Adair drove into the house's garage and parked the car. He turned to his side and was about to turn the doorknob when something grasped his shirt. "Tell me, Adair, how were you able to escape them?" Layla asked inquisitively. She knew her son-in-law had combat skills, but she really doubted he could take care of such people armed with clubs. "How I took care of them doesn't matter, mother-in-law. What matters is that I got rid of the IOU." Adair mused, shook her hand off and alighted from the car. Layla pushed the side of her door open and quickly rushed to meet Adair. "Don't think I now like you because you helped me take care of a mistake I made, after all, that's what son-in-laws should do for their mother-in-laws." She hissed, turning her head to the side. Adair refused to say what was running through her mind. "Just return the jewelry to Collette and no one will hear of this.""Don't make it sound like I'm a bad mother. I only took the jewelry because I had some bills to off
Jordan walked into the hospital, clad in his black suit as usual. He walked towards the tall figure who sat on a chair, a hand supporting his chin. "I've assigned someone to find out what attacked your father-in-law." Jordan mentioned when he got closer. "I'm sorry such a thing happened, Lord Adair." "A cloak and a dagger. Have you ever seen anyone with such a symbol before?" Adair asked out of nowhere, the look in his eyes signifying his thoughts were somewhere far away. Jordan paused for a moment before he shook his head, "I haven't, Lord Adair. But I can ask some people in the military. Or Sister might know something. Do you need me to find out?" "Yes. Yes, I do." Adair nodded. Jordan didn't waste any time as he whipped out his phone and placed a call to someone. After a few minutes of talking on the phone, he ended the call and returned back to Adair's side. "I have people looking into it. They should have something in an hour." He revealed, but Adair merely nodded. Jordan p
Adair was stopped by a doctor as he walked back to the hospital ward. The doctor looked him over like though trying to see through him. "Are you Adair Huxley?" The doctor asked, adjusting his spectacles. Adair first raised one of his eyebrows before agreeing with a nod of his head. "Yes, I am." "I also take it you're the son-in-law of Benjamin Pitt?" The doctor asked again and Adair nodded again. "Oh, his family is in his ward right now and have searched the whole hospital more than thrice for you. Where have you been?" His family? Adair pursed his lips and walked past the doctor without a word. He got to Benjamin's ward and peeked inside to see the entire Pitt family inside the ward. Collette and Layla were situated in the middle and for some reason, the discussion seemed to be about them. Adair didn't stay long at the door because Trevor looked his side and called him out instantly. The rest of the family turned their attention towards the door and Adair was forced to open th
Collette walked out of her room fully dressed and in search of Adair. She met Halsey eating in the dining. "Good morning, Collette!" Halsey greeted as soon as she sighted Collette. Collette returned the smile. She first walked to the kitchen, but didn't see who she was meeting for. "Where's Adair?" She asked, returning back to the dining. "I don't know. I met my breakfast here with a note from him saying he has somewhere to be early in the morning." Halsey responded with a mouthful. She paused and pointed at something on th table. "I think he left a note for you as well." "He did?" Collette frowned, reaching for the paper. "I'll come pick you up after work. I have an early morning job interview to attend to." She read out the words on the paper before a smile lit up her face. "Collette, tomorrow is your grandmother's birthday and our family has been invited!" Collette heard Layla exclaim loudly from the living room. Collette frowned again. After the incident with her father at
Jared's Bar The bar was bustling just like every other day when the door opened and a familiar tall figure waltzed in. Adair's eyes went straight to the bar attendant who was busy serving drinks before he walked up to the counter. Almost immediately, Jared appeared behind the cotton, putting on the bar's uniform. He assisted his bar attendants in serving drinks to customers. Adair walked up to him and sat directly opposite him. "A glass of bourbon, please." Adair said and Jared raised his eyes at the familiarity of the voice. When he recognized Adair, he couldn't help but smile. "It's you..umm.. Collette's husband, what's the name again?" "Adair Huxley." Adair responded, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Welcome to my bar, Adair." Jared smiled, reaching out his hand for a handshake. Adair reached out and took it. Afterward, Jared turned to grab a bottle of bourbon. As Jared filled a glass, he asked, "I'm surprised to see you. And at the same time, I'm shocked that you vi
"CVPD!" Someone suddenly yelled and the door to the bar was kicked open. Jared's eyes widened in shock when he saw the police and he immediately tried to run. Unfortunately for him, his bar attendant, who was a spy the cops had planted in the bar initially, tackled him to the ground. "No one moves!" A female voice yelled and every movement in the bar stopped. Adair didn't turn to look at them, but he had his eyes pinned sharply on Jared. Meanwhile, Jared tried to fight the hands of the man pinning him to the ground away. "Get your hands off me! You have no right to come into my bar and arrest me!" The undercover cop ignored his incessant rambling and held him up for a woman who was walking towards them. Jared gritted his teeth angrily when he saw her and spat out. "You don't have a warrant, do you?" "Hello, Jared. Nice to meet you again." The woman merely smiled. From her tone, others around could sense this wasn't the first time the duo was meeting. She dug out something from
