Aunt Eleanor, who had been about to serve them, paused, looking at her. She handed the tray to Valerie. "Go, serve. I'll get the refreshments."
Valerie blinked, pointing at herself. "Me?" Her aunt gave her a look. Valerie was scared of facing her uncle and brother, but her aunt scared her much more right now.
"…Okay," she muttered.
The tray suddenly felt heavier in her hands. This was so awkward. Her uncle and brother looked like they wanted to murder him, and Azrael acted like they were ants not even worthy of his attention.
Great. Just great!
She took a small breath, straightening her back to brace herself, and stepped out into the living room. The moment she did, the tension hit her.
The only person immune to the murderous air in the room was Little Roe. He was standing on Azrael's lap, excitedly talking. He was talking about everything he had ever been excited about. For a second, she felt a pang in her chest. Little Roe seemed so happy.
She never even noticed that he lacked a father. Her boy was always so calm and mature that looking at him acting like a baby was giving her strange feelings.
Her eyes fell on her uncle and brother, and she was back in the moment. Valerie swallowed. "Brother." She put the cups in front of him, avoiding eye contact. When he didn't touch it, she looked up and saw betrayal clear in his eyes. She quickly looked away.
Her heart hurt just thinking of what they must be thinking of her now.
"C-coffee…" She leaned forward a little awkwardly and placed a cup in front of Uncle William.
"Thank you," he said stiffly, not even looking at her, his eyes still locked on Azrael.
With one cup left, she turned to see Azrael, and she felt the sharp glares of her uncle and brother. Her fingers tightened slightly around the tray.
This is so awkward…
She stepped closer, trying to act normal, but before she could say anything—
"Mama, come here!" Little Roe beamed, finally noticing her. "Daddy said the bounce house is real!"
"I—I heard," she muttered, crouching slightly as she held the cup toward Azrael.
He looked up at her. Her heartbeat stumbled, that same strange feeling from earlier creeping back in before she quickly looked away.
"H-here," she said, placing the tray in front of him.
Instead of leaning forward to take it, he extended his hand. Little Roe was on him, so she decided to pass it.
She held the cup, but he grabbed her hand too. Valerie's hand jerked back, almost spilling the coffee when he pulled it from her.
"You—!" she started, but immediately bit her tongue, shooting him a sharp glare.
The corner of his lips lifted with an infuriating smirk.
Valerie immediately straightened and stepped back.
"Roe," Aunt Eleanor walked in with the refreshments, and said, "Why don't we go change? You wanted to show Daddy your new clothes, didn't you?"
Little Roe's eyes widened as he remembered. He wanted change a while ago in that but no matter how he insisted that his Daddy was coming, Grandma Eleanor wouldn't believe him!
"Oh! Yes! Daddy, I have a new bear suit and also a dinosaur one!" He scrambled off Azrael's lap.
"You will show Daddy?" Azrael said lightly.
"I'll show you right now!" Roe beamed, already running toward Aunt Eleanor, who took his hand, looking up at Valerie with a pointed look. She led him away.
The moment they disappeared, the air changed. No one bothered hiding their hostility anymore.
Victor leaned forward, his gaze locking onto Azrael with a scowl. "So," he said slowly, turning to his sister, "care to explain what's going on?"
Valerie clenched her clothes.
"I— it's a little complicated—" she rushed out, stepping forward.
"Seems pretty straightforward to me."
She flinched, her words dying in her throat.
Uncle William cut them off. "Valerie, tell us properly what is going on? Is anyone threatening you?"
Azrael's lazy eyes focused on her too.
"I—"
"Why go around in circles?" Azrael set his cup down with a soft clink, scoffing. "Ask me straight."
Valerie's head snapped toward him. "No, I'll explain." She tried to stop him quickly, but her uncle and brother's fierce glare was on him.
"You sure are smug for a criminal! Okay. I'll ask." Victor glared at him. "Did you threaten my sister into marrying you?"
