Maxwell was indignant, but only for a few seconds. His father-in-law and Jenna must have watched the whole thing from their bedroom and been inspired. He smiled at the thought. She wouldn't try to hide what she was doing with Camille from him, since he approved. It was the least she could do after he had recreated his personal green house.
He entered the living room, and the triplets were standing talking and staring at the television screen. The other members of the family were sitting down, but they were also watching and talking to Anna. He stood behind the children and saw Anna, who was already looking happy, change her countenance to one full of tenderness and longing.
They talked for about an hour and a half. The children told them everything, and Ian wanted to know if their presents were well kept and warned them not to touch them, as he would be back soon. Maxwell had to be careful not to let the children know that they were in the United States. Adam must have been following the conversation closely. She seemed very well cared for and unconcerned. But Maxwell knew her too well not to notice that there was a joy in her eyes, as if she had realized a dream.
At the end of the call, she made a point of greeting everyone one by one, and warning her father that he should go and see Ian, as he missed him terribly. And with the promise that he would visit that very day, she hung up.
At the same moment, Tayme ran out of the room and her brothers followed. Maxwell decided that he would stay with them, whether Tayme liked it or not. And in his mind, he was afraid to imagine what Anna had done, to be so enveloped in an unusual aura of joy, for a mother who was far from her children.
He followed the voices of his children and was distressed when he realized that they had left the mansion. He hurried his steps. That pool would have to be removed if he was to get his peace of mind back. He didn't know if his children could drown, and he didn't want to risk it.
Again that day, he breathed a sigh of relief. They were playing in the mansion's garden park, and their nannies were looking after them. When he arrived, Tayme tried to leave, but he took her by the arm and led her to where the children couldn't hear them.
"Tayme. Stop that! I'm not your enemy, and I'm not going to do you any harm! I'm your father, and I'm going to protect you and spend time with the three of you, even if you can't stand me!"
"I don't need your protection. Grandpa can take care of me."
"Don't be stubborn. Make up with me. I promise I'll never hurt you again."
"I saw you getting into the car with... her."
"I was taking her away. You didn't want her to stay here, did you?"
"Will you ever see her again?"
"That will depend on your mother." Maxwell pressed his lips together and decided to talk to her more seriously. "There are things I can't tell you right now. They're not for children's ears. But there is a reason for everything I did to Camille. And I promise that when you turn eighteen, I'll tell you everything."
"Is it worse than what I saw?"
"In a way, it is."
"Then I agree to make up and wait until then. " She said and held out her small hand to seal the deal, but when Maxwell squeezed it, and then wanted to take it away, she held him back and looked steadily into his eyes. "Don't think I'll forget your promise. And if you betray me and don't tell me, you'll never see me again." She said and let him go, returning to play with her brothers.
Maxwell stayed with them until lunchtime and then took them to a shopping mall where there were electronic toys. Tayme loved the motorcycle and spent a small fortune on it, while the boys got cars and had fun with other toys.
...
Anna woke up at dawn, and everything that had happened between her and Adam came back to her. But if that memory was supposed to make her feel guilty, she was wasting her time. She had loved that night of sex. She loved every second she spent with Adam and couldn't regret being happy. She could still feel his touch. It was the best feeling in the world. She didn't love him any more than she loved Max, but it was certain that she still loved him. And it was certain that Maxwell might have been right when he told her that she had fallen in love with him at first because of his uncanny resemblance to her brother. It was only after some time that she came to love him precisely for his differences. Adam couldn't have her back, because she couldn't live without Max, but she wouldn't mind if she never saw Adam again. The intensified desire she felt that night was the same size as the pleasure she experienced having sex with him. She didn't know what had happened. Perhaps it was the effect of the drink. However, she was glad he wasn't there when she woke up. And she hoped he wouldn't think that she had opened a door for it to happen again, or that they would be together. She only had one mission there, and she would leave as soon as she had accomplished it and was sure that her family was no longer at risk. She wouldn't stay a day longer than that. And she didn't want Adam to feel used or deceived. She wanted him to remember her fondly. She wanted there to be the possibility of them being friends, even when she left and crushed his hopes that they would form a happy family that night. She owed Adam a month with his son, and would also allow him, if Ian wanted, to spend the vacations with his biological father.
Decisions made, she got up. She had a busy day ahead of her. Sarah had an appointment with death. And she would make sure it was soon. She knew it would be a few days before she told her everything she knew about her mother.