Was that a trick question? Ewan wondered, staring keenly at his two children who bore a striking resemblance to him.
They had been present at the court case which had been held at the council hall, and so they had heard the verdict. They knew he could only see them once a month, they knew that Antonio was their father legally. They also knew about the relationship between their mother and Antonio. So, why the question? Were they trying to test him?
Ewan opened his mouth to say the first thing that popped into his mind, then halted, closing his mouth again. He needed to sort his words carefully. He had to ensure they were appropriate before releasing them into the air.
"My plan is to listen to your mother," He finally spoke, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "What she says goes."
He continued, "In the council hall, she decided on my visits to be once a month, and that’s what I will work with. I will respect her wishes, which include not bothering her unnecessarily. Yet..."
There was a pause, and he could feel the curiosity of the children heightening even though they looked calm and collected on the outside.
"I will not stop trying for more—more ti with you guys, and..." Ewan hesitated, aware of the heat rising in his face and neck. He didn’t think his next words were appropriate for their ears.
"Don’t worry, you can go on. We have heard a lot of things; I’m sure yours won’t be any different."
Ewan wasn’t pleased with Nathaniel’s statent. The kids were too young to be subjected to everything, even if they were geniuses.
Shouldn’t Athena have known that? Gianna too? His eyes narrowed in slight irritation as he wondered what the twins had heard to be so laid-back, so self-assured in handling whatever he had to say next.
"Don’t worry. It’s just not for your ears."
Kathleen pouted, which made him chuckle lightly.
"So, is there a reason why you asked the question?" He inquired, attempting to regain a sense of control over the conversation.
Nathaniel shrugged nonchalantly. "Not really. Just curious about your intent and purposes."
Ewan pursed his lips, even their expressions and words were far beyond their age. It made him wish he had t Athena when she was younger, just to compare and contrast.
"I see," He muttered, rubbing his hands together as the nerves kicked in, and silence reigned once again.
Rembering Sandro’s advice, he thought to ask about their academics. "So, how’s school going? I heard you’re topping your class."
"Heard from who?" Nathaniel cut in, raising his left eyebrow, a gesture that added to Ewan’s growing discomfort.
Ewan swallowed hard. He had heard from Sandro, who had done his howork, even bribing so of the teachers for information.
"From Sandro. He asked so questions around," He finally admitted, taking his eyes away from them, not wanting to witness any judgnt or disappointnt that might flicker across their faces. Given their high IQ, it was safe to say they understood the implications of what he was saying.
"Do you always tell the truth?"
Ewan reverted his attention to them when he heard Nathaniel’s question, the weight of it lingering in the air.
"I try."
"Probably why Fiona read you as an open book." Kathleen dropped this observation suddenly, causing Ewan to pull back in surprise. He hadn’t seen that—was it an insult?
"Sorry?"
"Sotis, it’s okay to lie," Nathaniel explained, subtly positioning himself protectively by his sister, as if shielding her from potential conflict.
Ewan felt a spark of pride.
"I see. So, back to school. How do you see your school? How are the teachers?"
"They are okay," Kathleen answered, undeterred by her blunt comnt from earlier.
"Which subjects do you prefer, Kathleen?"
Kathleen pressed her lips together, a bit shy about being the center of her father’s attention. "I like math, history... I think I like everything."
Ewan chuckled heartily. "Co on, there must be one that gets you excited."
"That would be computer science and software, then. Though we’re not really taught that in our grade," She replied casually, a hint of disappointnt coloring her tone.
Ewan pursed his lips, the humor dissipating as Antonio’s words echoed in his mind: "Theyaregoodwithcomputers!"
Were they really that skilled?
"What can you do on the computer?" He asked, curiosity getting the best of him.
This ti, the twins were hesitant to respond. They exchanged glances, and Ewan could sense a shift in the energy between them, as though they were debating sothing important.
"You can trust ," Ewan added gently, hoping to encourage them to share more.
"Can we?" Nathaniel asked, crossing his arms across his chest defiantly.
Ewan bobbed his head in affirmation. "Yes, I am wiser now. I’ve made mistakes in the past, been easily swayed, but that’s no longer the situation. Your mother has done wonders for , both in my health and ntally. I’m sound now, and I won’t be gullible anymore. So, you can trust . I’m here now. And I promise, I am not going anywhere. I won’t hurt you two either, including your mother."
"We will hold you to your words then," Nathaniel said, unfolding his arms slightly, eyeing Ewan closely. "Only because you’ve proved yourself thoughtful, with the gifts and all..."
"And if you fail..." Nathaniel glared at Ewan coldly, an intensity in his expression that made Ewan slightly uneasy.
Ewan wasn’t often intimidated. But in the few instances when he had been, he had never felt as frightened as he did now, looking into his son’s icy eyes—eyes that were his. He couldn’t even explain why Nathaniel’s threat sunk its claws inside him.
"There won’t be a chance for that," He promised, steeling his resolve. "You can trust ."
"Okay then," Kathleen chid in, her voice chirpier, adjusting back to her original self since her brother had given their biological father a favorable score.
"We are very good with computers. Hacks, codes, all that high-level stuff. We don’t work alone, though. We work with so group in the dark web. Of course, they don’t know our ages."
She laughed when she saw Ewan’s shocked face. Nathaniel managed a thin smile beside her.
For Ewan, he wasn’t sure if he was hearing correctly. When Antonio had ntioned their computer skills, his mind had gone to typing speed or, at most, tracking skills—good knowledge of the system. But hacking and coding?
"Did your mother teach you that?" He finally broke free from his speechlessness.
The twins shook their heads, clearly proud of their independence.
"We learned on our own. Though Mommy is good with computers too. I guess we got the genius brains from her." Kathleen replied, tilting her head with confidence. "Because it’s quite obvious that we got only looks from you."
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