Chapter 7: Antics and Chaos
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A Morning Disaster
Max Grant prided himself on his appearance. Every suit in his wardrobe was custom-tailored, every shirt pressed to perfection. It was a ritual of control, a symbol of his professionalism.
But that control was shattered one morning when Evan decided he wanted orange juice.
Max had just finished tying his silk tie when a knock came at his door. Before he could respond, the door burst open, and Evan appeared, holding a precariously full glass of juice.
"Uncle Max, I brought you breakfast!" Evan announced proudly.
Before Max could stop him, Evan tripped on the edge of the carpet, and the juice flew out of the glass. Time seemed to slow as the bright orange liquid arced through the air, splattering all over Max's pristine suit.
Max froze, his jaw tightening as he stared at the sticky mess dripping down his jacket.
Evan's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry! I just wanted to help."
Max took a deep breath, resisting the urge to yell. "It's... fine. But next time, let the staff handle it."
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Invasion of the Office
Max's office had always been his sanctuary. A place of order, quiet, and focus. But with the children in the house, it had become a battleground.
One afternoon, Max returned to his office after a conference call to find the quadruplets sitting on the floor, surrounded by piles of papers. Emma was using his stapler to make "art," Ella was doodling on a legal document, and Ethan and Evan were building a fort out of his file boxes.
"What do you think you're doing?" Max's voice boomed, startling the children.
Emma looked up, unfazed. "We're making your office more fun."
"This is not a playground!" Max snapped, picking up a contract with a colorful drawing of a dog on it.
Ella shrank back, her cheeks turning red. "I thought you'd like it."
Max sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I appreciate the effort, but this is important work. You can't just—"
Ethan interrupted, holding up a folder. "What's this?"
Max snatched it from him. "Confidential. Now, out. All of you."
The children trudged out, their heads hanging low. Max sank into his chair, the mess around him a stark contrast to his usual order.
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A Moment of Reflection
That evening, Harold paid Max a visit to check on the children's adjustment.
"They're testing boundaries," Harold said, sipping his tea. "It's normal."
"They're driving me insane," Max muttered.
Harold chuckled. "You've been running a company for years. How hard can it be to manage four kids?"
Max shot him a glare. "They're not employees. They don't listen, they don't follow rules, and they definitely don't respect boundaries."
Harold set his cup down and leaned forward. "They're grieving, Max. They've lost everything they knew. What they need right now isn't discipline—it's reassurance that they're safe."
The words struck a chord in Max, though he didn't respond.
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An Unexpected Apology
The next morning, Max found a surprise waiting for him in his office. The quadruplets had cleaned up the mess from the previous day and left a note on his desk:
"We're sorry for being bad. We'll try to be better. Love, Emma, Ethan, Ella, and Evan."
Max stared at the note, his heart softening. For all their chaos, the children weren't malicious. They were trying to connect with him in the only ways they knew how.
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Cliffhanger (End of Chapter)
That night, Max checked the security monitors again, his earlier suspicions gnawing at him. The figure from before was back, lingering just beyond the property line.
Max's hands clenched into fists as he picked up the phone to call the security team.
"Double the patrols," he ordered. "And find out who they are. I won't have these children put at risk."
As he hung up, a chill ran down his spine. The children's antics were chaotic, but they were innocent. Whatever danger was out there wasn't.
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