Chapter 27: Chapter 27

<Azaria>

We are currently in my grandfather's office in the mansion, all of us are seated, but my family is not paying attention to me. Lucy is clinging to Nick, holding his hand tightly, and I glared at her. Nick noticed what I did to my sister, so he adjusted and removed his hand from her grip.

"You all know that Henry no longer owns anything. Mr. McLaren is now the owner of his company because he sold all his shares to him. He didn't leave anything for you except for the mansion, which he bequeathed to Mr. and Mrs. McLaren," said the lawyer of my grandfather.

What?

"What did you say? Repeat that," I demanded from the lawyer. Nick held my hand.

"Your grandfather has no more wealth, but he left the mansion to you," he repeated.

"That's not true! He still has a company, and he said he'll give me shares! He even paid off my debts!" I argued with the lawyer.

"Your grandfather has no money left because you spent it all," he responded.

I turned to my grandmother as she spoke, "What do you mean?"

I couldn't understand what was happening.

"Your husband will explain that to you. I'll take my leave now," said the lawyer.

"Wife."

"You are not our true grandchild, yet you act so audaciously. We adopted you, but you became the cause of our family's downfall," my grandmother said calmly but with anger in her voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked, hurt by her words.

Grandmother didn't respond and stood up, supported by my parents. Camille didn't leave and seemed like she was about to say something, but then she glanced at Nick and left the room.

I couldn't comprehend what was happening.

"Nick, do you know anything about this? What are they saying?" I turned to him.

"Wife, calm down," he tried to soothe me.

"What is grandmother saying?" I asked him.

He held me closer, cupping my face with his palm. I looked into his eyes, and there was a glimmer of delight in them.

"Don't listen to them; only listen to me. Understood?"

I couldn't respond.

"Don't mind what they say; I'll handle this. Okay?"

I felt like I was drowning in his hazel eyes, and I just nodded.

"Nick, grandmother said something! I heard it!"

"Azaria, calm down," he calmly reassured me.

"Grandmother is angry, that's why she said it. Do you understand?"

I didn't believe him. I felt like he was just deceiving me.

"She didn't say that because she was angry! You know grandmother! She wouldn't say something untrue just because of her emotions!" I said frantically, trying to break free from his grip.

"I'm supposedly an adopted child! Is that why mother doesn't like me?!" I asked him, almost going crazy.

"Azaria, calm the fuck down!" He said angrily, "look at me," he caught my gaze and tightened his hold on my hand.

"They're just mad and blaming you," he said, looking at me and gently caressing my cheek with his index finger.

"I'm not adopted! You are the one who's adopted! You suddenly appeared in the mansion. Grandfather said he saw you in the horse's dung at the hacienda," I said, tears welling up, "then you suddenly disappeared and didn't come back here to the mansion. You've been away from abroad for so long, but I never saw you visit here. I'm angry at you because you're their favorite, not me. So I'm not adopted. You are the one who's adopted between us."

"Shhh," he suddenly embraced me and I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"Calm yourself. Don't overthink too much," he tried to comfort me.

I must have just woken up. I didn't know how I ended up here in the room; maybe he carried me. I cried in his office earlier and he didn't know how to calm me down. Eventually, I fell asleep while crying.

When I opened my eyes, I felt the puffiness from earlier.

"Good morning," he said hoarsely.

I looked at him. His face was serious, and it seemed like he had been watching me sleep for a while.

For some unknown reason, I suddenly hugged him and buried my face in his bare chest. He never wore clothes while sleeping because he found it too warm, and he had gotten used to it.

"Hmmm," he groaned as he hugged me back.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

I didn't answer and just listened to the beat of his heart.

"I'm crying again," I informed him. My beauty is being ruined because of all this crying. I might be getting wrinkles, my God! I don't want to look ugly! I need to get a facial.

"Shhh, I'm here," he whispered, and I felt him stroking my hair.

"What time is it?" I changed the topic.

"It's nine in the morning," he replied simply. I looked up at him.

"Don't you have work?" I asked hesitantly.

"I won't go to work. You're not feeling okay, and I want to be by your side," he said, caressing my arm.

"You should go to work. I'm okay," I said sadly. I couldn't hide the sadness I was feeling.

"I won't go to work. I don't want you to cry again. You'll cry if I'm not here," he said and kissed my forehead.

"You should go, please," I insisted. I also don't want him to miss work.

"I'm worried about you," he said with concern, and his fingers moved to caress my cheeks.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, and I can manage myself. I'll call you if there's a problem."

"Alright, call me when you miss me," he said and quickly kissed me on the lips.

"Nick!" I shouted his name and playfully hit his arm. He just smiled at me.

"Good morning, wife," he greeted me affectionately and gently squeezed my cheek.

"Are you going to work?" I asked him as he stood up.

