chapter 42

The morning sun bathed the elegant dining room in golden light as Amaira and Alex sat across from each other at the long marble table. A variety of breakfast dishes were arranged neatly—freshly baked croissants, fruit, and a delicate cup of Indian chai for Amaira, while Alex had a plate of paratha drizzled with syrup.Alex happily swung his feet under the chair, taking a big bite of his pancake. “Mama, your parathas are the best!”Amaira smiled, sipping her coffee. “Of course. I have to make sure my little prince eats well.”But her smile dimmed slightly as she set down her cup. She glanced at Alex, hesitating for a moment before speaking. “Alex… I’ll be going to London soon.”Alex's fork froze midway to his mouth. His sharp gray eyes widened with excitement. “London?” He quickly swallowed his bite. “Are you going to find my twin brother?”Amaira gave a slow nod. “Yes.”Alex's entire face lit up. “Then I want to come too!” He dropped his fork and jumped out of his chair, running over to her side with eager eyes.“No,” Amaira said firmly, placing a hand on his shoulder.Alex blinked. “But why not?”“It’s not safe.”Alex frowned, crossing his arms. “You always say that! But you never tell me why.”Amaira sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Because it’s the truth, Alex.”The little boy huffed, puffing his cheeks. “I’m not scared! If you’re going, I want to go too. What if you need me?”Amaira placed her hands on his small face, looking into his stormy gray eyes—the same eyes as the man she was desperately trying to avoid. “Alex, listen to me. I have to do this alone. Also I have to attend a very important event, in the tower.”Alex's lips trembled slightly, but he wasn’t giving up so easily. “But… I want to meet my brother.”Amaira’s heart clenched. She wanted that too—but not at the cost of his safety. Not at the risk of Scar Boss finding out about him.“Alex,” she said softly but firmly, “you will stay here.”The little boy’s brows furrowed, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You’re hiding something.”Amaira didn’t answer.At that moment, the dining room doors opened, and a woman in her mid-thirties walked in. Eliza, Amaira’s most trusted assistant, was dressed in a sharp navy blue suit, her blonde hair neatly tied back. She was strict, professional, and extremely loyal.“You called for me, Miss Lilyt?” Eliza asked, glancing between Amaira and the sulking child.“Yes.” Amaira straightened. “I need you to keep an eye on Alex while I’m away.”Alex gasped. “You’re leaving me with Eliza?!”Eliza smirked. “Oh, don’t sound so disappointed, kiddo. We’ll have lots of fun.”“Nooo!” Alex whined dramatically. “She’s going to make me do boring stuff!”Amaira sighed, rubbing her temples. “Alex, enough.”“But Mama—”“No,” she said firmly, standing up. “This is final.”Alex's eyes welled up with frustration, but he didn’t throw a tantrum. He simply looked at her with a deep, almost heartbreaking expression—a mix of sadness, betrayal, and something else… something that reminded her so much of his father.Amaira turned away before he could see her weakness.Eliza, sensing the tension, gave a small nod. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t leave the estate.”Alex groaned loudly. “This is unfair!”Amaira ignored his protests, knowing this was for his safety. She had worked too hard to build this life, to protect him from the past.And she wasn’t about to let history repeat itself.**after 2 days in the outskirts of London**The streets of London were bustling with life, but inside a sleek black car parked near a cozy café, silence filled the space. Nicolo leaned back in his seat, watching as his son, Justin, observed the café with curious eyes.“Done?” Justin asked, his small hands gripping the car door handle.Nicolo nodded. “Done.”It had been a simple task. Pull up, click a picture of the café from the car, and leave. Justin, however, wasn’t convinced. His father never did anything without a reason, and this seemed too random.As the car smoothly merged back onto the road, Justin glanced up at his father, his sharp grey eyes mirroring the man beside him. “Why did we stop there?”Nicolo exhaled a deep breath. “You’ll understand later.”Justin didn’t push further, but his mind raced with possibilities. His father wasn’t the type to waste time. If they had stopped there, it meant something.A few minutes passed before Nicolo finally spoke again. “I have two options for you,” he said, keeping his tone neutral. “One, you go out with your mother for a day with a guard and celebrate your birthday with us.”Justin wrinkled his nose. He already hated this option.“Or two,” Nicolo continued, “I’ll take you anywhere you want and you get to spend a whole week there. Think carefully.”Justin sat up straight, his small fingers tapping against his phone. Nicolo studied him from the corner of his eye, expecting him to ask for time to think, but—“Second option,” Justin said immediately.Nicolo raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want to think about it?”“Nope.”A low chuckle rumbled from Nicolo’s chest. He should’ve known—his son was decisive, just like him. “Alright then,” he smirked. “Where do you want to go?”Justin didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled out his phone and started typing.Nicolo’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you messaging?”Justin quickly tilted his phone away from his father’s view. “It’s a secret.”Nicolo shook his head. He could have snatched the phone, but he chose not to. He wanted his son to have his own space, even if his curiosity was nagging at him.Finally, Justin put his phone down and looked at his father. “I want to go to Kingsbridge, London.”Nicolo’s hands were slightly tensed on the steering wheel.Kingsbridge?It wasn’t far, but something about the request struck him as odd.Still, when he glanced at his son’s innocent face, he found no reason to refuse.“Alright,” he agreed. “Kingsbridge it is.”Justin grinned, completely unaware that his simple wish would set off a chain of events neither of them were prepared for.