Chapter 2092

At the mention of his orphaned past, both Brycen and Calliope felt their chests tighten. Tenderness pooled in their eyes.

Brycen cleared his throat. “Your parents were still young, weren’t they? How could such tragedies happen?”

“My father died in a car accident,” Magnus answered quietly. “Mother fought cancer until the very end, and then she, too, was gone.”

Calliope’s hand flew to her mouth. The simple outline of the story hurt more than any detailed account could.

She reached across the coffee table and clasped his fingers. “Sweet child, don’t dwell on the sorrow. From now on, Brycen and I are your family.”

Magnus bowed his head repeatedly. “Thank you.”

Standing a short distance away, Denise watched the three of them converse with such easy warmth that for a heartbeat she imagined herself already married to Magnus.