"Daddy, could you collect all my stuff for me please?" Evelyn pouted her lips at Brian. This young lady, who had been spoiled rotten, had the habit of ordering her father and brothers around all the time. Her talent was in her ability to ask the right person to do whatever she needed to get done. Evelyn knew that since her mother was going to take them out, she was in no position to ask her anything else. Thus, she decided to turn to her father for help since her mother would be busy getting herself ready. She knew how to subdue her father, so she gave him the innocent, puppy-dog eyes and topped it off with a bright smile that was sure to do the job for her.
Soon after, as Brian carried on doing what his sweet daughter had asked of him, Harrow knocked on the door courteously and was led inside by the maid. He was baffled out of his wits to find a Brian that was completely different from the one he knew. Sporting a pink schoolbag on his shoulders and thoroughly checking everything Evelyn needed, Brian was no longer the scary boss any more, but an ordinary, loving father.
"There you are!" Molly greeted him as she came out of the kitchen, with two children kettles in her hands. Gesturing at the twins to hurry up with her hand, she said, "Come on! Let's go!"
"See you, Uncle Harrow!" said Evelyn and Charlie.
But instead of heading to the door, Evelyn came over to Harrow and tugged at his sleeve.
Surprised, and mostly curious, Harrow bent down to see what she had to say.
To his surprise, the little angel tiptoed to kiss him on his cheek and then pranced out of the house with her mother and brother, with a big grin on her face.
Harrow couldn't tell what it was or why, but Evelyn's gesture left him with all sorts of mixed feelings in his heart. It seemed as though he was on the verge of tears as he faced Brian and said, "Every time I see the happy expression on Molly's face and sweet little Evelyn, I get this strange urge of grabbing the next woman I find on the street to make a family of my own!"
The corners of his mouth curved upwards and he nodded to Harrow with satisfaction. After his wife and kids left, he stood up and walked over to the door. "Considering the kind of women you hang out with, I believe that all of them would be glad to fulfill this wish of yours ..." Brian teased him and suppressed his laughter with a chuckle. All of a sudden, his tone changed, "How are things over there? Any news?"
Harrow, feeling slightly offended by Brian's joke, would have retorted if Brian hadn't already changed to a more serious topic. As they walked out of the house together, Harrow answered, "Everything will be fine if we manage to keep things on track."
"I never liked the word 'if'..." said Brian, in a calm and mild-mannered voice, but somehow having known Brian well, Harrow knew there was nothing calm about his meaning.
As a matter of fact, Brian hardly ever showed his softer side to anyone. Although he was the most caring and giving man to his wife and kids, to the rest of the world, he was notorious for being ruthlessly pragmatic.
And even then, it would depend on the position of the person, whether friend or foe, if Brian would allow them into his personal life.
After they got on the car, Brian took out his phone and tapped on the screen a couple of times before placing it over his ear. He waited patiently as the dial tone beeped a few times before it was answered. "Come to A City right now," said Brian, and the coldness of his voice was crystal clear.
"Okay!" the man replied with respect. The person was none other than Vincent. The moment Tony returned to XK Intelligence Agency to start all over again, he had gotten ready to come to Brian to work at any time.
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