Epilogue

Epilogue
FOURTEEN YEARS LATER.

“This cake is delicious mom” Aria and Adrian’s youngest daughter Angelina said as she sat at the counter and licked her fingers.

Aria was busy cooking in the kitchen as today was the day Chase was returning home after spending the last few years in the middle east where he had been busy setting up some new hotels and overlooking some other new projects.

If anyone thought that Adrian had done a good job at taking the Delgado name to the top than they clearly didn’t know what Chase was capable of, as not only did he take the company to the highest it had ever been, but he had also expanded it out worldwide, making sure every person of status and power out there knew their name.

Adrian had raised the perfect son, who was not only intelligent and loyal, but also extremely dangerous when he needed to be.

The Delgado’s were all looking forward to his return and to celebrate Aria had invited all of her and Adrian’s close friends and family over for dinner as she loved hosting and cooking.

“Thanks baby, could you go and call your sister” she said to Angelina who licked some more icing of from her fingers.

It was in that moment when Adrian walked into the kitchen quietly and looked over at his chubby adorable daughter, thinking there wasn’t a time when she wasn’t eating.

“Mom I already did but she’s too busy talking with Aurora like always” Angelina said before she scooped some more icing of the fresh cream cake that Aria had made with a lot of love.

Adrian walked around the counter and looked over at her with a small smirk on his face,

“At the rate you’re going, I don’t think there will be any cake left by the evening” he said before he looked over at Aria who was busy chopping up some onions, thinking she looked stunning.

Aria turned from where she was standing and looked up at him with a small smile, thinking like always she hadn’t heard him walk in.

“I thought you were going to go and pick up Chase from the airport” she said before wiped her stinging eyes with the back of her hand, thinking cutting onions was definitely the worst part about cooking.

Adrian moved the cake away from Angelina and told her to go and call Lyla before he walked over to Aria and wrapped both of his arms around her from behind,

“You thought right beautiful, I’ll be leaving soon” he said before he leaned down and kissed her on the side of her face softly, thinking even after all these years he still didn’t understand why she just didn’t get the cooks to do all the cooking.

Aria put down the knife she was holding and looked up at him with her puffy wet eyes,

“You should move back from me handsome, before you also smell of onions and spices like me” she said before she reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, thinking he looked sexy with his slightly long beard and moustache.

Adrian had aged like fine wine and even with more strands of grey in his hair and beard he still looked as good as he did many years ago, if not better.

He wrapped a hand around the back of her delicate neck and looked down at her with a serious look on his face,

“Nothing wrong with that as long as I still get to do this” he said before he leaned down and kissed her on the lips quickly and passionately, liking the feel of her soft lips pressed against his.

They were both busy kissing when Lyla, Aurora and Angelina walked back into the kitchen.

“Oh god what is this that I’m seeing” Aurora commented loudly before she covered her eyes dramatically.

Lyla smiled and looked over at both of her parents,

“Um mom you called me” she said quietly, not wanting to ruin their little moment.

Aria moved back from Adrian forcefully and looked at her with a small smile on her face,

“Yes, I did, could you and Aurora both set the dining table and get Angelina to help” she said, making Angelina grumble as she hated doing chores.

Adrian helped himself to some water and looked over at his youngest daughter,

“You heard your mother” he with said a small smirk on his face, thinking he loved teasing her at any given chance.

Lyla took out some dishes from the cupboard and looked over at him,

“Dad, could you please get those plates down for me” she asked with a small smile as she pointed up to some that were on the higher shelf, a little out of her reach.

Adrian put his half empty glass of water down on the table and walked over to her quickly,

“Of course, my love” he said before he got them all down for her and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, earning himself an unpleased look from Angelina.

“It’s not fair dad you always show more love to Lyla” Angelina complained before she helped herself to a biscuit and frowned, looking more cute than angry.

Adrian wasted no time in walking over to her and pulling her into his arms,

“That’s not true” he said before he looked down at her and kissed her over both of her very rounded soft cheeks, thinking she looked far too adorable and cute for a thirteen-year-old.

Angelina didn’t hug him back and continued eating her biscuit,

“Your squashing me dad” she said before she turned her face away, not wanting to give in so quickly.

Adrian tickled the side of her stomach and looked down at her as she tried her best not to laugh,

“You won’t get squashed so easily sweetheart” he said before he kissed her on the forehead softly, thinking being a dad to two teenaged girls was a whole job itself, although he wouldn’t change them for the world, as they were his everything.

Aurora and Lyla set up the huge dining table nicely and looked down at their work proudly,

“Are you looking forward to seeing your brother?” Aurora asked Lyla who was busy lighting up all the candles that she had arranged down the centre of the long table.

Lyla slipped a few strands of her hair behind her ear and looked at her,

“Yes, because this time he’s staying here for good and I can’t wait” she said with a smile, before she finished lighting up the last of the candles.

Aurora listened with a smile,

“I wonder if he’s still as annoying as he was when he left” she said before she walked to the kitchen, thinking she’ll ask Aria if she needed help with anything else.

It was almost two hours later when Adrian picked Chase up from the airport and headed home, where Aria and the rest of their close friends and family were all patiently waiting.

Chase met everyone but Lyla who was nowhere to be seen. Angelina gave him a tight hug and looked up at him,

“I’m very happy to have you back” she said with a smile before she moved back from him and made some space for him on the sofa next to her. Chase leaned back against his seat and wrapped an arm around her,

“I missed you a lot” he said with a small smile, just as Lyla and Aurora walked into the room one after another and giggled at something the other said.

