Chapter 531: Grand Reunion (Four)  "Asmara, there is someone who wants to meet you." Prime Minister Hayandani smiled, patting the little girl's delicate shoulder and pushing her gently toward Liam. "Go and greet your father."

Asmara's eyes brightened upon hearing the word father. She looked up at the older man with delight. Then she glanced shyly at the man standing a few meters away.

Liam was already on his feet, staring at the cute little girl before him with a conflicted gaze. He wanted to approach her; however, his feet seemed nailed to the floor, and he could not take another step. If it weren't for Klein giving him a slight push, his body would not move yet.

He took a few steps forward. Then, he kneeled on one knee and queried the little girl.

"Are you Asmara?"

He wanted to smack himself on the back of his head. For so many first words he could say to his daughter, why must he ask her of her name? Hasn't the older man Hayandani just mentioned her name?

'Calmed down. You were never nervous like this.' Liam braced himself together. He smiled at his daughter and lovingly said with open arms,

"My Asmara… Come to Papa."

Seeing the stranger man spread his arms wide and call her name, Asmara could no longer hold her anticipation.

"Papa!"

With teary eyes, the little girl ran toward Liam. She was scooped from the floor and was cuddled warmly. Asmara nestled inside her father's arms, and she could feel how it was way more comfortable than the princess bed her Grandpa Hayandani gave her. "Oh, my daughter…." Liam could no longer suppress the emotion brewing in his chest. Stifling his tears, he apologized to his daughter and made a promise. "I'm sorry if Papa was away for so long. I am here now. Papa will never leave you again."

Liam planted tiny kisses on his daughter's hair as he whispered. He recalled when Mara told him she was expecting. However, they only argued that day, and he had no time to make it up to her because he had a critical mission where he failed.

And what happened instead was that he fell into the dark shaman's hand and became his puppet, forgetting about Mara and the child she conceived.

Mara is the daughter of the royal family's trusted servants. She came to the palace to work as a royal staff. Mara was one of the few maids who would attend to him, and he knew she liked him, but he had no time for a love life or to deal with a woman. What happened between them is more likely intentional. Mara did something. That is why he slept with her. But the next time is no longer an intentional, nor an accident. It was his own will, and when he tried to fix things between them, but then, he forgot about her.

And her pregnancy. He disagreed about it because it would be risky to Mara's health. Mara had a severe illness, and she only had a few years left to live.

Before she died, she wished to work in the palace. It is why she begged her parents to allow her to become the prince's attendant because she had a massive crush on him and wanted to get close to him.

She was so hard-headed. Conceiving Asmara only sped up her death. Mara died a year after she gave birth to Asmara, and he was never there to see her for the last time.

Liam admitted he did not love Mara as much as she loved him. But it does not mean that he would abandon her and his daughter. In fact, he helped Mara to get treatment at the William Medical Research Center. It was then they found out that she was pregnant.

Doctor Derek Williams gives her choices. She will be treated, but the child in her womb will dissolve. However, Mara chose the innocent's life over hers.

Shun and Derek take care of the child while Liam is under the dark shaman's spell. After General Hayandani heard about the child, he asked Mara's family's permission to watch over the child because she carried royal blood, the direct heir to the throne.

After Liam heard this story, he was grateful to the older man, and he could not pay Shun and Derek's kindness to his daughter, the future queen of V Country. Therefore, he wanted to show his loyalty by offering his life to guard the dark shaman's soul until the alignment of the nine planets during the Eclipse sometime in the year 2050.

Liam stood on his feet. Asmara remained in his arms, as the little girl didn't want to let go of his neck. He looked at Prime Minister Hayandani and said, "I will bring her with me. I want to spend the years before her coronation."

The prime minister was glad to hear this from Liam. He said, "I will do all my best to keep the monarchy until the queen is ready to accept her crown."

~

That same day, everyone flew back to Dream City. Liam wanted to see Hailee for the last time. He wanted to apologize one more time and also introduced his daughter.

"Liam!" Hailee entered the lounge graciously but stopped halfway after realizing the kid in Liam's arms was sleeping soundly. She apologized, "Oh, I'm sorry. I think I was too loud..."

Liam smiled and replied, "It's okay. She didn't get a wink on the flight but was asking so many questions on our way here."

"Ah. It looks like there are no dull moments in your days from here on," Hailee smiled warmly, which put Liam at ease.

Vincent actually followed his wife, and immediately, he helped her take a seat when she reached the loveseat across from the father and daughter.

Liam saw how attentive Vincent was to Hailee, which relieved him. Anyway, he already witnessed how he loved his sister from their previous life; thus, he had nothing to worry about in the present time but praying that in this lifetime, they can finally be together until their hair turns grey.

"So… Madison had explained to me. You are not taking the throne and becoming the king of V Country," said Hailee afterward.

Liam nodded. "Yes. After what I have done, it was a stain on the throne when I inherited the crown. Instead, I will pay for my crime by guarding the dark shaman's soul."

"It was a pity I didn't seal him with my own hands." Seated next to Hailee, Vincent chimed. Thinking he was only hiding the whole time caused him to have regrets. He badly wanted to make that man pay for everything he had done in their lives, not only in the present time but also in the past.

However, Hailee begged him not to deal with him in person, as the shaman needed to get near him to steal his body and identity. Thus, he had to endure how his body was trembling from the desire to fly to V Country and join everyone.

"Staying away from the dark shaman helped us deal with him easily." Liam could see through Vincent's thoughts. Thus, he enlightened him. "If you were there, we would only let him escape again. By then, we will have difficulty dealing with you."

"I understand," Vincent yielded. He accepts that staying away from the dark shaman will prevent the future from happening. "Then you will stay in Shaman Village for good?"

Liam nodded. His gaze drew to the little girl in his arms. "Yes. My daughter deserves a peaceful life growing up. Once the world learns she is my daughter, I cannot imagine how her heart breaks with the truth. So before she learns it from others, it is best to hear my side first. Then, once she is ready, I will tell her that she is a future queen of a country."

"Don't worry. Shun will try to divert the incident in Las Vegas and Metro City. We will hold Robert Lee accountable for all the crimes you've done. I will also testify that it was not all your fault. But a drama so that we will apprehend Robert Lee. After that, your name will clear, and you will no longer be ashamed to tell your daughter the truth in the future."

"Thank you, Vincent," Liam did not expect this, but he was grateful to Vincent. Once they open his case and bring up Robert Lee's illegal activities, the people's attention will definitely shift toward him.

"No problem."