"Yup, you want me to go to work, right?" he said sweetly and hugged me from behind.

He said he wouldn't go to work earlier, and now he's saying he will go. I wanted him to stay at home with me, so I wouldn't be alone. He'll lock me up in this house again, and I won't have anyone to talk to.

I forcefully broke free from his embrace and stood up.

"Wife!" he called out to me.

I left the room without looking back.

"Take a shower, I'll have breakfast," I said coldly to him before leaving the room.

"Damn! Wait!" I heard him say.

I was already far from the room when I heard his footsteps catching up to me.

"What's the matter?" he asked with a furrowed brow as he held my arm and walked with me.

I didn't answer. I didn't look at him or reply to his question.

"Azaria," he said with a threatening tone, annoyed with my behavior.

"We were okay earlier, why are you so cold now? What's the matter, huh? Did I say something you didn't like?" He asked in a sweet tone.

He stopped me from walking and faced me.

"Go to work, you're already late!" I said coldly to him.

I was even more annoyed because he couldn't sense that I didn't want him to go to work.

He let out a sigh.

"Please, tell me why you're acting cold. You can't even look at me," he pleaded.

He caught my gaze, but I didn't back down. I refused to look at him. I was mad at him.

"Azaria," he warned, "I'll be even later for work if you won't tell me," he said in a low voice.

"Just go to work already!" I shouted at him and pushed him away, to let him know I was angry.

"Do you want me not to go to work?" he asked softly as he followed me.

I went into the kitchen, and our breakfast was already prepared.

"Good morning, ma'am and sir," Xyla greeted us and placed a glass of milk on the table.

They both left the kitchen when they saw us.

I sat down and continued to ignore Lanvin.

I frowned while looking at the food, and I was about to call a servant to complain. We always had bread, bacon, eggs, and milk on the table every morning. There was never any strawberry juice, pie, or noodles.

Lanvin suddenly stepped forward, his serious face meeting my gaze with a slight frown.

"Why are you being cold to me, huh?" he asked again.

"I don't want this food!" I complained with a frown.

"Why do I always have to eat the same thing every day!?" I grumbled.

He pinched his nose, seeming annoyed.

"Answer me first."

I glared at him, about to turn to the food again when he firmly held my arm to prevent me from moving.

"What now?"

He loosened his grip on me.

"Tell me why you're acting strange," he said seriously. His hazel brown eyes seemed to draw me in.

"We were talking happily a while ago, then you suddenly became like this. Don't you want me to go to work? Women tell the opposite thing," he said thoughtfully.

"Where did you find that out?" I snapped at him, still giving him a nasty look.

"The internet," he replied sparingly.

"Okay, I won't go to work," he finally said.

"You should go to work. Your secretary and that old female investor of yours might look for you!" I said sarcastically, emphasizing the word "investor."

He smiled broadly.

"You're cute when you're jealous," he still had a wide grin, "but that investor didn't invest because you made a scene. So probably, she's not my investor."

"You idiot!" I could only say that.

He stood me up and made me sit on his lap.

"What do you want to eat then? I'll cook."

"Never mind. You take too long to cook, and I'm already hungry."

"Aren't you mad anymore?" he asked to make sure.

I faced him, "Do you want me to be mad?"

"Of course not, or you might kick me out again if you get angry," he said playfully.

"And also, let go of me!" I said annoyed.

"Stay still," he groaned. I was squirming in his lap.

"Why do you always make me sit on your lap?" I asked him irritably as he placed bacon on a plate.

"Girls love sitting on someone's lap. You're the only one who dislikes it," he replied.

My ears tinged at what he said.

"So, many girls want to sit on your lap?!" I asked, my temper rising.

He shrugged.

"Yeah, the woman in the bar likes to sit on my lap," he said honestly.

I was taken aback by what he said, and my anger flared up.

"Then let them sit on your lap! Do you want to cuddle with them too?!" I yelled at him in annoyance.

"Arrg. Wife, don't be jealous, okay? You're the only one I do this with. And those women are prostitutes who suddenly sit on me," he said innocently.

"You're so lucky! You're the only one I make sit on my lap."

"You're so arrogant! I don't even want to sit on your lap!" I retorted.

"Wife, can you lower your voice, please?" he asked with a smile. It seemed like he was getting annoyed with my constant shouting.

I just glared at him.

"You can start screaming later tonight!" I pinched his side for what he said.

"I'll sit in my seat now! Let go of me!" I insisted.

"Don't be angry, I'm just being affectionate," he cooed and quickly kissed me on the lips. Instantly, my annoyance towards him vanished.

By the way, he's now dressed in black attire. He's not naked anymore when he leaves the room.

"I want us to be like this every morning. You'll sit on my lap when we eat," he said.

"You know too much," I replied.