Having to sit with Slater throughout the ride and listen to him prattle on was sothing Lola was getting used to—or rather, sothing she had already prepared herself for the mont she realized she’d be going ho with him.
"Right." Lola looked up and turned to Slater. "How did you even know Aileen?"
His grin stretched from ear to ear until his eyes squinted. "Sis, you have no idea about my connections."
"Can you just please answer ?"
"Baby told about her! And it turns out, my other brother-in-law knew her," he explained with a knowing tone. "So, I got her contact number and called her. Asked her a few important questions—like how she’d rate her hatred toward the Youngs on a scale of one to ten."
"..."
"Then, we clicked!" He grinned proudly. "She was worried that lissa Young wouldn’t attend tonight’s event because of what you did at their engagent party. So, I promised her she’d get her ti for revenge."
The mont he finished, Slater was practically glowing. One could almost see the twinkle shimring in the air around him.
"So, I stole your phone while you were bathing the twins and got her number from it," he added, his grin widening. "Then, I sent her another gift and left my number on it."
"Is that why you’ve been busy with your phone lately?"
"Yes."
"Slater."
"Sis, humiliating her isn’t enough for that woman! You have to keep going—attack, attack, attack—until she can’t respawn anymore," he lectured in a matter-of-fact tone. "Bad people don’t die fast. They just keep respawning. Giving them chances only makes them worse."
Lola blinked slowly, staring at Slater with a shallow breath. "Did you really think I went easy on her?"
"Sis, is that the best you could do?"
"I already ruined LL Construction’s financial flow. Lawrence Young is drowning in debt. As for lissa, the Lancaster family is just waiting for one good reason to oppose that engagent. I gave them one—and now, they won’t let go of the opportunity," she shrugged. "All I need to do is create a ripple and watch the storm flip everything upside down."
She tilted her head slightly. "I’ve done my part. And knowing those people... they’ll destroy themselves without lifting another finger."
If Lola were focused on revenge, she would’ve been far more ruthless. But all she truly ca back for was to cut ties with them. This was rely the consequence of Lawrence crossing the line not too long ago. Had he had the decency not to ntion her child, she wouldn’t have gone this far.
"Slater, those people aren’t worth it," Lola humd. "The best revenge I can give them is not falling with them, and just being happier."
Her face softened into a radiant smile. "And I’m happy."
"..." Slater blinked, staring at her glowing expression. "Man, now I feel like crap."
"You shouldn’t." She winked. "I might’ve said they’re a waste of ti, but I never said they didn’t deserve it."
Slater stared for a beat before his mouth curved up. Without warning, he lunged at Lola and rubbed his cheek against hers.
"Big sis, you really are the best! Just marry my brother already—or should I just file your marriage myself to make it official?" He cooed, squishing her cheek with his. "Just say the word, and consider it done."
Lola winced and tried to pull away, but eventually gave up with a sigh.
*****
It took a while for Lola to push Slater off and distract him with sothing else. Once they got ho, she fled before he could follow. Who knew what kind of idea might pop into that head of his?
Click!
Atlas, who had been waiting for her in the study, paused. He looked up slowly to see Lola peeking through the doorway.
"..." He blinked, studying her as if she were hiding from soone. "Slater?"
Lola flinched and turned to him with a sheepish smile before quietly closing the door and locking it. Just in case Slater decided to barge in.
"Atlas, be honest with ," she said as she sauntered toward him. "When Slater was a child... did your mom drop him?"
Atlas watched her walk closer, reached out, and pulled her onto his lap before she could sit anywhere else. A soft yelp escaped her as he steadied her by the waist.
"No, she didn’t," he replied, tilting his head back to et her eyes. "Our father did. Accidentally. It’s a secret."
For a mont, Lola just stared, gripping his shoulder. When his words finally sank in, her jaw fell slightly.
"You locked the door," he murmured. "I wasn’t ready."
"..."
Not ready? The thing poking her thigh said otherwise.
Lola puffed her cheeks in a mock pout, though she wasn’t really complaining. Resting her arms on his shoulders, she leaned in and fluttered her eyelashes.
"Was that a joke? Or did your dad really drop him?"
Atlas nodded solemnly. "It’s a secret he swore to take to the grave."
"How did you even know, then?"
"Uncle Haines."
She blinked.
"Uncle Haines is my father’s cousin," Atlas explained, pulling her closer. "He’s also my father’s only friend—or maybe my father is his only friend. Either way, he knows everything about him and witnessed a lot of things, including this... cri you just asked about."
"..." Lola bit her tongue. She was only being sarcastic because Slater’s energy and logic just had that effect on her. She really should’ve known Atlas wasn’t the right person to joke with about it.
"I was just being sarcastic," she muttered under her breath. "I wasn’t ready to hear an actual cri story."
The corners of Atlas’s mouth curled as his lashes lowered. "It’s alright. No one else will touch you while I’m around." He pulled her in closer until her elbow bent against his chest. "How was the event?"
"Hmm." Lola pursed her lips, adjusting herself on his lap until her chest nearly pressed against him. "It was okay."
Her cheeks flushed as a mischievous smile played on her lips. "But I missed you. I wished you were there."
"..." Atlas blinked once, then twice—but before he could reply, she batted her lashes and said teasingly,
"Please be gentle—kyah!"
And all night, he wasn’t gentle at all.
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