Dame EnterpriseZane, who took his assignment of watching Collette's every move very seriously, stood in a far corner watching her converse with a fellow colleague when he was pulled aside by Iris. "What is it? Or do you have money to give me?" Zane asked, excitement evident in his eyes. Iris hissed and took out the stake from somewhere. Zane flinched, moving back in shock. "What are you doing with that?" "Obviously not planning to stab you with it." She scoffed and extended it towards him, "Can you read the Aramaic writing on it?" Zane cautiously took it and flipped the part containing the writing to his face. "It's not a writing, it's just the name of an ancient tribe back then." He responded, still looking it over. "That's it?" Iris asked in surprise and he nodded. When he realized there was something off about her expression, she looked up at her and asked, "I can see the blood on it, did you kill someone with it?" "No. Adair found it in the heart of the last vampire I tu
"What did you say happened to your face?" Collette asked in distress as she watched Gabriel and Adair get attended to by a nurse. "We were attacked on our way back." Adair responded. "You were? And how is it possible you and my father were together?" Collette couldn't stop herself from hissing. "I got into trouble again when I went to gamble. Adair found me right on time and put himself in danger to save me." Benjamin chose to butt in at that moment. Collette was first stunned that her father had taken the initiative to speak to her before she found her tongue.*"That is what happened? It's a good thing you were around that area, Adair." Collette said, jumbling the words together in excitement. Adair's eyes rested on Zane who stood by the door with a bored expression. "Is that your friend?" He asked and Collette nodded immediately. Feeling Adair's eyes were accusing her, she quickly sat next to him and went ahead to explain, "He's a colleague at work. He has helped me so many t
"Hello, stranger." Collette heard as she picked up an apple. She didn't need to turn around to confirm who it was. "If you hadn't shown up, I'd have been left with no choice than to believe that you have a conscience." Collette smiled, her back still turned to Hannah. "Conscience?" Hannah scoffed and walked to the shelf housing the apples. "I wasn't in a very good place when I put you in a coma which unfortunately lasted for seven years. In those seven years, Adair hasn't been much of a good ex-lover and he's been hurting. Staying out of sight and reach was the only way to guarantee my safety and that of my brother's." "Ah, I see." Collette smiled, then turned to face Hannah squarely, "My mom has absolutely no idea that her daughter was in coma for seven years. But she's throwing a feast for her return to Crest Ville after seven years of traveling the world. And everyone's invited. Even her enemies aren't left out." "Strange. Your mother doesn't strike me like such a magnanimous w
Seven Years Later A redhead, clad in baggy pants and a crop top which left her belly button out in the open, nimbly walked up the stairs of the hospital and walked towards an elevator. The elevator opened to reveal a couple making out in it. They quickly composed themselves and lowered their heads in embarrassment when they saw her. The girl smiled and placed leaned on the elevator, closing her ears as she listened to the soft sound made by the elevator as it headed up. After three minutes, the elevator slid open, and she walked out of it, what looked like a school bag, slung across her shoulder. Behind her, the couple in the elevator couldn't help poking out their head in both surprise and awe just before the doors of the elevator closed again and sent them back. This was because no one apart from the family of the person on this floor was allowed up. And it was no news that the family of this person who occupied the whole floor owned the foundation. Collette Foundation. A found
Despite Tucker's threats, Adair didn't bother with him as he bent over and carried Benjamin in his arms. “Kill her.” Tucker spoke into his phone. However, he heard nothing from the owner of the phone. “I think he's dead.” A familiar voice sounded instead. “Jordan? Of course, you're alive, and Adair had everything contained as usual.” Tucker seethed angrily and quickly left the store. He hadn't gotten far when some men, who had their faces covered, walked up to him. Almost immediately, a van pulled in front of them, and he entered the van with them. Tucker hissed numerous times as he tried his best to contain the fact he lost to Adair once again. The van drove for over an hour before it stopped under a tunnel. Tucker alighted from the van and got into a black Lincoln which was parked just beside it. The Lincoln drove out afterward and headed straight to a seven-star hotel. “Why am I being summoned when I haven't done anything?” Tucker complained as soon as he walked into a privat