Azrael idly playing with his lighter. "What if I did?"
He was deliberately provoking them!
"No! He didn't threaten me. We have an understanding" Valerie tried, but they treated her like she was air.
"Mr. Hawthorne, even if the law can't do anything to you, there are still other ways. Even a rat bites back when it's cornered!" Uncle William's snapped.
'TAK!'
"Interesting." Azrael shut his lighter; his grin widened. "What's making you say that?"
William's eyes fell on Valerie, and he pursed his lips. He didn't want it to come to that.
If he couldn't do anything against Azrael Hawthorne, his grandfather could.
Alexander Hawthorne was a righteous man who was generous and humble despite his status. He openly criticized elite-class privilege, going as far as to denounce his own nephew when he was caught abusing his power!
"Does your grandfather know you forced a woman into marriage?" Uncle William snarled.
"Oh…" Azrael chuckled, leaning forward. "Let me guess he told you he would help you hide Valerie and Roe from me?"
Uncle William's eyes widened. How would he know?
One of Chairman Hawthorne's men, Mr. Slavator, had met him, the day after Azrael got to know about Little Roe.
Mr. Salvator was really apologetic and humbly told them the chairman wanted to keep them safe till things calmed down.
If Azrael hadn't created such a scandal at the airport, they would be sailing to one of the Chairman's secret safe houses about now.
"Are you for real?" Victor snapped, his patience finally snapping. "Do you think tattling on this bastard is the solution—"
"Victor, stop making a mountain out of a molehill!" Valerie tried to quiet him, reading the room. "He didn't threaten me, we have a deal—"
"Shut up!" Victor snapped. "This man first treated you like a prostitute, and now he's treating you like a toy. Like a fool, you still went behind our back to be played!"
Valerie felt like he slapped her.
Victor ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "He didn't threaten you? I believe you, he wouldn't have needed to. With two flowery words from him, you would be clinging to him!"
Azrael's face darkened; he got up with clenched fists—
'THUD!!' 'SHATTER!!'
Before Azrael could even move, his hot coffee went flying shattering on Victor's head. He turned around in shock.
Valerie, the little angle, almost split his head open.
"Ah! You mad witch!" Victor was drenched in hot coffee. When he rubbed his forehead, his hand came back drenched in blood.
Azrael could only stare in disbelief before something flashed past him. With a knee in Victor's gut, Valerie had him crouching on the ground.
"Didn't I say that was your last chance?!" she shouted as she kicked his shin.
Victor was trying hard to dodge the back to back kicks. "You were talking about Roe!"
"Shut up!!" She kicked again, but he grabbed her ankle, pulling her down. He pushed himself up but she was faster.
She grabbed his neck, her nails sinking into his neck. She picked the centerpiece from the table.
His glare shot toward Azrael. "Are you hitting me for him?!"
Azreal had sat back down, like he was watching something entertaining.
"I'm hitting you for your damn mouth!" Before she could hit him with the huge centerpiece, Uncle William grabbed her by her arm, pulling her up.
William threw her onto the sofa, kicking Victor. "Are you both animals?"
Both of them glared at each other. Uncle William's felt lightheaded.
"Unbelievable… you both fight like fu*king toddlers! How could you hit your little sister?" He kicked Victor again. "And you, aren't you ashamed to face Little Roe?"
Valerie stubbornly glared, barely holding in her sobs. "Didn't you hear what he said? Why are you still blaming me!"
"You almost killed me, and you are crying?!" Victor wiped his blood and showed it to his uncle.
Azrael could barely hold in his grin. What even was this?
Uncle William helplessly looked at him before picking up his phone to call their family doctor while signaling the servants that had gathered to take them both inside.
William pressed his temple. Because of being orphans, Valerie and Victor were both physically bullied at some point, so he taught them street-style self-defense.
Later, when they had fights at home, they would spar. He thought they grew out of it.
He cleared his throat, embarrassed. "As you can see, my niece and nephew are a little… immature."