A Gift for the Goddaughter (New Year's Eve Bonus!)

The next day.

Lake opened his eyes as he lay in bed.

Brushing his teeth.

Washing his face.

Eating...

Lake blinked, stood in the living room, and thought for a moment before heading out.

Downstairs.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

"Coming."

With a creak, the front door opened.

A pretty, blonde loli, only fifteen years old, opened the door.

Alexis.

His downstairs neighbor, the famous crime novelist Cassel's daughter from his first marriage.

"Uncle Lake!"

"Good morning."

Lake greeted Alexis and walked in, then caught the distinct aroma of breakfast. "It smells amazing. Let me guess, you made it?"

Alexis said, "Want some, Uncle Lake?"

Lake shrugged. "Of course. When a beautiful lady invites me, I'm always happy to accept."

Cassel, the single dad sitting at the dining table, rolled his eyes at the comment. "Back on the market?"

Lake looked at Cassel.

Alexis, who had gone to pour Lake some coffee, looked up at the comment. "No way, Uncle Lake, why?"

Lake shrugged. "We just weren't compatible."

Even without last night's events, Lake had thought about it after returning. He and Maureen were bound to break up eventually. At the end of the day, their life philosophies were different. For now, they could compromise, but the conflict would only grow more pronounced later on.

Simply put.

Lake was a carnivore, but unfortunately, Maureen was a herbivore.

Would a wolf fall in love with a sheep?

Even if it did, it would be to kill the sheep.

So...

Lake sat down, grabbed a pancake, took a bite, and hummed in approval. He gave Alexis a thumbs-up. "How many of your pancakes have I missed in the last six months?"

Cassel, the doting father, said with a blank expression, "Thank goodness, our household expenses have been significantly reduced over the last six months."

Lake looked at Cassel and smiled without speaking.

Alexis pouted at Cassel. "Dad, Uncle Lake isn't an outsider."

Cassel looked at Lake, who had once again come to steal his daughter's beloved homemade breakfast after six months. He grumbled and took a bite of his pancake. "I wish he were. Then I could condemn him like those people protesting outside."

Lake burst out laughing.

Alexis rolled her eyes at her father and then sat down, sipping her hot chocolate. She looked at Lake. "Uncle Lake, don't listen to my dad. My dad and I both believe you. It must have been those two who provoked you first."

Lake sipped his coffee.

The next second.

Lake's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Right."

Lake pretended to rummage in his pocket and took out the Angel Diamond he had won in the previous quadruple draw. Holding it in his hand, he said to Alexis, "Open your hand, I have a gift for you."

Originally, Lake had planned to give it to Maureen at some point.

He couldn't sell this thing for money, and even if he could, the money couldn't be used for gacha pulls.

But now, it seemed he couldn't give it to Maureen anymore.

Giving it to Alexis was also good.

At the very least, when Lake fantasized about having a daughter, he used Alexis as a template for what she would look like.

Alexis blinked and held out her hand to Lake. "What is it? Is it another shopping voucher?"

In Alexis's eyes, Lake's way of giving gifts had always been simple and direct. Last year, for her birthday, it was a $1,000 shopping voucher, and for Christmas, it was also a $1,000 shopping voucher.

Alexis assumed this time would be the same.

Lake didn't say anything, just shook his head, and released his right hand into Alexis's palm.

Instantly.

The Angel Diamond, freed from its seal, emitted a brilliant radiance as it fell from the sky into Alexis's palm.

Alexis's eyes followed the Angel Diamond's descent, her mouth slowly falling open, her eyes widening. Once the somewhat heavy Angel Diamond landed in her hand, Alexis's expression became incredibly beautiful.

Cassel, who had assumed it was another gift certificate, coughed repeatedly upon seeing the true nature of the gift. He covered his mouth, wiping away the overflowing coffee.

"My god."

"No way?"

Cassel grabbed a towel to dry his hands, then moved closer to Alexis, looking at the Angel Diamond in his daughter's hand.

Lake rolled his eyes. "If you thought it was fake, would I give it to my goddaughter?"

Cassel looked up. "You moved in five years ago. My daughter was already ten then. Her baptism was ten years ago. Godfather, you appointed yourself, didn't you?"

Lake shrugged. "As long as Alexis accepts it."

"I don't accept it."

"And I don't give a damn if you don't."

"..."

Alexis looked at the Angel Diamond sparkling brilliantly in her palm, glanced at her father, then offered the diamond towards Lake. "Uncle Lake, this is too precious."

Lake waved his hand, not taking it back. "It's precious to you, but to me, it's worthless."

Alexis: "..."

Lake sighed inwardly. This wasn't him being pretentious; to him, only money that could be recharged was real money. Everything else was just a piece of paper.

This lottery-won diamond was the same.

It could be sold, but the money from the sale couldn't be recharged. What was the point of keeping it? It would only bring sadness.

Alexis looked at her father, Cassel.

Cassel raised an eyebrow at Lake, as if struck by a thought. He then said to Alexis, "Since it's your gift, you should accept it. Do you want me to put it in my safe?"

Alexis's eyes narrowed, and she tucked the Angel Diamond into her embrace. "No, I have my own safe."

Indeed.

It was the home of a famous crime novelist and a doting father, so it was normal for Alexis to have her own safe. Alexis's mother also often gave her daughter jewelry, so Alexis was naturally a little rich girl herself.

Alexis stood up, thanked Lake, and then scurried towards the stairs. She wanted to take a good look at it while putting it away.

Soon.

Alexis's figure disappeared at the top of the stairs.

Cassel sat back down and looked at Lake, who was drinking coffee and eating pancakes. "Are you preparing to give it to Maureen?"

Lake glanced at Cassel but didn't speak.

Cassel smiled and looked towards the stairs, estimating that his daughter wouldn't be down anytime soon. He then turned to Lake and said, "It's good that you're sharing. I've been meaning to tell you, I heard from a friend..."

Lake's gaze flickered, directly interrupting Cassel. "A friend? An ex-girlfriend? Or perhaps, the muse for one of your books?"

Writers are all scumbags.

Using the excuse of being my muse, they hook up with one pretty girl after another.

Cassel rolled his eyes. "Do you want to hear or not? I heard from a friend that Maureen's background seems to be quite extraordinary."

Lake: "..."

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone!