Duke led her to the living room.Mr. Brown served them coffee. The living room was filled with the aroma of coffee beans.“Addy, this is Alva.” Duke introduced his friend to her. “Alva, this is my wife, Adina”“Mdm. Winters, nice to meet you.” The African man fixed his gaze on Adina.Adina felt uncomfortable with Alva looking at her.In the past, Duke would get jealous whenever other men stared at her. He would give them a warning look. However, at that moment, Duke was motionless.Adina was annoyed. She pinched his thigh under the table. She glared at Duke.Duke patted the back of her hand and spoke softly in Cairnstanian language, “Alva means no harm to you. Relax.”“Mdm. Winters, you’re very beautiful,” said Alva with a smile, revealing his white teeth. “I know how to read a pulse. Mdm. Winters, could you please let me read your pulse?”Adina wanted to say no. But Duke nodded at her. She placed her hand on the table. Alva gently took her hand and read her pulse.Adina r
Duke froze.Earl’s previously worked in the Bio-intelligent Chip Technology Company. ‘Could he have…?’“Mr. Winters, I’m a witch doctor, so I don’t have much knowledge about bio-intelligent chips,” said Alva. “But they are rampant in the Hestia Border. The superiors implant this type of chip in their subordinates’ bodies to prevent them from betraying their authority. After one is implanted with the chip, the superiors can control one’s mind and make one obey them completely.”Duke pursed his lips. “Do you know anyone who is a professional in this area?”Alva shook his head. “The R&D technicians are very well protected. All of the information is under highly guarded confidential documents. It’s almost impossible to gather any information about it.”“Okay. Got it,” said Duke. “Thank you for making this trip. I’ll assign someone to send you back.”“Blake asked me to pass on a message to you. He says he is all well at the Hestia Border. And you don’t have to worry so much about him,
Dinner was ready soon.Adina brushed off the thoughts from her mind. She took Duke’s hand and led him to the dining room to eat their dinner.Harold made a face and stuck his tongue out. He said, “Daddy, Mommy, both of you are too lovey-dovey. Daddy, you steal Mommy away from us every day now.” Duke pretended to be angry. “Do you mean that?”Harold quickly hid behind George. “After Mommy comes back home from work, she doesn’t play with us anymore. Daddy, it’s all your fault for being too domineering!”Melody nodded in agreement. “Daddy, I want to sleep with Mommy tonight.”“I also want to sleep with Mommy!” Harold said happily. “I want Mommy to shower me and tell me bedtime stories.”“Childish!” The corners of Alden’s lips twitched. “Are you still a three-year-old child? Why do you need Mommy’s help to shower?”“I’m only four years old. I’m still a child,” Harold said matter-of-factly. He went up to Adina and pouted. “Mommy, you only spend time with Daddy. Can you spend some t
Harold was shaken. Tears welled up in his eyes when he saw the anger and disgust in his mother’s eyes directed towards him.“Mommy, don’t hate me,” Harold’s voice trembled. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I will try not to be so clumsy anymore.”He slowly approached Adina and held her hand. But Adina swung his hand away.“I told you not to touch me!” Adina was agitated and restless. She raised her hand and knocked the chocolate strawberry cake to the ground. Everyone in the dining room was stunned, especially her children.Harold’s tears streamed down his cheek. Melody bit her bottom lip. She dared not cry out loud.“All of you, go back to your rooms,” said Duke carefully. He placed a hand on Adina’s shoulder.“Don’t touch me!” Adina pushed his hand away. “All of you, get out now!”She cradled her head and charged outside. Her head was going to split. It hurt too much!A voice rang in her mind. ‘Leave them! Get out of there now!’She had no idea where she was heading. She rushed outside wi
Harold cried.“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so clumsy. Mommy looked very angry. What should I do?” Harold felt hopeless. “Why is Mommy so angry? Why was she so scary?”When he remembered the way his mother had looked at him, with anger and hatred, his heart felt heavy.George pursed his lips. “The dress is a gift from Daddy. I suppose Mommy likes that dress too much. Maybe that’s why she was angry.”“Even if that’s the case, she never gets so angry.” Alden sat by the window. His eyes were troubled, no one knew what he was thinking about. “There has to be something that we don’t know.”Melody sobbed. “Alden, I’ve never seen her like that before. I think I saw…’She saw her mother bite her father’s shoulder. When her father had carried her mother into the mansion, his shoulder was bleeding.‘Mommy loves Daddy so much. Why would she bite him like that?’ Melody could not say all this aloud. She was afraid that her mind was playing tricks on her.“Mommy is not scary. Don’t be li
“Mommy, I made the pasta specially to ask for your forgiveness,” said Harold sadly. “Last night, I—”“Harold, go out for a minute,” Duke interrupted him. “I have something to talk to your Mommy about. In private.”Harold looked up at his father, annoyed. “Daddy, I haven’t finished my sentence. Could you please let me finish my words? Then you can talk to Mommy all you want.”“It cannot wait. Go. Now.”Duke took the plate of pasta from his hands and placed it on the bedside table. He then lifted Harold up and carried him out of the bedroom.“Daddy, you’ve gone too far!”Harold shouted fiercely. Duke glared at him before he closed the door and locked it. He turned to Adina. “I’m certain that Harold’s pasta is not as tasty as mine. Are you sure you want to eat it?”Adina looked at him. “Why did you drive Hal out? What exactly do you want to tell me about?”“Ahem, nothing.” Duke rested his gaze on her collar. “It’s not good if our children see that.”Adina looked down. The neckl
“Mommy, I forgot what I wanted to say to you.”Harold scratched the back of his head, pretending to remember what he had wanted to tell her.Adina laughed. “Let me know if you remember it, okay?”Harold nodded. He sighed in relief.Mr. Brown called them downstairs. “AI, Georgie, Hal, Mel, get ready for preschool!”George obediently took his siblings downstairs. When the children left the mansion, it was very quiet.Adina was instructed to rest at home for at least three days. She was worried about her own health, so she heeded the instruction and stayed in the study room, reading books.Duke did not leave for his office either. He worked inside the study room and stayed at Adina’s side. The sound of his fingers tapping on the keyboards calmed Adina.She found an interesting novel and shared it with Duke.The sunlight was warm, and the snow had melted. It was a very quiet and peaceful morning.Buzz! The call disturbed their serene moment. Duke glanced at his phone. “I ha
Duke laughed. “Go to bed. Take a nap. I’ll put you to bed.”“I’m not Melody. Why do I even need you to put me to bed?” Adina snorted. But he looked at her so tenderly that she could not resist.She leaned against his chest., “Do continue your work. I’ll read some books, instead. Reading does make me sleepy.”Duke nodded. He wrapped his arm around her waist and tapped the keyboard with the other.Adina could not stand reading any more of the books. She took out her phone and browsed through the news. She saw something that shocked her. She wondered how she had made the headlines yet again.“The Sea City’s former most beautiful woman personally went to the site. She fainted because of tremendous working stress. It was teary to behold.”The corners of Adina’s lips twitched. ‘Why did the news make it sound as if she was very weak and pitiful?’She clicked on the comment session and scrolled down. She was caught by surprise. Whenever she was mentioned in the news in the past, the net