CHAPTER 31

Adriana finished clearing the living room and the dishes and went to the kids' room. Noah had come home exhausted after his two-week travel and was up with them. She was exhausted herself, too, from the office stress and the workload at home. Guilt didn't make her put Noah up for it. She would have dodged the chores.

But he did look exhausted, so she had asked that he put them to bed while she cleared the place. But that was half an hour ago. He wasn't back. She had tried to be casual around him despite the doubts she had. Mother's discovery had been weighing her down lately. Since he got back, she had been putting a few distances between them. Sure, she kissed him when he came in. But it wasn't easy kissing Noah, not getting swooned by his exotic kisses. Still, she had been able to pull back.

"I need to turn off the gas." She lied and bolted. The twins kept him distracted after that. Dinner had been loud and noisy as usual. The kids bombarded him with questions. An occasional 'table manner' from the parents, only keeping them quiet for few minutes before someone would remember something he or she had to say. Which meant the parents barely had any chance of speaking to each other. 'It was good in maintaining the status quo', Adriana thought gloomily. Better to keep him at bay for a while. So, when she suggested he put them to bed, it was so she could put a distance between them.

She had a quick shower and then went to the kids' room to kiss them goodnight. As she turned the doorknob, she heard Elizabeth giggling and stayed hidden behind the door. Their dad was telling them a bedtime story. "Bedtime stories don't make you giggle." Elizabeth said, then laughed at her father. Noah patted her hair and kissed her forehead. Adriana watched as he pulled Ethan closer too. For a seven-year-old, Elizabeth acted more mature and too smart for her age. "Bedtime stories are lullabies. Tell us something to make us fall asleep." She insisted.

"But I just did. You chose not to fall asleep." Noah feigned ignorance.

"Dad, you told us about a giant rat nibbling a boy's shoe and mistakenly swallowed the rattle. When the boy came, he couldn't run fast enough." Ethan chuckled, lifting himself off the bed.

"Nice recap there, Champ." Noah ruffled the little boy's hair while he, in turn, hopped into his dad's laps. He intentionally pushed his sister aside, looking for her trouble.

"Hey." Elizabeth yelled, her hands instantly on her brother's hair. Noah pulled the two apart and placed himself between them. The two glared at each other.

'Behave or no story." He threatened. The twins smiled at each other in mocking sweetness and turned to their dad with innocent eyes.

Adriana chuckled, "who taught them that?" She whispered and quickly covered her mouth. Thankfully, the three occupants of the room did catch that.

"Another story, please." The twins pleaded with their dad

Noah stretched, before saying "Promise you'd sleep after this story."

"If you sing as mom does, we will." Elizabeth replied smartly.

"I won't sing. But I can call your mom to come over so she could sing?"

"No. Mom's been stressed all day. You tell us." Ethan replied.

Adriana pressed her two hands towards her chest, so happy her kids are so understanding. It always amazes her how they can be so smart for their age even though they can be naughty. She waited a while, interested in the story their dad would tell them.

"Well, move closer." He said. They moved closer, and he pulled the duvet higher, then moved down himself. This way, all three were tucked in bed and covered to the neck. "Did I tell you the story of the Owl that sleeps at night?"

"No." Ethan said, shaking his head vigorously. "I don't think so." Said Elizabeth, too.

"Then, I'll tell you that one." He gently eased into the bedtime story by changing his voice tone, "A long time ago." He began. The kids chuckled but still, he went on with the story. "An owl...."

"Wait a minute, dad. Do owls sleep at night?" Ethan asked curiously. "I was wondering too. Mom once told us a story about Owls and Bunny. The owl slept during the day leaving his friend, Bunny sad and bored." Elizabeth added.

Expecting that already, their dad smiled at them and replied, "Yes. Owls are strange creatures. They sleep all day and wake up in the night when the world is just about going for its nap."

"So did this one...?" Elizabeth asked, and Ethan quickly butts in. "Let's listen to the story, Liz." he scolded his twin and inched closer to his dad.

"Okay, so no more interruption, kids." And he continued the story. "Owls always sleep all day only to wake up in the night. They saw nothing strange in this. After all, everywhere would be silent and every other creature asleep. The world, as it were, big and beautiful, was all theirs to play with. It was fun that way until one particular owl became too curious."

"Oooh." The twins chorused.

Their dad smiled and continued the story. From behind the door, Adriana stooped down to listen to the story too. "This owl was sick and couldn't sleep all day while his family slept. He was given every available drug.

