Kiran looked at Sandy, a rare gentle smile lighting up his face as he reached out and ruffled her hair. "Our Sandy... you''ve really grown up." Sandy turned to him, her eyes earnest. "Brother, can you stop being mad at Dad? Wouldn''t it be nice for us all to be together as a family?"


    "Of course, it would be," Kiran replied softly. "Once I sort out a few things, we''ll be a happy family again. I''ll always be your big brother who loves you the most, and we''ll all be together."


    Sandy lowered her gaze, her voice barely a whisper. "Sophie is a dear friend, and you''re the brother I adore. You both are so smart, and I don''t seem to be good at anything. If the two of you teamed up, I bet there''s nothing you couldn''t do. We''re already so well-off; there''s no need to..."


    Before she could finish, Kiran gently ced his hand over her mouth. "Remember, you''re not allowed to say those three words," he warned softly.


    Sandy looked up at him with a pout, her eyes promising never to say it again.


    Seeing her expression, Kiran removed his hand and said, "I''ve got my own path, and you''ve got yours. Everyone has their mission in life, choices to make, and I''m no different. I just want you to be happy, being the Pord family''s daughter. Even if you throw a tantrum or act spoiled, no one will dare say a word against you. Even if you make a big mess, I''ll be there to clean it up. Don''t try to be like Sophie; it''s too much work, and I don''t want you to wear yourself out."


    Hearing this, Sandy flung herself into Kiran''s arms, tears streaming down her face. "But I''m scared, scared that one day you and Dad will be gone, and I''ll be all alone..."


    "Silly girl, I''ll always be here to protect you. How could you ever be alone?"


    Kiran gently stroked her hair. "In families like ours, while we have everything, our lives are still full of challenges. Ordinary families worry about their next meal, but we... we have hundreds ofpanies and thousands of employees relying on us We have a responsibility to them." Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Sandy didn''t hear a word of this; she just kept crying. She''d seen a confrontation today that she''d never imagined possible between Kiran and Sophie, and Colby''s bullet had pierced Kiran''s shoulder.


    Even though her brother stayed silent about it, the pain of a bullet wound must have been excruciating.


    Sandy cried herself to sleepte into the night, with Kiran by her side,forting her.


    When she finally drifted off, Kiran helped her into bed, his face soft with tenderness as he tucked her in.


    When the maid came to clear the dinner cart, Kiran signaled her to be quiet. She nodded and tiptoed out of the room.


    Kiran went to the bathroom, grabbed an eye mask, and gently applied it under Sandy''s puffy eyes.


    Watching her sleep, Kiran''s face softened with affection, his thoughts wandering back to a dream from over a month ago.


    In that dream, his mother was alive. Her voice and smile were vivid, almost tangible.


    She loved tending to the flowers in


    thard, her long hair swept up,


    her eyes and brows filled with a


    gentle warmth.