Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law
Chapter 174: Staring

Chapter 174: Staring

The moment the boy alighted from the car, Adam couldn’t help but watch him closely. There was something about the child that caught his attention right away. It wasn’t just the resemblance—though he could see hints of something familiar—but something harder to define. A certain way the boy held himself, guarded but steady, reminded Adam faintly of his own younger self when he had first been brought to Madam Collins by Lady Collins herself when his father had passed away.

Back then, he had hoped to find a mother, only to feel strangely unimpressed when reality didn’t match the stories he had imagined. He recognized a similar look flicker across the boy’s face—a kind of quiet expectation mixed with uncertainty.

Adam stayed where he was, careful not to make his presence obvious. His gaze swept over the boy, taking stock. There were no obvious signs of neglect. The child was dressed neatly, his clothes clean and fitting, his posture relaxed but alert. Whatever else had happened, it seemed Saira hadn’t left him to fend for himself.

That was something, at least. Now his next aim was to get the boy’s DNA without letting Saira know. Just then, the boy turned to look at him and he walked forward as Saira introduced them.

Crouching slightly so he was more at eye level with him, Adam extended his hand to the little boy who was staring at him suspuciously and smiled," Hi, Adir. Nice to meet you."

Adir blinked at him for a second, studying him with big, cautious eyes. Then, surprisingly, he mumbled, "Hi," back, shifting his weight awkwardly from foot to foot.

"We thought we could have some lunch together," Saira interjected quickly, smiling a little too brightly at both of them. "Get to know each other better."

Adir said nothing, only shrugged, and Adam, sensing the boy’s discomfort, straightened and gestured toward the door. "Let’s go, then. I’m starving."

As they moved towards the restuarant, Adam watched the boy sending cautious gazes his way and grinned. Somehow, the kid even reminded him of Melon. She was like this when they’d first met. Curious about his and suspicious of him at the same time. Thinking of her put him in a better mood, so he did what he liked to do with her.

He teased," Little boy, you look like I am about to rob you or something."

Adir froze for a second, his brows furrowing as he processed the words. Then, to Adam’s amusement, the boy straightened up, puffing his chest out slightly in a defensive move. His lips curled into a frown, and he crossed his arms.

"I’m not a little boy."

Adam almost laughed out loud. That was so classic Melon! For a moment, he could not help but imagine how his and Melanie’s child would be and felt a pang. Giving the child a look, he moved his hand to ruffle the kids hair but he quickly darted aside and Adam raised his hands in mock surrender," Okay okay. You are a big boy."

The boy nodded, satisfied with the agreement but still holding on to a bit of his initial suspicion since he thought that Adam had jsut tried to take his hair.

As they walked close to the table with Saira in the lead he noticed the boy hesitate a bit and grinned. Well, the chairs were too high for him and he had just claimed to be a big boy.

For a brief moment, Adir looked toward Saira, but she was preoccupied with talking to the waiter. He glanced at Adam, unsure and then moved with determination. He would jump up if need be.

Before Adir could say anything, Adam moved quickly, bent down and lifted the boy effortlessly, placing him in the chair. "There you go, big boy."

Adir’s eyes widened in surprise, and his hands instinctively gripped the edge of the chair to steady himself. "I... I could’ve done it," he muttered, still a little embarrassed but also oddly grateful.

"Sure you could," Adam teased, winking. "But then I would not get to lift you up." Adir blinked and grinned at that. Adam was just like his dad! Even his father did the same thing when he took them out.

"Thank you." He told quietly to which Adam only grinned.

***

From a little distance away, the driver who had accompanied Adir to the restaurant leaned casually against a parked car, his phone held low in his hand. From the outside, he looked like any other bored chauffeur passing the time — but the small red light blinking on his screen told a different story.

The entire interaction, from the moment Adam had crouched to greet Adir to lifting him into the chair, was being live-streamed straight to his employer.

Miles away, seated behind a sleek, sprawling desk in a towering office, the boy’s father watched the footage on his tablet with a slow, amused smile tugging at his lips.

He observed Adam closely — the relaxed posture, the easy smile, the way he instinctively reached out to steady Adir without making a big show of it. He watched Adir too, seeing the momentary crack in his son’s wary mask, the shy grin he offered Adam.

Even now, Adam was too easy to open up to and like. That had not changed for despite everything. He’d thought Adam would have grown colder and more hardened by now, but it seems that was not the case.

The man set the tablet down slowly, his fingers tapping lightly on the polished wood surface of the desk. His smile lingered, but there was a glint in his eyes.Soon.

Soon, he would bring the child back where he belonged. And when that was done, he would meet Adam face-to-face. There were old debts between them.

Old promises. Old betrayals, depending on how one chose to remember things from the past.

He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers under his chin.

Soon enough, they would settle accounts.