Aunt Eleanor, who had been about to serve them, paused, looking at her. She handed the tray to Valerie. "Go, serve. I'll get the refreshments."
Valerie blinked, pointing at herself. "Me?" Her aunt gave her a look. Valerie was scared of facing her uncle and brother, but her aunt scared her much more right now.
"…Okay," she muttered.
The tray suddenly felt heavier in her hands. This was so awkward. Her uncle and brother looked like they wanted to murder him, and Azrael acted like they were ants not even worthy of his attention.
Great. Just great!
She took a small breath, straightening her back to brace herself, and stepped out into the living room. The moment she did, the tension hit her.
The only person immune to the murderous air in the room was Little Roe. He was standing on Azrael's lap, excitedly talking. He was talking about everything he had ever been excited about. For a second, she felt a pang in her chest. Little Roe seemed so happy.
She never even noticed that he lacked a father. Her boy was always so calm and mature that looking at him acting like a baby was giving her strange feelings.
Her eyes fell on her uncle and brother, and she was back in the moment. Valerie swallowed. "Brother." She put the cups in front of him, avoiding eye contact. When he didn't touch it, she looked up and saw betrayal clear in his eyes. She quickly looked away.
Her heart hurt just thinking of what they must be thinking of her now.
"C-coffee…" She leaned forward a little awkwardly and placed a cup in front of Uncle William.
"Thank you," he said stiffly, not even looking at her, his eyes still locked on Azrael.
With one cup left, she turned to see Azrael, and she felt the sharp glares of her uncle and brother. Her fingers tightened slightly around the tray.
This is so awkward…
She stepped closer, trying to act normal, but before she could say anything—
"Mama, come here!" Little Roe beamed, finally noticing her. "Daddy said the bounce house is real!"
"I—I heard," she muttered, crouching slightly as she held the cup toward Azrael.
He looked up at her. Her heartbeat stumbled, that same strange feeling from earlier creeping back in before she quickly looked away.
"H-here," she said, placing the tray in front of him.
Instead of leaning forward to take it, he extended his hand. Little Roe was on him, so she decided to pass it.
She held the cup, but he grabbed her hand too. Valerie's hand jerked back, almost spilling the coffee when he pulled it from her.
"You—!" she started, but immediately bit her tongue, shooting him a sharp glare.
The corner of his lips lifted with an infuriating smirk.
Valerie immediately straightened and stepped back, ready to sprint, when she froze.
"Roe," Aunt Eleanor walked in with the refreshments, and said, "Why don't we go change? You wanted to show Daddy your new clothes, didn't you?"
Little Roe's eyes widened as he remembered. No matter how he insisted that his Daddy was coming to visit, Grandma Eleanor wouldn't believe him!
"Oh! Yes! Daddy, I have a new bear suit and also a dinosaur one!" He scrambled off Azrael's lap.
"Will you show Daddy?" Azrael said lightly.
"I'll show you right now!" Roe beamed, already running toward Aunt Eleanor, who took his hand, looking up at Valerie with a pointed look. She led him away.
The moment they disappeared, the air changed. No one bothered hiding their hostility anymore.
Victor leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his gaze locking onto Azrael with a dark scowl. "So," he said slowly, turning to his sister, "care to explain what's going on?"
Valerie clenched her clothes. Here it comes.
"I— it's not what you think—" she rushed out, stepping forward.
"It isn't?" Victor cut in sharply.
She flinched, her words dying in her throat.
Uncle William spoke next, his tone colder. "Valerie, tell us properly what is going on. Is anyone threatening you?"
Azrael's lazy eyes sharply landed on her. Valerie opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
"I-well—"
Azrael set his cup down with a soft clink, scoffing. "Ask me straight."
Valerie's head snapped toward him. Her eyes widened. "No, wait—" She tried to stop him quickly, but her uncle and brother's fierce glare was on him.
"So I will ask." Victor let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "Did you threaten my sister into marrying you?"
Azrael smirked, playing with his lighter. "What if I did?"
