Bonnie could hear the laughter from her bedroom, which was next to the kitchen. She wanted to kill that child. She had never seen Adam so happy. Let alone laughing, as if there were no worries or problems to be solved. Perhaps it was her fault. She insisted on coming with him. But what could she do? He was hers, and he would always be hers. She was determined to accept being in the background. She couldn't compete with a son. And the boy was so much like him, it was scary. With the influence of his grandfather and father, this boy would be a monster when he grew up, and there was already something in his eyes that was threatening. She knew it was time to distance herself and let Adam come to her when he needed her. She had never been afraid of anything, and she had come to know fear there, with her rival's father. She couldn't do anything against Anna or the child, or she would die an agonizing death. There was no doubt about that. But he also knew that if she stayed close, she
As soon as she left, Ian looked at his father seriously. “Did your son come with you?” Adam exchanged an astonished glance with his son's grandfather. He paid attention to details, which is unusual for children his age. “Actually, he was already here when I arrived... We'll talk about it over lunch tomorrow.” Adam said, not wanting to start his relationship with his son with lies. “Did you like this woman, Ian?” “No. She's garbage.” The boy said and got down from his chair and ran to his grandfather, taking his hand and leading him to sit where Bonnie had been sitting, and turned to Adam. “Shall we make Grandpa a guinea pig?” Adam smiled and stood up. “Sure.” He said and took the cake that the two of them had made out of the oven. As they ate, with a cup of coffee that the cook had made, after their entrance into the kitchen had been admitted again by Ian, between one mild conversation and another, Anna's father said so quickly, and so covertly between one sentence
Anna stared at him, thinking about everything he was saying. Starting a new life, away from all the dirt her father and Adam had brought into her life, and that of her children, wasn't a bad idea. But it still hurt to think that he would never be able to see his father again. But he saw Maxwell's way out, like a lifeboat. He couldn't live away from his son, and he would die if he saw Adam taking Ian away from her. It would hurt too much, and he had caused enough unhappiness in his life. She would have to learn to live without her father, after all, she had lived without him for a few years. If she had to choose, she would stay with her husband, and with her children. “You'd have to give up your toga, your profession.” “I don't need them to live, Anna. You and our children are more important.” “Did you know that when I see you in that robe I get turned on?” Anna said with a burning gaze. Maxwell was surprised by Anna's sudden change of subject. However, it was flattering th
When they were back in the car, Anna looked at Maxwell and his satiated expression, and felt even more tender towards him. That afternoon had been wonderful. “I thought you'd be exhausted and rest after all your performances...” “We'll rest at home, Anna. We've left Ian under Adam's influence for too long. We don't know what he's capable of. He could be putting his ideas into Ian's mind right now. Adam could be convincing our son that a life with him will be fun. And besides...” Maxwell glanced briefly at Anna, before turning his attention back to the road. “... If Adam finds out what we were doing this afternoon... I don't think he'll like it.” “We're married, Max. What do you think he imagines we do in bed? Sleep?” “Anna, I don't think he's thought about it yet. Ian must have distracted him from thoughts like that. I know that you... That he was the first man in your life and... He won't like knowing that he's not the only one anymore.” “How do you know that?” “Well.
Adam fixed his tie in front of the mirror. He wanted to be in good order. Anna had lived with Maxwell much longer than she had with him, and she must have gotten used to her brother's starchiness. He intended to surprise her with his ability to dress properly for a date. He could also be a social and elegant man. He would do it for her. He'd swap his jeans and T-shirt for a suit and tie, if that's the way she liked it. “Where are we going?” Bonnie asked in her pajamas, lying on the bed without looking at him, flipping through a magazine with a bored look on her face. Adam looked at her in the mirror and suddenly felt guilty. Bonnie had been a good companion for him. He shouldn't mistreat her when they were alone. “I'll take you to lunch tomorrow.” He promised, to see if it would cheer her up a bit. Bonnie stared at him in surprise. “That's... new...” “I can't treat you well around Anna, or she might think we're engaged. She's very jealous. I've already lost her to jea
Anna stared at Adam vacantly. Now she understood why he was so confident that she would return with him to the United States. She took a moment to think, while the waiter served the entrée. She would have to go back to the States to put an end to the Sarah issue once and for all, and she also remembered that she had to pay back the promise she had made to that woman, who had made her believe she was her friend, for a little while. She just didn't know how to do it, and then run away with Adam's family. “Adam... I don't need to go to your country. I can send Sarah a ticket and convince her right here to give me all the answers I'm looking for.” Adam stared at her with such a penetrating gaze that Anna felt naked. It was the look of someone who knew deep inside the other person. “She's my hostage, Anna. She's not going anywhere. She only leaves that house to be buried.” Adam said, chewing his food. “Then I'll need to find another way to find out about my mother, Adam.
Anna looked at him inquiringly. It seemed as if he had read her thoughts. This was her chance to confuse him, while her mother-in-law took her children out of the country. “You were right when you said I still loved you. I do love you, Adam. Not like before, but I do. Don't kill that love inside me. Don't try to hurt my family.” “That will depend only on you.” “Would you be satisfied if I went with you out of obligation and not of my own free will? Do you want me in your life, even if that's not what I want for my life? You've changed a lot. The Adam I knew was prouder. He had self-love.” “I'm going to teach you to love me again the way I once did. Just as you forgot me, you'll forget Maxwell, too.” “You're not thinking about my children. How can I be happy living away from them?” “When telephones were invented, this embarrassment ceased to be insurmountable.” He said, repeating almost the same words as her. “You can communicate via video calls. But you'll have to choose
Anna accepted her hand and they walked out of the restaurant hand in hand. She felt dirty and useless. There was nothing she could do to save Adam's life. Because she was sure that if her father couldn't, Maxwell would kill him. He wouldn't forgive someone who blackmailed him with the lives of his children. Adam was arrogant and didn't understand that his father was a man who knew how to act at the right time. He must have had a good reason for ordering the Costas guards home before she did. She got into the car and in a few minutes they arrived at the apartment. She rushed to the front and went straight to Ian's room, where he was asleep, with two trusted men watching over him. Then she went into the bedroom, where Maxwell was still sleeping, and his sleep was heavy. Anna took the jug of water from the bedside table and poured its contents into the bathroom sink. Then she went into the kitchen, poured more water into the jug and brought it back to the bedroom. She lay down ne