Chapter 156 025
THE living room was tense, every sound exaggerated in the heavy silence that had suddenly fallen. Adrian, now standing by the couch where Hazel had just stepped back, looked at Amelia with a mixture of caution and defiance. The kids, previously laughing and playing, now huddled together on the edge of the sofa, their eyes wide and uncertain, sensing the storm brewing between their parents.
Amelia’s arms were crossed tightly over her chest, and her eyes were sharp, her voice slicing through the air.
“You have some nerve showing up here today, Adrian.”
Adrian raised his hands slightly in a calming gesture, though his jaw remained firm.
“Amelia, it is Saturday. I promised Hazel I would come. I promised the boys I would take them out. I’m here, aren’t I?”
“I don’t care if you promised anyone!” Amelia snapped, her voice rising. “You weren’t even scheduled to see them this week! You know the schedule! You weren’t supposed to be here until next week, and you show up anyway. What gives you the right to just ignore our plans and barge in?”
Adrian took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
“Amelia, I missed them. Hazel called me all week, FaceTimed me every day. She was insistent I come. And you know it, she is stubborn like me. She doesn’t let go when she wants something. So yes, I came. I’m here to see my kids. That is all.”
Hazel, sensing the tension thickening like fog, stepped closer, placing her hand on Adrian’s arm.
“Mom, please… don’t shout. Dad just came to see us. That is all. It’s not a big deal. Please.”
Amelia’s eyes narrowed at Hazel, and for a brief second, the daughter flinched.
“Hazel,” she said sharply, “this isn’t your fight.”
“I know it’s not,” Hazel said softly, her gaze flitting to the twins, “but you guys are both yelling, and it is… it is scary. Please, can’t you just talk?”
Adrian let out a slow sigh, his eyes never leaving Amelia’s.
“I came to keep my promise. That is all. I didn’t plan to upset anyone. And the accident earlier this week… you know I promised Hazel I would come the minute I returned to the city. And I did.”
Amelia’s expression hardened, her fingers tightening on her arms.
“That’s exactly my point! You shouldn’t be here! You are disregarding rules, schedules… everything we have put in place! And you think just because it’s convenient for you, everything is fine? You are not thinking about anyone else!”
Hazel stepped forward again, her voice firmer this time.
“Mom, please. Daddy came for us. The boys and I wanted him here. And he promised, didn’t you, Daddy?”
Adrian glanced at Hazel, his smile softening briefly.
“I did, Hazel. I promised. I wouldn’t break it.”
Amelia’s eyes softened slightly, but her voice remained sharp.
“It’s not just about promises. You are making things harder than they need to be. There is a reason we schedule these visits. You can’t just ignore that because you feel like it.”
Adrian’s shoulders squared, his voice rising just enough to be firm without shouting.
“Amelia, I know. But this week… I missed my kids. They missed me. They all insisted. I couldn’t just… stay away. Not after the accident. Not after the week they have had. I had to come.”
Hazel interjected quickly, her voice earnest.
“See, Mom? Daddy had to come. He missed us, and we missed him too. Isn’t that enough?”
Amelia shook her head, letting out a sharp exhale.
“It’s not about missing each other, Hazel. It’s about boundaries, schedules, responsibilities. Adrian, you are making it about what you feel, not what is best for the children or for me.”
Adrian ran a hand through his hair, frustration creeping into his tone.
“I’m doing what is best! Do you think I enjoy being away from them? Do you think I enjoy not seeing them for weeks because of some rigid schedule? I’m their father, Amelia. I have a right to be here, to be part of their lives, especially when they have needed me.”
Hazel stepped between them, shaking her head.
“Stop it. Both of you. Please. Can’t we just… not fight today? Daddy is here. That’s all that matters.”
Amelia’s eyes flicked to Hazel, her chest heaving slightly.
“Hazel, honey, it is complicated. You don’t understand.”
“I do!” Hazel snapped back, surprising both of her parents. “I know what you are saying, Mom, but I also know Daddy promised me. And he is here. And the twins… they are happy. Why can’t that matter too?”
Adrian softened his tone, looking at Amelia with a mix of pleading and understanding.
“See? It’s not just me wanting to be here. They need me. Hazel, Gabriel, Gaddiel— they have been waiting. I promised them, Amelia. I can’t break that promise.”
Amelia’s lips pressed together as she ran a hand down her face, the fire in her eyes dimming slightly.
“You are stubborn, Adrian.”
“And you are… well, you are you,” he replied with a small smile, though his eyes remained serious. “But this isn’t about stubbornness anymore. It’s about them. They have been waiting. They have been scared, and I’m here now. Isn’t that what matters? Please, the matter is getting out of hand unnecessarily.”
Hazel nodded vigorously.
“Yes! Unnecessarily!”
The twins, who had been quiet, watching the adults argue in uneasy silence, shifted on the sofa. Gabriel’s little brows knit together, and his voice, soft but clear, cut through the tension.
“I’m happy Daddy is here… why the shouting?”
The room went dead silent.
Adrian froze mid-gesture, his face paling slightly as the words sank in. Hazel blinked rapidly, stunned by the sudden honesty of her brother. And Amelia… her blood ran cold. She felt her throat tighten, caught between anger, guilt, and shock.
The laughter, chatter, and warmth that had filled the living room only minutes ago had evaporated. Now, it was replaced by something heavier, a pause that seemed to stretch indefinitely, as all four adults and children sat frozen, absorbing the weight of those innocent words.