Alexia told her mother all about how she tried to drug Zephyr only for the plan to backfire on her fully. Elise thought that was, to an extent, too much. Narissa and Zephyr had already patched up in a sense.
“Lexi, did you forget what I taught you? Never meddle with anyone’s affairs unless they explicitly ask for your help, and never try to hurt anyone.”
Her children’s education was a pivotal part of their lives. The very thing that would shape their futures, and she would not slack on it. Alexia was almost eight. No longer could she hide behind the pretense of innocence and shirk all responsibility Elise knew it was time to teach her about accountability, and she had to do it because Alexander loved the girl too much to even chastise her.
“I’ve never forgotten about it, Mommy.” Despite the growing itch, Alexia listened to her mother. Elise too wanted to pamper her daughter, but she had to be firm and stern. “Then, you know what you should do.”
The girl pursed her lips and thought about her next course of action carefully. She then turned to Zephyr. “I’m sorry, mister. I shouldn’t have pranked you.”
Oh, now I have an excuse to back down. The whole reason he stubbornly put his foot down on this was because of Alexander and Narissa meddling with the matter, not because of the child. Now that he could finally settle this amicably, he played along. “You’re forgiven, but I have to say sorry as well. It was a bit too heavy-handed of me, but I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Stay safe. Here’s the cure. Spray it on your wrist and it’ll stop the itch.”
Alexander snatched the cure and picked his daughter up before they went upstairs. “Sorry for that,” Elise said sheepishly. “He didn’t mean to yell at you. Just worried about the girl, that’s all.”
“Understandable. Zephyr shrugged the matter off. “If I had a daughter like yours, I’d have been more worried about her than he was.”
“I’d better check on them. You guys do whatever.”
Elise was worried Alexander might tell the girl nonsense like he would back her all the way, no matter what she did. Then I’d have spent my time lecturing her for nothing. God, he spoils the girl too much. She trotted upstairs and, to her surprise, found Alexander staying by the girl’s bed, reading a bedtime story for her. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, and she sat beside him quietly.
Exhausted from all her crying, Alexia fell asleep in a moment. Her parents tiptoed out of her room and closed her door silently before they returned to their room. Alexander got some cigarettes from the bar counter and had a little smoke on the balcony. Elise thought he looked a little melancholic. She approached her husband and hugged him from behind. “Still upset about that little tussle?”
Alexander heaved a long, long sigh. Slowly, he said, “I was absent from her life for seven long years. I couldn’t bear to see her cry.”
Elise wanted to burst out laughing. “She tried to spike someone’s drink, and you think she’s the victim here? Hey, she has to fall and get back up herself eventually. Maybe take a lesson from that fall too. We can’t protect her forever. Lexi must grow up. I can’t believe you’d just throw all your creed out the window every time the girl’s involved. Just leave their education to me. Focus on making money.”
She added as a joke, “And keeping fit.”
Her words swept away his melancholy, and Alexander turned around to hug her. He felt an endless surge of energy flowing into him. “I love you, honey. You’re the best wife I could ever hope for.”
Once Elise was gone, Narissa and Zephyr tore their masks off and resumed being hostile to each other. Despite the sofa being large enough to seat more than two people, Narissa refused to get near Zephyr. The moment he plopped down on the sofa, she moved to the dining table and took a seat there.
Zephyr crossed his legs, scrolling through his phone. On the other hand, Narissa felt like she might explode with fury at any given moment. The air around her felt fraught with tension.
If Raymond were here, he would once again make a nemesis comment about this situation.
The first thing Jamie noticed when he came was Zephyr. Jamie thought he looked familiar, so he took a closer look, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen this man before. So, he turned around and asked Raymond, “Who’s this guy?”
“The doctor Boss hired. Zephyr Lorwhal from Area X,” answered Raymond.
“What?” Jamie’s eyes shone. “You’re Zephyr himself?” He approached Zephyr with excitement. The moment Zephyr stood up, Jamie clasped his hand. “I’ve been searching all over for you, Dr. Lorwhal. So, you’ve been here all this time? Oops, not the time for small talk. I have a friend who’s seriously ill. Can you take a look at her?” Zephyr was a famous doctor, and Jamie needed his help with Alicia’s condition. He was confident Zephyr could treat her and leave no complications behind.
“I don’t render my services to just anyone.” Zephyr resumed his aloof persona. He was always cold to people who came to him for his services.
“I’ll do anything. Pay any price.” Jamie was prepared to sacrifice a lot of stuff. “Even if I need you to do the dirtiest, hardest jobs?”
“Even that.”
“What are you doing, Jamie?” No longer could Narissa keep her silence. That b*stard’s my enemy, and you’re my fiancé. I’m not going to let you grovel to him just because Alicia needs his help. You’re embarrassing me! She stormed over and cut off the conversation.
“Honey? You’re here!” Jamie froze for a second, and then he happily introduced Zephyr to her. “Honey, this is the doctor I’ve been looking for. He can help with Alicia’s condition. Praise the gods, I finally found him.”
Ah, I see what it is. They’re close. A cunning smile curled his lips. “I see you’re the famous, kindly saint someone’s been talking about.”
Narissa’s face fell, her fists balling up.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Jamie was still out of the loop, but eventually, he caught up. “Oh, so you know each other.”
“Very much so.” Zephyr grinned at Narissa. “For Miss Cuber’s sake, I’ll… How should I address you?”
“Keller. Jamie Keller.”
“I’ll help you out, Mr. Keller.” Zephyr pushed his glasses up his nose, the reflection of light on. the glass panels covering the evil glimmer in his eyes. “But I have one condition. I’ll need you to help me out with anything I might require during the treatment.”
“No problem.”
Narissa tried to stop her fiancé, but it was too late. She didn’t even have the chance to say anything. Furious, she stormed off without a word to her fiancé. Why should I even stay? He embarrassed me in front of my nemesis.
“Honey? Wait for me!” Jamie went after his fiancée in a hurry.
