Captive?

•Arius

Azalea and I walked back into the mansion.

"You're really not leaving right?" I asked her and she chuckled.

"No! I came back because I don't want to leave." She held my hand, "Besides…" I saw a light blush on her face, "It gets a bit lonely…"

I smiled and kissed her cheek before she could react, "Well, that's a relief." As we entered the mansion I took a deep breath and stopped right before the stairs.

"Is something wrong?" She immediately caught on.

"Yes. No! Not wrong! Unexpected…" She looked at me weirdly and raised her eyebrows at me, "I hired a nanny for Athena and well I like the nanny-"

"Excuse me!??"

"..." I looked at her confused when she suddenly yelled, then it hit me, "No!! The hell! I mean I like her as a nanny. She's a good caretaker!"

"Oh okay."

"..." I sighed, "Well she wasn't feeling well so she sent her daughter here instead and her daughter was the most unexpected person ever." I started ascending the stairs and Azalea followed.

"Most unexpected person?" She tilted her head in confusion, "Who?"

"You've seen her." I grinned mischievously.

"I have?" We reached the second floor from where a few steps away was the lounge but it was empty.

I stopped the maid who was passing by and told her to call Athena's nanny here while I went and sat down on the couch.

Azalea sat down by my side, "Who is it?"

"You will see."

"This is very strange. I didn't think you'd ever be this excited to show someone to me." She racked her brain, "Seems like you like this person." She looked at me suspiciously, "So you like the daughter hmmmm?" She just meant it as the joke to tease.

"Yes." My answer shocked her, "As soon as I laid my eyes on her my heart skipped a beat." I saw the color fade from her face but I refused to tell her the truth.

I wanted to tease her so I just smiled at her.

"You… Are you serious?" I nodded and she furrowed her brows, "How the fuck-!?!!" She jumped on me to attack me.

"Master I brought her." But was interrupted by the maid and we both looked at Liliana approaching the lounge with Athena asleep in her arms.

"No way…" Azalea stared at my sister in disbelief and then looked at me in confusion. Then she realized what I really meant and began to hit my chest and shoulders, "You little!!"

I just laughed in response and then hugged her to stop her, "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry."

The maid left quietly while Liliana stared at us awkwardly.

I was about to raise my hands to answer her when Azalea stopped me and raised her own hands to give her the answer.

'I'm Athena's mother.' She hand signed that even left me in an awe.

Liliana though, was delighted to learn that there was another person who could sign, 'You can sign too! You're awesome!'

'Thank you.' Azalea replied, 'I'm very happy such a lively person is Athena's nanny.'

Liliana blushed and grinned.

Azalea then gestured her to sit down next to her so they could talk.

I smiled.

I was glad that at least someone other than me knew this secret and I was even more happy because it was Azalea.

Because it was her. She knew what to do.

She turned to me and called me in to join their talk.

Finally I got to know a bit about my sister.

I had expected that she must have had a good life considering how Zara was and I saw that her friends were quite supportive and it made my heart ease when I confirmed that I was right.

She was very happy with her life.

Azalea glanced at me and I smiled at her.

"I'm glad you're here right now." I whispered, only loud enough for her to hear.

She grinned back at me.

But then Athena woke up and the first person she saw was her mother.

"Mama!" She started crying immediately and Azalea took her from Liliana.

"Hey!" She stood up and walked around in attempts to calm her, "What's wrong? Did you miss mama?" Athena clenched her shirt tightly and kept crying.

Of course she missed her.

"I'm here now huh! I won't leave now."

Come to think of it. Athena is like a bind. She can keep both me and Azalea captive without us ever knowing how strongly we are bound to her we our under her control.

Is that how kids are?

Liliana called me, 'Where was miss Azalea all this time?'

'We had a fight… So,' I sighed, 'But we're both okay now.'

Liliana grinned, 'That's a relief.'

I smiled , "Yes." I spoke and gestured together as I looked at Azalea and Athena who had finally calmed down. My smile went wider when Azalea kissed Athena's cheeks several times till the time Athena started giggling.

Then I suddenly felt like someone was constantly looking at me so I turned to look at Liliana. She was grinning while looking at me.

"What?" I asked.

'You really love her.' She signed.

"What…?"

'I can see it on your face, especially in your eyes.' Her eyes sparkled, 'It's obvious.'

'Is that so?' I signed and she nodded, "I see." I stood up and walked to Azalea and asked Athena if she wanted to come to me.

I even opened up my arms for her but she betrayed me after staring at me for a while and buried her face in Azalea's breasts.

"Hey!" I pinched her cheek softly, "What's this betrayal?"

Azalea laughed, "Obviously she loves her mother more."

"She's only like that because she's seen her after so long. Otherwise she always wants to be with me."

"Oh please! Now that I'm back she will always prefer me over you." She looked at Athena, "Right? You like mommy more right?"

"Athena! You like Daddy more don't you!"

Athena looked at Azalea then at me, then at her and at me and then pointed at Liliana.

The smiles on our faces faded as Liliana stood up with a confused expression. She pointed at herself but felt proud.

She walked to us and spread her arms for Athena and Athena immediately went to her.

"Does that mean we both lose?" I asked

"I guess it does…" Azalea answered, "Athena is such a player."

"Bigger than I ever was."

We all looked at each other and started laughing.

The moment was pure bliss. Like nothing else existed.

After a good laugh, I finally noticed that there was someone else in the place.

I turned my head around and saw Caesar and Nora standing there at the end of the hallway.

While Nora smiled looking at us, Caesar had a serious question.

When he noticed I had seen him he gave me a smile.

"Arius, I need to talk to you."