Chapter 279: Chapter 279

Brad strode out of the room, making his way along the pristine hospital corridors, ensuring he was out of earshot, before turning to his brother, who was close on his heels. Their parents were long gone but Brad was curious about what Ian wanted to talk about.

Brad felt small in his brother’s presence, and he tried to stand to his full height to compensate, but Brad was a full head shorter than Ian.

"I’m glad that sister-in-law is up and getting better by the second," Brad started. Once upon a time, he had been a little close to his brother, but those days seemed like a long time, and he was unsure of how to react to his elder brother.

Brad still felt bad about his previous attempt on Shelby, and it was also part of the reason that the gap between him and his brother had widened after Ian had come out of seclusion.

Ian looked long and hard at him and then nodded. For a few minutes, the brothers stood silent.

"How is Ingrid’s training?"

"Huh?" Brad was puzzled that this was what Ian wanted to talk about. At that crucial time, after his wife had just emerged from a days’ coma, Ian wanted to talk about the kids? A foreboding feeling settled on Brad, as he knew that Ian never did anything that looked useless.

"Err.... It’s all okay." Brad scratched his hair and then shrugged, adding, "Sister-in-law was right. Ingrid does love the music and the instruments."

"Is that why you are taking advantage of her?" Ian calmly asked as if he had not just something very startling.

Brad paled and then he took a step back. "W-hat do y-ou mean that I took advantage of her?"

The only incident that came to Brad’s mind was how he had finally had revenge on his three friends with Ingrid’s help, but he knew that there was no way that Ian would know. Besides, Brad could not even explain how Ingrid’s voice had been enough to get friends Mark, Luis, and Jay to give up their money.

"You have to believe me, Ian, I have never done anything of that sort! I have the children’s best interest at heart!"

What Brad was unaware of was that Gabriel had already spilt the beans to Ian.

A couple of days earlier, he had already informed his father, "Daddy! Uncle Brad made Ingrid sing so that he could take money from his friends. I don’t know if Uncle Brad is a bad person or not. But that was so cool! Can I also do that? Will Mama still like me, if I do that?" Gabriel had said to Ian in that all-so-familiar childish voice.

Brad stood his ground on this, and Ian decided not to hold him to it. Ian was not sure how Brad had found that Ingrid had that ’power’ but from his expression Ian knew that Brad did not more anything about what Ingrid was yet. Ian made a mental note of this. The children had to be careful going forward.

Ian raised an eye and then said to Brad, "I hope that you stick to what you have said to me and teaching Ingrid is all that you are doing ...."

Ian intentionally did not talk about anything on that subject anymore.

Ian gave Brad another meaningful look, making his brother squirm, and then switched the conversation. They talked about some other miscellaneous topics, mostly related to work. That was a subject that Brad hated, but at that moment, he had no complaints, and he duly went through all the subjects mentioned. The brothers were there for quite a while.

"Bro... why did you let Avril go scot-free?"

"You call her being sent to the police as being scot-free?" Ian smirked.

"No, not that; I can’t help but think that she may be stuck in an endless legal loop -"

Ian smiled, "With us in the picture, she has nowhere to go. Don’t worry."

Ian patted Brad on the shoulder and started to move, "What of the other one? Why did you eliminate her from the video?"

"Each will get exactly what is due them..."

Brad narrowed his gaze, not understanding, but it would be a few days later that he would understand this statement.

In the hospital room, the kids dove onto Shelby as soon as Ian had stepped out.

"Mama Shelby, I missed you sooooooooo much!"

"Mum!" Ingrid added shyly.

Their words brought Shelby from here revere. Seeing Avril had made her very upset.

Ava gawked, but there was not much reaction from Suzie as she was used to the kids behaving that way around Shelby. Ingrid and Gabriel each lay their heads on Shelby’s shoulder.

"Be careful! Your mum still needs to rest!" Suzie chided slightly from the side, but gone was the worry she had. Even the scare from Ian had subsided in the face of the fact that her mistress was up and looking rosier by the second. The children did not budge.

Shelby lowered her head and kissed Gabriel and Ingrid’s hair, making the two children snuggle closer.

Ava’s eyes watered as she took a seat on the bed.

