Chapter 25: Heading To Shiphay City 

It was unclear how much time had passed before Ruxley finally, reluctantly, let go of Sherise. As he licked his lips in satisfaction, Sherise blushed deeply, hiding her face in his chest, her eyes filled with happiness. Ruxley held her tightly, a smile tugging at his lips as a sense of fulfillment washed over him. It felt as if he had the entire world in his arms. Just then, he noticed two small figures peeking at them from the corner of a nearby hospital room. It was Deja and Carmelia. When Carmelia realized that Ruxley had spotted them, she quickly pulled her head back and adorably whispered, "Deja, Ruxley saw us, let's hide!" Hearing Carmelia's voice, Sherise immediately pulled away from Ruxley's embrace, hastily fixing her hair. "That little girl," Ruxley muttered with a helpless smile. Still holding Sherise's hand, they made their way into the hospital room. Carmelia had already scrambled onto the bed, covering her eyes with her hands. "Ruxley, I didn't see you and Sherise kissing just now!" she declared in her cute, innocent voice. Ruxley walked over to her bedside, scooped her up into his arms, and teased, "Oh really? If you didn't see, how did you know we were kissing? Now, let's see how I'll punish you!" With that, he planted a big kiss on Carmelia's cheek, causing her to giggle uncontrollably. Deja approached Sherise, winked, and said with a smile, "Sis, congratulations! You and Ruxley finally sealed the deal!" Deja was clearly pleased with Ruxley as her brother-in-law. Not only was he handsome, but his character was admirable. She had no doubt that Sherise would be happy with him. "Thank you," Sherise said shyly, her cheeks flushing as she looked over at Ruxley, who was still playing with Carmelia. Her eyes sparkled with endless tenderness, and for a moment, she wished time could freeze right there. After spending some time in Carmelia's room, Sherise and Deja reluctantly returned to their own rooms to rest. Meanwhile, Ruxley bathed Carmelia, dried her hair, and sat by her bed, reading a storybook aloud. However, something seemed off—Carmelia was unusually distracted and barely reacted to the story. Just as Ruxley was about to switch to a different one, Carmelia suddenly looked up at him and asked in a quiet voice, "Brother, now that you have Sherise, will you stop caring about Carmelia?" The worry in her eyes made Ruxley's heart clench, and in that moment, he understood why she had been so distracted. She was afraid that now, with Sherise in his life, he would no longer care for her. With a sigh of tenderness, Ruxley hugged her close and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, Carmelia. No matter what happens, Ruxley will always be with you." Carmelia's face lit up with relief, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Brother, Carmelia will always be with you too!" she whispered softly. Ruxley smiled warmly, a deep sense of fulfillment filling his heart. This, he realized, was what he had always wanted to protect. For the next few days, Ruxley stayed in the hospital, accompanying Carmelia and Sherise. Thanks to his attentive care, Carmelia's health steadily improved, and soon, she was ready to be discharged. Sherise's mother, Dona, was also recovering well and only needed some rest at home. Once Carmelia had visited her friends at the hospital, Ruxley, along with the Potter sisters, returned to Shiphay City. As the provincial capital of Sheyton Province, Shiphay City was a bustling metropolis with a population nearing 30 million. It was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the Saultrouge Kingdom. After settling in, Ruxley immediately found a school for Carmelia. Since she was seven years old, it was time for her to begin her education. After some consideration, Ruxley chose Brightwood Academy, a prestigious private school not far from Sherise's home in Riverside Gardens. The school's tuition was steep, over ten thousand dollars per year, and admission was highly competitive. However, within just half a day, Ruxley had managed to secure a spot for Carmelia. When Carmelia found out she was going to school, she was over the moon with excitement. Having been forced to beg in the streets before, she had often watched other children with their school bags, dreaming of joining them. Now, her dream was coming true. On the morning of her first day, Carmelia woke up early, full of energy. She eagerly put on the pink backpack Ruxley had bought for her and could hardly wait to leave. That day, Sherise had carefully dressed Carmelia in her favorite white gauze dress, tied her hair into twin ponytails, and completed the look with a pair of pink leather boots, making her look as cute as a little fairy. "Why are you so eager to carry your backpack? Let Ruxley carry it for you," Ruxley offered, concerned that the straps might hurt her small shoulders. But Carmelia giggled and darted away with her backpack, refusing to let him carry it for her. "Ruxley, hurry up, hurry up!" She was so eager to get to school that she couldn't stop urging him to move faster. Ruxley and Sherise exchanged amused smiles as they packed their things and prepared to leave. Just then, Sherise's phone rang. "Hello?" she answered, her expression suddenly changing. Turning to Ruxley, she apologized, "I'm so sorry, Ruxley. Something urgent has come up at my company, and I need to handle it immediately. I won't be able to go with you to take Carmelia to school." Carmelia, overhearing, looked up at Sherise with wide eyes. "Sherise, you can't come with us?" Sherise knelt down and gently tidied Carmelia's hair, smiling apologetically. "I'm really sorry, Carmelia. Something important came up, but I promise I'll take you to school tomorrow, okay?" Carmelia nodded, her tone mature for her age. "It's okay, Sherise. Ruxley can take me today!" Ruxley looked at Sherise, concern etched on his face. "Do you need my help?" Sherise shook her head and smiled reassuringly. "No, it's just a small issue. I can handle it myself. You go ahead and take Carmelia to school. We'll talk tonight when I get back." After giving Ruxley a quick hug, Sherise hurriedly left the villa.