Chapter 248: Kaye Has A Friend
As the two talked, Adam trying to talk sense into his little sister, he was just trying to bring her back in, for her to reclaim her strikes and have their grandfather’s blessing. He kept leaning forward slightly, his low voice running through the list of pack benefits, corporate titles, and ancestral pride that she was throwing away. He spoke with the quiet intensity of an Alpha who truly believed that a life outside their grandfather’s good graces was nothing but a slow, embarrassing social death.
Princess, on the other hand, was just waiting for him to finish his speech so she could go back to the hospital room, because right now she knew Faye must be worried about her. Her fingers tapped a restless rhythm against her knee, her ears twitching slightly as she strained to catch any familiar sounds coming from down the corridor. She saw it in her eyes earlier when Adam told Princess to follow him outside. That girl’s fist was in the air; if Faye wasn’t weak, she would have punched Adam right then and there. The sheer protective fury radiating from the bed back then had been completely undeniable, a wild wolf spirit trapped in a physically exhausted body. And not just any wild wolf but a moon wolf.
"Are you listening to me, Princess?" Adam asked when he noticed his sister wasn’t looking at him. His brow furrowed slightly, his analytical gaze locking onto her distant expression as he realized his words were just bouncing right off her.
"No, I’m thinking about my girlfriend." Princess stated bluntly. She didn’t even try to sugarcoat it or make an excuse, turning her head to look him straight in the eye with complete honesty.
"I thought it was just a one-night stand, and I see you have fallen head over heels for that girl." Adam observed, his voice dripping with cold disbelief. He shook his head slightly, as if finding the concept of genuine romantic attachment entirely beneath a true member of the Kings bloodline.
"Yes, I have. She is not just the mother of my pups but the love of my life.. the girl of my dreams..." Princess countered immediately, her voice steady and ringing with absolute certainty. She didn’t care how weak or emotional it made her sound to him, she meant every single syllable.
"The Grandes are not worthy to be loved... they will only bring you pain and endless suffering." Adam warned, his jaw tightening into a hard, rigid line. The casual mask he usually wore slipped for a fraction of a second, revealing a sudden, bitter edge underneath his words.
"Are you just saying that because of your past relationship with Paye Grande?" Princess questioned, her eyes widening slightly as the pieces of the puzzle suddenly began to lock together in her mind.
"So you remembered my ex... I thought you had forgotten." Adam remarked softly. He adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, his movements slowing down as the mention of the name hung heavily in the sterile air between them.
"I did, because my memories are back, and I know you and Paye were a thing before they moved...." Princess pushed, watching his face closely for any sign of a real human reaction, but his corporate armor was already sliding right back into place.
"Let’s not talk about the past. I got you a gift to congratulate you for becoming a mother..." He brought out a key from his blazer and dropped it in front of Princess. "It’s a Ferrari 488 Pista. You love sports cars. You can use it to take your children for a ride... limited edition."
Princess stared at the key, then at her brother like, what the....? She blinked down at the expensive piece, a completely baffled expression taking over her face as she tried to process the absolute absurdity of the offering.
She had always wanted it, but really... Not a time like this.. trying to buy her forgiveness..
"First thing first, it’s a two-seat racing car, and second, they are just newborns. I can’t take them for a drive. And how are four car seats supposed to fit in that car?" Princess pointed out, gesturing toward the key with a look of pure exasperation.
Adam collected his key and returned it to his pocket.
"Alright then. I’ll tell them to swap the car for a Mercedes Sprinter van instead," he said smoothly, adjusting his position as if changing a multi-million dollar vehicle order was as simple as ordering a different side dish at dinner.
"I don’t need your gift. You have given me enough by showing me that no one is ever going to be there for me. I have a car, and I can buy a Mercedes Sprinter too." Princess rejected, her voice hardening. She didn’t want his charity, not when it came with the heavy strings of family expectations attached to it.
"You are going to go penniless after that.... Speaking of penniless... I heard you quit being Leonard’s Friday night runner. That’s good. I have a vacant seat in the hotel, I can make you the manager.."
"Sorry, I am not looking for a job." Princess cut him off cleanly, raising her hand to stop the pitch before he could try to draw her into his corporate web.
As the two talked, they saw Paye with Kaye walking into the hospital, heading toward Faye’s room. Paye had gone to pick his son up from school; they were just stopping by to visit Faye.
Kaye spotted Princess and Adam sitting together. His young eyes lit up instantly, his small backpack bouncing against his shoulders as he changed direction.
"Nanna, look, Aunty-in-law is there." He pointed, his small finger aiming straight at the waiting area, then ran to Princess. He scrambled over the smooth floor tiles, his face bright with childhood energy.
"Hello, Aunty-in-law, and hello, friend," he said to both of them.
"Friend? You two are friends?" Princess said, looking at Kaye, then Adam, who tried to form a smile at the boy but stopped. Her eyebrows shot up in complete surprise as she looked back and forth between the cheerful child and her notoriously unapproachable brother.
"We just happened to meet twice, and then he started calling me his friend.... I am not your friend, young man. Don’t call me that again..." Adam said. He cleared his throat, his posture stiffening immediately as he tried to regain his usual commanding authority, though his voice lacked its usual sharp bite.
"Okay then... I will call you Uncle-in-law since you are Princess’s big brother. Is that fine by you?" Kaye said, touching his suit. His small, slightly sticky fingers pressed right against the pristine dark fabric of the expensive designer blazer.
Adam looked at the little hand on his blazer. He hardly let anyone touch him because he didn’t want to get his suit dirty, but he just happened to let the little kid touch him, just like the last time when Kaye returned the money he had given him. He stayed perfectly still, his eyes tracking the child’s hand, but he didn’t flinch or pull away like he normally would have done with anyone else.
Princess stared at the way Kaye was talking to Adam and touching his clothes. She knew Adam didn’t let anyone touch him, but for some reason, he let Kaye. All she did was observe her brother talking to the little boy, and she wondered. The absolute contrast between the cold ruthless Alpha businessman and this gentle, patient interaction made her brain stall out completely.
Kaye wasn’t lying, Adam really was a friend.
