Chapter 69
69 – The Messy Family
Graham:
“I want you all to go back to your room. We’re not here for a picnic, ” I said sharply.
“I was supposed to work on this case, and here you are, all over my head, in my business.” I finally snapped at them at the dinner table.
It was getting frustrating. I came here for work, and they all just tagged along.
“You definitely didn’t come here for work, ” Kaylee commented with a scoff.
Even after Madeline lied to her to calm her down, she returned in a sour mood and told me that coming here by lying to her only meant I wanted to spend time with Madeline.
“So what are you suggesting? You all just stay here while I try to work?” I hissed at her, watching her glance at my father for help.
“Calm down, son. It’s not like you’re actively working. And when you are, we stay out of your way. You spend the rest of the day in Madeline’s suite. Did any of us say anything to you? No. So what’s the problem with us staying here?” my father replied, chewing on the steak in front of him.
Every time Penny was in sight, I didn’t even want to speak to my father.
But since she was around most of the time, I had to bear it.
“Well, you’ve all made your point. Now can you please just go back home? I can’t focus on work when you’re all here,” I said, trying one more time to make them leave.
But the smile on my father’s face told me he’d rather stay here and irritate me than go.
“When are you giving your father an heir?” Penny spoke up, making me clench my fists.
It wasn’t the first time she’d done that.
We’d talked about it before, I’d told her not to act like she was my mother or speak to me about anything, but she never cared.
It was as if she enjoyed getting on my nerves.
Her comment about the heir had already soured my father’s mood.
But this time, I had the perfect response.
“Why don’t you give him a child since you two want a baby so badly p>
As soon as I said that, she snapped her head up and glared at me.
It was the first time I’d seen Penny angry and it felt like a good start.
I realized I could always get under her skin like that.
I liked it.
My father’s head turned toward her, and I began to wonder if what they said about not wanting a child at their age
was even true.
“Oh,” I choked, smiling widely. “You know, sometimes karma works that way. Women who are so cunning never
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69–The Messy Lamy
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conceive p>
As soon as I said that, clearly hinting that Penny had made my mother suffer, Kaylee took it the wrong way.
She slammed her hand on the table and stood up.
“ Kaylee, sit down. It wasn’t meant for you,” I said, but she didn’t care.
She was already walking away to her room.
I took a deep breath and tossed my fork aside.
“I’m going to see what Madeline is up to. I’m here for work, unlike you all, ” I remarked, standing from the chair.
“Aren’t you going to make amends with your wife?” Penny asked.
I flicked my hand at her, letting her know I wasn’t going to entertain her, and walked away.
The argument earlier with Baxter had me worried for Madeline.
Every time I tried to make amends with her, to win her back, either Elgin or Baxter would show up and ruin things.
They were messy people, and I didn’t understand why they had to come between us.
It felt like our friendship existed not only to support each other but also to ruin each other’s happiness.
As I left my suite, I noticed Baxter already heading toward Madeline’s suite, with Elgin following him.
I sped up, but they got inside before me.
By the time I arrived, the atmosphere was heavy.
The kids were restless.
Elara sat in the corner of the living room surrounded by toys, Gina cried on the couch, and Bodhi annoyed Nina, pestering her for something.
Nina, the nanny, looked like she was going through hell.
“What’s going on?” I asked, joining Baxter and Elgin.
Elgin hurried to sit beside Elara to check on her. Baxter asked Nina what Bodhi wanted while I walked over to Gina and sat beside her.
“What’s going on? Where’s Madeline?” I asked, glancing around.
Bodhi seemed to have eaten too many candies, but he was still throwing a fit for another one.
Baxter wrapped his arm around him and lifted him into his arms.
It was strange to see Baxter being gentle with a child.
He then placed Bodhi on the couch.
Now, the three of us sat with the children, while Nina stood beside exhausted.
“Madeline left for some work, and it’s been hours since she returned,” Nina said.
Her words made my stomach drop.
2/3
-The Messy Furnity
The three of us shared a glance, then turned back to her, waiting for more.
“What do you mean she left earlier? Where did she go?” I asked.
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It was part of our agreement that one of us would accompany her wherever she went, since we had covered most of her expenses here and had practically hired her for this job.
For her to go out alone was unnecessary and risky.
“ Earlier today, she got a call from someone named the librarian,” Nina explained. “She picked up and left in a hurry. She said she’d be back soon, but I’ve been trying to call her, even reach the driver, and there’s been no response p>
Baxter and Elgin looked lost, while I felt cold sweat forming on my skin.
“Graham, is there something you know about it? Who’s this librarian?” Baxter asked, placing Bodhi down from his lap.
“Remember the outing we had that you called a date?” I replied. “We were actually at the library. We were interested in some things, and…” I paused, noticing Nina listening to us.
“Why don’t you take the kids inside? We’ll go find Madeline and bring her home. She’s probably with the librarian,” I mumbled with a smile.
But I felt odd about the whole thing for some reason.
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.