My Dad Is An SSS Lycan!

Chapter 10: What Do You Have to Make Me Believe You?

By the third day, Lyra’s condition had improved noticeably. She could stay awake for longer periods, eat a little soft food, and sometimes even had enough strength to tug at Elena’s hand and insist that her mother sit closer beside her. Hayes still required continued observation, but most of the supporting equipment had already been removed, and the dosage of the bloodline-stabilizing medication had been reduced as well. Silas performed one final examination that morning and confirmed that, as long as no abnormal reactions appeared, Lyra could move on to a normal recovery phase. Because of that, Elena finally began to have time to deal with the matters she had been forced to leave untouched over the past few days.

At noon, she had just gone downstairs to collect some documents from her lawyer when she saw Zeyan standing near the hospital’s private exit. A black car bearing the insignia of the Northern Bloodline Center was parked in front of him, and Silas was handing him a file while saying a few words. When he noticed Elena approaching, he immediately turned to greet her, then smiled at Zeyan.

“I still remember what happened back then. Helping your daughter this time can be considered repayment for part of that favor.”

Silas left immediately afterward. Elena watched the car disappear beyond the gates before turning to Zeyan.

“Mr. Venn is someone you once saved?”

Zeyan knew Silas had said it deliberately after understanding his intentions the night before. He only replied, “You could say that.”

“So I wasn’t wrong.” Elena slipped the documents into her bag and headed toward the elevator. “Otherwise, someone like him would have no reason to suddenly help you this much.”

Zeyan followed behind her. He wanted to tell her that things were not what she thought, but in the end he said nothing. To Elena as she was now, the idea that a Rogue had once saved someone important and was now being repaid sounded far more reasonable than the truth—that he genuinely had the authority to mobilize people like Silas. Even if he told her, she might not believe him. Worse, she might think he was trying to exaggerate his own importance after disappearing for five years.

That afternoon, Reginald and Diana came to the hospital. They did not go to see Lyra right away. Instead, they asked Elena to come to the family waiting room.

The moment Diana sat down, she placed a file on the table and gave a faint, cold smile. “Alpha-G is under investigation, the three-hundred-million-dollar contract has been frozen, and several related projects have had to be suspended as well. You’ve caused this much trouble. Surely you don’t expect Ashbourne to pretend nothing happened?”

Elena flipped through a few pages, then set the file down. “You sold my daughter to a laboratory, and now that the deal has fallen through, you want to pin the losses on me?”

“Don’t talk as if you’re completely innocent.” Diana leaned back in her chair. “If you had cooperated from the beginning, none of this would have happened. Now the entire board knows Alpha-G was lost because of you, and people from the North have been running back and forth solely because of that Rogue.”

Reginald glanced at Diana before looking at Elena. “There’s an executive board meeting tomorrow. Most of the positions you used to hold have already been transferred to Diana and others. If you still want to return to Ashbourne, attend it.”

“I never said I wanted to return.”

“You need Ashbourne,” Reginald replied. “You alone are not capable of protecting Lyra. What happened this time proves that. Zeyan may be able to use a few connections to save the child once, but no one will keep repaying favors to him forever.”

Diana immediately laughed, her eyes full of smug satisfaction. “Exactly. Don’t assume that just because Silas Venn and a few people from the North are willing to help him, Zeyan has somehow changed his status. A Rogue is still a Rogue. For all we know, he spent the past five years working under someone else, happened to save somebody along the way, and traded that for a few debts of gratitude.”

Elena did not argue.

That was what she thought as well.

Seeing her reaction only made Diana’s words more vicious. “Back then, you went against the family because of him, and in the end he walked away without looking back. You got pregnant alone, gave birth alone, and raised Lyra all these years alone. He didn’t come back until the girl was nearly dead, and now he relies on a few people who owe him favors and says he’ll protect the two of you. If you can still believe him after all that, I really have to admire you.”

Elena remained silent for a moment before saying, “What happened between Zeyan and me has nothing to do with you.”

“Nothing to do with me?” Diana sneered. “Ashbourne has been laughed at for years because you had a child with a Rogue, and you’re asking how it has nothing to do with us?”

