All of a sudden, a childish voice rang out: “Ewe, Uncle Seven is kissing Aunt Sana. So gross!”

  Laughter exploded around them, shattering the intimate moment. Seven pulled back, the tips of his ears burning, though his eyes remained locked on Sana for a heartbeat longer before he turned toward Julian and Jaden, who were doubled over with giggles.

  “These are for you,” he said, crouching down and distributing a small, lacquered case to each child.

  The boys stared, curiosity replacing mischief. Julian’s mouth fell open while Jaden’s fingers hovered over his case, both boxes catching the light. “Whoa,” one hummed, “what is it?”

  “Acupuncture kit. I can teach you how to use them,” Seven added with mock gravity. “But only with adult supervision. And your parents will be your first patients.”

  The crowd burst into fresh laughter as James and Esme exchanged exaggerated looks of horror, clutching their arms. Meanwhile, the boys were already imagining themselves as mini acupuncturists, swapping titles from superheroes to super healers and plotting their “clinic.”

  “Can I learn too?” Sana piped up, an impish grin curving her lips. “Promise I’ll be a good student.”

  Seven snapped his head to her, amusement flickering in his expression. “Of course. I’ll even let you practice on me,” he teased, and she chuckled, bright and unguarded.

  Then, Alain stepped forward, quieting the playful chatter. He laid a firm palm on his grandson’s shoulder, the gesture grounding. “Landry,” he began, his tone measured but with an undercurrent of emotion, “we have something for you, something we’ve been planning for a while now.”

  Seven accepted a pastel-green velvet-covered box. Inside were crisp documents; he flipped them slowly, absorbing the text. His breath caught.

  “These are... deeds,” he murmured, hardly believing it.

  Alain’s smile was the kind that held a lifetime behind it. “For eight parcels of land. Right beside The Cliffs. They are undergoing a massive overhaul, thanks to your in-laws. And Kian, Harper, and Sana have been working tirelessly to complete the renovations as soon as possible.

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  “When it’s done, there’ll even be a linkway connecting our estate to The Cliffs. You’ll have your own home, and we’ll have ours right beside yours. You can marry Sana and have your privacy. But most importantly, this will allow us to be closer to you and our in-laws.”

  Seven’s hands trembled slightly as he held the documents. A hush settled as the meaning sank in: space to live, to grow, a permanent tether to a family that had once been absent. His eyes filled with emotion. “I... This is—”

  Amélie crossed over to Seven, tears welling. “This is just the beginning, my dear. Your grandpa and I want to make it up to you for all the lost years.”

  She paused to collect herself, then handed him an envelope. “It sounds lazy, but we’ve noticed you don’t seem to have any material wants. So, we’ve decided to give you 27 million: one million for each year we were apart. Use it as you wish.”

  The words landed like thunder.

  Leona approached her son while he was still in a daze, her grip on his arm firm. “Landry, your dad and I thought it over and came to the same conclusion as your grandparents. So, we are matching the gift: 27 million for the 27 years lost.”

  Silence thickened the room. For a beat, Seven seemed to float; the weight of inheritance, apology, and restoration collided within him. He had never expected anything like this. It was overwhelming.

  Then, Alain turned to Katherine, who had been watching quietly. “And for you, Little Kate,” he said gently, “for the years you were Landry’s kin when we could not be, your adoptive grandparents are giving you 24 million. Your adoptive parents are matching that as well.”

  Katherine staggered back as the words reached her ears. “I... I can’t accept this. It’s too much,” she stammered, her fingers clutching Kimi’s arm to stabilize herself.

  Amélie closed the distance between them, pulling Katherine in for a hug. “It's not too much, Little Kate. Your parents took Landry in and gave him the love and care we couldn’t. Now, it is our turn to treat you as our own.”

  Tears blurred Katherine’s vision. She glanced at Seven, who gave her a small, reassuring nod. She swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she whispered, “Thank you. I... I don’t know what to say.”

  Seven stepped closer and ruffled her hair. “You don’t have to say anything, K. I’m overwhelmed too,” he murmured. “But know this: you’ll always be my little sister.”

  The air was thick with emotion. Seven looked around at the faces of his newfound kin. For the first time, he felt the heaviness of the years he had spent believing he was unwanted begin to lighten. The property, the money, they weren’t just material wealth. They were symbols of belonging, of a family that had finally found its way back to each other.

  As the party continued, other presents beneath the trees were slowly distributed and opened, each one a testament to the bonds that tied friends and families together. But for Seven, it wasn’t the money or even the land; it was the realization that he was no longer an abandoned son.

  He glanced at Sana, who was laughing with Katherine, their eyes sparkling with joy. He turned to his grandparents and parents, their expressions reflecting pride and affection. In that moment, he knew the past could not be changed, but the future—bright and full of promise—was theirs to shape.