Chapter 27
“Mom, are you saying you won’t be coming home tonight?” Elisa asked, her voice tinged with excitement and a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
“Yes, I have some errands to run and won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon. Harry, no more running off on your own, and make sure to look after your sister,” Galatea reminded firmly, her words holding a trace of maternal authority.
Galatea had already tracked down the hospital where Aminta was working, and the timing was perfect. Aminta would be off the next day, and Galatea planned to spend the night nearby, so she could visit the doctor first thing in the morning.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take care of everything,” Caspian assured her hastily over the phone, his voice sounding more responsible than usual.
After the call ended, Elisa turned eagerly to Caspian. “Harry, let’s go meet our future dad, shall we?”
Caspian froze. “What?”
“We’re going to find Alaric!” Elisa exclaimed excitedly. “Mom’s already with him. They might even get married soon. How could we not meet him?”
“I’m not going. Didn’t you hear Mom? She said no wandering off,” Caspian tried to dissuade her, not entirely comfortable with the idea.
“Since when did you become such a good listener, Harry?” Elisa shot him a skeptical look. “Is this even like you? You’ve been acting so strange lately, almost like a different person. The old you would’ve been the first to suggest meeting him.”
Caspian, feeling cornered, couldn’t deny that he had changed. But was this really the time to admit it?
“Come on, Harry, please go with me,” she pleaded, her voice almost sweet enough to make him give in.
Helpless against Elisa’s persistence and charm, Caspian sighed. “Alright, but I won’t go inside. You’re a girl. You’ll have an easier time. Scope it out first.”
“Fine,” Elisa agreed quickly, clearly excited about her plan.
After school, Mia arrived to pick them up, and the little rascals easily fooled her into thinking they were just off for a regular outing. They ended up at Nexus Innovations, a place Caspian knew very well. With a confident grin, he led Elisa through a back entrance, expertly avoiding the security cameras.
“Harry, you seem to know this place pretty well,” Elisa remarked, clearly impressed.
“I did my homework before coming here,” Caspian replied, taking her hand as they snuck inside, just as the receptionist caught a glimpse of them.
When the receptionist saw Caspian, she almost blurted out his name with respect, but he quickly silenced her with a shushing gesture. She complied immediately, her lips sealed.
“Could you show me to the restroom?” Caspian asked the receptionist, his tone low and discreet.
“Sure,” she nodded, feigning ignorance of his identity. “Follow me.”
“Elisa, wait here for me. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” Elisa said, trusting him without a second thought.
Once they rounded the corner, Caspian spoke in a low voice. “What do you need?”
“I brought a friend to meet my dad. In a little while, lead her to his office door, then leave, and don’t tell anyone I was here,” he instructed, making sure to keep things smooth and under the radar.
“Understood,” the receptionist replied.
Once the plan was set, Caspian reemerged with the receptionist and reassured Elisa, “I’ve arranged everything. She’ll take you to Alaric’s office. Just go with her, and I’ll be waiting outside the building for you.”
“Okay,” Elisa agreed, excited to finally meet Alaric. She followed the receptionist into the elevator without any hesitation.
As soon as Elisa was on her way up, Caspian slipped out through the back door of the building and immediately called Harry.
At that moment, Harry was lounging in bed, basking in the comfort of his peaceful life.
“Harry, there’s an emergency. Looks like my dad and mom are truly together now, and things are moving fast. Like you said, the deal is pretty much sealed.”
“What? Already?” Harry sounded surprised but pleased. “Well, my mom is quite the catch. No surprise your dad couldn’t resist.”
“So, what’s our next move? Can we start telling the truth now?” Caspian asked, eager to move things forward.
“Why the rush? Orion’s not an easy woman to deal with. Let’s just watch and wait for now,” Harry replied calmly, his tone measured.
“Harry, you’re not getting too comfortable, are you?”
“Caspian, what are you getting at? If you’re so set on it, we can switch back right now. I mean, I only borrowed your old man for a bit, and you went and borrowed my mom and little sis. How is that a fair trade? Sounds like I’m getting the short end of the stick.” Harry chuckled. “So, do you want to switch back? Just give me the nod, and I’ll make it happen!”
Caspian paused, torn. He really didn’t want to give up his time with Galatea and Elisa just yet. “I guess I’ll stick with your advice for now,” he said reluctantly.
“You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Harry teased.
“I’m a math whiz, okay? Don’t go tarnishing my reputation at that school using my name,” Caspian shot back, half-joking, half-warning.
“I’m a math whiz, too, for your information. And my IQ is through the roof, all right?” Harry retorted. “Don’t interrupt my problem-solving. Got to hang up now!”
This time, Harry was determined to be the one to end the call first. Caspian, frustrated, hadn’t even had a chance to tell Harry that Elisa had already gone off to find Alaric.
Meanwhile, Elisa, full of energy and eager to meet Alaric, was led to his office. She burst through the door, her voice sweet and youthful, “Daddy!”
Alaric was in the middle of a meeting with a senior executive, and both men were taken aback by her sudden entrance.
“Mr. Knight, you have a daughter too?” the executive asked, clearly surprised.
“Not yet, but that’s only a matter of time,” Elisa replied with a beaming smile. “Dad, you’re busy right now, aren’t you? Then I’ll just wait over here until you’re done with your work before I talk to you.”
Elisa casually plopped herself down on the couch, exuding an air of effortless confidence. She added with a playful tone, “Pretend I’m not here. Just carry on with your conversation.”
The executive, wisely seeing the situation, excused himself quickly, sensing it was better to leave Alaric to deal with this new development.
“So, you’re Elisa?” Alaric inquired, his curiosity piqued by her bold entrance.
“Yup, that’s me,” Elisa replied with a cheeky grin.
“And how exactly did you get in here?” Alaric asked, still puzzled. Entering the company was one thing, but walking straight into his office was another. Meetings with him were always scheduled in advance.
“The CEO’s office sign was right on the wall. So, I marched right through the door,” Elisa said with a shrug, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Let’s not get bogged down with specifics, all right? What I need to know is, are you truly dating my mom?”
Alaric gave a half-smile, trying to keep things light. “It’s a little bit messy to explain. Adult stuff that might be over your head,” he said, pulling her into a brief hug as he made his way across the room. “Galatea is waiting outside, isn’t she? Go on and find your mom. I can’t afford to squander time here with you.”
“Connecting with your potential future daughter isn’t wasting time,” Elisa retorted with a pout, clearly hurt. “You’re so distant. How could my mom ever fall for someone like you?”