Reginald pushed a document across the table toward Elena. “Sign this. Confirm that Zeyan has no authority to represent you in matters related to Ashbourne. I’m not forbidding him from seeing Lyra, but family business is not his place to interfere. If you sign, I’ll give you a chance tomorrow to regain your former position.”

Elena read through it, then pushed it back.

“I’m not signing.”

Diana immediately raised an eyebrow. “You still want to rely on him?”

“I’m not relying on him.”

“Then why are you protecting him?”

Elena looked at her. “Zeyan wronged me. I haven’t forgiven him. He says he can protect Lyra, and I don’t believe him yet either. But he is her biological father. I will not sign a piece of paper that lets Ashbourne keep treating him like an outsider whenever it suits you.”

Diana laughed coldly. “So what if he’s her biological father? A useless father only gives other people more reason to laugh at his child.”

“At least he came back.”

“You’re sure he won’t disappear again?”

The question made Elena fall silent.

Outside the door, Zeyan had just arrived and stopped in his tracks. He had heard nearly the entire conversation, but he did not go in.

After a while, Elena finally replied, “I’m not sure. I don’t trust him that much either.”

Zeyan remained motionless outside.

Elena continued, her voice turning colder. “So you don’t need to use him to threaten me. Whether I return to Ashbourne or not is my decision. Whether I allow Zeyan to stay beside Lyra is also my decision.”

Reginald looked at her for a few seconds before taking the document back. “Come to the company tomorrow. If you want anything back, prove your own ability. Ashbourne will not hand anything to you just because you’ve recently been through something unfortunate.”

Diana stood up and deliberately added before leaving, “I’d also like to see how much ability you still have left after being pushed outside for so many years. Don’t show up only to make everyone pity you.”

After the two of them left, Zeyan took another corridor around before returning to the hospital room.

Elena was already sitting beside Lyra’s bed. The little girl was awake, and the moment she saw him, she lifted her hand and called for Daddy. Zeyan walked over and helped her sit higher, while Elena adjusted the pillow behind Lyra’s back. She did not mention the conversation from earlier, and he did not reveal that he had heard it.

After a while, Zeyan said, “When you go back to Ashbourne tomorrow, I can help.”

Elena immediately looked at him. “Who are you planning to ask this time?”

“I have a way.”

“Zeyan, I don’t need it.” Her voice was not loud, but her attitude grew noticeably colder. “I’ve already accepted enough help for Lyra. I’ll handle the company myself.”

“I really can—”

“You always say you can.”

Zeyan fell silent.

Elena pulled the blanket up around Lyra before continuing, “Five years ago, you also said you would stay by my side. You know better than anyone how that turned out. So don’t expect me to believe you just because you say something.”

He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. I won’t interfere with anything you can handle yourself.”

“Staying here with Lyra tomorrow is enough.”

That night, after Elena and Lyra had fallen asleep, Zeyan went downstairs to meet Lucas. The files for Ashbourne’s meeting the next day had already been prepared. Diana now controlled nearly all the divisions Elena had once been responsible for, and several former clients had also moved to Diana’s side. If Elena wanted to return, she would undoubtedly face obstruction.

Lucas asked, “Do you want me to deal with it beforehand?”

“No.” Zeyan closed the file. “If Elena wants to take it back herself, let her take it back herself. Don’t take away the things she is capable of doing.”

“And the people who deliberately get in her way?”

“Deal with them when necessary.”

Lucas nodded and was about to put away the tablet when Zeyan suddenly asked, “When is Lyra’s birthday?”

After hearing the date, he was silent for a few seconds before saying, “Find the best place in the city to hold a party. Book the entire venue for that day.”

Lucas looked up. “Under Silverfang’s name?”

“No. Keep the identity of whoever made the booking confidential.”

“The guests?”

“Don’t send invitations yet. Prepare the venue first.”

Lucas understood and immediately made a note of it.

Zeyan looked up at the window of the hospital room, still lit high above.

Elena did not believe him. That was not something that could be changed in a matter of days.

But he had already missed far too many of Lyra’s birthdays.

This time, at the very least, he would be there.