Chapter 31

Soon Adam drove into Vanessa's parents' compound.

It was so huge and there were well-trimmed trees lined up beside the carved road for vehicles. Lamp posts also stood at various places, making everywhere light up considerably.

Adam could see from the faint distance a cluster of willow trees.

There was a lake on their property just some feet beside the trees, the willow leaves acting as a small covering.

Adam pulled up in the parking lot.

Since Vanessa's dad was used to receiving lots of important guests that had cars, he had a parking lot built up. Adam thought it was a waste of money as they could just park anywhere seeing there was a lot of ground on the property.

Adam got down and so did Vanessa when she realized he wasn't going to act as a personal chauffeur and open the door every time she wants to board or exit the car.

She pouted a bit, but he wasn't looking at her, Adam's eyes were trained on the gigantic mansion that stood before him.

It was well lit and decorated. There were statues at various points beside the main building.

Vanessa looped her arm around Adam again.

As they made their way to the main entrance, they passed two huge fountains.

Vanessa pushed the doorbell, and a sharp jingle was heard inside the house. Soon the shuffle of footsteps was heard, and the door was thrown open by a youth, supposedly the butler.

Adam noticed they had fired their last one.

The youth let them in and politely took Adam's overcoat.

At first, Adam had tried to be extra friendly to the staff in Vanessa's parent house. Alas, his effort was all in vain as it wasn't two weeks when he re-visited, and most of the staff members he knew had been changed.

After trying to be familiar with the staff for the eighth time, he gave up every time he saw a new face.

There was no need to befriend those that wouldn't stay long or try to impress anyone.

Now it was just polite 'hellos', 'goodbyes' and 'thankyous.'

"Madam and Sir are in the leisure room, I'll go announce your arrival. Would you please wait here while I do?" The butler said in a formal tone.

"Go tell mum and dad we're here," Vanessa instructed and he bowed a bit before walking off.

Adam didn't like the tone Vanessa used with the butler. Just because he was on a lower financial status didn't mean she was allowed to disrespect him.

But he knew better than to voice out his thoughts in her parents' house.

The last time he'd done that he was full of regrets as Vanessa's temper flared up and she wouldn't keep her voice down, eventually, when her mother came out Vanessa whined about the issue.

Right away her mother sided with her while he was scolded a bunch for not knowing how to 'act' like a wealthy person.

He had to quietly bear everything.

Adam looked around.

Their waiting room could be mistaken for a family's sitting room as it was uniquely furnished. There was even a medium-sized fish tank at the corner of the room. Adam was sure the breakable fruit bowl that was on the table cost a six-digit number.

Everything spelled class, yet it was just the waiting room; no one spent much time there.

One would wonder how the sitting room or any other rooms would look like.

Vanessa's hand went to the smoothly polished oak shelf that held some books.

She picked out one.

"I don't know why mum and dad still have these old things," she murmured in distaste.

Adam went to join her.

He picked up a book and opened the front cover. He saw it was signed by the writer who was a famous person. The same went for every other book he checked.

"All these books are signed?" Adam asked curiously as his eyes raked through the shelf.

"Yeah," Vanessa replied smugly.

Adam ignored her proud tone, instead, he faced the bookshelf again; his hands grazing each surface of the books. "I should do something like this to my library at home, Matt would love it," he said mainly to himself.

Vanessa's eyes glinted with anger but before she could rebuff him the butler came back announcing that their presence was wanted in the leisure room.

Adam quickly followed him, not wanting to get into a row over nothing with the now boiling Vanessa.

They all entered the leisure room.

Her mother, Clarissa was going through a magazine one of her companies had made. It was one of the magazines that had Adam and Vanessa on the front cover.

Adam couldn't help but roll his eyes when he sighted it.

When Vanessa had brought him his own copy, he immediately tossed it into the nearest bin. He didn't have time to be reading stuff like that. Even if he did have time, he wasn't going to.

Clarissa looked up when they entered the luxurious room.

She stood up and went to embrace Vanessa and when she attempted to do the same with Adam, he politely stepped back and shook her hand instead.

The last time they had hugged, he became the buzzing topic for her show.

They were saying stupid stuff like asking whether his hug was awkward or warm, whether he bent in a certain way, whether he was stiff towards his to-be in-laws or he showed love.

Adam rolled his eyes as he recalled it.

He was like; 'C'mon! It's just a blasted hug!'

Vanessa's dad, James was on a call; pacing beside the window while he conversed in low tones.

"How was your ride?" Clarissa asked curiously.

"It was relaxing, not much traffic and no pestering journalist trying to follow us so....," Adam started but his voice faded off when he saw the slightly bored look Clarissa threw his way.

He turned to look at Vanessa who slightly patted his hand as if to say I-got-this.

"Actually, mum Adam showed up at my house with a bouquet of primroses, I'm sure he got them from Val-tindon," Vanessa said smugly.

Her mother squealed a bit.

"You mean that famous florist that it's difficult to get a flower from unless you're booked, and it can take months?" Clarissa asked with a grin.