Eventually, when night came, he slept." Noah adjusted himself in the bed. Ethan was almost sleeping now. He tickled the little boy, "So when he slept, he was awake the following day and a little better. His family went to bed, as usual, leaving him. The poor owl was bored. He had nothing to do. So, he stepped out to play, thinking he wouldn't have anything to do. To his surprise, he was greeted by a beautiful world that was bright and beautiful. The world shines brighter. The moon was hidden behind a bigger, brighter light, the sun. The water seemed to have changed in intensity. It wasn't a deeper shade of blue anymore. It was a lighter shade. For the first time, he could tell the color of the tree. They were green with freshness..."

A gentle snore beside him made Noah stop the story. He had been stalling intentionally, hoping the kids would be bored and doze off. He looked at the kids. They were both sound asleep. Stretching quietly, he got down from the bed and lifted Elizabeth off the bed. He moved her to her bed.

Adriana seeing that he was almost done and would be headed to the room tiptoed back to their room. She got into bed and pretended to be asleep. A few minutes later, Noah came in, saw his sleeping wife and went for a shower. When he came back, he slides into bed tiredly. He was already snoring by the time Adriana finished counting to fifty. Then she turned slightly and wondered as she drifted off to sleep what had brought their father back after many years of silence.

She had intentionally kept that little bit of information from her husband too. It would appear there's a lot of that between them now. She hated going through this to him. But she was torn between finding the truth and the shreds of evidence staring at her. The PI whose contact Evan had shared was yet to get back. She desperately hopes her mother was wrong about it.

CHAPTER 32

It was not the kind of reunion one could hope for. His daughters were no longer the teenagers he left behind. Adriana was married to twins, he heard. He had been checking up on her social media accounts for regular updates. His wife wouldn't update him. So, desperate times and desperate measures. He had resorted to social media for the checks.

Pete, his chief security officer, had also been handy, always monitoring the kids if they were in any danger. Of course, Pete dug into his first daughter's family and found the butter truth. He was the one who later informed him after series of in-depth follow-ups about the man his first daughter had married. But the news had come in too late. They were already married with the kids. So, he did what every father could have done in the situation: to let the drama play out and let Noah deal his cards. And now, the young man finally seems to be showing his card.

His second daughter, Evangeline, had a certain glow. He couldn't place that just yet. But he had a feeling she might be pregnant. Pete had also hinted at an affair. He sat down stiffly and let them dictate the pace. Adriana awkwardly hugged him. That was something he hadn't expected. But he let himself get swept into the warm embrace. Then Evangeline came over too for a quick hug. They were civil with him. In that atmosphere, he asked how they've been, even if he knew exactly how. The family sat down in their inner dining room to eat but mostly to have that talk. The maid served them and closed for the day following Mrs. Swiss instruction. As they ate, everyone awkwardly checks out each other.

Evangeline dropped her spoon, sensing her father's gaze on her. He was different, maybe a little fatter and older too, "So, why are you here?" Her father stared right back at her and smiled genuinely. She didn't know what to make of the smile. For someone who had left without a simple goodbye and suddenly appeared after almost fifteen years, he sure had some balls coming back home. She didn't return the smile.

Instead, she gave her bossy smile, the one she used when Audrey was too much of a pain in the ass that lasted all but a second, and she then turned away from him. She looked at Adriana, who, on her part, pretended to enjoy her meals. She was stuffing food in her mouth. It was something she did when she didn't want to say anything. Evangeline could understand why she didn't want to say anything. It had been long. They probably got used to the idea of their father not being available. His sudden appearance now...it did no good as far she could tell. She picked her spoon and resumed eating.

Mrs. Swiss sighed. "There's something you both need to know. Perhaps I should let your dad do the telling part." She nudged her husband.

"The question was directed to him actually, Mother."

Mrs. Swiss nodded as if not noticing the sarcastic tone in Evan's voice. Robert Swiss nodded too. Both parents looked at each other. They said nothing for a while.

"We made some decision years back that changed this family." Robert Swiss began. "And now, it's time we corrected that." He sat straighter in his chair. "I made a mistake."

Adriana dropped her spoon with a loud clang. "If this is you trying to apologize for walking out on us. Please don't. We made peace with it. That happened years back. Can we please leave that chapter close." She said a little harshly? "Why are you here is what she wanted to know? I honestly don't even need the answer to that. So...?"

