Chapter 191 060
ADRIAN adjusted in his seat, the earlier tension from Amelia’s call temporarily forgotten.
“Returning?” He found his voice.
“Yes, sir. In three days’ time, sir,” George repeated calmly. “Our tickets have been booked. We should arrive by Thursday evening.”
Adrian let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.
“Thursday?” he echoed. “That is… that is good news, George.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“You have no idea how chaotic things have been without you,” Adrian admitted, leaning back into his chair. “I have been practically living on junk. Takeout every other night. I’m honestly tired.”
George chuckled softly from the other end of the line.
“That doesn’t sound like you, sir.”
“Oh, it is very much me these days,” Adrian replied dryly. “I tried hiring housekeepers on a daily basis. None of them lasted. Either they were careless or they kept asking unnecessary questions.”
George laughed again, a warmer sound this time.
“You have always preferred things done a certain way.”
“And you have always understood that way,” Adrian said pointedly. “You run the house without noise. Without drama.”
There was a small pause.
“I appreciate that, sir,” George said humbly.
Adrian rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“So everything is settled back home now?”
“Yes, sir. It took longer than expected, but it has been resolved. I wouldn’t feel comfortable staying away any longer.”
“I’m glad,” Adrian said sincerely. “Family matters come first.”
“Yes, sir. That is true.”
“And Wendy?” Adrian asked, glancing absentmindedly at the cityscape outside his office window. “How is she?”
“She is well, sir. Growing fast. She is… excited to return.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“I remember the last time she was here. Always quiet. Always clutching a toy.”
George’s voice carried a hint of pride.
“She still does that.”
“Well, she will have her old room ready,” Adrian said. “Nothing has been touched.”
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot.”
Adrian shook his head slightly.
“You don’t need to thank me, George. You have given years of loyalty to this house.”
“And I intend to continue doing so,” George replied firmly.
“That is good to hear,” Adrian said, a trace of relief slipping into his tone. “Because I’m exhausted. Between work and… everything else, managing the house has been the last thing on my mind.”
George hesitated slightly before asking, “Everything alright, sir?”
Adrian gave a short, humorless chuckle.
“When is it ever completely alright?”
George did not press. He knew better than to pry.
“Well,” the older man said instead, “you won’t have to worry about the house anymore. Once I return, everything will be in order again. Meals on time. Groceries stocked. No more junk food.”
Adrian smiled properly now.
“You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to that.”
“Then don’t worry, sir. Consider it handled.”
“I will,” Adrian said, nodding slowly. “Call me once you land.”
“I will, Mr. Cole.”
“And George?”
“Yes, sir?”
“I’m glad you are coming back.”
There was a brief silence before George responded quietly, “So am I, sir.”
The line went dead.
Adrian lowered the phone gently onto his desk, staring at it for a moment.
For the first time that day, something felt steady. Familiar.
George was coming home.
Adrian pushed the front door open with more force than necessary and stepped inside, exhaling heavily as it shut behind him. The house was quiet. Too quiet.
He loosened his tie as he walked toward the couch, dropping his laptop bag carelessly beside it. His two phones followed, landing with dull thuds on the cushion. His shoulders ached, his head pounded faintly, and all he wanted was water and silence.
He headed straight for the kitchen.
The refrigerator door creaked open. Cool air brushed his face. He grabbed a bottle of water, twisted the cap open, and began gulping it down as he walked back into the living room.
He stepped out—
And jerked backwards.
Water sloshed dangerously close to spilling down his shirt.
“Jesus—” he muttered, blinking.
There, standing beside the couch where he had dropped his things, was Hazel.
Arms folded tightly across her chest. Eyes sharp and piercing. Her face straight, unreadable.
“Hiya!” Adrian breathed out, steadying the bottle in his hand. “You scared the hell outta me.”
“I have been calling, Dad.”
Her tone was flat. Controlled. Too controlled.
Adrian sighed internally.
He capped the bottle slowly.
“I know.”
“You ignored me.”
“I was in middle of things, Hazel. Important ones.”
She didn’t move.
“You put your phone on silent.”
Adrian ran a hand over his face.
“You are very observant.”
“I was upset.”
“I know that too.”
Silence stretched between them.
Hazel’s jaw tightened.
“So you are just going to let her do it?”
Adrian leaned against the arm of the couch, suddenly feeling more exhausted than he had all day.
“Let her do what? And who her?”
“You know what,” she snapped. “Sending me away. Like I’m some problem.”
“You are not a problem.”
“Oh really? Then why is she shipping me off the minute that man starts coming around?”
Adrian straightened slightly.
“Hazel.”
“What?” she shot back. “I’m not stupid.”
He studied his daughter’s face carefully. The anger there wasn’t childish. It was layered, layered with hurt, fear and defiance.
“You are not being shipped off,” he said calmly. “You are moving into the boarding section of your school. It is the same school.”
“It’s not the same!” she argued. “I won’t be home. I won’t see my brothers every day.”
“You will see them on weekends.”
“That is not the same!” she repeated, her voice cracking slightly.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Hazel, listen to me.”
“No, you listen to me,” she interrupted. “You are my dad. You are supposed to do something.”
The words hit him harder than he expected.
“I already told you,” he said quietly, “there is nothing I can do.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Nothing?”
“Your mother made the decision.”
“And you just accepted it?”
Adrian inhaled deeply.
“Hazel, custody is complicated. Your mom has primary rights. If she believes this is what is best—”
“What is best?” she laughed bitterly. “For who? For her fiancé?”
“Enough,” Adrian said firmly.
Hazel’s lips pressed together, but tears glistened faintly in her eyes.
“You fought for us before,” she said more quietly now. “Why not now?”
That question sank deep.
Adrian swallowed.
“Because fighting isn’t always the solution.”
“It is when you care.”
“I do care,” he said immediately.
“Then prove it.”
He hesitated.
That hesitation was all she needed.
Hazel shook her head slowly.
“I knew it.”
“Knew what?”
“That you wouldn’t fight her.”
Adrian’s tone softened.
“Hazel, this isn’t about sides. This isn’t about me versus your mother. It’s about you adjusting.”
“I don’t need adjusting.”
“Every phase of life requires it.”
She scoffed. “You sound like her.”
“That’s not fair.”
She grabbed her small purse from the table. “Forget it.”
“Where are you going?” he asked quickly.
“Home.”
“Wait, I will drive you.”
“I don’t need you to.”
“It is already late, Hazel.”
“I will take a cab.”
Adrian’s brows furrowed.
“Absolutely not.”
“I’m not a child.”
“You are very much still my child.”
“And yet you can’t even stop her from sending me away.”
He stepped toward her.
“Hazel, please. Try to understand. Sometimes parents make decisions you don’t like, but they believe it’s for a reason.”
“What reason?” she demanded. “So she can play happy family without me?”
“That is not what this is.”
“You don’t know that.”
He paused.
Because in truth, he wasn’t entirely sure what Amelia’s motives were anymore.
Hazel wiped at her eyes quickly, refusing to let tears fall.
“You know what? Don’t worry. I will handle it.”
“You don’t have to handle anything alone.”
She moved toward the door.
“Haze,” he called softly.
She stopped but didn’t turn around.
“I’m not against you,” he said quietly. “Even if it feels that way.”
She stood still for a moment.
Then she opened the door.
“I will call you when I get home,” she said without looking back.
The door shut behind her.
Adrian remained standing in the middle of the living room, the opened bottle of water still in his hand.
The house felt even quieter now.
And for the first time that evening, the exhaustion wasn’t just physical.