"The one and only." Vanessa leaned forward as if in eager conspiracy. "Adam and I are also going car shopping tomorrow," she whispered.

"I'm so proud of you, Vanny!" Her mother said with a huge smile. "Make sure you get the latest brand. I hear the jag is mostly being ridden by people your age," she suggested.

"I'll consider that but if I see a more expensive one, I'm having it instead," Vanessa said with her head tilted slightly, she had on a grin.

Adam slightly scoffed.

"Pardon me for thinking when you asked about how the ride was, you meant about our wellbeing, instead of knowing you were really asking about all the expenses that had been spent so far," Adam said sarcastically.

Clarissa and Vanessa both turned to him.

"Oh, it's alright honey, I assumed since you're rich you'd have uncoded that," Clarissa said with a shrug not getting the fact that Adam was being sarcastic.

Vanessa lightly hit her mum.

"Mum, you know Adam's not that kind of rich," she said and laughed airily.

So, there are kinds of rich now. Adam snorted inwardly.

He didn't like being around Clarissa because of this. His eyes shot to James where he stood looking out of the window, still on a call. He wished he'd hurry up and they would get the dinner over with.

"Don't miss my set darling." Clarissa's hand went to the heavy necklace hanging from it. It was a golden necklace with red stones on it.

Vanessa gasped. "Oh my gosh, rubies?"

Clarissa smirked.

"I thought it wasn't until next season before they brought those out again," she said, checking out the necklace again.

"I bought the last one on the shelf," Clarissa stated proudly.

"Really?" Vanessa sounded doubtful.

Clarissa laughed a bit. "Okay, you caught me. It was actually in the auction house. I was the largest bidder," she admitted.

"Really?" Vanessa playfully hit Clarissa's shoulder.

Both of them burst out laughing. Adam didn't know what was so funny in their boring conversation. He crossed his arms and thought of what the kids would be doing by this time.

He glanced at his watch.

It was just some minutes past seven.

Lucy might be typing her latest book in her room.

Scarlett would surely be with Mrs. Mann, listening excitedly to stories of various people in the bible; of Abraham and his sacrifice, of Cane and his rage that led to his brother's, Abel's, death, of Joseph the dreamer that was sold into slavery, of the ten plagues of Egypt, of the miracles of Jesus and the calling of his disciples, of Jesus' death and resurrection and his second coming which would be the rapture.

Scarlett loved stories a lot.

Caleb and Reece might either be playing a 3D wrestling match with Tyson if they were together or Reece might be alone in the boy's room posting things on his personal social media page and maybe replying to some of his fans' messages.

Caleb might be watching a 3D movie in the movie room.

Ever since he saw that Adam had 3D glasses, he never wanted to move out of the movie room. He doesn't take a film seriously unless he was using those glasses, he was really fascinated with them.

Tyson might either be with Caleb, watching a movie, or be in the guest room; laid on the bed, chatting with Veronica while eating some snacks.

Matt would very well be in the library, completing an assignment that is not due until two weeks’ time, or he might be reading a new book, perhaps making plans to create a new game.

Adam smiled at the picture of each of them doing different things.

"Adam?" Vanessa's voice snapped him back to the leisure room.

He felt sick all of a sudden. He didn't want to be here with Vanessa's snobbish family where he didn't belong, he wanted to be home, with the kids; where he could freely be himself without being classified as a certain type of rich.

"Yes?" His voice came out a bit strained, but they didn't notice.

"Silly you, spacing off like that again, it's wrong you know," Vanessa playfully hit his arm which he rubbed slightly.

Adam frowned slightly at her statement.

He remembered when he was back home, and he was deep in thought and Reece had come to find him.

Adam kept looking out of the balcony window of the hotel room.

Vanessa hadn't come with them and he felt somehow.

"Dad?"

He turned his head and saw Reece holding a beach ball in his hand. The children had noticed he was a bit unsettled, so they opted to spend their short holiday at the beach or going to tourist centers instead of going camping and that decision made Adam feel a thousand times better.

Tyson was already at the beach with the rest of the kids.

Reece came to fetch Adam as well.

"I've kinda been calling you for a while," Reece chuckled while Adam facepalmed himself.

"Sorry I must have.... spaced out," Adam sighed.

If it had been Vanessa there and then she would have made a fuss about him not caring about her and not listening to her.

With Vanessa, it was always about her.

Reece joined Adam and looked past the hotel gates and all. He had a clear view of the beach since it was really close by.

"It's okay Dad, it's not wrong to space out sometimes," he said with a shrug.

"It's not?" Adam was surprised, he'd always been lectured how it was 'impolite.'

Reece shook his head. "It means you have a lot on your mind. You're an adult, adults have to go through a lot and make tough decisions most times. It's okay if they space out a little, lost in thought."

"That's deep," Adam said thinking about it.

Reece grinned.

"Let's go meet the others. Scarlett would soon burst into tears of how you're here alone," Reece said with an eye-roll.

Adam laughed.

"Sure. Let's go."

"Anyway, let's go to the dining room, Dad would meet us there," Vanessa said.

"Okay," Adam nodded.

Together with her mother, they exited the leisure room.