Chapter 39
Darian coolly withdrew his gaze, took hold of the little guy behind him, and turned to leave the mall.
Rowan was panicking inside. He had to inform Griffin of the situation as soon as possible to avoid a potential direct confrontation back at home.
Sandra and Ophelia exchanged puzzled looks as they saw Darian walking out of the mall with Rowan.
Sandra asked with a frown, "Darian, what's he doing here?"
"Oh, the kid was bored at home, so I had someone bring him out for a stroll," Darian responded, not disclosing Rowan's solo adventure to Sandra.
Knowing that Sandra wasn’t fond of Rowan, he understood the boy would face a harsh scolding if she learned he had snuck out on his own.
Rowan looked up at his dad.
Darian signaled with his eyes, "Let's go. Time to head back."
Sandra couldn't hold back her disdain, "Rowan, what's with you? Stop clinging to your dad. You're old enough now. He's going to marry Auntie Ophelia, and they'll have their own kids. You do realize, you're just an outsider."
Rowan could have recited these words by heart.
Darian, with a stern expression, yanked open the door and gestured for Rowan to get in the car.
The door slammed shut with a loud thud.
A shiver ran through Ophelia.
Sandra wanted to say more, but upon meeting Darian's icy stare, her words got stuck in her throat, and she dared not breathe too loudly.
"Mom, didn’t I tell you not to bring that up in front of him?"
"I..."
Darian didn't wait for her reply, and he turned on his heel to take the driver's seat.
Rowan used the brief moment before to quickly text Cecily, telling her he was scared and decided to head home early.
Cecily replied immediately.
Rowan breathed a sigh of relief.
But his text to Griffin went unanswered; he wondered if it had even been seen.
Seeing Darian getting into the car, Rowan didn't dare continue texting so openly. He was worried about being caught.
The two women were still standing by the car door.
Sandra, fuming, unsurprisingly didn't direct her frustration at her own son but instead blamed it all on Rowan.
"Hmph," she snorted in anger and led Ophelia to another car.
"I really underestimated this kid's influence over Darian. To think he would snap at me for the boy; I'm shocked," Sandra grumbled, a headache brewing from her anger.
Ophelia tried to console her, "Aunt Sandra, I'm sure Darian didn't mean it. It's just that the kid really is a handful."
"Well then, we need to teach him how to behave. He's just a brat, after all. Once I return, I plan to stay at the Fitzgerald Mansion for a while. I'll make sure to instill some manners in him."
Ophelia's mood brightened instantly, "Oh, with you here, Aunt Sandra, I have nothing to worry about."
The Fitzgerald Mansion.
Griffin certainly couldn't touch that piano again; one more note and he'd blow his cover for sure.
He was currently cuddled up in his room, deep in the most comfortable of sleeps.
The weather was perfect for a midday nap.
Rowan was practically pulling his hair out in frustration, having sent out messages that vanished into the ether without a single reply.
He lied to Mom and claimed to have gone home, but once she actually got back and found the house empty, she was sure to be panicked.
Scratching his head, Rowan wondered, ‘What's Griffin up to now?’
Meanwhile, Griffin was cuddling a stuffed animal, smacking his lips in his sleep and muttering continuously, "Chicken legs... so delicious..."
Having exhausted all his efforts, Rowan had now pulled up to the Fitzgeralds’ residence, and he sluggishly got out.
Darian led the way, with Rowan dragging his feet behind him.
Suddenly, Darian stopped, causing Rowan to bump into his legs and clutch his head in pain.
"Dad?"
"Why are you moving like a snail? Scared I'll chew you out?"
He thought, ‘It's more like I'm scared you'll freak out seeing two of me!’
"Yeah, Dad, I know I messed up."
"And it won't happen again?"
Well, that was hard to say.
"No, it won't happen again."
Darian looked resigned, gazing at his son who no longer had his usual lively demeanor. He couldn't bear to push the kid, who was already showing some signs of change, back into silence. So, he said, "Alright, I won't punish you this time. Just don't do it again."
"Yeah, got it."
"That's my boy." Darian reached out and took Rowan's little hand in his.
Rowan felt like crying but had no tears to shed; he was already picturing the awkward encounter with Griffin that awaited him inside.
He figured he did all he could.
If he found out, he found out.
With trepidation, Rowan stepped into the living room.
The piano teacher was still mulling over whether there was something wrong with his teaching methods. Rowan was doing so well, and then suddenly, all he could produce were off-key clangs.
Spotting Rowan coming in from outside, he approached hesitantly, "Master Rowan, weren't you heading to your room? Why are you coming from outside?”
Rowan, caught off guard, quickly said, “Well, I didn’t feel like going to my room after all, so I went out to find Dad instead.”
“But..." The piano teacher was confused, He'd been in the living room the whole time and hadn't seen him leave at all.
Rowan cut off his piano teacher mid-sentence, "I'm tired; I think I'll go to my room for a bit, Dad."
Darian, aware that Sandra would be arriving shortly and not wanting her to give the boy another lecture, nodded in agreement, "Go ahead."
Rowan dashed upstairs and upon entering his room, was greeted by the sight of Griffin in a deep slumber.
Smacking his forehead, Rowan quickly shut the door and shook Griffin awake. "Griffin, Griffin, wake up!"
With bleary eyes, Griffin sat up, rubbed his eyes, and upon recognizing his brother, immediately snapped alert. "Bro, what're you doing back here?"
"It's a long story."
"Make it short."
"Dad caught me, then he hauled me back here. He doesn't know there’s two of us, so you need to find a way out, fast."
Griffin sprang to his feet, "How? The place is crawling with guards."
"Hold on, let me think, let me think."
Downstairs, Darian had barely settled onto the couch when Fabian Sinclair, the calligraphy teacher, approached him with an apologetic air, carrying today's practice sheet from Griffin.
"Mr. Fitzgerald, I'm very sorry."
"What seems to be the issue, Fabian?" Darian asked. Fabian Sinclair, a renowned calligrapher, had also been Darian's instructor.
"It's the young master's handwriting practice from today."
Darian took a look.
It was a scrambled mess.
Darian frowned slightly, feeling almost embarrassed about the poor quality, "I apologize, Fabian. It seems the boy wasn't in the mood for practice today. I'll have a word with him."
Without another word, Darian picked up the paper and headed upstairs, twisting the door handle to Rowan's room.
It was locked from the inside.
"Rowan! Open the door!" Darian's voice was stern and deep.
Rowan could play the piano with careless abandon, but to write like this?
Darian could do better with his eyes closed.
The sight of that scrawl was just plain embarrassing.
Rowan exchanged a panicked glance with Griffin, "We're in trouble."
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