Valerie stiffened. He was deliberately provoking them.
"No, he didn't! He didn't threaten me—" Valerie tried, but they treated her like she was air.
Uncle William's gaze sharpened. "Mr. Hawthorne, even if the law can't do anything to you, there are still other ways. Even a rat bites back when it's cornered. Hawthorne has as many eligible heirs as roses in a garden!"
'TAK!'
Azrael shut his lighter; his grin widened wickedly. "You have my interest. What's making you say that?"
William's eyes fell on Valerie, and he pursed his lips. He still had one trick. It wasn't hard to sink another man if he was willing to drown.
He couldn't do anything to Azrael Hawthorne, so he would let his vicious grandfather deal with him.
"Does your grandfather know you forced a woman into marriage?" Uncle William snarled.
"Oh…" Azrael chuckled mirthlessly. "Did he tell you he would help you hide Valerie and Roe from me?"
Uncle William's eyes widened. How would he know?
One of Chairman Hawthorne's men, Mr. Slavator, had met him when he was getting back from a business meeting, the day after Azrael got to know about Little Roe.
Mr. Salvator was really apologetic and humbly told them the Chairman wanted to help them. As the location was top secret, they told him Valerie could only contact him after reaching there.
If Azrael hadn't created such a scandal by meeting them at the airport, they would be sailing to one of the Chairman's secret safe houses about now.
"Uncle, what is it about?" Victor snapped, his patience finally snapping. "Do you think tattling on this bastard is the solution—"
"Victor, calm down!" Valerie tried to quiet him, reading the room. "He didn't threaten me, we have a deal—"
"Shut up!" Victor snapped. "This man first treated you like a prostitute, and now he's treating you like a toy and like a fool, you still went behind our back to him!"
Valerie felt like he slapped her.
Victor stood up now, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "He didn't threaten you? He wouldn't have needed to. With two flowery words from him, you would be clinging to him!"
Azrael's face darkened; he got up with clenched fists—
'THUD!!' 'SHATTER!!'
Before Azrael could even move, Valerie had picked up his hot coffee and flung it at Victor, hitting his head.
"Ah! You mad witch!" He was drenched in hot coffee. When he rubbed his forehead, his hand was bloody. Blood was oozing out of his forehead.
Azrael could only stare in disbelief before she flashed past him, and with a knee in his gut, had him crouching. Before he could get a hold of himself, she kneed his gut again, and he fell to the floor.
"Didn't I say that was your last chance?!" she shouted as she kicked his shin.
Victor was trying to only dodge but she was fuming. "You were talking about Roe!"
She kicked again, but he grabbed her ankle, pulling her down in an attempt at trying to get up.
She grabbed his neck, her nails sinking into his neck. She picked the centerpiece from the table. "Shut up!!"
His glare shot toward Azrael. "Are you hitting me for him?!"
Azreal had sat back down, relaxed, like he was watching something entertaining.
"I'm hitting you for your damn mouth!" Before she could hit him with the huge centerpiece, Uncle William grabbed her by her arm, pulling her up.
William threw her onto the sofa, kicking Victor. "Are you both animals?"
None of them responded, just glared at each other. Uncle William's temper rose further.
"Unbelievable… you both fight like fu*king toddlers! How could you hit your little sister?" He kicked Victor again. "And you, Valerie—aren't you ashamed to face Little Roe?"
Valerie stubbornly glared, barely holding in her sobs. "Didn't you hear what he said? Why are you still blaming me!"
"You almost killed me, and you are crying?!" Victor wiped his blood and showed it to his uncle.
Azrael could barely hold in his grin. What even was this family?
Uncle William helplessly looked at him before picking up his phone to call their family doctor while signaling the servants that had gathered to take them both inside.
William pressed his temple. Because of being orphans, Valerie and Victor were both physically bullied at some point, so he taught them self-defense.
Later, when they had fights at home, they often got physical, but all of that stopped when Valerie got into college. He thought they grew up...
He cleared his throat, embarrassed. "…As you can see, my niece and nephew are a little… immature."