Graces looked at the summary of intelligence Kading had brought.

He lifted his eyes and glanced at Kading, who had set the items down but showed no sign of leaving. "Is there something else?" he asked.

Kading chuckled. "It’s Mower. She asked me to see if you’re free tonight. She wants to treat you to dinner."

Hearing this, Graces’s expression darkened. "I hope you understand your position. You are my adjutant. In the future, refuse such requests directly. Don’t forget, I am married. I have a family. I don’t want to repeat myself. Get out."

"I know, Graces. You have a Female Master and an adorable male. But are you sure you can ever go back? Even if you do, will your Female Master still accept you? If you like children, Mower can bear them for you too. You know she was specifically prepared for you. She’s well aware of that herself. I just think you shouldn’t be so cold to her. After all, she’s waited for you for many years in her own way."

Graces scoffed. "Those are titles you arbitrarily forced upon her. I never asked her to wait, and I don’t even know her. Kading, if you can’t understand plain words, then you don’t need to stay here either."

"Hey, hey, hey, hey! Do you know what you’re saying? Is it that serious? Alright, alright, I’ll stop. I won’t mention it again, okay? Just look at the files yourself. Maybe you’ll change your mind."

As Kading spoke, he made a gesture of surrender, as if he had truly yielded to Graces. He even gestured for Graces to look at the files, hinting that there might be a surprise.

Only after Kading had left did Graces pick up the files beside him and begin to flip through them. Aside from some military intelligence concerning the Empire, there was, more importantly, some information about Lu Xia’s recent life.

Graces looked at this section first. When he saw that Doctor Eugene had been entering and leaving the residence for the past two months, and that Smelian had moved into the master bedroom, Graces’s dark eyes grew heavy.

As someone who had been through it before, he knew exactly what Lu Xia’s situation was.

Lu Xia had been able to conceive naturally with him, so of course, she could do the same with Smelian.

It would be a lie to say he didn’t care at all, but sitting here now, he had no right to interfere with Lu Xia’s choices.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, suppressing his frustration.

’No one could possibly understand what kind of life I gave up to do all this.’

Setting the files aside, Graces rose and walked to the window. He recalled that Lu Xia’s last pregnancy seemed to have been very stable, with no particular discomfort. This thought brought him a slight sense of relief. Besides, Smelian was a doctor himself; he was likely better suited to care for her than Graces was.

Calculating the time, Lu Xia’s due date would probably be around the end of the year. He wondered if all of this would be over by then.

Opening the photo album on his terminal, Graces looked at the pictures one by one. He had lost count of how many times he had viewed them. The person who was once within arm’s reach could now only be seen in photos to ease his longing.

Kading had no idea how important Lu Xia was to him. The whole reason he was standing here, his original purpose, was for Lu Xia.

Just as Graces was lost in these thoughts, the door was pushed open from the outside. Lustan strode in brazenly. He looked at Graces standing by the window and scoffed, "Thinking about your Female Master again?"

Graces turned to look at him. "You shouldn’t be here, Lustan."

"You won’t even call me ’Father’ anymore, Graces?"

"If you’re here to discuss that, then the answer is yes."

"You really know how to piss a person off. Your Female Master already has a new lover. Wouldn’t it be better to just give her up? In what way is Mower inferior to her?"

"Don’t you dare compare her to Lu Xia. Lustan, if you like her so much, take her for yourself. Don’t force her on me. I’m not interested. If there’s nothing else, please leave. And next time, remember to knock."

"Graces, Mower is the female child of the Kaka Star Clan’s leader. Being with her would do more to stabilize the army’s morale. You can’t possibly fail to understand this. For the sake of the Rebel Army, for the future of the Federation, what’s a small sacrifice for a high commander like you?"

Graces looked at him with a cold smile. "Have you forgotten who I came here for?"

"Surely you’re not still thinking you can go back to the Imperial Star one day and live happily ever after with that Female Master of yours? Even if you want to, could she ever accept you, a commander of the Rebel Army?"

"I don’t know if she could still accept me. But if that day ever comes, I will die at her feet if I have to. Give up your foolish ideas, Lustan. I am the supreme commander of the Alliance Army now. I know what I’m doing. Do not interfere with my decisions. Otherwise, you can go back and stay in your cell in the Underground City!"

Faced with Graces’s unyielding stance, Lustan nodded. "Fine. Fine, fine. You’d better do as you say. And you’d better not regret it."

Having failed to achieve his goal, Lustan turned and left in a huff. Graces rubbed his temples in frustration, then called someone in and ordered, "Keep an eye on Lustan. Whatever he’s planning, report it to me."

After giving these orders, Graces grabbed his jacket and left the office. However, the moment he stepped out the door, he saw the female, Mower, standing right outside.

Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying, and her gaze toward Graces was filled with grievance.

Such a young female would soften the heart of any male.

But Graces felt nothing. "I have no interest in you," he said coolly. "Don’t come looking for me again."

He didn’t linger for a moment after saying this, nor did he have any intention of comforting Mower. He turned and strode away. To Graces, Mower was an insignificant person, and he was even repulsed by the idea of having any connection with her.

Mower had been admired and pursued since she was young; this was the first time she had ever been treated this way. The contrast between her expectations and reality couldn’t have been greater.

Moreover, she had already considered herself Graces’s future Female Master, or at least his future partner. But now, Graces was completely repulsed by her, unwilling to even spare her a glance or say another word. Mower felt wronged, but also incredibly indignant.

She couldn’t understand how such a heartless and cruel male could exist in the world.

She understood even less what was so special about Graces’s Female Master on the Imperial Star that he remained so devoted to her memory.

In that moment, a vicious jealousy sparked within her for the female on the Imperial Star—a female she had never met, who had once possessed Graces.

Watching Graces’s back as he strode away, a venomous resentment flickered in Mower’s eyes. She turned and went to find Kading.

Kading was surprised to see her suddenly appear. Before he could speak, he heard Mower lament through her tears, "Kading, I’m begging you, tell me, what kind of person was Graces’s previous Female Master? Why is he still so obsessed with her even after coming here? Is that female really so wonderful?"