When she still lived with her mother, her biggest dream was to escape her control and have a place of her own.

For the past few years, she’s been studying during the day and working late into the night, drawing to save enough money.

She was like a bird slowly gathering twigs to build her own nest. Piece by piece, she shaped her apartment the way she wanted it.

But now, reality was reminding her that the home she worked so hard to create was nothing more than someone else’s charity.

When Alaric saw the sadness in her eyes, he didn’t say anything. He gently pulled Emerald into his arms...