From this point on, I plan to rewrite the Daily Life of the Strongest. I'll be taking a more grounded approach to improve characters and world-building, and hopefully remove any plot holes created in the process of writing the original.
I'll keep this up for a while longer until the rewrite is ready to be released, and this time with more chapters, so I won't go on month-long breaks of radio silence.
The story will progress differently and more slowly, to create memorable characters for us all. This was my second book, and I've learned a lot from writing it. So, as a thanks for reading, here's the incomplete version of chapter 30.
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The car door slammed with a loud thud. Patty pulled her coat, closing it tightly as she looked back and forth around the spiraling mansion grounds.
Behind her, a massive mansion stood erected in an architectural design. And was home to someone she wished she didn't have to bother again.
Sighing, she begrudgingly walked toward the front door.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, the man in question was in the midst of his own issues.
Lazily leaning back on the velvety gray sofa, he softly shook the glass in his hand. His red eyes watched the amber colored liquid with fondness. 'Apple juice, truly the drink of the gods.'
Across from him, Seraphina rapidly tapped the loveseat arm. "What stance do we take?"
A smile stretched across his face. This was the tenth time she had asked this question in the last five minutes. It was amusing how just a simple argument had her feeling like it was the end of the world.
It certainly did not warrant her tapping the arm of the sofa into oblivion, much less her pacing around the room mumbling.
"Sera, relax." He said calmly, taking a sip from his glass. "It's just a simple argument."
Her eyes narrowed into thin slits. Walking over to him, she slammed her hand down harshly on the arm of the chair. "Riven, I don't think you understand. Those girls would never argue, not in a million years."
"What about a thousand?" he jokingly retorted, taking a sip of his apple juice.
"Not funny." She frowned, moving away from him, though her eyes never left his. "I'm just saying the possibility never crossed their mind. At least until…"
"And I'm saying." Gently setting his cup down, Riven uncrossed his legs and stood up. "They're growing up, maturing into the people they're going to be."
Placing his hand on her shoulder, his gaze became gentler. "Identical twins are not; they'll soon grow to be as different as night and day, with paths formed from the core of their identities.
The ways they think are as vastly different as the size of Jupiter's moons. Soon, they won't even look one hundred percent alike."
Removing his arm, he stepped back, a small smile plastered on his face. "But they have the best mother in the world to guide them and an amazing aunt. So they'll be fine."
"Riven…"
Turning away, he picked up his cup, downing the rest of his drink, he added with a smirk, "Besides, the best mysteries are solved on your own. So let them stumble a bit."
Sera exhaled a soft breath. "You would truly be the greatest dad."
Before he could respond, a quiet chime echoed through the room. A soft melody he had crafted by a wandering zitherist, it was meant to symbolize a coming disruption.
"I'll go see who that is, and if my guess is correct, I'll see you later at the cafe." He said before slipping away, his pace unhurried as he walked to the front door.
The quiet yet changing halls were an echo chamber repeating his thoughts. 'The greatest dad'
It wasn't a thought he wanted to keep entertaining; he made his peace. It was no use wanting to dwell on it. Even if he wanted answers, whether he may one day be a father, he couldn't look. Someone was blocking his gaze.
No matter how many times he tried, ever since he went to the meeting, he hasn't been able to see into the future. At first, eight months was all he could see, but now he could only see seven.
It was like a silent countdown, marking some disaster planned for April, and the source of his decision to leave.
He sighed, his shoulder drooping. "Just when the floor was starting to make me feel more human."
Though it was a minor thing, due to all the activity filling the normally empty mansion, the floor had begun to get covered in dents and scratches. It just made the place feel warmer.
Much warmer than the cold he felt on the other side of the door, so he was sure whoever the visitor was, was also feeling very cold.
Opening it wide, he greeted the detective with a wide smile. "Detective! Sorry for making you freeze for so long, but to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Patty looked at him, putting on her most professional smile. "Hi, Mr. Damocles, sorry to bother you so early this morning. I was wondering if you would be interested in helping with a case?"
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Thanks for reading