NOVEL NEXT Chapter 691: Let’s start making the first one today
"Okay, I will free up my schedule and wait for you then," Alice said, her voice still beaming with excitement.
Arwen smiled and nodded. "Okay, then be good. See you tomorrow." And with that, she hung up the call.
"Who was it?" Aiden asked as he saw her slip the phone back into her clutch.
She turned to look at him, but her mind was caught up in thoughts of what Alice might have found. Although she heard Aiden's question, she couldn't quite think of a response.
And when Aiden didn't receive a response from her, he turned to look at her, subtly furrowing his brows at her. "Moon?"
"Hmm?" She blinked at his voice, looking at him.
Aiden's gaze only narrowed at her half-dazed expression. "You look excited for something. Who was it?"
"Oh, it was Alice," she said casually.
"Alice?"
Aiden wasn't aware of the Guild of Seven Sins, so when Arwen mentioned Alice so casually, he didn't recognise her.
"Uhmm …" Arwen thought, wondering how to explain. Finally, she began, "I have seven kids whom I—"
Before she could finish, the car once agaun came to an abrupt stop.
This time, she didn't turn to look at the road; rather, she fixed her gaze on Aiden, pursing her lips. "I didn't even finish my sentence. Why did you have to react so quickly? At least let me complete my words."
"Seven kids?" he still repeated, almost as if he was testing if he had heard her right.
And Arwen narrowed her eyes at him before nodding with certainty. "Yes, seven kids. Any problem with that? Or should I explain it better?"
Aiden stayed silent, and she took it as a cue to continue.
"I adopted seven kids when I was old enough to take their guardianship legally," she said, revealing something she had never told anyone else. But Aiden was different —she believed he deserved to know even the things she had kept hidden.
"They were quite capable even at a young age. Staying in the orphanage wasn't helping them grow, so I took them in. Sam, Charles, Harris, Alice, Nic and Aled —they are all good kids, and they treat me as an older sister."
"Queen Sister," he corrected, starting the car again.
She turned to blink at him, surprised. And even without looking, he could tell what she was thinking.
"I heard it when she called you that on the call." He explained.
"Oh, that ... they started it on a whim, but over time, it became a habit."
Aiden's hand rested on the steering wheel. "Nothing starts on a whim. Everything has a froot ... a desire," he said, without going into detail.
But it still struck a chord in Arwen's heart —no longer of the confusion, but of something that she remembered —not clearly but vaguely.
The thought of adopting and raising a child wasn't something she decided randomly. It was something that stemmed deep in her. And even forgetting a part of her past, she remembered that as a young girl, she had always wanted to adopt from an orphanage when she grew up.
Even in her diary, she had written about telling Ide her plans.
He remembered even that small talk of hers. How had he endured her forgetting him completely?
Wouldn't it have broken him?
As that thought hit her, a tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly before he could notice.
When he glanced at her again, she folded her arms and asked, "Wait a second. Just now, when I told you I had seven kids, why did you look at me like that? Were you close to despising me?"
Aiden chuckled and shook his head. "How could I despise you for giving me seven kids? I was just … taken aback, thinking I now have a great mission to accomplish. I can't afford to slack off any more than I already have."
Her cheeks warmed instantly. She opened her mouth, then shut it again, unsure how to respond. Finally, she snapped. "What do you mean 'giving you seven kids'? I am not bearing you any!"
"Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes glinting with challenge. Serious.
She frowned, then conceded, "Fine. One. Just one." She held up a finger.
"One?" he repeated, his tone so serious it almost sounded like she was insulting him.
"Alright … two," she amended. "But not more than that."
And the moment she said that, she grinned. And Arwen realized she was once again tricked.
But before she could take back her words, he sealed it with his. "Fine. Let's start making the first one today. We will see how long the process takes before planning the second."
Her face flamed. "You —"
Her protest was cut short as the car rolled smoothly to a stop in front of their home.
Aiden pulled up, unfastening his seatbelt before leaning in to her just slightly, close enough for his warm breath to tickle her ear.
"Careful, Moon," he murmured. "Promises like that … I tend to take very seriously. So, shall we proceed with the plan then?"
"You … I —"
Before she could muster a retort, his lips brushed hers —barely there —sending her stomach into a tight knot of anticipation. Just when she thought he would deepen the kiss, a soft click made her blink.
And she realized, yet again —
"You —"
"I helped you unfasten your seatbelt, Moon. Shouldn't you reward me?"
***
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city —
Mr. Blackwood stood in front of Catrin, his expression unreadable. He knew the situation wasn't ideal, but it was his job to represent his client. And right now, the client was Idris.
"Mrs. Quinn," he began in his calm, professional tone, "as per the standard process, you need to sign the divorce papers so that we can proceed with the next steps."
Her fingers tightened on the edge of the table, but she said nothing.
"Since my client has already decided on this matter," he continued, "you have only two options —either sign the papers and we will settle everything smoothly, or we can take it to the court for court."
Catrin's lips curved into a slow, cold smile. "And if I refuse both the options?"