Chapter 104
EMILY-
“Where is Apollo?” Jada asks, her voice quivering with concern. I can see the flicker of panic on her face at the thought of him abandoning her on this important day, especially with all the guests now settled into their hotels, eagerly looking forward to the lavish engagement celebration that everyone would no doubt be gossiping about for months.
I’m confident my son will be here on time. Once Apollo promises something to about the engagement falling apart were baseless especially since he had been
me,
he
great lengths to keep that promise. The worries I had essfully swerving his step–sister’s attempts to get to him.
Cande healized that my son was returning to
- me. Those fa
without hesitation.
traite
of his
emerging once again–traits I longed to embrace
“Don’t worry, dear,” I reassure her, trying to ease her rising anxiety. “Apollo will show up in plenty of time for the engagement ceremony. This late–night
adventure is just part of who he is, and you’ll learn to adapt to it. He often es back by sunrise. Trust me, he’ll be here soon.”
Even with my comforting words, doubt still clouded her bright eyes as she crossed her arms defiantly. “Are you sure Lana didn’t do anything last night to change his mind about marrying me again? You saw the way he dropped that glass the second Isabella mentioned that she had a date for the engagement party.”
A small smile crept onto my lips as I recalled a certain detail that had allowed
me to
sleep soundly last night, despite Apollo leaving without a word.
After he left last night, I went in search of Lana, to make sure my fears about her leaving with him were ridiculous.
To my surprise, I found her emerging from the bathroom, her eyes shimmering with tears, heartbreak all over her face. Seeing her so depressed reassured me about my son’s commitment to honoring my wishes this time around.
Lana had been naive to think that her fleeting romance with Apollo was something more than just a passing phase of his life. He was never one to settle down; it was clear as day especially since she was around to see his ways. I knew he saw her as a temporary cloud in his life a momentary distraction. Sadly, she needed to feel the sting of heartbreak to finally grasp the reality: she was practically a small dot in the bigger picture of my son’s life.
“You really don’t need to worry about Lana anymore,” inform her, my voice steady. “In fact, Lana is the least of our concerns right now. Apollo has completely moved on from her. I saw her in tears last night; the way her shoulders shook told me he must have let her down pretty hard. Besides, I am responsible for all guests invited to your engagement. I will not allow some random stranger who’s suddenly dating Lana to enter to ballroom.”
Apollo’s step–sisters were foolish to think that they actually had the option of bringing a plus one.
Jada’s eyes widens in surprise, a look of disbelief washing over her. “I can’t believe he actually went through with it,” she responds, her brow furrowing.
I let out a contented sigh, a smile forming onto my face. “Just like I mentioned to you and your mother in the past, my son has always been attentive to my words. That girl never held a significant place in his life; she was just a momentary distraction. He only craved a taste of rebellion and freedom. Trust me, when you eventually have your own son, you’ll see that they all go through that phase sooner or later.”
Jada seems to relax a bit at my words, her shoulders dropping in relief. “I should have trusted that you know your son better than anyone else,” she admits, her tone shifting to one of humility.
Indeed, she should have faith in my words. After all, I had spent countless hours taking care of him, nurturing his ambitions, and witnessing the anth of his character. No one should dare question my intimate knowledge of my own child, I knew him like no other person ever would.
“When will Apollo’s siblings be arriving?” she asks.
I took a moment to reflect before replying. My other children, each busy with carving their own paths in life, would be coming just before the engagement ceremony. They had a lot of responsibilities abroad and barely had any time for me. Apollo was the exception, the only one who consistently made the effort to visit me despite the demands of his own life. I sighed softly at the thought of Toya, my youngest, who still lived with me. I cherished our time together but dreaded the day she would also spread her wings and leave, like her siblings had done.
“You’ll likely see them during the ceremony since you’ll be busy getting dressed when they arrive,” I inform her
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Chapter 104
She smiles, “I’m excited to meet them for the first time.”
I laugh and touch her cheek lightly, “They’re a little different from sweet Apollo.”
She frowns, “Different in what way?”
“Well,” I say, pausing to consider her question, “Caleb is a bit more of a rebel than Apollo. Theo can also be quite serious at times”
“Oh,” she replies. “I expected them to be more like their older brother.”
I smile, “Well, they haven’t been around him much. Apollo thought it best for them to begin living their independent lives early on. He did everything he could to get them into the best academies and they all look up to him.”
Jada’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she exclaimed, “I am
truly excited to meet them all.”
This was precisely why I cherished Jada so much. She had an extraordinary ability to bring genuine enthusiasm to every situation, making even the simplest gatherings into something special.
With a warm smile, I whisper with excitement, “I can hardly wait to introduce you as my daughter–in–law to our entire family.”
The thought of Jada greeting my relatives filled me with joy, knowing they would instantly adore her just as I did.
Above all, I was eager for the moment when Apollo would finally step out of this house, freeing us both from the strain inflicted by Lana’s presence. Not only hers but that of her entire family.
I never truly supported him staying here; it felt wrong to me. Soon, I imagined how wonderful it would be to have my son by my side, just like it was always meant to be–united, and ready to face the world together again.
Oh, how perfect my life was about to be.
I couldn’t wait.
G