Aurora felt her heart skip a beat and her whole world stop the moment her eyes fell on Chase, thinking she hadn’t seen him in years, but boy had he changed.

Chase forced his attention away from Angelina and looked up at the young girl standing behind Lyla, wondering who she was and what she was doing there.

“Hey how are you?” Lyla asked him as she met him with a nice tight hug.

Chase hugged her back and looked down at her with a small half smile on his face,

“I’m good and you?” he asked before he shook his hand with Aurora, as apart from his sisters and Aria he didn’t like hugging anyone else.

Aurora smiled and looked up at him,

“We’re both good, thank you for asking” she said sarcastically before she sat down next to Lyla. Chase didn’t miss the hint of mockery in her voice, thinking she looked and sounded familiar, but he didn’t remember her at all.

Lyla looked between the two and smiled,

“This is Aurora, Uncle Jared’s daughter” she said to Chase, before she got up from the sofa and offered drinks to everyone, something she always did whenever her mum hosted a dinner.

Chase raked a hand through his hair and looked at Aurora thinking she no longer looked like a young girl but a young woman, with her sexy blond hair, and model like figure.

He swore quietly in his head the moment a bad thought crossed his mind, and he forced his attention away from her, thinking she was barely eighteen and here he was imagining her naked.

Aria called everyone to the dining table a couple of minutes later and looked over at Adrian as he talked to Jared about work.

“I thought you guys said you wouldn’t talk about work today” she said to him the quietly once they both sat down next to each other and pulled in their chairs.

Adrian rested a hand on her leg from under the table and looked down at her, thinking she looked beautiful in red.

“I don’t recall saying that it was probably Jared” he said quietly, putting all the blame on his friend who was now talking to Chase.

Aurora helped herself to some food and looked at Lyla,

“Have you done all your assignments for Monday?” she asked, trying her best to not look at Chase who was sitting on the opposite side of the table, talking to her dad.

Lyla drank some of her water and looked at Aurora,

“Yes, I finished them all last night, what about you?” she asked as she knew how much she hated homework and studying.

Aurora put some salad into her plate along with some chicken and looked up at Lyla,

“I still have one left to do, listen will you be going to Makayla’s party on the weekend?” she asked quietly, so no one else heard, especially their dads.

Lyla looked at both of her parents, before she looked at Aurora,

“I don’t know, I mean I still haven’t asked mum if I can” she said quietly, as she knew asking her dad was definitely out of the question.

There was no way he would agree to let her go to a party and that to alone. Aurora sighed and looked at her,

“I haven’t asked dad either but hey maybe we could just sneak out and come back before even they find out” she said quietly, not knowing that Chase who was sitting on the opposite side of the table had just lip read their whole conversation.

Angelina who was sitting next to him looked over at both Lyla and Aurora,

“What are you two whispering about?” she asked bringing almost everyone’s attention on them both.

Adrian picked up his glass of water from the table and looked over at them all,

“Yes, do share” he said quietly, making Lyla’s pretty eyes widen and Aurora’s cheeks turn a light shade of pink.

Jared put some food into his plate and followed Adrian’s sharp eyes,

“Yes, I hope you girls aren’t making secret plans, especially with the weekend coming” he said with a small smile, thinking he knew them both enough to know when they were acting suspicious.

Ariel his son who was now eleven years old also looked over at Lyla and Aurora,

“I think their talking about boys” he said with a cheeky smile, as he knew that was one of their favourite topics recently.

Aurora drank some of her juice and looked at both Adrian and Jared,

“No, we were just talking about how we should get together and study together over the weekend” she said as smoothly as she could, although she had a feeling both her dad and uncle would not buy it.

Aria looked at her and Lyla, thinking they both look guilty, almost like they were hiding something.

“Are you sure you guys meant studying and not partying?” Chase asked both Lyla and Aurora with a small smirk, making both of their eyes widen.

Aurora looked back at him and smiled,

“Not at all, I mean if we wanted to go to a party, we would just asked dad and uncle rather than being all secretive” she said quickly, wondering if he had been eavesdropping on her and Lyla’s conversation.

Chase picked up his glass of drink and looked at her,

“I’m sure you would have” he said, and it was then their eyes met, and he waited for her to look away first, thinking although her smart mouth didn’t match her angelic looking face, she had definitely caught his attention and not in a good way.

It wasn’t long before his phone started ringing and he quietly excused himself from the table. He walked out of the dining room and answered it lazily, not expecting a call from anyone.

“Hi, am I speaking to Chase?” a woman who sounded like she was in her fifties asked.

Chase raked a hand through his slightly messy hair and listened to her quietly,

“Maybe, why?” he asked, thinking it wasn’t often he got calls from a number that he didn’t recognise.

The woman took a few seconds to get her words together before she finally spoke,

“It’s your mother Sophia speaking, if possible, can we please talk in person?” she asked quietly, thinking who would have thought that her son would one day become one of the youngest and most powerful men of the world.

She had been meaning to contact him for a while but didn’t have the courage to do it, as after all she did leave him at the time when he needed her the most.

END OF BOOK ONE

And that's a wrap. I would just like to take this moment to say a big thank you to each and every one of you who gave my book a try.

I look forward to writing part two of this story, until then stay with me and make sure to keep an eye on my next book which will be available to read very, very soon.

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