The Royal Contract

“How is she?” Ethan asked his son-in-law, drinking a glass of bubbly wine, observing her daughter in the distance. He stood not far from the rest of the group, with Alex on his side.

He asked Alex to bring his daughter home since Laura hosted a dinner party for them as a thanksgiving for their safe return. It was just a few family members and friends who attended the event.

He watched her daughter interact with the other guest in the living room like she was perfectly alright. However, she could be good at hiding what she truly felt through the cloak of her smile.

“I think she is getting better every day,” Alex responded to his question. “I think her new project is helping her with her recovery.” Alex followed the direction of his eyes, landing at his wife, who was laughing at something they must be talking about.

Physically, she would seem fine. She was not hurt or abused during the abduction. Except for the minor scratches and bruises, she had no visible injuries from the unfortunate incident.

However, he believed that emotionally, she was broken. He could only assume that she was frequently dreaming about their horrific experience, judging from the nightmares she was having.

.....

“The building of the foster home. How is that coming?” Ethan asked, glad that she had something preoccupying her mind besides her ordeal.

He also donated materials for the project as soon as he heard about his daughter’s interest in the foundation. It was for a good cause, but moreover, he wanted to show his support to what she was doing.

It was the only way he could help her daughter with whatever she was going through. If that could alleviate the suffering that she was feeling, then he would donate more houses for her cause.

“Aside from a few more paper works and a slight delay in the shipment of materials, everything else seems to be on track.” He assured Ethan.

He had been coordinating with Haley in expediting the processing of the project. He wanted the construction to begin soon so that they could finish it on time.

“Good. If you need anything else, just tell me.” Ethan nodded his head, approving his plans, even offering more help. The sooner the project started, the better.

His gaze once again landed on his daughter and wife, talking to some of their relatives. He would do anything to keep his family happy and safe.

He had sworn he would not let anyone threaten his family’s future, not until he was alive. And he had not broken any of his promises yet, and he was not about to do it now.

“What are you intending to do with Nick?” Alex asked, curious about his plans.

He had heard from his team that Ethan was secretly making a move. But they were not entirely sure yet of his plans. Whatever it was, he wanted to know.

He wanted to be part of anything that would put Nick out of their lives. As much as he wanted to believe in their justice system, he could not trust that it would stop Nick from his insanity.

“What do you mean?” Ethan answered him, questioning his inquiry. “Of course, I am doing everything, in my power, to put him in jail.” He answered, hoping that is what he meant.

Although he had a vague idea of what Alex might be asking, still, he pretended to be clueless about what he was asking. He was not about to divulge to him what his actual plans were.

“I meant I want to know what you are planning to do with him,” Alex whispered, not wanting anybody around to hear their conversation. He was not persuaded that Ethan was letting the justice system deal with Nick.

He could see the old man’s eyes narrowing at him, probably thinking about his words. He believed that Ethan was trying to concoct a lie, not wanting to involve him in what he had been doing.

However, he was convinced that Ethan had something brewing under their noses. A plan to take down Nick permanently. And he wanted to be included in the plans.

“I have no idea of what you are talking about.” Ethan looked at him, acting innocent about what he was implying.

He wondered if Alex had any idea of his plans. If he did, how much of his plans did he know. Then, he pondered if he was willing to include him with the rest of it.

“Do not bother to deny it. Do not give me that bullshit that you don’t know what I am talking about.” Alex added, using a tone that meant he was serious.

He could see that Ethan was reluctant to tell him anything. But he would convince him that he was not going away. If Ethan would not let him in, he might as well plan something on his own.

He wanted Nick eliminated permanently. He believed that as long as he was alive, he would never stop from causing havoc in their lives, especially Dani.

Ethan was silent for a few seconds, contemplating if he should involve Ethan with his plan against Nick. If he had any choice, he would prefer to keep them in the dark.

He wanted to avoid including his daughter and even his son-in-law in his idea of going after Nick. He did not want to stain their hands with blood.

“Let us not talk about that in here,” Ethan said, looking around the room, indicating that it was not the right place.

He finally realized that there was no more sense to deny it to him. Alex seemed determined to involve himself in his plan. Whether he would like it or not.

However, he would still try to convince him to turn a blind eye to his plans. He believed it would be better if Alex would just support his daughter and remained on her side.

It was better if he stayed clear and focused on making his wife happy instead of joining him in his crusade to seek justice and peace for his family.