It took Adair precisely eleven minutes to get to where Tucker held Halsey and Benjamin hostage. He walked in on Tucker spraying something on an unconscious Benjamin. But despite being unconscious, Benjamin would wince in pain whenever it touched him. “Don't you feel ashamed picking on someone lesser than you?” Adair mocked, making his presence known. His words didn't deter Tucker, who kept throwing the water at Benjamin. “Who said he's lesser than I? Someone who Adair Huxley calls father-in-law isn't lesser than me.” “That's that, but I still don't see how a man in his early forties is a threat to you who's more than a thousand years old.” Adair shrugged and found himself a chair to sit on. Tucker dropped the spray he held on the table and glanced above his shoulders to see Adair's cold eyes. “Those cold eyes. Why does it seem like you turned off your emotions?” Tucker asked in surprise. He was yet to hear the news about Collette getting into an accident, since Adair's men were
“No!” Zane yelled and got up to his feet as soon as possible. However, Sharon didn't fall like he expected because someone else had taken the bullet for her. “Grab her and get out of here.” Jordan hissed, as he dug his claws into his chest and pulled out the bullet lodged in it. Tucker raised his brow before flinging the gun away. “Jordan Hale. It's been a long time.” “I hoped you'd be dead by this time of the year. What a pity that good people die early, while bad people live the longest.” Jordan said in spite. “True. That's why you, Adair, Hannah and I have lived this long.” Tucker chuckled. He had better things to do, such as torturing someone with the name Benjamin Pitt, so he didn't want to waste time with Jordan. Without another word, he rushed towards Jordan and grabbed him violently by the neck, then threw him hard against the wall. Cobweb-like cracks appeared in the spot where Jordan came in contact with. The temporary pain didn't deter him, as Jordan got up almost imme
Adair and Hannah stared at each other for a long time. Then she lowered her head to her phone and increased its volume. “A few minutes ago, there was a ghastly accident which involved a drunk driver and a beautiful young woman. It's revealed that she bears the name Collette Huxley and is married to the multi-billionaire, Adair Huxley. This happened along…" The reporter's words were drowned out as soon as Adair's phone which was beside him rang out. “Hold on, I think I forgot to say I also compelled the driver to ram into her, then hand himself over to the police afterward. Don't you think I have a great sense of justice?” Hannah giggled. Adair reached for his phone and went numb when he saw it was a call from Collette. He first exhaled in relief when he realized Hannah was just messing with him. “Wife, are you alright?” He asked anxiously as soon as he answered the call. “This is Garrison Hospital, is this Adair Huxley, Collette Huxley's husband?” An unfamiliar voice asked inst
Martha's Penthouse Martha walked into the house to find Tucker drinking like he had been doing for the past three days. She had a book in her hand, which she handed over to him. “I was on my way in when someone said there's a parcel for you. All they need is your signature saying you've received it before they leave.” “A parcel? I didn't order anything.” Tucker frowned, refilling his glass with whiskey. “They can't be mistaken because your name is in this book.” Martha sighed, placing the book on the table. Tucker's phone buzzed at that moment, and he glanced at it only to exhale in disappointment, seeing it was a commercial message. “I can turn them away if that's what you want.” Martha said, reminding him there was still something for him to do. Reluctantly, Tucker reached for the book and signed it. Martha took it and left the house. She returned later with a coffin-like wrapped package. “Is it just me or does it look like a coffin?” Halsey asked, appearing from nowhere. S
1627, Crest Ville Main MarketThe sun was bright and hot when it came in contact with the skin of humans as usual, but this didn't stop them from carrying out their daily activities. Among them was a woman who went from stall to stall asking one question, “I buy vervain for a very handsome price. Do you have any to sell to me?” Suddenly, she got pulled into a corner by an elderly woman. “Going around the market asking for who has vervain is the most stupid plan I've heard in a long time. It'll only be a matter of time before he finds out what you're doing. Get a grip on yourself, Hannah!” The elder woman berated the younger one. Hannah, who had her red hair held up neatly with a pin and had on a simple floral gown, sighed and shrugged the woman's hand away. “I know what I'm doing, and I'm more careful than usual. For example, do you know Jordan is walking around the market as we speak?” Hannah scoffed. “Jordan Hale? Adair's right-hand man?” The elderly woman asked to confirm th
Adair stayed home the next day, much to the surprise of Collette. “Are you staying at home because you want to, or you're staying at home, so I won't be kidnapped like yesterday?” Collette asked guiltily. She was currently sitting in front of her working table while Adair laid on the bed fiddling with his phone. When he heard her, he paused and towards her. “I'm thinking of getting you a rope. We'll tie it on our waists, so we don't wander far from each other whenever we go out together.” Adair said, a little too serious. Collette, who was about to laugh, froze. Wait, what? “You're not serious, right?” She asked in horror. Adair, who initially had his serious face on, laughed and got out of bed. He walked up to her and shrugged, “It's no longer safe to leave you at home. Especially with Tucker and Hannah around.” “Hannah mentioned something called vervain. She explained to me, it was something capable of keeping vampires from messing with our head. Why don't you get it for me?”