"How dare you show your face here! After everything you’ve done... you were the one who assured everyone that you would be there for your grandmother and now, when she needed you, you were not here. What a useless man you are. All you attitude about being above us because we are apparently after her money have come across have they not? Don’t think that you can have control of everything now that your grandmother is dead! I will never..."
Serena stilled as she heard the woman blabber on and blame Aiden and speak that Grandma was dead when they knew for sure she wasn’t. Serena, who had been watching in silent disbelief, couldn’t contain her outrage any longer. As the woman raised her hand again, to strike him once more
But Serena’s reflexes were swifter and decisive. With a loud, cracking sound, Serena’s hand met the woman’s wrist mid-air, halting the slap in its tracks.
"Enough!" her voice cut through the tension like a knife, her eyes blazing with fury as she felt her own hand burn. This woman was actually putting her entire strength into the slap. And she could feel the stone from a ring, pressing into her palm as well. Before the woman could react, Serena pushed the hand she had caught away and raised her other hand, connecting with the woman’s cheek with a resounding slap.
The force of the blow sent the woman stumbling back, her eyes wide with shock as she crashed into a nearby chair, sending it tumbling to the floor.
The room fell into stunned silence, the aftermath of the slap reverberating like a thunderclap. The woman clutched her face, her mouth open in a gasp of disbelief.
The entire scene seemed to move Aiden who had been silent until now, listening to the woman calmly berate him. He stepped forward to check her hand and stared at the redness on her hand.
On the other hand, the woman who had fallen to the floor, was helped up by a man and quickly raced up again, ready to attack Serena as she almost screamed," How dare you! Do you even know who I am."
Serena felt rather than saw, Aiden ready to step forward and block the woman but she caught his wrist and pulled him behind her, taking a step forward. As the woman came at them like a shrew, Serena quickly caught the woman’s hair and pulled back sharply, covering the woman’s mouth with her hand," Now a word from your mouth or I will snap your neck! I don’t care who you are. But you just hit my husband and cursed Grandmother that she was dead. Be thankful that I only slapped you once!"
As the woman stared at her, frightened, Serena heard a man’s voice,’ Aiden, ask your wife to let go of your mother."
Serena stilled as she looked at the older man who had spoken and realized he looked like an older version of Aiden. And then, she turned to look at the woman who did not look a day over thirty and gulped. Did she just slap and threaten her mother in law?
Thankfully, her husband seemed to have found his voice," That woman is not my mother. Serena, let go of Mr Hawk’s wife please."
Slowly, Serena released her hold on the woman, stepping back with a calmness that was the total opposite of her earlier fierceness. She moved to Aiden’s side, her demeanor shifting to one of calm submission as if she were a docile little child. Her eyes,however, remained fixed on the older man with a hint of lingering defiance.
This man was Aiden’s father? And he’d let his wife slap him for no reason for all. No wonder Aiden did not acknowledge them as family. For all his flaws, and there were many of them, there was one undoubtable fact- that he loved grandma the most.
Aiden took a deep breath then and without sparing a glance at the woman who was now clinging to his father, and ordered," Please leave Mr Hawk."
The older man hesitated, speaking softly," Aiden."
However, that single word seemed to make the already cold room feel even colder," Mr Hawk. Do not test my patience."
"Aiden, how can you talk to your..."
Before the woman could continue, the older man caught her hand and started to march towards the door, warning her coldly," Shut up! One more word from you and you will find yourself on the streets. Consider this a warning."
The woman shut her mouth immediately and walked out of the waiting room, glaring at all present. Once the couple had left, they were followed out by the three other people who seemed to understand that they would not fare well here and they too looked away and disappeared behind them.
Without sparing another glance at the others, Aiden marched in, taking a seat in the corner of the room, staring at the door of the inner room where Grandma was currently. A she sat down, he turned his head to look at her in question, as if asking her why she was still hesitating. Serena shook her head and answered the unspoken question," I’ll come in shortly."
He nodded and turned his head to woodenly look forward again, as if unaware of the others in the room.
When Serena returned a few moments later, she felt her heart ache. Even though there were others in the room, that man looked like he was alone on some island. Without a word, she walked over to him and placed the ice pack that she’d wrapped in a cloth on his cheek. He looked up at her then, and the pain in his eyes caught her off guard.
"It’s not necessary," he murmured, his voice strained but she simple cupped his face with her other hand and nodded," It is Aiden, It is necessary to heal your wounds."
As she stood there, staring down at him, Serena felt her heart move...