"Scott?" Stella called him softly as she sat down beside him on the couch. Lillian and Blake had left after having their breakfast, saying that they had to take care of certain things. Stella had a hunch about what, or more precisely who, those certain things might be.
When she didn't hear a reply from Scott, she looked towards Adam, asking for some help silently.
Adam passed her a small smile. "Katty? Why don't we go outside. You will love the new plants that my gardener planted a while back."
As if taking his hint, Katherine agreed right away. "Sure, why not!"
Stella was looking at the two of them with her eyes widened in shock. She asked him for help, not to leave her all alone to deal with this on her own.
Adam turned around when he was by the door of the living room and passed her a devilish smile before disappearing out of the room.
Stella glared at the door, imagining it to be his back. She made a mental note to have her revenge before shifting her attention to the matter at hand.
"Scotty?" She called him again, but this she didn't forget to make herself sound more pitiful. "I am sorry. I know whatever happened was my fault. I will be more careful in the future." She continued.
"Oh! So you know that it was your fault and that you have others who actually care about you unlike your own self." Scott finally replied to her, his voice laced with mockery.
"I am your little sister, ain't I? Is this is how you treat your 'little sister'?" Stella asked him, emphasizing the words 'little sister's. She knew that the only way to get him over his anger is to trigger his emotions. And she also knew how to use that to her own benefit. She couldn't care less about anything else as long as he talks to her just like usual.
"Are you going to use that card on me now?" Scott shifted his gaze from the table to her. "I know your tactics all too well. Adam may fall for this, but not me." He flicked her on her forehead.
"Ouch! Did you really have to use that much force?" She yelped as she rubbed her forehead. It was stinging really bad because of the amount of force he had used.
"Can you please start caring for your own self? You are not alone anymore, Stella. At least think about Adam. He didn't have a family, but he has you now. You are his only family. Look after yourself for him if not for your own self or me." He tried to make her understand as he patted her head like a child. "Please." He added softly only to get a nod from her.
"Let's go outside now. They must be waiting for us, and I need to go back as well. I promised Katherine a date today." He spoke up when he didn't hear a reply from her.
Stella nodded her head in a yes as she tried to get up. She was about to lose her footing but Scott grabbed her shoulder. He guided her all the way to the garden where they could see two figures standing on the damp freshly mowed grass.
Adam had his back towards them as he was busy talking to Katherine. Stella walked up to him with Scott's help and hugged from behind, causing him to stop in his tracks. He looked at the two dainty arms wrapped around his lower torso as a smile slowly crept on his lips.
He turned around and hugged her back. "Hey! You alright?" He asked her with concern when she buried her face in his chest. She nodded her head slightly without replying to him verbally. He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked towards Scott questioningly.
"Did you say something to my little elf?" He glared at him.
Scott chuckled as he raised his hands up in the air. "I wouldn't dare to."
"You better not." Adam threw another glare towards him before shifting his attention towards his little elf. "Let's get back you inside. You need to change into something more comfortable." He added before picking her up in his arms. Without sending off his remaining guests or even wishing them goodbye, he headed inside with his love.
Katherine and Scott shared a look before heading back to their love nest.
-----------
"Where do you think you are going?" Taylor questioned his father who was on his way out.
"What does it have to do with you?" Carston gave him a reply as he tried to light his cigar.
"Since it's Sunday, where else you could go if not for Amsterdam." Taylor added as his lips curled up in a devilish grin. He leaned against the wall of the corridor which was leading to the main door.
"You shouldn't concern yourself with my whereabouts. It's better if you focus more on how to get a hold of that woman." Carston spoke up.
"Oh! I will have her, but in my own time." Taylor replied as his eyes glinted in joy. He shifted his line of sight towards the wall clock and smiled wider. "You should leave, or else you might be late for your date with your dead girlfriend." He added before walking away.
Carston felt his blood boil at the way his bastard son had addressed her, but he wasn't wrong. She was dead, she had been long dead, and it was his own fault. He headed outside where his driver was already waiting for him.
----------
Amsterdam,
A black Maybach pulled over before the graveyard. Carston stepped out of the car, clad in an all black three piece suit. He had a bouquet of freshly cut, long stemmed red roses in his one hand, while the other one held an umbrella. His driver stayed back with the car as he headed inside on his own, just like every single time.
His steps carried him on their own towards his destination, as if they were too familiar with the way. He followed the concrete path which was running in between different sections of graves, with slow yet steady steps. After a number of turns, his steps came to a halt before a familiar gravestone.
Kneeling before the gravestone, he placed the bouquet before it. He took out a clean handkerchief form the inner pocket of his coat and wiped off the small dust particles which was resting on the white marble, even though they were barely visible to a human eye.
His eyes teared up as his calloused fingers traced the golden letters engraved in the stone.
'I am so sorry. You would have been alive if it wasn't for my selfishness. I would have been able to see you smile with my own eyes if it wasn't for me. You would have been able to see your child grow up if it wasn't for me. I haven't been able to forgive myself even after all these years. I don't think that I ever will be. I don't think that I deserve to even ask for forgiveness, but please forgive me.' He thought to himself. He had always wanted to say this out loud, but he could never gather the courage to do so.
*********
Join the author: https://discord.gg/jgP7Dms