Chapter 10: Valery's Heavenly Food.

"Say me, what happened? Spill all the juicy details out!" Ivanna urged Valery to know what happened after we left her behind with Alejandro.

Valery's tiny lips started twitching up by each millisecond, as a blush rose to her cheeks. Most probably, reliving intensity with Alejandro. Her head was slightly bent, eyelids covered the view of brown iris which gazed down at her fidgeting fingers, as if they were a fascinating view, right now.

"Nothing much..." her tone reduced to a soft whisper when compared to her normally grandma tone.

"It does seem like nothing, from your tomato face..." Ivanna trailed off, the tone mixed with a tinge of a tease.

"Hey!" Valery looked up, finally. "I am not as red as a tomato, okay?"

Sure, you are not. No one can be as red as a tomato. lol.

Shut up! It was just a phrase.

"Valery! Look at the sauce on the stove!" I said in an alert when my ears perked upon the sounds of boiling sauce.

"Shit!" She muttered under her breath and dashed towards stove from where we relaxed, on the stools by the kitchen counter. My stomach grinned when Valery announced that she was going to deal with dinner today. What could I complain now? My stomach was in love with Valery's food.

"I guess they made out," Ivanna said, her voice in a low tone, to avoid the sharp ears of Valery.

"It sure looks like." I nodded my head in agreement. From the time we arrived home, with Ethan, her behaviour was on cloud nine. She addressed, Ivanna, sweetie. Not only that but also she handed some donuts to Ethan, the boy rooted to his place for a second but nevertheless enjoyed his snack.

"It's almost done!" Valery yelled, stirring something on the stove.

Oh! At least, I'll get good food now.

After Valery completed setting plates and necessary eating tools for her dish, she called out for Ethan and Alejandro, who were engrossed in their own world of superman, at the other end of the kitchen.

Whenever I took a step forward, I reminded myself that I was residing in a palace now and not a small house, like prior to realizing the truth. Every room signifies 5 times the normal size, so does kitchen where 10 counter chairs could be accommodated easily, to have a peaceful meal. The dining hall was a story for future.

"So,  how many monsters did you kill today?" I pinched Ethan's cheeks when he sprinted in my direction.

"Like five, I guess. Alejandro helped me too." A chuckle slipped my lips when he started an anecdote of 'how he ended the monsters!'

My brain noted all the points by Ethan just when I felt an elbow making contact with my side, inducing a slight pain in that area. I whipped my head, lips turned down, almost ready to curse the person.

"Look at them!" Ivanna squealed in my ear gesturing towards Alejandro and Valery. Valery was busy making the table whilst Alejandro's gaze was fixed on her, taking her all in, at once. The poor girl was unaware of the intensity.

Don't you think it's cute? The new love is rooting, slowly becoming a tree which will blossom with breath-taking flowers in future.

"So," I started snapping Alejandro to reality, "what happened after we left?" I sang out loud enough for Valery to cease at the place.

"Umm...uhh..." a tinge of red made its appearance on Alejandro's ears. Omg! My blank face bodyguard was blushing!

"Nothing! Nothing happened!" Valery chimed in, cursing me with her eyes.

"Sure...." Ivanna drawled off, erupting a laughter from me.

"I will explain you both, okay? But later," she forcefully let out through clenched teeth, her eyes still glaring at us.

Initially, I and Ivanna did not leave the matter but when Valery blackmailed us using food, we shut out our mouths.

"So, why was she riled up, when she was home?" Valery shot a question to Ivanna, taking a bite of her food.

"Edward kissed her." My hand was halfway, with the mission of shutting her mouth when the words slipped out.

Realizing what she revealed, Ivanna's posture went into a rigid mode while Ivanna's and Alejandro's eyes widened.

Keeping Ivanna's mouth shut is as hard as meeting penguin, in this life.

"What?" Alejandro yelled. Ethan, who was devouring his food next to me shuddered in fear at his tone.

"Slow, Alejandro." Valery smacked his head.

