CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
THIRD PERSON POV

The doorbell rings, and the fact that her parents didn't answer the door surprised Adam. But he wasn't too surprised anyway. She was still a member of the family. “Hey…” he greeted her with a soft smile, his hand holding a bouquet of daisies and some chocolate.

“Hello. It's been a while we saw.” she said to him and steps back. “You can come in.” When he walks in, she shuts the door behind her.

He then looks around and asks, “Where is everyone else?”

“Mom and Dad went to get a few things for the house. Grey is asleep, and Athena is in her room. Joe has gone back to school, so it's just me and my siblings for now.”

“Oh, okay. That's fine. Can I even see her?”

“Yes, you can, but...” Haylen dragged out the last word.

“But?” Adam could not guess where she was going.  

“I would like to speak with you first.”

“Oh? Sure, go ahead. Do I need to sit down? Will it take a while?”

“Not really. It's very brief.” She on the other hand, took a seat on the cushion not too far away.

It made Adam think that the conversation was not at all brief. “Okay, I'm listening.” He says.

“So, Athena and I had a conversation.”

Adam did not like that she was speaking in phrases. “About...?”

“About you somewhat.” He lifted a brow at that answer and waited for her to expatiate. “It wasn't really about you per say, but about what she heard about you.”

“Oh. She told me herself.”

“Yeah, she did. She told me she did. I also made my few inquiries. With some people, because she is my sister. My only sister. And I'm not going to nullify her fear without making sure that it doesn't come to pass.”

“Okay?”

“Whoever she heard it from, because I know she did not tell you who, they were a bit right. You were quite a woman's person back in your day.”

“I was young and naive.”

“I don't think naive is the word, Adam. Naïve people are not as active and would always want to be led, but you? I think you tended to be very active. But all of a sudden, you feel like one of the greatest traits you could have is loyalty?” Haylen had said she wasn’t going to hold back tonight.

It’s not like she had ever held back in her entire life.

“I'm a bit offended by that question.”

“Don’t be. It’s just a question.”

“I never claimed to have the greatest trait of loyalty.”

“I'm asking that because if you haven't found your mate after twenty-five years, the chances of meeting her is low, but never zero. It means your loyalty can waver.”

“I can assure you my mate will not show up. It's been how many years, and I have searched. She does not exist anymore.”

“You say that with so much confidence.” Haylen disliked a certain confidence when it came to matters like these. People like that made you feel like the reality was farfetched sometimes.

“I feel like I have a ninety percent confidence in a statement. But that aside, I've grown, I've seen more to life, and I've had more practical experiences. My loyalty is on Athena, and I would make sure she never doubts that.”

“Your ex is your secretary.”

“We are on very neutral grounds now, if that's what you're worried about.”

“It's quite something to be bothered about. You see your ex every day, and you used to have intimate moments with this person.”

“Amber is not my mate.” Saying her name outside his office or meeting rooms felt wrong. “My wolf found it easy to move on.”

“Did it? Without failing?”

A heartbeat of silence passed between them, Adam’s wolf did yearn for Amber in the early days of their break up, but he was completely numb to her now. “I don't know how else to defend myself before you, because my past doesn't speak good of me.”

“I'm not asking you to defend yourself, Adam. But I want to just say this to you. If any of your plans or your past, contains an ill intention towards my sister, after what she's been through, I promise you, a lot of people will come looking for your body in quite a short time. But that aside, nice to have you back. She told me about the outing you guys had yesterday. It's quite interesting. Thank you for taking her outdoors. She's in her room.”

And with that, Adam ascended the staircase, and adjusted his face in case Athena could be able to read that he just had an uncomfortable conversation.