Chereads / The Ties of Fate / Chapter 12 - Echoes of suspicious, sparks of courage

Chapter 12 - Echoes of suspicious, sparks of courage

As Mrs. Reed arrived back at her mansion, the weight of the evening lingered on her. She settled into her favorite chair in the grand living room, exhaling deeply. One of her maids approached with a glass of water, placing it gently on the side table. 

"Where is Aria?" Mrs. Reed asked, taking a sip. 

"She left shortly after you did, ma'am," the maid replied politely. 

Mrs. Reed raised an eyebrow, her suspicions confirmed. She dismissed the maid with a wave and leaned back, recalling how she had noticed Aria's car trailing hers earlier. Though she had chosen to ignore it then, it didn't surprise her. Aria had always been curious—and mischievous. 

A few minutes later, the sound of a car engine announced Aria's return. Mrs. Reed closed her eyes, pretending to rest. She listened as the front door opened and footsteps tried to move stealthily across the tiled floor. 

Aria tiptoed toward the grand staircase, thinking she'd successfully evaded detection. Just as she reached the first step, her mother coughed loudly. 

Aria froze, her heart racing. Slowly, she turned around, already dreading what she would see. There stood Mrs. Reed, stood holding her cup of water, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. 

"Hello, my baby chaos," Mrs. Reed said, teasing but sharp enough to cut through Aria's pretense. 

Aria plastered on her best fake smile. "Oh, hi, Mom. I… uh… I just went out to, you know, feel the nature and enjoy the fresh air." 

Mrs. Reed chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, So, you followed nature to the café? That's quite a journey to enjoy fresh air. Did the nature tell you to lie as well?" 

Aria sighed, knowing the game was up. "Fine, you caught me. I went to the café to see what you were up to." 

Mrs. Reed smiled triumphantly, setting her cup down on a nearby table. "Aria, you need to focus on your studies and leave these things to me. I promise I'll handle everything. I know you want the family to be whole again, but you have to trust me to fix it." 

Aria hesitated, then nodded. "Okay, Mom. But just don't do anything crazy, please." 

Mrs. Reed placed a hand on Aria's shoulder. "Crazy? Me? Never," she said with a wink. 

 Aria rolled her eyes playfully and walked toward the staircase. Mrs. Reed followed, both feeling a sense of calm after their exchange. 

As they reached the top of the stairs, Mrs. Reed turned to Aria. "One more thing. No more following me, okay?" 

Aria grinned sheepishly. "No promises." 

Both laughed softly as they headed to their respective rooms. Despite the tension, the warmth of their bond lingered in the air, a reminder that even amidst chaos, family always finds a way to connect.

That night, Kelvin knocked gently on Nathan's bedroom door. 

"Come in," Nathan called out. 

Kelvin stepped inside, wearing an awkward grin. "Hey, bro. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for earlier… you know, about Mom and all that." 

Nathan set down the book he was reading and looked up. "It's okay. I'm not mad at you. You were just trying to help in your own way." 

Kelvin let out a relieved sigh. "Good. I hate it when we fight. Let's just agree that I'm the better brother and move on." 

Nathan chuckled, shaking his head. "Sure, if that makes you sleep better at night." 

The two brothers laughed, the tension melting away. The warm camaraderie they shared reminded them that despite their differences, they were still family. 

 Later that night, Elena sat on her couch, her thoughts swirling after the day's events. She picked up her phone and dialed her best friend, Mia. 

"Hey, bestie!" Mia's cheerful voice greeted her. "How are you doing?" 

"I'm good," Elena replied with a smile. "And you?" 

"Bored out of my mind. Please tell me you've got some juicy gossip for me." 

Elena laughed. "Well, actually, yeah. Nathan's mom visited me at the café today." 

Mia gasped. "What? Really? What happened? Spill!" 

"She was really nice, but… she kept calling me Katrina," Elena admitted, her voice tinged with confusion. 

"Katrina?" Mia echoed, intrigued. "Who's Katrina?" 

"I don't know exactly. Nathan told me she was just someone close to him, but that's all he said." 

Mia paused for a moment before replying, "Elena, I think you need to find out more about this Katrina. It's strange that both his mom and his sister seem so affected by you." 

Elena shook her head, even though Mia couldn't see her. "I don't want to dig into his past. It feels… wrong. If Nathan wants to tell me more, he will." 

Mia sighed. "You're too kind, you know that? If it were me, I'd have already done a full social media deep dive." 

Elena laughed. "That's why you're you, Mia. I'll just let things unfold naturally." 

"Fine, fine," Mia said dramatically. "But if anything else weird happens, you better tell me immediately!" 

"I promise," Elena replied. "Thanks for always listening." 

"Anytime, bestie. Now go get some sleep." 

The next morning, Kelvin was ready to leave for Australia. He walked into the living room, where Nathan sat sipping his morning coffee. 

"Hey, Nathan," Kelvin began, "I'm all packed and ready to go." 

Nathan looked up and nodded. "That's great. Have a safe flight." 

Kelvin hesitated before continuing. "Can I ask you for something before I leave?" 

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" 

"Promise me you'll work things out with Mom," Kelvin said earnestly. 

Nathan frowned slightly. "I'll think about it, Kelvin. But no promises." 

Kelvin sighed, patting his brother's shoulder. "Fine. Just… don't let things get worse, okay? Take care, bro." 

"You too," Nathan replied. 

Kelvin waved goodbye and stepped outside. He climbed into the car waiting to take him to the airport, leaving Nathan to ponder his words. 

Later that morning, on his way to work, Nathan told his driver to change course. "Take me to my mother's mansion," he instructed. 

When he arrived, Mrs. Reed was surprised to see him standing at the door. She greeted him with a smile. "Nathan! What brings you here?" 