"You had me worried sick!"

"I’m sorry," Shelby whispered.

"You really must sit up. Why did you go with Brianna after what she had done? Why do you try to see all the goodness in people even where there is none? Do you want to die before you realize Brianna does not have your best interests at heart? Shelby, you have suffered enough in this life, and the heavens have finally granted you an amazing man and family; why don’t you cherish that?"

Shelby lowered her head, and when she raised it, Ava nearly flinched. There was a hardened edge about Shelby that Ava had never seen on her.

"Don’t worry. I know what to do now."

"I hope so, Shelby. I know how many times you have said this to me. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you. Look at how worried these kids even look. You have no idea what Ian had also gone through."

"Yes, Sissy. Please cut that rotten flesh from your life! I was so worried! What would I do if I lost you too?"

Rocky, who had been silent on the side, added too.

"I’m sorry to all of you. It will never happen again." Shelby looked into their eyes as if to make her point.

Rocky nodded and then added, "The fact that someone birthed you or calls you their ’best friend’ does not mean that you need to give your life to them! I cannot believe that Brianna was a part of this?! It does not make any sense, but then if our mother even does these things to you, why would a stranger’s action seem strange?"

Rocky heaved and then continued, "Take our mother, for instance; she is selfish in all aspects, and I want you to hold your own against her. You have paid enough for the life she gave you. If Mum really had your best interest at heart, you would have been rescued earlier that day, and maybe the narrative would have changed."

Rocky heaved up and down as the thought of his mother, Clara just made his mood swing downwards.

"Don’t worry, Rocky. I really mean it. I will pay attention and make sure that nothing like that happens again."

"I hope you keep that promise. I am so glad that you are up... I-"

"Rocky? Don’t you have classes now?"

"But you just woke up! I can’t leave now-"

"Rocky, your studies are important. Besides, I have a lot of people here, and nothing will happen to me. Go for your class and return at the end of the day."

"Okayyyyy, sis!" The way he stretched the okay made Shelby think of Gabriel when he was reluctant to do something.

"Take care!" Rocky leaned down and then kissed Shelby’s cheek. He ruffled Gabriel’s hair and then patted Ingrid. Rocky hesitated slightly with Ava and then said softly,

"I’ll be back later,"

The words were only for her ears, and then Rocky hurried out of the door and bumped into Ian right there just as the door closed behind him.

Unknowingly, Ava had slipped into her mind-space with her eyes fixated on the closed door.

"Are you okay, Ava?" Ava snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at Shelby.

"Why would I not be?" Ava laughed awkwardly, scratching her nose. Shelby skewed her head to the side and then looked at her friend.

"Miss, the children are falling asleep, and your hands will be tired. Let me take them to the other bed."

"It’s okay," Shelby replied and slightly slid Gabriel first and then Ingrid so that they rested in a conformable position on her lap. She stroked them fondly. They were indeed exhausted enough to drift off to sleep that fast.

Shelby then turned back to Ava, staring long and hard, but then Ava asked,

"You know what? It’s been a while since we talked... like real girl talk." Ava stretched her head to ensure that the two kids were asleep before she said the next thing,

"How was it with him?" For a moment, Shelby was blank, but the mischief in Ava’s eyes was what made her understand the naughty question.

"Come on, spill girl! Tell me more! Did the lessons and videos work?" Ava smiled playfully.

"What better time than this? Your body is tired, but your mind is healthy and active. Let’s engage your mind to engage your body! Thankfully, the kids are also asleep so what’s the problem?"

At the back of her mind, Ava tried her best to keep her thoughts away from Rocky as she did not want anyone to peek. Teasing Shelby was enough to keep her occupied and also divert the conversation from whatever Shelby thought she had seen.

"Wait!" Ava suddenly frowned,

"You know what? Let’s not talk about that. He can read my mind! So, don’t put ideas into my mind for me to embarrass myself!"

Ava shook her head vigorously; it was as if Ava had not been the person to say that initially at all! But Shelby caught the underlying meaning,

"Wait.... H-ow d-o you know this?" Alarm bells rang in Shelby’s mind. She could not afford to lose a friend if they came to be in the known about their world, but then something else occurred to her.

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