Four years had passed since Edmund and Cecilia Lionhardt lost their son and daughter-in-law in a tragic plane crash. Though devastated, they devoted themselves to raising their granddaughters, Venelana and Claire, showering them with love while secretly hiding their own grief.
One quiet afternoon, the couple took a walk through the city streets, heavy-hearted. "It's been four years… yet sometimes it feels like yesterday," Cecilia murmured, glancing at her granddaughter's smiling faces. They knew their girls masked their sorrow, determined to stay cheerful for them.
As they wandered, a thought struck Edmund. Without knowing why, he felt drawn to a nearby orphanage. Something whispered to him that there was a child there… someone who needed them as much as they needed him.
Inside the orphanage, their eyes fell on a small boy swinging gently on the playground. Crimson-red hair caught the sunlight, and his amethyst eyes sparkled despite the sadness shadowing them.
Edmund approached slowly, sitting beside the boy. "Why aren't you playing with the others?" he asked softly.
Lucien Aurelius Potter looked up, his tiny shoulders sagging. "They… they rejected me," he said quietly. "Four times already… because I'm… different."
Edmund's heart tightened. He gently patted Lucien's head. "Don't worry, little one. There will be a family who will love you just the way you are."
Lucien's lips curved into a faint smile. "Thank you," he whispered, then wrapped his small arms around Edmund in a hug. A warmth spread through the old man, melting away a little of the sorrow he had carried for years.
Cecilia stepped forward, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She pinched his cheek lightly and handed him a chocolate. "And what is your name, young man?"
"Lucien… Lucien Aurelius Potter," he replied.
Both Edmund and Cecilia nodded, a silent agreement passing between them.
Later, in the orphanage office, Edmund and Cecilia spoke with the director. "Tell us about this Lucien," Edmund requested.
The director smiled fondly. "Lucien is… remarkable. Strong-willed, kind-hearted, and he smiles even when he's sad. Many families have come to adopt him, but he was always rejected. Some said he was too quiet, some said he was too clever for his age, and some… feared he was 'too different.'"
Edmund and Cecilia exchanged glances. "He reminds me of our son… strong, determined, and kind," Cecilia whispered.
Back at the Lionhardt mansion, the granddaughters finally met Lucien. Venelana and Claire, intrigued by the stories of a small, extraordinary child, were immediately captivated.
Lucien's shy smile quickly gave way to laughter as the girls pulled him into playful games, giggling and chasing him through the mansion's gardens for an entire week. By the end of it, their faces glowed with genuine happiness—something Edmund and Cecilia hadn't seen in a long time.
"We've decided," Edmund said quietly to Cecilia one evening. "Lucien will join the Lionhardt family. Our granddaughters… they deserve a brother to love and protect."
Cecilia nodded. "And he deserves a family who will never reject him again."
When the official adoption process was completed, Lucien left the orphanage. He waved a small, bittersweet farewell to the caretakers who had watched over him, clutching the small bag of belongings he would need for his new life.
As the carriage carried him to the Lionhardt mansion, Lucien's amethyst eyes sparkled with curiosity and hope. A new chapter awaited him—one filled with warmth, family, and perhaps… a little mischief.