"Athena?" Catherine murmured. "I thought she was at the hotel."
I didn’t expect her to be there for long.
"And who is that?" Walter asked, already walking towards the door to open it.
"Well, hello there, I brought presents for Es’s birthday tomorrow!" She handed Gramps the pile of boxes.
"Excuse , and who are you?"
Athena grinned. "Her favorite auntie."
"Auntie?" Walter looked to , and then to Athena.
Recognition beca his gaze when he saw the resemblance.
"Another King in my ho."
"A much sweeter King." Athena let herself in.
Catherine rushed to help Gramps with the boxes, and they shared a talk, but I got distracted by Athena.
"Do my eyes deceive , or are you glowing...? Soone slept on the positive side of the bed, or did Catherine kiss your ass?"
She did.
"You’re here."
"I’d have made it yesterday, that rain that ca out of nowhere. What? Am I unwanted here?"
She’s trying to get on my nerves; she has been for the last five years.
"Doesn’t matter, I can be wherever I want, and no one’s stopping ."
I have no intention of stopping her. Again. She was trying to irk .
"Do you still hate ?" I asked. "You made so kind of declaration like that years ago."
"So kind? It wasn’t so kind! I hate you, and that is not changing." She flipped her head backwards. "I ca here for Catherine and Es... only. That is the only reason I travelled halfway across the world to that rundown town. Not for your sorry excuse of an ass."
I smiled. "I’m sure you were."
"What?"
"..."
She rolled her eyes.
"Walt?"
Margaret walked down the stairs, Es following behind. She quickly rushed over to , stopping when she saw Athena.
"Athena!"
"Hello, little dumpling."
"Are those for ?" she pointed to the boxes while jumping happily.
"Yes, but you have to open them tomorrow."
My phone rang, and I grabbed it from the table, eyeing how Athena engaged with Es and then Margaret.
I pressed the phone to my ear.
"Good for you to finally pick up my call. Seems like the old trick of using another number worked."
Grandmother.
I walked to the kitchen for so space.
"What? Won’t you speak?"
"Speaking is no longer necessary between us..."
"That is the word you use for your enemy. I’m not your enemy. But you think otherwise, don’t you? Why? Because I knew where your runaway ex-wife was all this ti, and that your heir wasn’t raised in the King’s household as she should be."
"You watched her all these years only to pull the trigger."
"Trust ... pulling the trigger was hard. I wouldn’t want my great-granddaughter to grow up motherless, but I was left with no choice. Sacrifices should be made, and you understand that better than anyone."
"It doesn’t make sense..."
"What?"
I leaned against the counter as I studied everyone. Athena was speaking with Walter now, and it seed to be going well so far.
"You could have easily killed Catherine when you had the chance. Why now?"
"Because I didn’t imagine she would want to co back to you... Nina wouldn’t."
"Don’t..." I warned.
"Nina wouldn’t. After all, she had always wanted to escape your father. This Catherine, she intrigues . I’d like to see her. The mother of your child."
The call ended, and I took the phone off my ear, already feeling hot anger curling through but I buried it.
"Ares..."
I moved my eyes from the phone to Catherine standing in front of . I didn’t realize she was until now.
"Is everything okay?" She descended her gaze to my phone. "Work?"
"No..."
"What then?"
"It was my Grandmother..."
Her face twisted into a frown as she folded her arms.
"She has been calling ever since Penrose; she got hold of now..."
"What does she want?"
"I can’t tell... she’s unpredictable."
"Then don’t think about the old bitch. Think about Es... tomorrow’s her birthday..." She looked behind the company. "And she’s spending it with family."
She leveled her gaze at her ring, rubbing against the diamond. "I have to tell her too... about you."
"Don’t force it."
"I want her to know."
My hand snaked around her waist as I pulled her close. "And she will... naturally."
"I thought you would be eager."
"I’m a very patient man."
"Of course you are... after all, it took ten years to declare your underlying love."
Catherine pushed off, and I wanted to drag her back to and teach her otherwise.
My eyes connected with her ass as she swayed those hips for , but I quickly peeled them off when Walter ca to .
"King."
"Walter."
"Your sister has an amusing personality, sothing more human; you could have learned a thing or two from her."
"No one said twins should share the sa similarities."
He scoffed. "Twins... and here I thought you were the one adopted." He brushed past to the fridge.
"You let yourself in. Consider it however you want. I’m done. At least you’re not standing at my front door like an on."
"Your blessing is more important to ."
"Ah... she’s already wearing the ring, there goes my blessing." He closed the fridge, pouring the orange juice into the cup.
The silence grew long, especially as he kept pining with a sharp look. I don’t expect him to warm up to that easily, but this was progress.
"You chased the workers away..." I changed the topic. "They were necessary."
He did it years ago, and no matter how much they ca back, he kept threatening them.
"Yes, I did. I can manage my farm myself."
"They will resu work effectively imdiately. They only keep coming back with more numbers if you keep chasing them away."
"Wha—"
I left him hanging as I moved towards Es, feeling his heavy gaze piercing my back.
When Es saw , she took my hand and led to a corner, and I crouched when she signaled to do so.
"I saw the ring..." she whispered. "It’s really pretty. Does this an you’re married to mommy?"
"Yes. Your mommy and I have always been close. Now we’ll be closer."
Her grin broadened, and it compelled a smile from .
"You still haven’t told what you want for your birthday, angel."
"I..." Es paused as if thinking, but I could tell she had sothing in mind already.
"You don’t have to worry. I can get you anything you want."
"I think I’m okay with Athena’s gifts." She ran past .
Reviews
All reviews (0)