Absolon was visibly elated by the occasion, yet there were still whispers among some guests, suggesting his enthusiasm toward Lilah was self-serving.

As the evening wound down, Lilah, nursing her sore ankles, settled into the car. Gerard, standing beside her, offered a hand with her high heels.

As they prepared to depart, Absolon approached and explained, "Lilah, I intended to take you back to the Morris family home tonight, but it's quite late, and I suspect everyone's already asleep."

"It's alright," she responded after a brief pause. "Dad."

The word seemed to stop Absolon in his tracks. He stood motionless, a look of astonishment washing over his face. After what felt Like an eternity, he broke into a broad smile, even wider than any during the banquet.

"What... What did you call me?"

Absolon had hoped she would call him dad eventually, but he hadn't wanted to rush her into it. Now that he had finally reunited with his long-lost daughter, he was keen to let their relationship develop naturally.

"Dad," Lilah repeated, her voice firm. In that moment, she knew his affection was genuine. Unlike Matthew, Absolon had shown he was truly fatherly, not out of obligation or benefit, but from a sincere desire to bring her back home.

“Lilah, get some rest tonight. I'll come for you tomorrow morning,”

Absolon said, his voice filled with a newfound warmth.

His mood lifted more and more. He found himself wishing he could jump in the car and return with her.

Suddenly, Lilah seemed to recall something important. “There's one more thing."

"What is it?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but my father... Matthew mentioned that my mother had twins."

"Twins, really?" Absolon's surprise was palpable. “Are you talking about Adaline?"

Prior to this conversation, Absolon had done some digging into the Phillips family and discovered that Lilah did have a sister.

Could she be his daughter too? Yet, she bore no resemblance to Lilah. not Adaline," Lilah replied after a brief pause. She then went “Helga brought Adaline to the Phillips family to pose as my sister. She's actually an illegitimate child. My real twin sister... I don't know where she was left. I've been searching for her constantly, without any leads."

Lilah and Gerard had never stopped their search for her twin sister, but so far, all efforts had been in vain. Even with Absolon's assistance, there seemed little chance of improvement.

However, having one more person joining the search did offer a glimmer of hope.

Absolon nodded solemnly and assured Lilah, "Don't fret. She's my daughter too. I won't allow her to face hardships alone. I'll have someone look into it right away."

"Thank you, Dad."

"Of course," Absolon replied softly. “Your room is ready. As for Karol..."

The mention of Karol brought on a headache. True, there was no emotional bond between them, but they had played the roles of father and daughter for over two decades.

He massaged his temples and continued, “Karol can be quite haughty. Ever since you arrived and excelled in the areas she prided herself on, she's been somewhat antagonistic toward you, but... Don't stress about it. If she ever troubles you, just come to me. I'll ensure no injustice befalls you."