"Adriana." Mrs. Swiss cautioned. "You will not disrespect your father that way. Whatever he did then, it was for everyone."

Evangeline scoffed. "Really?" She stares at her mother coldly. For one, she wanted to know about the mother's role in it all. But there was no way she would get that answer. Dad would never let her take the fall. He wouldn't tell her even if she asked.

"Let's exercise a little patience, okay?" Turning to Mrs. Swiss, He said, "I deserve every insult and disdainful look they throw at me. Leave them. I can take it." Then he turned to the two ladies. The look on his older daughter hurt him. The disappointment was written all over her face. He turned to Evan, and the look on hers wasn't good either. "I didn't walk out." He blurted out, his frowned expression showed how much he hated hurting them. "I was forced to because I made a bad call during a case."

"You?" Evan said in disbelieve. It was just like their father to cover up for mother. "You, not mother?" She asked deliberating looking at her mother, who shook her head and turned away from her abruptly.

"I was the one who made the wrong call during a case I presided in court. It brought a lot of chaos. Our lives were on the line. We needed help, and I had to get it. Your mother tried to stop me" when Evan scoffed in disbelieve again, he repeated the last line. "She did try to make me stay. But a united front wasn't what we needed then. We needed allies. And that was what I left for."

"We needed allies." She seems to turn the phrase over in her mind. "Allies for what?" Adriana asked.

"For the battle that is about to start." Robert Swiss replied raising a brow. "That's if it hasn't already started."

Evan looked on, quite shaken about what she was about to ask. 'Noah?' That was what she had been about to ask. Instead, she asked. "At the company?"

Adriana hoped they weren't about to say what she was thinking of. "Noah?" Evan's look confirmed she had been about to say that very name.

"Someone has been robbing from the company. It's a start. Any attack on our finances is an attack on cutting off our financial power." Both Evan and Adriana stared at him, even his wife. "To attack us. That's how they work." He dropped his cutlery and moved his chair back. "Okay this is it. When a cartel plans to destroy a foe's family, they start with the finances. If the money flow is cut off, their enemy has little resources to fight back or hire help. Got it?"

"Oh! That's why you said to call when the money starts missing." Mrs. Swiss looked bewildered. "You think they're ready to attack us?"

"Yes." He replied. Everyone was silent, taking that in.

"So, I take it we must have offended this cartel people to be on their blacklist." Adriana said. "What is it?"

Mrs. Swiss decided to give a brief recap of the events that happened years back. "The case your father presided over-involved the founding members of Miami. Two powerful families were at war; the Monterey and Smiths. As the judge, he did all he could to serve justice the right way, but things went south. The families had been having series of clashes over the years." She sighed heavily. "Nothing serious until the last one. It was a total takeover. They fought dirty. The Monterey was brutally murdered. A few escaped. Of course, the ones who escaped will very blame us for their ruin even though they brought it upon themselves." She sighed.

"The Smiths doesn't trust us either. When they assumed power, it may have looked like we supported the Monterey all along." Robert chipped in. "So, we were left in the middle of a war." he concluded the story.

"The summary of it all being that we made two enemies. The Monterey and the Smiths. Either of them could be after us now." Evan said. The Parent Swiss nodded.

"Noah is a Monterey." Disclosed Robert Swiss.

"No, he is Noah Dwayne."

"Did you listen to anything we've just said? The..." Mrs. Swiss said and was suddenly cut short before she could go on.

"As we said, the Monterey's' who escaped changed their names. For survival." Robert Swiss cut off his wife, giving her a seriously sad look. This was their child going through something he couldn't even imagine. He knew it was difficult to hear this. What more could hurt more than having someone you thought loved you become an enemy that had a vendetta on the family?

"Are you saying he married me to get his revenge?"

"I'm saying he shouldn't have married into this family at all."

And it was all Adriana could take in. She didn't know when the tears began to drop. It was her sister offering her a handkerchief that made her realise it. She stood up from the dining and went to her old room. Evangeline stood up to go after her. She met her sister crying bitterly. "I'm so sorry this is happening to you, Ad." She said, patting her sister's back. "I know how much you love him. For what it's worth, I know he adores you too."

Adriana sniffed loudly in the handkerchief. "You think so too? The other night, I saw him with the kids. He's so good with them. He takes care of them." She sniffed again, "Me too. You'd think it's real."