Real change in Alejandro. Never seen this in him. He let someone smack him and he let his emotions out! Something's new. Love sure changes people.

Does it, really? Something like that never crossed paths with my past.

"Sorry," Alejandro said. Suddenly a squeak erupted, I and Ivanna exchanged amused glances and witnessed Alejandro smirking at Valery.

Love birds.

"You still did not say anything, Sofia." My gruff bodyguard took a spoon full of gravy.

"There's nothing to say." I took a spoon myself, moaning internally at the divine taste.

"Just tell whatever it is, Sofia. Now that Ivanna has blurted out, I don't see any need to hide the topic," Valery said.

Though my eyes started studying ingredients of the dinner plate, I could sense two gazes on me, which without doubt were expecting me to pour out the grocery store incident. Being reluctant and withholding the information would not exactly serve as the golden ticket to a hideout, so, I nodded to myself in confirmation to reveal what happened today.

"So...?" I looked up, to be met with reassuring eyes of Valery.

"Ivanna, can you please take Ethan out of here?"

"Sure." She took hold of Ethan's hand, once his plate was empty and his stomach was satisfied.

After they were out of sight as well as hearing distance, I started, "I and Ivanna decided to grocery shop since there was an hour left for the school bell to ring. But, when I saw Samuel, I made a run to hide which wa----"

"Why would you hide from him?" Alejandro asked. He doesn't know.

"I'll explain you later." Valery made a gesture, a clear indication for me to continue.

"So, when I turned Edward stopped me to ask 'where was I running to?" An---"

"So, he was with you there already?" Male love bird put his leg in explanation, again.

"Let her complete, will ya?" Valery smacked his head.

"Answer to your question, yes. Then Ivanna blurted out that Samuel is my ex when Samuel was stalking towards us. Then, Edward did the unexpected. He kissed me." Upon the realisation of last words, the two sets of eyes enlarged in size, filled with discrete emotions. One with happiness, other with anger.

Uh-Uh, I should've sent, my now fuming bodyguard out, too.

"If I meet him again, I will break him into pieces." Alejandro's fist made a connection with kitchen counter giving out a 'dum' sound.

"Oh, hush madman. What did you do then?" Valery's curious eyes questioned me, hoping for a favourable answer. At the same time, Alejandro's lips twitched downwards, forming a scowl.

"I slapped him," I stated with noticeable nonchalance and my tone gave out void lace, too.  Any person in their sane mind would do what I did. Slap him. We don't expect some stranger to kiss us now, do we? Definitely not.

The expressions switched between the two individuals, Alejandro's now sporting a proud and happy expression.

"Why would you do that? From what I know, he was sweet." Valery shook her head to show her disappointment on my decision.

He and sweet? They do not go together, Valery. Self-centered? yes!.

But again, I did not have much knowledge about him.

"Then...?" Alejandro asked, continuing his meal. His mood lifted up at the mention of my hand and Edward's cheek.

"Then, I just stalked out of the store without waiting for anything. After the shock, he tried to apologise to me but was too late."

"Well...he got, what he deserved," Alejandro concluded, voicing out his thoughts. "But, I will sure break his bones."

Valery smacked his arm again, saying, "People should be looked upon with love and care. No one permitted you to break bones of poor souls."

"Ouch, woman! What do you eat? Your arms look fragile as a feather but are made up of ancient stones, I swear!" Alejandro rubbed his arm continuously, to get rid of the pain caused by Valery's hit. His features scrunched up into an angry scowl.

"These are made for ladies to swoon, okay?" Alejandro gestured his defined arms.

"Behave then, if you want me to spare those."

Alejandro delivered a mock salute, while Valery's veins started popping. I sense an argument rooting here.

"Guys...I better head out." I scratched the nape of my neck, in an awkward manner. They both were too engrossed to bother the outside world.

Gently placing my plate and bowl for washing, I made my way out of the kitchen and started a marathon towards my bedroom which was located on the opposite corner of the palace.

