"Please calm down, everyone," Marina said, interrupting before the argunt turned into a heated one. She looked at her husband and said, "Aeldric, it’s the first ti we are eting our son’s family. Instead of being happy, you are already set on laying your claim on the kids—kids who belong more to their own father than their grandfather."
Aeldric frowned to see his wife taking soone else’s side instead of his. "Marina, I was—"
"Aeldric, back then you separated Alexander from and raised him on your own. You took away my son, but I won’t tolerate it if you do the sa with our grandsons. They are still young."
"Alexander was of their age when I started training him, and look at him—how capable he is..."
"Capable enough to have his family in secret and not even want his father to know about it?" Marina countered. "Is this what you wanted from your son? He is clearly not pleased with your ways and wants to keep his kids away. Isn’t that already clear to you?"
Aeldric glared at Alexander and then looked at Serena. "It’s her who ruined my son."
"Father, you might want to consider your words before saying anything to my woman," Alexander said. "Though not married legally, she is as important to as Mother is to you."
"Did you hear that?" Marina asked. "Now stop all this and let have a peaceful ti with my grandkids."
She looked at the two young ones. "Will you co to your grandma?"
This ti, the kids didn’t look at their parents for approval and went to the kind-looking old woman, while Aeldric stayed quiet, fuming inside.
Though he was the king here, when Marina spoke, he chose to keep quiet. She was the woman he once loved, but his power, arrogance and ego had gotten the better of him. Still, she was the only person who could shut him up, and he didn’t retaliate.
Even Mallory could say nothing. Her father would never tolerate others refuting his wife if he himself had given in to her.
"It’s difficult to guess who is who," Marina said with a smile. "I can’t tell who is Aaron and who is Aiden. You two look exactly the sa."
"You can just ask us who is who," Aaron said.
The old woman chuckled softly. "That’s indeed a good idea."
The frown lines on Aeldric’s face deepened as he saw how his grandsons were accepting toward his wife, while they looked at him as if he were their enemy.
Definitely, their mother had taught them.
"There is a delicious al prepared for all of us. How about we enjoy it first?" Marina asked the two boys. "That way, this grandma gets to know what you two like, and we can be less of strangers?"
Aaron and Aiden nodded.
Marina ordered everyone to head to the dining room once Serena was introduced to the rest of the family mbers. At the dining table, Aeldric sat at the head of the family chair. Alexander sat to his left, while Marina sat to his right.
Aiden and Aaron sat between their parents. Due to Marina’s strict warning, the al went by quietly.
After the al, as the adults needed to talk, Marina asked the two kids, "Aaron, Aiden, why don’t you play with your cousins Ian and Luis?"
Those were Mallory’s kids, who were around the sa age as Aiden and Aaron.
"Ian, Luis, take your cousins to the playroom," Marina instructed the two. "Make sure to be good with them."
The kids left along with the servants, while the Riverdale family mbers went to the study. That included Serena, Alexander’s parents, Mallory, and her husband.
The other Riverdales were lounging outside, waiting to see what would happen. Was Alexander going to bring his woman and kids into the family? Would he marry her? Would he allow his father to take control over his kids, and so on? Alexander was a headstrong person as well, just like his father. They were waiting for the drama to unfold.
-----
Inside the study.
"Alex, what do you plan to do?" Marina began, only to be interrupted by Aeldric.
"What are you even asking him? I am the one to decide in this ho. From now on, my grandsons are going to stay with ."
"Those are his sons—his opinion matters more than yours," Marina said in a strict tone, then looked at Alexander. "You have kept your family away for so long, and I don’t bla you for it. But now that they are with us, what do you plan? Any plans of marrying Serena?"
"No. There is no such plan," Alexander replied.
"Very well," Aeldric said in delight. "I would never want my son to marry such a woman. All I want is my grandsons."
"They will be staying with their mother," Alexander declared.
Aeldric’s expression turned grave. "Alex, just because I am being tolerant, do not dare challenge my authority. You know your father well."
Mallory chid in, "Alex, you are indeed so brazen to challenge Father in front of strangers. This is what happens when you get involved with a random woman."
Just then, there was a commotion outside, and a servant entered the study. "Master, sothing bad has happened."
Everyone hurried outside.
A woman was groaning in pain; a man next to her was pressing a cloth to her neck, blood spilled all around.
"She needs to be taken to the hospital! Hurry!"
The woman was carried out by the guards and taken to the hospital.
"You little brat! You murderer!" another woman scread at the young boy who was holding a fruit knife in his hand, blood still dripping from it. His expression was dark—far too dark for a child his age.
Aaron quickly grabbed the knife from Aiden’s hand and threw it away, then stood in front of him. "He didn’t do anything."
Soone else shouted. "That kid—he just cut her throat for no reason. Is he crazy?"
"He needs to be punished!"
"Silence!" Aeldric’s loud voice echoed in the room, silencing everyone.
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