Nathan's expression was serious. "I need to ask you something." 

Mrs. Reed gestured for him to come inside, but Nathan remained standing at the entrance. "What's your intention toward Elena? Why did you visit her?" 

Mrs. Reed's smile faded slightly, but she kept her tone calm. "I just wanted to know more about her. She seems important to you." 

"You don't need to investigate her," Nathan said firmly. "Elena is not Katrina, and I don't want you to compare the two. Stay away from her." 

Mrs. Reed's eyes narrowed. "Nathan, I only want what's best for you." 

"What's best for me is for you to leave Elena alone," Nathan shot back. "I've had enough of your interference." 

With that, Nathan turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Mrs. Reed standing in the doorway, her face a mix of frustration and sadness. 

 Nathan arrived at the office, his mood as cold as the morning breeze. Inside, the staff had been quietly gossiping about his recent behavior. Jessie and Sharon, as usual, were the ringleaders. 

"Have you noticed how grumpy he's been lately?" Jessie whispered to Sharon. 

"Yeah, and don't forget that glowing smile he had yesterday morning. What's going on with him?" Sharon replied. 

Just then, Jessie caught a glimpse of Nathan approaching the main hallway. Her eyes widened. "Everyone, scatter! He's coming!" 

The office erupted into a flurry of activity as the staff hurriedly pretended to be busy. Nathan entered, his sharp gaze sweeping the room. Jessie's heart raced as she quickly turned her attention to her desk. 

Nathan headed toward his office, where Thomas greeted him cheerfully. "Good morning, boss!" 

Nathan walked past without a word. 

Thomas, slightly annoyed, muttered under his breath, "Why does he always act like that?" 

Without turning around, Nathan replied, "I heard that, Thomas." 

Thomas stiffened, forcing a smile, then quickly disappeared down the hall. 

 A few hours later, Jessie was on her way to the restroom when she heard someone talking on the phone inside. She paused, recognizing the voice—it was Jenny. 

She leaned closer to the door, trying to catch the conversation. Most of it was muffled, but one word stood out clearly: **"Elena."** 

Jessie's curiosity peaked. She tried to listen further, but as Jenny wrapped up her call, Jessie quickly ducked into another restroom to avoid being caught. 

As Jenny walked out, Jessie peered out cautiously, watching her leave. "Something's not right about her," Jessie thought. 

Jessie wasted no time rushing to Sharon's desk. "Sharon, I just overheard Jenny talking on the phone, and she mentioned Elena's name!" 

Sharon frowned. "Jessie, maybe Elena is just one of her friends. Don't overthink it." 

Jessie shook her head. "Sharon, don't you remember what Kelvin said about Nathan leaving them alone? He mentioned a name—Elena. What if this is the same Elena? What if Jenny is up to something bad?" 

Sharon sighed, trying to stay calm. "Jessie, you're being paranoid. Don't jump to conclusions. It could be a coincidence." 

Jessie bit her lip, still suspicious. "I can't shake the feeling, Sharon. I'm keeping an eye on her." 

Meanwhile, at the café, Elena was exhausted. The morning rush had been overwhelming, and she barely had time to catch her breath. Just then, Mia appeared, a cheerful smile on her face. 

"Elena, you look like you've been run over by a truck. Are you okay?" Mia teased. 

Elena let out a tired laugh. "It's been nonstop today. Too many customers!" 

As the two chatted, the bell above the door jingled. A tall man walked in, catching Mia's attention instantly. 

He had a lean, muscular build with striking brown hair styled casually. His sharp jawline and confident posture gave him an attractive presence, though he lacked Nathan's polished charm. He wore a simple gray shirt that hinted at his physique and dark jeans. 

Mia's eyes sparkled as she nudged Elena. "Who is *that*?" she whispered with a mischievous grin. 

Elena noticed Mia's expression and smirked. "Why are you smiling like that?" 

"No reason," Mia replied, still grinning. 

The man sat at a table, casually scrolling through his phone. Elena approached him with her notepad. "Good afternoon. What can I get for you?" 

"Just a coffee, please," he replied with a polite smile. 

Elena nodded and went to prepare his order. As she carried the coffee back to his table, she accidentally tripped, spilling the coffee onto another customer. 

"I'm so sorry!" Elena exclaimed, rushing to apologize. 

The customer, furious, stood up and shouted, "Are you blind? Watch where you're going!" He raised his hand as if to slap her. 

Before Elena could react, the man she had been serving stood up and grabbed the customer's wrist firmly. 

"How dare you try to hit a lady?" he said, his voice calm but commanding. 

"This is none of your business!" the angry man retorted. 

"It is my business when I see someone acting like a bully," the man replied sharply. "Let me warn you—if you cause any more trouble, you'll find yourself in jail." 

The café's security staff arrived and escorted the angry man out. The customers clapped, praising the man for stepping in. A few minutes later, Elena brought another cup of coffee to the man, her hands trembling slightly. 

"Thank you for what you did earlier," she said softly. 

The man smiled. "It's nothing. I just did what I thought was right." 

Elena nodded. "Still, I appreciate it. Next time, though, I'll try not to spill anything." 

He chuckled. "Don't let anyone push you around, okay?" 

Elena smiled back. "I'll try." 

As she returned to the counter, Mia teased her. "So, what do you think? Handsome *and* a hero. Perfect, right?" 

Elena laughed. "You're hopeless, Mia." 

Mia grinned. "Just saying—you could use a backup plan in case Nathan doesn't make a move!" 

The two laughed as the café began to settle down for the day.

As the café quieted down, Elena couldn't help but feel grateful for the stranger's intervention. But her thoughts were focused on Nathan, wondering what he'd think of the incident if he found out.