Bonnie could hear the laughter from her bedroom, which was next to the kitchen. She wanted to kill that child. She had never seen Adam so happy. Let alone laughing, as if there were no worries or problems to be solved. Perhaps it was her fault. She insisted on coming with him. But what could she do? He was hers, and he would always be hers. She was determined to accept being in the background. She couldn't compete with a son. And the boy was so much like him, it was scary. With the influence of his grandfather and father, this boy would be a monster when he grew up, and there was already something in his eyes that was threatening. She knew it was time to distance herself and let Adam come to her when he needed her. She had never been afraid of anything, and she had come to know fear there, with her rival's father. She couldn't do anything against Anna or the child, or she would die an agonizing death. There was no doubt about that. But he also knew that if she stayed close, she wouldn't resist, and out of sheer habit, she'd find a way to hurt them. And in order not to run that risk, as soon as she returned to the United States, she would no longer go back to the mansion, she would go back to her sister's apartment. She decided to leave the room and pretend that she liked that child. For now, it was all she could do to please Adam. She thought it wouldn't be too difficult to win him over. She considered children to be like dogs; once you pleased them, they would always want you to be there. She would keep to herself the curses she was thinking of hurling at that boy.
She arrived in the kitchen, already showered and wearing simpler clothes, jeans and a T-shirt, to look more like a humble person. Adam and his son were sitting at the table, both dirty with flour and with milk stains all over their clothes. They smiled at each other, as if they could communicate with each other only through their minds.
Bonnie couldn't imagine how close she was to the truth.
"Good afternoon, Ian and Adam." She greeted, approaching with a friendly smile.
Bonnie was confused and curious when she realized that the telepathic link between them had been disconnected as soon as they had noticed her.
Adam stared at her happily, while Ian's gloomy look made Bonnie change her mind immediately. It wouldn't be easy to win that boy's trust. He was immune to her advances.
Ignoring the child's look of disgust, Bonnie sat down opposite the two of them. Only then did she notice that there were a few bodyguards discreetly scattered around, in strategic places, although they made an effort to look as if their positions were random. She ignored them, too. She would pretend they were part of the furniture.
"Do you want me to help you clean these clothes, Ian?"
He stared at her, now clearly irritated, but didn't answer.
"Why don't you go for a walk, Bonnie?" Adam asked, noticing his son's antagonism and inwardly amused. "There's a mall nearby..."
"According to Ian's grandfather, if I leave, I won't be able to come in here again." She said and looked at Ian, surprised that he understood the meaning of what she was saying, and his gaze was satisfied.
"Well... He likes to be careful. I'm sure it's for his own safety." Adam retorted, not wanting Ian to think that they thought badly of his beloved grandfather.
"Yes. That must be why... Maybe you could take me to dinner. I don't like feeling cooped up, and this building doesn't even have a swimming pool... And going out with you, he won't think it's bad."
"I already have an appointment... But I can talk to Anna's father, and I'm sure that if you're accompanied by a man he trusts, Henry won't mind you going out to dinner."
"You want me to work up an appetite with a bodyguard standing next to me?"
"Well... The man who goes with you can wear my clothes and pass himself off as your boyfriend." Adam said and faced Ian. They both kept their eyes cold, but they were having fun.
Bonnie took a deep breath, starting to get angrier than she had anticipated. She looked at Ian, and saw indignantly that he was listening with interest, and now with the amused look that Adam also had when he was mocking someone. She felt the vein in her neck jump with her suppressed anger. She stood up and glared at them both.
"You were right, Adam. I jumped the gun. I shouldn't have come on this trip with you. I just didn't imagine that I'd have the displeasure of seeing you leave me in the background, and even less that this dirty, ugly kid would take up all your time, which you were supposed to be spending with me. You're an idiot. And your son is a..."
Bonnie fell silent after having a feeling. Something bad. Adam would never allow her to talk about his son like that, and yet... Adam and Ian looked seriously behind her, but not at her. Bonnie slowly turned around and found herself facing the boy's grandfather, whom she had just insulted. He stared at her seriously. Bonnie held her breath, so afraid of that man. She froze in place too, and couldn't say anything else.
"I think you owe your host an apology for your words." He said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It's not very polite to hurl insults at someone who's sheltering and feeding you, do you think?"
Bonnie wasn't fooled. That wasn't a request. It was an order. And her eyes told her that she wouldn't get out of that kitchen alive if she didn't obey his voice. She would perhaps be the first person Ian would see die in front of him. She turned to Ian, her eyes watering. She had never been so humiliated in her life. And the worst thing was that Adam said nothing to defend her. Even she, who was willing to give her life to save his.
"I'm sorry, Ian... I was ungrateful. It won't happen again."
The boy looked at her with a smile, but didn't reply. She turned around again, and the boy's grandfather had walked away. She then took the opportunity to get out of there and locked herself in her room.