The Secret Heir Return To Wealth And Love

Rosalynn's eyes welled up with warmth as she watched the scene unfold before her.

After a good cry and a refreshing nap, little Ivy was like a firecracker, full of energy. She tugged at Wayne's hand, leading him out of the room to her art studio.

This year, Ivy's collection had grown significantly.

The evolution in her style was profound, and her use of color was nothing short of mesmerizing.

But as she perused her work, Ivy stole a glance at Cory, who was chatting with Rosalynn.

"Dad, you've got something for Cory too, right? You wouldn't be silly enough to just get me flowers and forget about him, would you?" Ivy whispered into Wayne's ear with a seriousness that belied her years.d2 "Of course not," Wayne shook his head, "Dad's got a different present for your brother, coming up in a few days."

"Make sure you tell him, okay?" Ivy insisted with earnest, "Cory doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve, and even though he's quiet, kids can get hurt feelings too."

"Don't worry, honey, Dad's got it covered," Wayne replied, gently pinching her nose.

"Dad, I haven't finished my painting today, so don't distract me now. I'll come to play with you later!" Ivy announced loudly, on purpose.

She couldn't bear the thought of her brother feeling slighted.

"Got it, kiddo. I'll leave you to it," Wayne conceded.

"Okay!"

Patting her head, Wayne walked out of the studio.

"Cory, come with me, will you?" After Wayne stepped out, he reached out his hand to Cory.

Hesitant at first, Cory eventually took his father's hand, and the two of them headed toward the living room.

Rosalynn glanced back into the studio. She caught her daughter stretching her neck to peek, who quickly stuck out her tongue and spun around to continue painting when their eyes met. Rosalynn knew all too well what her daughter was up to and followed the father and son with a chuckle.

Once in the living room, Wayne and Cory sat down face to face.

Wayne then handed over an iPad, saying, "Here's your present."

"I already have an iPad..." Cory began, but he still took the device into his hands.

Unlocking it, he was greeted with a meticulously detailed travel itinerary.

"Bug Study Trip," Cory read the title of the plan and looked at Wayne in surprise.

"Summer's here, and the bugs will be out in force. Remember that bug-attracting lantern you made on our last camping trip? It worked like a charm. How about we take that lantern and go on a road trip to collect and observe bugs? Sound good?"

Turning to Rosalynn for her reaction, she just shrugged and motioned that it was all Wayne's doing.

"Sounds great," Cory nodded, a blush creeping up to the tips of his ears, "Is everyone coming?"

"The whole gang is coming," Rosalynn answered for Wayne.

Cory nodded again and flipped through the travel plan.

Each stop was marked with the unique insect species to be found there.

Cory looked up at Wayne, "Did you put this together?"

"Yep," Wayne nodded.

Cory was silent for a moment, flipping through a few more pages, then turned off the screen.

Wayne paused, a little puzzled, "Don't you like it?"

Shaking his head, Cory clutched the iPad close to his chest, "I love it. Thank you, Dad. This is the best, my favorite gift ever."

Wayne was momentarily stunned, and Rosalynn beamed with pride. Cory was a boy of few words, and the adults always fretted over what to gift him for birthdays and such.

The things that could be bought were simple enough for Cory to obtain if he wished.

But the things that couldn't be bought were much harder to get just right.