My Love Debts Are Everywhere! - Chapter 499

Chapter 499: Filing Protests From The Girls
“Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella?”

Leon glanced at the clock—it was already ten at night. The corners of his lips twitched.

“Why are you all here? Shouldn’t you be in bed? It’s late, you know?” He sighed softly as he sat up.

But the four little girls showed no intention of leaving. Instead, they walked closer, their lips pursed in adorable pouts.

Stopping beside his bed, they lined up neatly, folding their small arms across their chests.

Their sulky expressions and tiny, puffed-up cheeks nearly made Leon burst into laughter.

Still, to avoid making them cry, he held back and feigned confusion.

“So? What brings my little girls to my room this late?” He asked casually, shifting toward the edge of the bed.

Of course, he already knew the reason—his departure with Liliana to Erantum that morning. But instead of bringing it up, he decided to let them say it themselves.

His reaction seemed to catch them off guard. The four exchanged glances, silent yet visibly puzzled, as if to say, “Why is Daddy asking? Doesn’t he know why we’re here?”

Fiona, growing impatient, puffed out her cheeks before turning back to Leon.

“Daddy, our visit to your room is to lodge a protest!” she declared with a pout.

“Oh?” Leon raised an eyebrow. “Then tell me, what is this protest about?”

“Why did Daddy and Mommy go out for a walk alone and leave us behind? We demand an explanation! Humph!” Her lips pursed slightly to the side, making her look even cuter.

If not for his self-restraint, Leon would have pinched her chubby, bun-like cheeks.

“So, that’s the protest you want to make?” Leon glanced at them one by one, amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Um! That’s right!” They nodded in unison, looking like eager chicks pecking at their feed.

Leon smiled and gave a small nod, as if acknowledging their complaints.

Leaning back slightly, he rested both hands on the mattress.

“Since you girls want an answer, I’ll give you one,” Leon said with a light chuckle. “But first, let me ask you a question.”

“Hmm?” The four of them blinked in surprise but remained silent, giving small nods.

“Would you be happy if your Mommy and I got along and loved each other?” Leon asked.

Their brows furrowed slightly before they hesitantly nodded.

“Of course, Daddy,” Iris replied firmly, though a hint of confusion lingered in her voice, as if unsure why her father was asking.

Leon’s smile widened as he continued, “Well, the reason I didn’t bring you along is that I wanted to spend some time alone with your Mommy. Ever since we’ve been together, we’ve rarely had the chance to be alone and enjoy our time together. So, I wanted to use this moment to strengthen our relationship and deepen our love for each other. Do you understand?”

Their mouths formed perfect “O” shapes in surprise. While they didn’t fully grasp all of Leon’s words, they still understood his meaning.

Suddenly, however, Iris frowned slightly and asked in a sad tone, “Does that mean we’ve been stopping you from being together, Daddy?”

Charlotte, Fiona, and Stella froze for a moment. Iris’s words made sense.

Their father had taken their mother away in secret just to have some peaceful time together.

In that case… weren’t they the ones getting in the way of their parents’ happiness?!

A wave of guilt and sadness washed over them, and before they knew it, tears welled up in their eyes and started trickling down their little cheeks.

Leon, noticing the sudden change, was taken aback. Not even for a second had he ever thought of them as a burden.

To him, they were a blessing—precious treasures he had to protect and cherish with all his heart.

But he had overlooked one thing—children are incredibly sensitive. Even if he hadn’t meant it that way, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t interpret it differently.

After all, the way adults and children saw the world was completely different.

Without hesitation, Leon got off the bed and crouched in front of them.

“Don’t think like that,” Leon said gently, his voice calm and soothing.

As he ruffled their hair one by one, he continued, “Not even for a moment have I ever thought of you as a burden. You are my precious treasures—my pearls, my everything. So, don’t ever have such thoughts, okay?”

Hearing his words, their sadness gradually faded, replaced by bright, uncontrollable smiles.

Leon let out a quiet sigh of relief as he watched their sorrow disappear.

Seeing them cry like that had been unbearable—it felt like thousands of needles piercing his heart.

Once they had calmed down, he took a deep breath, his expression slowly turning serious. “By the way, what a coincidence. I was actually looking for you all.”

Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella blinked in surprise. The shift in his expression made them instinctively tense up.

“What’s wrong, Uncle Leon?” Stella asked cautiously.

Leon inhaled deeply before saying, “Actually, I’m leaving tomorrow to take care of something important.”

“What?!” All four of them exclaimed in unison, eyes wide with shock.

Iris and Fiona immediately rushed forward, clinging to his legs in panic.

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner? And… how long will you be gone?” Iris asked, her voice trembling.

Tears welled up in her eyes once more as she gazed at Leon with a pitiful expression. Beside her, Fiona looked just as distressed.

Leon hesitated, unsure whether to tell them the truth—that even he didn’t know how long he would be gone.

Yet, since things had come this far, he knew he had to be honest—not just to ease their worries, but also to keep their trust and avoid being seen as a liar.

Leon let out a quiet sigh before speaking in a heavy tone, “I’m not sure, but it will take a long time… Maybe a year, two, or even three.”

His words struck them like a bolt of lightning. Tears spilled down their cheeks as they sobbed, clinging tightly to his legs.

“Wuuu! Daddy, don’t go! Don’t leave me!” Fiona wailed hysterically.

Even Iris, who usually maintained a calm and indifferent demeanor, was crying, mumbling the same desperate plea as Fiona.

Charlotte and Stella, unable to hold back their emotions, also broke into tears. One to three years felt unbearably long, and the thought of being apart for so long was heartbreaking.

Leon felt both helpless and guilty. No matter how much it pained him to see them like this, this was something he had to face.

Pressing his fingers to his temples, he muttered under his breath, “I really am a terrible father…”