The Heiress Nobody Saw Coming (Natalie and Marcus) novel Chapter 696

"Alright. I'll wait. I owe you and Ms. Sinclair for this." Sky said, exhaling softly. With the confirmation that Zachary and Sophia wanted something in return, his heart finally settled.

"We'll talk again when Sophia and I return. Let's have dinner together. We can speak properly then." Zachary's voice came through the line again, calm as ever.

"Alright. When you return, dinner's on me."

Sky agreed without hesitation. The Holt and Walker families had business ties as well. If Zachary and Sophia were together, and this old grudge between them could be resolved, it would be for the better.

It was always better to make peace than hold onto resentment. In the business world, there were no permanent allies, but there were no permanent enemies, either. Everything came down to interest.

After hanging up, Sky stayed on the balcony for a while, his thoughts swirling. He couldn't quite name the feeling in his chest, but he was still filled with a quiet, almost uncontrollable joy.

During all his time behind bars, he had longed for home. The prison beds had been cold and hard. At first, he could hardly sleep. The air was heavy, and the silence unbearable.

It took him a long time to adjust. With each passing day, he had slowly settled into a rhythm, though that rhythm eventually dulled him. He stopped feeling. He just existed.

But he was home again. Everything still looked and felt the same. And the familiar surroundings stirred both gratitude and regret deep inside him. This time, he would treasure it all more dearly.

A knock came at the door.

"Mr. Sky, Mr. and Mrs. Walker asked me to bring you downstairs."

Gorge's voice came from outside the room.

Sky pulled himself out of his thoughts and replied quickly. "Alright. I'm coming." He tidied himself, calmed his breathing, then opened the door and made his way down the stairs.

By the time he reached the living room, Lincoln and Hector were already back. Both were in loungewear and slippers, clearly having showered and changed.

Seeing him come down, both brothers stood up at once.

"Sky, welcome home."

Sky stepped forward and pulled them both into a hug. While in prison, he had missed his family. He had missed these brothers in particular.

"Thank you."

"Father and Mother had us leave work early. Hector and I came home together. And we brought gifts," Lincoln said, smiling.

He bent down and picked up a beautifully wrapped box from the coffee table. The brand logo was one Sky recognized and had always liked.

"I brought something too," Hector added, pulling a smaller box from his pocket. Though it was small, its value was clear.

Inside was a pair of diamond cufflinks.

"Thank you, Lincoln. Thank you, Hector. I thought… I thought you might resent me," Sky said, deeply moved.

"We're family, no one's perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is recognizing them and doing better," Lincoln replied, clapping him on the shoulder. "You've paid your price, and you've come back. That's what matters now. Just live your life well. Don't ever hurt your family again for the sake of anyone else."

"I won't. I promise."

"This is your welcome-home gift from your mother and me. The project contact will be Sophia. You hurt her deeply, so this project is our way of making amends. To put it plainly, we want you to rebuild that relationship."

Charlotte stepped in gently. "Sophia is on her own now. Samuel has returned and is trying to take over the Sinclair family. If you stand with her, she'll be a lot less vulnerable. But as a friend, Sky. Not as her former fiancé."

Sky's heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what Zachary had discussed with him. He took the file and nodded seriously. "Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother. I'll handle this well. I won't let you down."

"Good. If she can find peace, your guilt will ease a little. And it will make it easier for you to start over." William said. He patted his shoulder.

"Yes. I understand." Sky nodded again. "I made too many mistakes before. But now that I'm free, I won't waste this chance. I won't go back."

"That's all we ask."

"Come. Let's eat first. After dinner, you can cut the cake."

"Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother."

They sat down as a family. Though three of the children were absent, Charlotte's eyes were still misty.

Sky was their firstborn. She remembered the excitement of her first pregnancy, the joy of becoming a mother for the first time.

They had looked forward to this child for a long time, imagining what he would be like even before he was born.

In truth, their hopes for Sky had always been stronger than for any of the children who came after him. To say they didn't love him would be a lie.