"Don't do this to yourself."

"Oh, but you heard, dad. Noah changed his name. he had come after me to avenge his family."

Evangeline suddenly remembered the other day when he mentioned he had lost most of his family. So he had been right about that. "Did he ever talk about his family?" she asked.

"No. not much. He claims it's a sore topic for him. So, I try not to bring it up."

"Did he ever talk about losing his family? Because the other day, when he made the macaroni cheese, he said that the twins were the best thing that's happened to him in a long time and that he had lost most of his family members. But he suddenly stopped talking. I didn't see anything wrong in that."

Adriana smiled sadly. "You assumed he didn't want to talk about it. Because it must hurt." She hit the bed angrily. "How could not wanting him to hurt come back to haunt me this way?" She wailed. "I feel so stupid."

"You're the smartest woman I know."

She laughed. "Please, don't patronise me." Still laughing sadly, "I feel so stupid right now. I don't even know how to handle this."

Evangeline smiled. "You'll figure it out."

CHAPTER 33

And while the kids had their private conversation, the parents Swiss were also having theirs. Mrs Swiss had cleared the table. The couple had moved to the inner chamber. It was a room they often used for their pre-court sessions. In this very room, the two would argue the defence and opposing lawyers' case and determine who would win. Their law journey had started in this very room. Robert ran his hand down the seats. "It's dirty and rusted."

"I've not been able to come in here ever since you left." Robert looked at her gloomily. She must look that for pity, "I'll have the maids clean it up tomorrow."

"It's not that." He said, moving towards the big judge's seat on the stage. He always sat here to picture his courtroom scene the next day. "I had no courtroom anymore." He explained, "I'm not sure I remember what it's like anymore. Dirty and rusty, like the seats."

"Oh." she said, getting his drift, "neither did I." When he removed the cloth covering his seat and sat down, not minding the dust, she sat down too. "I missed it so much. Now, I just help Adriana with her cases. She's had zero loss in court so far." She beamed with pride.

"And she got that from her mother. You've raised them well."

"Our younger daughter might beg to differ." She smirked.

"Evangeline took your side of the gene. You're both resilient and stubborn. Only her could have violated the family law-gene and escape your wrath." He teased.

"She blames me for your absence." She told him sadly. "All she does now us rebel against me for that singular mistake."

He had sensed it too. "Let me speak with her. She needs to know you had nothing to do with that."

"She's an adult now. I'm sure she'll figure it out later."

He stood up from his seat and went to sit beside her. "Thank you for doing a good job with them."

She shrugged. "It's okay. I still believe anyway that they have your lawyer instinct, not mine. Evan is well, stubborn and unrelenting. A trait that's helping her in her business. And Adriana, the cases I couldn't even imagine she'd win, she comes out of it glittering. It's like she likes going for such condemned ones."

"You were here to guide her." He still praised her. "Do you suppose they can handle this now?"

"Trust me, they can." She replied, giving him a confident look. Then a worried expression overrides the confidence.

After a while, he notices her sigh heavily, "But this isn't what you want to know right now."

Mrs. Swiss sighed, "That obvious?"

He nodded, "So, ask away."

"Do we have the allies now?" She asked that was the single important solution to all these.

"Damn well, I have. And if what I'm seeing us right, Evan may have gotten us another solid ally." He announced proudly.

To really understand why today wasn't just like any other day, you'd have to be in her shoes. For some days now, she had put deliberate effort into making this a success. She had shopped online for the perfect outfit and matching heels. She even changed her eye color from black to blond to look just like her rival. She was determined to make this work at all costs.

It wasn't every day one wakes up to love. Love didn't happen for some at all. For most, love was an ass, unrequited and painful. But when you find love and though it's unrequited, and the situation seems to change that, it was a once in a lifetime situation that mustn't be missed. When Zoe had called her to settle the ongoing war with Evan, she said something that changed everything. Evangeline is pregnant! Mary didn't even bother to know who she was pregnant for or when it happened. She only liked the idea the news proposed. It could only mean one thing; she wasn't available anymore for Logan Thames. Now, she could claim the man for herself.

Mary had carefully planned this day. Her hair had to be dyed to mirror his ideal woman. She had gone through profiles of his exes to find out he did like his women blond and sassy. She was sassy; that wasn't a thing but blond? That had to be tried in. Her stylist was paid to work her magic on her wardrobe. All primed up, she called her prey to the slaughterhouse. And when Logan Thames walked into the room, he knew just what he was walking into, although in his defense, he did try to play along.

