Ada, asking her to contact the mercenaries to have them tested. The results came back quickly: they were indeed siblings. However, Irene knew this test wouldn’t settle everything. Once in the capital, there would undoubtedly be others demanding the same test. After all, her return to the family would disrupt more than one person’s plans. This early test was meant to reassure her father and Itha. Initially, Robertson didn’t quite understand the significance of this. He was happy his daughter had been found, but he hadn’t forgotten his son. One day, on his way to Itha’s room, a doctor handed him a folder, saying it was from an anonymous client who requested a test. After reading the results, both Robertson and Itha were teary-eyed. Robertson looked at the folder and sighed, "Irene is a good child." The secretary nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Miss Irene is very thoughtful, not wanting to put you and Itha in a difficult position." Robertson carefully put the folder away, a sharp gleam flashing in his aging eyes. Now, it was just a matter of waiting to see who would make the first move.