Angela silently stared at Winston’s face. The confusion and hesitation were evident in the child’s expression, so Winston spoke again. This time, he spoke slowly, with conviction.
“I’m right here beside you. No one can hurt you, and you won’t be in danger. I swear it—I will protect you.”
Then, he deliberately added,
“I made that promise to Yu-jin.”
At the mention of her daddy’s name, Angela visibly wavered. Sensing that her resolve was starting to crack, Winston pressed on even more firmly.
“A promise I made to Yu-jin is one I always keep. And that means I’ll keep my promise to you too. So trust me.”
Any other child would have relented by now and clung to him. After all, he was the only person here who was offering to be on her side.
But Angela was not so easily swayed.
“I don’t believe you.”
Her voice still trembled, but her tone was stubborn.
“You always say mean things about Daddy. You fought with him. I still don’t trust you.”
The words struck a direct blow, but as always, Winston betrayed no reaction. This time, however, it took far more effort than usual to maintain his composure. Still, he effortlessly lied as if it were nothing.
“Right now, I’m protecting your daddy and your little brother.”
It was essentially imprisonment, but no matter how mature she was, a child was still no match for an adult’s deception. Instead, he followed it up with the truth.
“You must have fought with your friends before, right? Grown-ups don’t always get along either. But I’m trying to make things right with your daddy, and I want to get along with you too. So, I need you to trust me.”
“That’s not so easy.”
Perhaps talking to Winston had helped her relax a little, as Angela’s voice had steadied. Winston smiled, considering that a small victory.
“Then how about this? Give me a chance. Watch me at the party and see if I keep my promise.”
For the first time, Angela looked intrigued. Winston didn’t miss the opportunity to push further.
“It’s simple. If I fail, you can hate me forever and never trust me again. But if I do well, then from now on, you have to believe in me.”
He held her gaze as if waiting for her to decide. She didn’t respond immediately, but Winston could already tell—her agreement was only a matter of time. Now, it was time to seal the deal with a final, irresistible offer. Just as he always did in negotiations, he saved the sweetest incentive for last.
“After the party, let’s go see your daddy.”
Angela reacted instantly.
“But I just saw him not long ago.”
Angela’s eyes sparkled as her cheeks flushed red. Winston smiled and nodded.
“Your daddy was really sad that he couldn’t come to your birthday party. So we promised to have our own little party after this one.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes.”
She was nearly convinced now. Winston gently caressed Angela’s cheek.
“So let’s do our best for this party, okay? I’ll be with you the whole time. Got it?”
Angela hesitated again. It was only for two or three seconds, but to Winston, the wait felt much longer.
“…Okay.”
At last, she nodded and answered. In that moment, before he even realized what he was doing, Winston pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Oh—sorry.”
He quickly snapped back to his senses and apologized, but Angela simply replied, “It’s okay.” Still, Winston clearly saw her wipe her cheek with her palm, a slight pout on her face.
This is progress.
He forced himself to ignore it and turned away. This was just the beginning. Once this party was over, Angela’s wariness would ease even further. Not that there was much chance of anything happening tonight. Who would dare cause trouble for Angela at a party hosted by Winston himself, especially when he’d be with her the entire time?
With firm resolve, he started down the stairs.
“Good evening, Mr. Campbell.”
“Mr. Campbell, thank you for the invitation.”
“Oh, is this the little star of the evening? How adorable.”
The moment Winston appeared, voices called out from every direction, all vying for his attention. Startled by the sudden flood of people and conversation, Angela clutched his shoulder tightly. He could feel the fabric of his suit crumple under her grip, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he held her even closer.
“This is my daughter, Angela. You’ve met her before.”
At Winston’s introduction, the people surrounding them laughed with exaggerated delight.
“Yes, of course! She’s even cuter than last time.”
“What a beauty. If all witches were this adorable, we’d all fall under their spell.”
“Thanks to you, our children get to enjoy such a wonderful Halloween party. Thank you, Angela.”
Everyone showered her with endless praise, though Winston knew full well it was all meant to flatter him. Still, if it helped boost Angela’s confidence and put her in a better mood, then it served his purpose just fine.
Sure enough, it didn’t take long for Angela to relax. The tension in her small fingers eased as she let go of his shoulder. Noting her more comfortable expression, Winston smiled and asked,
“Angie, are you thirsty? Would you like something to drink?”
The people around them widened their eyes in shock. Their disbelief was plain to see. Meanwhile, Angela answered him calmly.
“Chocolate shake and a chocolate brownie, please.”
“But of course, Princess.”
Winston was surprised at just how happy he felt simply because Angela had voiced her wants to him. He didn’t even bother hiding his delight. He barely managed to suppress the impulse to kiss her cheek again, and instead, after excusing himself, he left with her still in his arms.
The people watching could do nothing but stare at each other in stunned silence as his figure disappeared.
“Did I just see that correctly?”
“No way… That Winston Campbell…?”
“I’ve never seen him smile like that before.”
“Me neither.”
Their scattered murmurs all circled back to a singular thought—if they ever displeased that child, Winston Campbell just might kill them.
“Could she be his biological child?”
The sudden question drew startled stares, and the woman who had spoken hurriedly tried to clarify.
“Of course, there are plenty of people who adore their adopted children as their own. But… doesn’t she resemble him?”
Everyone immediately understood what she was implying. And given how many of them were thinking the same thing, perhaps it wasn’t so far-fetched.
“…But she could also be Harold’s child, just like the rumors say.”
The careful remark sent another hush through the group. That topic was forbidden. If Winston ever learned that they were whispering about such things, the consequences would be unthinkable.
“Does it even matter whose child she is? All we need to know is that Mr. Campbell adores her.”
The sharpest among them concluded decisively, and as if waiting for the cue, everyone nodded in agreement. Now, their focus shifted to a far more pressing concern—how to win Angela’s favor. Of course, no one at the party desired that more than Winston himself.
***
“Huaaah…”
Angela sighed in satisfaction after taking a bite of her brownie and a sip of her chocolate shake.
Seated beside her, Winston watched in quiet amusement before asking, “Was it good? Would you like some more?”
“No, thank you, Mr. Campbell,” Angela replied gracefully, declining his offer with perfect poise.
“This time, I’d like some lemon sherbet. I wouldn’t refuse if you were to bring me a slice.”
Winston immediately stood up. Of course, he wouldn’t refuse.
“Of course, Princess. I’ll fetch it for you right away.”
Normally, he could have just called a waiter over to their table, but today, Winston chose to act differently. Angela had specifically asked him to bring it to her. And something like that? That was no trouble at all.
Just as he was about to leave, however, he hesitated and turned back to her with a serious expression.
“Will you be okay on your own?”
Recalling how frightened Angela had been earlier, Winston asked with concern. But the girl nodded confidently.
“Of course, Mr. Campbell. I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine. A princess must learn to bear the weight of her crown, after all.”
He still didn’t quite understand what she meant by that last part, but it was clear that Angela was feeling much better. Winston smiled before finally stepping away.
Left alone, Angela straightened her posture and looked around. Vampires, monsters, demons—people in all sorts of costumes laughed and chatted merrily.
What is Daddy doing right now…?
The happiness she had felt just moments ago suddenly vanished, replaced by a quiet loneliness.
Unaware of it, several pairs of eyes were watching her from behind.
