<div> Chapter 257: Come Bearing Gifts
 "Athena?" Catherine murmured. "I thought she was at the hotel."
 I didn’t expect her to be there for long.
 "And who is that?" Walter asked, already walking towards the door to open it.
 "Well, hello there, I brought presents for Esme’s birthday tomorrow!" She handed Gramps the pile of boxes.
 "Excuse me, and who are you?"
 Athena grinned. "Her favorite auntie."
 "Auntie?" Walter looked to me, and then to Athena.
 Recognition became his gaze when he saw the resemblance.
 "Another King in my home."
 "A much sweeter King." Athena let herself in.
 Catherine rushed to help Gramps with the boxes, and they shared a talk, but I got distracted by Athena.
 "Do my eyes deceive me, or are you glowing...? Someone slept on the positive side of the bed, or did Catherine kiss your ass?"
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 </div> She did.
 "You’re here."
 "I’d have made it yesterday, that rain that came out of nowhere. What? Am I unwanted here?"
 She’s trying to get on my nerves; she has been for the last five years.
 "Doesn’t matter, I can be wherever I want, and no one’s stopping me."
 I have no intention of stopping her. Again. She was trying to irk me.
 "Do you still hate me?" I asked. "You made some kind of declaration like that years ago."
 "Some kind? It wasn’t some kind! I hate you, and that is not changing." She flipped her head backwards. "I came here for Catherine and Esme... only. That is the only reason I travelled halfway across the world to that rundown town. Not for your sorry excuse of an ass."
 I smiled. "I’m sure you were."
 "What?"
 "..."
 She rolled her eyes.
 "Walt?"
 Margaret walked down the stairs, Esme following behind. She quickly rushed over to me, stopping when she saw Athena.
 "Athena!"
 "Hello, little dumpling."
 "Are those for me?" she pointed to the boxes while jumping happily.
 "Yes, but you have to open them tomorrow."
 My phone rang, and I grabbed it from the table, eyeing how Athena engaged with Esme and then Margaret.
 I pressed the phone to my ear.
 "Good for you to finally pick up my call. Seems like the old trick of using another number worked."
 Grandmother.
 I walked to the kitchen for some space.
 "What? Won’t you speak?"
 "Speaking is no longer necessary between us..."
 "That is the word you use for your enemy. I’m not your enemy. But you think otherwise, don’t you? Why? Because I knew where your runaway ex-wife was all this time, and that your heir wasn’t raised in the King’s household as she should be."
 "You watched her all these years only to pull the trigger."
 "Trust me... pulling the trigger was hard. I wouldn’t want my great-granddaughter to grow up motherless, but I was left with no choice. Sacrifices should be made, and you understand that better than anyone."
 "It doesn’t make sense..."
 "What?"
 I leaned against the counter as I studied everyone. Athena was speaking with Walter now, and it seemed to be going well so far.
 "You could have easily killed Catherine when you had the chance. Why now?"
 "Because I didn’t imagine she would want to come back to you... Nina wouldn’t."
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 </div> "Don’t..." I warned.
 "Nina wouldn’t. After all, she had always wanted to escape your father. This Catherine, she intrigues me. I’d like to see her. The mother of your child."
 The call ended, and I took the phone off my ear, already feeling hot anger curling through me but I buried it.
 "Ares..."
 I moved my eyes from the phone to Catherine standing in front of me. I didn’t realize she was until now.
 "Is everything okay?" She descended her gaze to my phone. "Work?"
 "No..."
 "What then?"
 "It was my Grandmother..."
 Her face twisted into a frown as she folded her arms.
 "She has been calling ever since Penrose; she got hold of me now..."
 "What does she want?"
 "I can’t tell... she’s unpredictable."
 "Then don’t think about the old bitch. Think about Esme... tomorrow’s her birthday..." She looked behind the company. "And she’s spending it with family."
 She leveled her gaze at her ring, rubbing against the diamond. "I have to tell her too... about you."
 "Don’t force it."
 "I want her to know."
 My hand snaked around her waist as I pulled her close. "And she will... naturally."
 "I thought you would be eager."
 "I’m a very patient man."
 "Of course you are... after all, it took ten years to declare your underlying love."
 Catherine pushed me off, and I wanted to drag her back to me and teach her otherwise.
 My eyes connected with her ass as she swayed those hips for me, but I quickly peeled them off when Walter came to me.
 "King."
 "Walter."
 "Your sister has an amusing personality, something more human; you could have learned a thing or two from her."
 "No one said twins should share the same similarities."
 He scoffed. "Twins... and here I thought you were the one adopted." He brushed past me to the fridge.
 "You let yourself in. Consider it however you want. I’m done. At least you’re not standing at my front door like an omen."
 "Your blessing is more important to me."
𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦 "Ah... she’s already wearing the ring, there goes my blessing." He closed the fridge, pouring the orange juice into the cup.
 The silence grew long, especially as he kept pining me with a sharp look. I don’t expect him to warm up to me that easily, but this was progress.
 "You chased the workers away..." I changed the topic. "They were necessary."
 He did it years ago, and no matter how much they came back, he kept threatening them.
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 </div> "Yes, I did. I can manage my farm myself."
 "They will resume work effectively immediately. They only keep coming back with more numbers if you keep chasing them away."
 "Wha—"
 I left him hanging as I moved towards Esme, feeling his heavy gaze piercing my back.
 When Esme saw me, she took my hand and led me to a corner, and I crouched when she signaled me to do so.
 "I saw the ring..." she whispered. "It’s really pretty. Does this mean you’re married to mommy?"
 "Yes. Your mommy and I have always been close. Now we’ll be closer."
 Her grin broadened, and it compelled a smile from me.
 "You still haven’t told me what you want for your birthday, angel."
 "I..." Esme paused as if thinking, but I could tell she had something in mind already.
 "You don’t have to worry. I can get you anything you want."
 "I think I’m okay with Athena’s gifts." She ran past me.</div>
 

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Chapter 257: Come Bearing Gifts

Chapter 257: Come Bearing Gifts "Athena?" Catherine murmured. "I thought she was at the hotel." I didn’t expect her to be there for long. "And who is that?" Walter asked, already walking towards the door to open it. "Well, hello there, I brought presents for Esme’s birthday tomorrow!" She handed Gramps the pile of boxes. "Excuse me, and who are you?" Athena grinned. "Her favorite auntie." "Auntie?" Walter looked to me, and then to Athena. Recognition became his gaze when he saw the resemblance....

The Devil CEO's Contract Wife

Chapter 257: Come Bearing Gifts

The Devil CEO's Contract Wife - Chapter 257: Come Bearing Gifts