Chapter 35

Chapter 35
 “Interesting. How do you play this game?”, Arthur asked with gravity in his voice, and Aria was then absolutely sure that Arthur knew about the slave auction.

But she didn’t know why he would suspect they took Asher along.

“By hiding from Mr Grupert! It was so fun, he couldn’t find me at all”

A loud bell of relief rang in Aria’s head saying ‘SAFE’, she knew she raised a smart little boy.

“Ah I see. What an eventful game. And you did nothing else? Your parents didn’t bother taking you to interesting places?”

“No, they’re boring, they only go to work”, Asher shrugged.

Aria held back a scoff. She was NOT boring. She was preoccupied with trying to bring a few companies down so they could live SAFELY.

“I have a more interesting place for you, little Asher”, Arthur gruffly chuckled, and Aria sat up a little straighter in worry of what he was going to say. “A place where you can play your spy games for real”

Asher’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes. You can hide and wear actual camoflage, and go on real missions.”

Aria thanked God he didn’t bristle and mention that he HAD gone on a real mission today already.

“I don’t think—”

“Once again, your mother butts in. She thinks you can’t make your own decisions, I beg to differ”, Arthur said, patronizing her son like he was a common child that could be tempted by rebellion.

“G—,” a hand on her thigh stopped her before she could just angrily snatch her son away. 

Aston didn’t move his face at all, but she felt the ‘calm down’ radiating from his body.

She gritted her teeth.

“But grandpaw, I’m only 4 and a half”, Asher shrugged. “Mommy says I need to grow tall before I can go on missions.”

Arthur passed a look at Aria over the top of Asher’s head, as though he was surprised that she and her son had even had the conversation.

“Ho ho, You’re quite tall for your age already though.”

“I want to be as tall as daddy! And that can only happen if mommy feeds me everyday!”, he said self righteously, and then immediately deflated. “Sorry grandpaw, I can’t come with you.”

His eyes were big and watery and Aria could have sworn on everything she owned that Arthur SOFTENED. 

Her unwavering grandfather softened. And not just in his eyes alone, his full body relaxed, even if it was only slightly, it was like an impossible miracle for Aria to conceive. 

“Very well. Another time then, little Asher. Do come to see me more often.”

Arthur rose.

Aria rose immediately after him while Aston kept a languid pace.

“You got it, grandpaw!”, Asher grinned, giving the scariest don in the underworld and above ground a tiny thumbs up.

“Mmph”, said Arthur, his assistant bowing to the two as Arthur made his way out. “How did something so pleasant come out of that vile Rothschild home?”, he murmured to himself.

“Aston”, Arthur suddenly called.

“Mm?”

“You and my granddaughter should exercise your marital rights somewhere less public. You have a child now”

Aria’s face was set aflame. From Arthur’s light, almost joking tone, she could tell that… Arthur believed it. Arthur believed that they were… that they could…

“Apologies, Arthur. I’ll try to tone down our unending love,” Aston replied blandly, his tone bordering on sarcastic.

Arthur chuckled into his car.

Was that it? Aria thought as she waved away at him.

Asher’s cuteness had deferred her grandfather, just like that?

So what? Did this mean that while she was growing up she wasn’t cute enough?…

Even after Arthur’s car had gone far far away from the villa, the family of three were still standing outside in the gardens in abject silence.

Until Asher broke it.

“Heh. Mommy I want ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow”, a little voice sounded near Aria’s hip. 

The voice of a manipulative little shit.

“Only lunch.”

“I could just call grandpaw back, mommy”

“Are you threatening me, you little rascal?”, Aria swooped down and began tickling the boy till he shrieked while Aston watched on in astonishment.

His previous hypothesis had been correct. The boy WAS a little shit, and he knew it too.

Apparently, so did Aria.

He had correctly pressed all of Arthur’s previously inactivated gentle ‘granddad’ buttons.

“Run back to bed, we’ll discuss your ice cream tomorrow”, she said, kissing his head and shooing him away.

The boy shot a glance at Aston, and Aston didn’t know how he knew but he did what the boy wanted.

“Splendid performance.” And nodded.

The boy nodded back, with the noticeable swagger of a child who had impressed a cool adult and zoomed back into the house.

Interesting child.

“I’ve seen for myself. Let’s talk about your deal”, Aria said gravely, her tone hardened.

Aston’s lips curled.

Bingo.