Chapter 220: Grandmother Knows Best [1] [Music: The Devil You Know By Blues Saraceno] Our gaze remained locked with more intensity. She’s challenging me, not just me, but my authority. I’m not exactly geared up to go toe to toe with someone who didn’t have long, but I knew better than to underestimate her. She just proved her presence could be a threat without lifting a finger. The door barge opened, and Athena strolled in, taking off her sunglasses. "Oh, look, I’m late. What did I miss? Is anyone dead yet?" "Athena..." Grandmother said with that same reflexive smile taking over her lips. I’m more convinced it grows faker by the minute. "Grandmother." Athena catwalked to her, leaning down to kiss her cheeks. "Mua! Mua!" "Do not forgive me for being late, I had a much-welcomed shoot. I wish I could miss this for the world." She spared a look at Agatha before blowing a kiss to Adrian. "I’m quite offended, and here I thought you came all this way to see me," Grandmother said, more amused than annoyed. "Just look at both of you. My grandchildren. The only ones I’ll ever have. How much you have grown, shaped into fine adults. I’m impressed." "You’re really sweet..." Athena said charmedly, then, like a fast-changing weather, her smile dropped. "What the fuck are you doing here?" She snickered. "Your brother just asked the same question in a more polite but straightforward way. Gosh! You two are so alike but different." A sigh released from her. "Now that we’re all here, let us eat as a family. Is that too much to ask?" Athena huffed and walked to sit. I pulled out a chair and followed suit. Grandmother looked towards Agatha, who hadn’t moved. "Obviously, my two grandchildren have more brains than you could ever have. Are you dull? I thought my son remarried smarter, or is it the body that made him make such a contemptible decision?" Agatha scoffed. "Did you come here to throw insults? You should have just stayed in whatever hole you were buried in, Constance." "And allow what was given to you in my son’s will to go to waste? He left you with quite some things, as if he knew his death would mean danger for you. A protective charm... that has a fitting name for it." Agatha breathed heavily, uneasy about Grandmother’s accuracy. It hit the solid point, because she just declared she had eyes around for God knows how long. Athena and I shared a look, the situation taking an extreme turn, and the answer as to why she was here could be closer than we thought. Athena leaned toward me and whispered. "This is so much fun, watching that witch get served by that old hag. Maybe with her influence, you can finally put that witch in her place, or are you still so consumed with finding Catherine that everything else is out of concern?" I pinned Athena with her cold eyes, and even though aggravation crawled through my skin, I admit I’ve been consumed. I checked my Rolex and then my phone, hoping for that one call. I was wasting my time here; the only reason I came was to pass the time while I wait for Nico to pinpoint a location. I haven’t been able to calm my nerves or get a wink of sleep after the possibility of seeing Catherine again. I had spent the entire time working out to reduce the stress. "You admit you’re here for something." Agatha’s voice grounded me back to this conversation. "Admit? There’s no sure thing; my intentions are clear. However, what I want right now is breakfast with my family. Sit." Athena snorted before stabbing her fork into her pancakes. Agatha took a deep breath before motioning for Adrian to sit. "Ah, that’s better!" Grandmother grinned, and for a minute there, her expression seemed genuine. "I do hope from now on, we sit like this more often." Silence passed the table, colder and intense. "From now on?" Athena questioned. "Yes... I have decided to move back to Midnight." I checked my Rolex again, and the time was going far too slow. "Ares, my dear. You keep checking the time... is there somewhere you have to be?" "Yes," I replied, not meeting her eyes. "Then we’d better get on to it then. Ares, I heard you were married. Where is your wife? Shouldn’t she be here, or is she a pompous type that doesn’t give a shit about anybody?" "You already have your answer." "What do you mean?" "You have eyes..." She grinned. "You didn’t think I would leave without having a source to look after my family, did you?" I tapped my finger slowly against the table. "Look after?" I didn’t hide the shift in my tone. "I heard your wife was quite the woman... now I really want to meet her." "Who is it?" "Excuse me?" "Who...?" "Don’t play riddles with me, boy." "Further explaining the question will make you appear dull, Grandmother?" Her grin widened, but the twitch in her eye said otherwise. I didn’t expect she would tell who she used to keep tabs on us all these years, but it was worth a try. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶 "You should focus more on yourself. There are talks that your wife ran away. That is not only an insult to you but to this family." "My married life is none of your business." "Oh, but it is... she’s a King, isn’t she? And once you’re a King, you’re for life divorced or not." "We’re not divorced," I stated as my annoyance grew, from different angles. I hit a wall most of the time, and I hated it more because I was doing it right now. Self-loathing, regret, anger, and pain. It hit me so hard that all I could do was appear frozen with a hardened expression, and Grandmother could see right through it. "That is only the tip of the iceberg with you. There are rumors that you have a child with an unnamed woman."