Alejandro and Valery made up and confessed to each other today. While that made the bright side of today, the dark side, where I had to share a kiss with jerk did not seem to affect me much now. Not because I enjoyed the moment his lips landed on mine, but when Samuel stalked off in clear anger.

It revealed that Samuel still had some hidden feelings for his ex-wife. When I kissed Edward, something stirred in his body, jealousy? maybe. While this matter would be a mystery to be solved later, if it was jealousy that caused Samuel's reaction, he should be cautious with the steps he takes. I would show him a movie of what I witnessed.

Samuel's gonna get it!

He would, love. I affirmed to my subconscious.

On my journey back to the room, I started plotting using all the characters that ran in my life at present. Not Edward, of course.

"Hey, buddy! What's your name?" I heard a well-known male voice from the direction of my room.

"Ethan," another sound replied. Ethan!

"Well...you have an interesting name there!" Samuel's voice emerged clearer as I advanced to my room, sprinting. Ivanna...where are you?

Once I finally reached the other end of the long-running hallway on the east side of the palace, I was gob-smacked to see father and son, conversing.

Ethan changed into his pjs for tonight whereas Samuel was in his casual attire with faded jeans and red t-shirt.

"Momma give me this name, so obviously it be good." Ethan thrusts his head high up to display the pride he had in his mother.

"And who is your mother?" Samuel's gaze was calculating, trying to determine something, the face features of my kid, must I say! His eyes were studying the eyes, nose and lips of my boy when suddenly his right hand reached up to stroke Ethan's cheek with concern. He was bent on one knee, which helped him to study in detail.

Don't  say Ethan. But I will not stop you now. Some day, your father needs to have an idea about your existence. Go ahead and disclose your identity to your sperm donor.

"Bridget." Ethan's voice never wavered when pronouncing my name. The idea of Sofia did not still settle on my little super man's brain.

Samuel retreated his hands in an instant, getting back on his feet, he confirmed, "Did you say Bridget?"

My Ethan nodded in confirmation, his gray eyes sparkling with a tinge of curiosity which could not be suppressed. Samuel's posture became rigid and his gaze fixed on the door in front of his eyes. This mostly happened when Samuel was processing some information.

It would be just a minute when he would pull all pieces together and realise Ethan was his blood. The same blood he denied five years ago on a day which was supposed to be as good as cotton candy. I desired to melt in his arms as cotton candy does on my tongue. To become a sweet dish to his hot body.

"You are my son?"

"Yes, he is, indeed," I said, attracting his gray eyes in the direction I stood.

Suddenly, the door behind Ethan and in front of Samuel opened, to reveal a scared Ivanna.

"Don't go without saying, Ethan!" Ivanna warned.

"Sorry!"

"Where were you, Ivanna?"

"I went to use washroom for a while but when I returened Ethan was no where in sight. I searched the room for this little one as he likes to hide a lot. But when I did not find him, I became stressed and opened the door to reveal you all. By the way, what happened here, Sofia?"

"Nothing, take him inside." I gestured Ethan and tore my gaze away from curious hazel orbs of Ivanna.

"So...the boy who shares exact features of mine, is indeed mine?" Samuel asked, running a hand through his hair out of his new discovery.

"Yes, he is."

"When did you plan to tell me, Sofia?" his hands balled themselves into tight fist, a gesture whenever Samuel's angry. I internally smirked, when his question was posed for which my answer was, "Never."

"What the hell? How could you hide a father from his child?" his frustration grew with each word.

A sinister expression took over my glint in the eye and my lips curled into  sinister smile as well, "Did you forget the day I left, Samuel?"

Leaving the lad shock behind, I opened the entrance to my room and slipped myself in.

A mystery had already unwind itself, now, there would be a need for you to be ready at all costs, to answer all questions, Sofia.

*********

I actually changed the first chapter a day before I posted Oh, Sofia actually, In that Sofia informs about her child to Samuel. If you don't understand the last second question, once read the first chapter and try to understand:)

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