A-Ares?
That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I saw his full, thick, inky dark hair and icy blue eyes. I mean, I figured the genes were strong with the Kings after I saw Elias, but he looked exactly like Ares.
A younger version I never thought I would ever set my eyes on.
"Good morning, ladies," he said to us. "Pleased to meet you."
Tori stared at me with the same expression I had on, surprise, and speechlessness.
"Catherine, this is my son. Adrian."
"S-Son?"
She smiled. "Yes. It comes as a shock to most people when I say it." She ran her hand delicately through his hair. "Elias and I never expected weād be raising a son at our age, but heās a miracle."
The media should have taken this with speed, or maybe they were trying to keep it private.
"I heard some bloggers talking about this one time, but with no concrete proof, it was bogus most of the time," Tori whispered to me.
"He has a great future ahead of him," she said, eyes blazing with pride. "And Iāll be there every step of the way."
"S-So the use of A in naming," I began, hoping to clear the chilly silence in the air.
"Itās family tradition..." she said with a shifty tone.
"Right."
"Aunty," Adrian said, attempting to walk to Athena, but Agatha stopped him already on her feet.
"If youād excuse us. Enjoy the rest of your breakfast." She held her son by hand and walked to the door, but I caught a quick exchange.
Athena raised her glasses, pulling her eyelid down, and stuck out her tongue in a funny way, and Adrian mirrored her action.
"Athena, is he really your brother?" Tori asked the instant they were gone.
"Yes."
"Wow! And he looks just like Ares."
"You should have seen Daddy in his youth."
I cleared my throat, going back to eating, but the appetite wasnāt really there anymore. I have only taken a small bite. The table was spread with enough breakfast to feed the entire community. Overkill much?
"So how about we do something for fun?"
"Iāll pass," I said.
Athena pulled down her glasses, and I noticed there were dark circles under them. "Are you still mad at me?"
"Can you tell?"
"I think fun is a great idea!" Tori cut in. "Besides, weāre stuck in this house anyway. My boss will definitely give me an earful, but I donāt think Iāll be jobless anytime soon."
"Iām sorry, this is my fault. You wouldnāt have been trapped here ifā"
"Trapped? Isnāt that far stretched?"
If only she knew, but I donāt want her to. I donāt wanna pull her more into my mess.
"Youāre right."
"But it is really weird being here... I mean, I have read assumptions about what the Kingās mansion would be like. Who knew Iād live long enough to tell the tale."
I snorted. "What are you, some archaeologist? This is not ancient Rome?"
"I might as well be. Where are my tools? We have more grounds to cover and tell history."
I laughed, feeling better after all the messy situations.
"Letās check out the farm!" Athena suggested out of the blue.
Farm? They had one here?
~ā~
Oink! Oink! Oink!
The pigs crowded the pigpen.
"They are so adorable!" I said, watching the pink cuties.
"Are you sure?" Athena grimaced.
For someone who dragged us out here to see the farm, she didnāt look comfortable.
I was shocked at his honesty. "It wasnāt?"
"Yes."
A cold chill brushed through me.
"But weāre investigating it. Youāve got nothing to worry about."
"Investigating? Sounds like Ares. You guys sure like taking matters into your hands. The cops should be involved."
"The cops already ruled it out as an accident. Whoever did this made sure it looked like one. Reopening the investigation will get it caught up with the media and..." he paused as if realizing he had too much.
"And?" I urged, hoping he wouldnāt stop there, and when I saw the reluctance in his eyes, I gave him a pleading look. "Donāt do that. Donāt keep me in the dark," I said softly.
"I shouldnāt be telling you this."
"No one has to know. I-I almost died. We almost died. The only amount of closure Iām gonna get is if I know what the fuck is going on."
I didnāt mean to sound angry, but Iām at my limit here.
He sighed in defeat. "Remember how you said that at that split second I took the wheel?"
"Yes?" I said, my heart pounding in my eardrums.
"I saw the driverās face."
I rasped as I thought back to that moment. When Reed shouted at me to look out. I turned to the speeding van, freezing, and felt his hands on the wheels. But at that instant, I saw the driver.
"I did too..." I said as goosebumps rose on my skin.
The face of the driver wasnāt someone scared or trying to stop the car in a panic. There was a dark look in his eyes as if he were on a mission.
I didnāt think too much about it then because everything was too painful and linked to my parents, but now that I do... it was a gnawing realization.
I got distracted from my thoughts when Reed pulled out his phone to show me something.
"Is this the man you saw?"
I took his phone and saw it was a picture of the driver in the morgue.
I drew sharply on my breath. "N-No."

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