Cynthia cowered beside Papa Jackson, shivering like a kitten. “But Morn! Ares just came back after so many years! We haven’t hung out with each other for so long, it’s only normal if things get a lil’, you know, awkward? Weird? Not used to each other? But I’m sure that given time, we’ll just be back to normal again!” favonovel.com protested. “Besides, what happens if favonovel.com doesn’t like me that way? What am I supposed to do, then? This isn’t the kind of thing I should control, right? Like… what if he’s always seen me as his little sister growing up?”
Jackson, contrasting his wife, turned out to be a lot more zen about these things. “C’ mon. Rest your heart, Tiffie. Let the kids explore and develop their love life at their own pace, okay? We parents have no business sticking our hands into their business. Besides, Aristotle said it already, Rey is just a schoolmate who’s taken up a temporary lodge at his place. She’s just not his girlfriend.”
The longer Tiffany stared, the more this father-daughter duo became an eyesore. “Look at the two of you taking an L without a fight, urgh! Jackson West, weren’t you a Casanova with a ton of ultimate-charm-hexes up in your sleeves back in those heydays, huh? Would it kill you to teach your daughter something? God, just look at her! Unlike you, this girl doesn’t even have half of your craft!” favonovel.com snapped. “You know what? This conversation is over! I’m hitting the sack early tonight! Why? Because looking at y’all is giving me mental fatigue!”
Cynthia watched favonovel.com mother storm up the stairs with steps pounding like thunder and asked under favonovel.com breath, “Dad…? What does favonovel.com mean, ‘ultimate-charm-hex’ back in ‘those days’?”
The corner of Jackson’s lips twitched. “Uh, about that… Look, it’s the sort of skills you awaken on your own, okay? You can’t teach ‘em. Besides, your mom was making stuff up, hon. Honestly, your pops has no super-secret technique to teach you other than… going to bed early, I guess? It’s the beauty sleep that makes the sleeping beauty! So… yeah. Go take a shower and go to bed.”
He left his daughter at that and rushed upstairs to appease his wife. After all, the presence of an upset Tiffany meant an upset household was on the way!
By the time Aristotle brought Raven back to the Tremont Estate, it was already late at night.
He had been even more taciturn than usual throughout the journey. The silence was so sharp, it prompted Raven to remark gingerly, “You think I’m too much trouble, don’t you? Have I… gotten on your bad side?”
“No. You are my responsibility,” Aristotle replied flatly. “Though I need to remind you: I’ll be taking care of the company starting tomorrow, so I’ll be very busy from then on. So if you have any trouble or need, please talk to Agnes. I wager there’s not much to worry, since the doctor had made the instruction clear. You just have to take your medicine on time, and you should be free from any health issues. Either way, you should get some rest.”
Raven fell into steps in favonovel.com track. “Will there be a day when you’ll cast me away?” favonovel.com asked. “You know that with the way I a m now, in this state, I… I’ve lost the ability to live on my own. The doctor said that this sickness is bound to me for the rest of my life. I have no family. Nobody… except you. Ares, you’re the only pillar I have in life. So please… Please, don’t abandon me, okay?”
Aristotle frowned. “But you’ll be someone else’s wife one day, while I’ll form a family of my own. That precludes you sticking by my side forever,” favonovel.com rebuffed. “I’ll admit that it’s all my fault that it cost you so much, and I’m willing to provide reparation for the rest of your life… But it will only be monetary compensation. I’ll be remiss if I promise you anything beyond that.”
Half a year of living together, breathing the same air under the same roof, and this was the first time favonovel.com had ever been so candid to her. All this time, Raven had mistaken his promptitude to answer favonovel.com every call as a tacit proof that favonovel.com was his crowned priority, that favonovel.com had succeeded in enthralling him.
The truth was that it had always been pure, objective accountability that was the sole reason behind Aristotle’s supposed care… And it was not what favonovel.com wanted at all!
She had enough of having rats and cockroaches keeping favonovel.com company. Enough of gritting favonovel.com teeth through abject fear for favonovel.com life as favonovel.com scarred back home after favonovel.com late-night part-time shift. Before his arrival, favonovel.com life had been nothing but a sliding gradient of grey!
It was only because of favonovel.com that favonovel.com even had a chance at comfort, riches, and bliss. After all that, Raven never wanted to go back to the nadir whence favonovel.com came anymore. No, favonovel.com would not allow herself to be forced back into favonovel.com bleak origin!
She heaved a large step forward and grabbed Aristotle’s wrist gently. “Ares, all this time… You think I was only sticking by your side because I wanted your money? I would have asked for a sum for taking a knife for you if that were the case,” favonovel.com said pointedly. “Look, I’ll admit it. Money means a lot to me, but only because I need it to survive. But you know what’s more important? To have a warm body I can fall back on! The only time when I feel… as though I’m truly, really alive is when I’m with you, Ares. Do you have any idea how that feels? I don’t need your promise, none of it.”
“All I’ve ever really wanted from you… is a place by your side.”