When he entered the club and sat in his favorite corner that night, he was served his favorite blue spiked drink and was sipping when another drink was sent to him. He quirked his brow at the waiter questioningly.

"From the lady in the red room" was the mysterious reply. He then handed over a card. Logan snatched the card in irritation and read the four words. Meet me in 10.

"Ohhh!" He smiled. "Looks like someone is in a hurry to have me naked." He winked at the man and dropped the card. "And where's this lady? We don't want to waste her time. Now, do we?" He stood up, adjusted his round neck polo and followed the waiter. He was led through a back door through the foyer. Then the waiter stopped at the door and excused himself. He knocked and waited until a lady said to come in.

The room was what it was called 'The red room.' It was every shade of red. But what caught his attention were the sex toys hanging everywhere. On the walls were all kinds of the whip; long, twisted, sharp, piercing. It wasn't a pleasing sight. He looked away. On the little bed placed at the corner of the room was a set of cuffs; for the hands and legs. Logan walked away from those too. He was never interested in inflicting pain during or before sex. And so, whatever this lady had planned, she had failed miserably. He was turned off, as it were. The only things that fascinated him were the pleasuring toys. Every dick size was right there. He had always marveled at how women go about pleasuring themselves with them when they could have the real deal. But then again, he could never understand.

The woman who called him was all masked up. From where he stood, he couldn't tell who she was immediate. Her hair was blond, meaning it could be any of his exes. But it definitely wasn't Evan. Evangeline wouldn't have done this. She knew he hated the BDSM sex choice. He's never tried that. So, that left his other girls who should know better too. Aileen was his last girl before Evan, and she wasn't in LA at the moment. So, who could this be? He moved closer to the woman sitting pretty on the small stool, her legs wide open invitingly though it was clad in dark skin net. She wore a skimpy pink skirt on it with a revealing blacktop. Her face was covered in a pink mask. And as he moved closer, he sensed even before she stood up that it was her. Mary.

Interested in whatever game he was playing, he stood indecisive for a while. Then he went on with the game. 'See where it lands us.' "Heard you wanted me in 10." He teased as he lightly caressed the lady's hand.

"Yes, Please." She purred, so he wouldn't know it was her. Then he pulled him closer and started kissing him. "No talking necessary." When Logan kissed her and seemed to be into her, she came down from the stool and began to undress him. He let her kiss her way down to his slack before lifting her head for a deeper kiss. She moaned, and he mentally hissed but continued with it.

She began to undress him again. "In a hurry to have me, I see." He held her hands and took her to the bed. Well, since the toys were laid out for them, he might as well put them to use. He cuffed both hands to the bed. Watching her squirm, he caressed her face lingering over the mask. He sensed her tension, "What?" Though he knew why she tensed up, it was fun watching how she intend to get out of this.

"The mask stays." She purred again.

"But I want to see the woman behind this bold move. He teased, still whirling his fingers around the mask. She continued to turn her face away.

"Maybe after." She said like handling a boy a golden stick. He took the bait and moved away from her face. He lightly let his tongue roll over her lips. She raised her head, wanting a kiss. He was ready for that. He shifted his head and instead began to kiss his way down her chest but couldn't find the urge to carry on. He removed her mask in one swift move. Mary gasped and stepped back.

"I can't believe you'd play this same stunt on me again. After all, you did breaking up my relationship." Logan said, pushing away Mary from him in disbelieve.

"And why wouldn't you? I love you."

He looked at her pitifully before removing the cuff. If she had said it years back, when Evan hadn't been in the picture, he had have believed her. But now, it was all a stupid game to Mary. And he knew her well enough that she loved having toys. She would go any length to have something she craved, but once she was bored of her toys, she discarded them. He wasn't going to be used that way, not even by a supposed childhood friend. "This was before you introduced me to Evangeline, your friend, who I'm in love with, by the way." She cringed when he said he loved her friend, but he ignored that.

"Was it before we started dating or after?"

"Before." She said almost in a whisper. She forced back the tears that threatened to fall as she began to undress. This wasn't over.

"You didn't say anything." he said, looked at her almost naked body and turned away to leave. "Don't undress, Mary. We've been friends for years, and if I were ever attracted to you, we'd have fucked" he threw the words at her then left the room. And Mary sat down in total shame and defeat.