Chapter 82 Keeping his promises
Adrian's POV.
“I didn't think you'd call with another number,” I placed a hand inside my pocket. My head was lifted to the sky as I talked with her on the phone.
“You won't pick my calls! Talking to Dennis also didn't make you call me,” she yelled, her voice making me shut my eyes closed.
“I'm sorry, Karina.” I replied. “I was going to call when I am ready to talk to you.”
She repeated my words sarcastically. “I was going to talk when I am ready to talk to you.”
I could imagine the scenery of her room right now. She won't be sitting, she'd be standing, facing the ceiling as she mocked my words.
“When would that be?” She asked. “When all these scandals you are getting yourself involved in finally gets out of hand?”
I didn't reply to her words, I only sighed.
“When will you bring her to me?” She asked. “You got married without inviting me,” she scoffed.
Her voice was loud, each words ringing in my ears. That moment, I wondered if she had ever talked calmly.
“What do you want me to do now?” I asked, tired of being on the phone with her. I would have chose to hang up but the next time she gets through to me, she won't stop going on about the past and how she had helped change my life.
“Visit me with her tomorrow,” she blurted.
I scoffed at her words. “Next tomorrow. If you are not fine with that then forget about me visiting you at all,” I ended the call before she could speak again.
After what I said, she was surely going curse at me.
“Who's Karina?” A voice rose behind me, getting me startled. I turned to see Evelyn.
She was still standing when I had thought she had left after I told her to.
“You are still here,” I furrowed my brows.
“Yes,” she responded. “I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was just waiting until you are done so we can walk back to the house together."
I stared at her for a while without a word. I had her pinned under my gaze but that made her nervous, her throat bobbing with seconds interval.
“Karina is my grandmother.” I told her. Her eyes widened in surprise, blinking at the same time.
“What?” She exclaimed. “You…. Have a…. Family?” She stuttered.
I tilted my head, an amused smirk spreading on my lips.
“Of course I do. What were you expecting?” I asked. “That I'm a lonely asshole?”
She blinked again. “That's not what I meant.”
“None of them attended our wedding gala. I've never seen anyone of them contact you,” she said, her voice low and careful.
I didn't reply her words. I had no reason to explain anything about my family to her.
“You made that guy tell us all he know about the mastermind behind your attempted murder,” I said. “You deserve a reward.”
She blinked again, wanting to make me start keeping count of how many times she had done that today.
“Let's go on a date tomorrow.” I said. “I'll text you the venue and time.”
She looked surprised. Her lips parted to speak but I turned before she could say a word.
“It's getting cold outside, you should get back inside.” I walked towards the house and could hear her footsteps as she followed closely behind me, silently with no words spoken.
I ascended the stairs, heading to my room quietly.
The night ended and soon, it was the next day. I stood in front of the mirror, getting my tie in place.
A knock came on the door and I knew it was David. I had told Mira to fetch him a few minutes earlier.
“Come in,” I said, still not talking my face away from the mirror.
David entered, walking to me and bowing his head slightly. “You called for me, boss.”
“Hartley?” I asked, knotting the tie into place before facing him.
“He's been handed over to the district police station this morning sir,” he said. “I informed the head deputy to keep a close eye on him.”
“I told him to reach out if there's anything he has to relay to us,” David added and I nodded.
“What else?” I asked.
He brought a paper out from his pocket, handing it over to me respectfully. “Here is the address of his family, their phone numbers included.”
I took the paper from him, glancing over it. He had three family members, a mother and two sisters.
“Did you look them up?” I asked, grabbing my briefcase and walking out of the room.
David followed behind me, hurrying with his steps to stay in line with mine.
“Yes sir,” he appeared beside me, handing a tablet over to me.
I handed him my briefcase while I looked over the screen of the tablet.
I walked down the stairs, eyes glued on the tablet.
One of his sisters is studying in college on scholarship, the other works a part-time job at a cafe while the mother is an owner of a laundry service shop.
There were photos attached, showing how they go about their daily lives. I stared at a particular photo where the four of them looked happy together, like a real family.
Something I once had but already lost.
When I finished descending the stairs, my eyes darted to the dining table. Evelyn was seated, her face on me.
“Good morning,” she muttered.
I didn't reply but only took my face away from her. Mira emerged from the other side. “Breakfast sir?”
“I'll pass,” I said curtly, walking out of the house.
“What are we going to do about them, sir?” David asked. He walked me to the parking lot, opening the car door and handing my briefcase over to me.
I let the briefcase sit first before I slid in. “Of course, we take care of them like we had promised.”
“Get into the car,” I told David. “Let's go see his family.”