Chapter 174: Staring
The moment the boy alighted from the car, Adam couldn’t help but watch him closely. There was something about the child that caught his attention right away. It wasn’t just the resemblance—though he could see hints of something familiar—but something harder to define. A certain way the boy held himself, guarded but steady, reminded Adam faintly of his own younger self when he had first been brought to Madam Collins by Lady Collins herself when his father had passed away.
Back then, he had hoped to find a mother, only to feel strangely unimpressed when reality didn’t match the stories he had imagined. He recognized a similar look flicker across the boy’s face—a kind of quiet expectation mixed with uncertainty.
Adam stayed where he was, careful not to make his presence obvious. His gaze swept over the boy, taking stock. There were no obvious signs of neglect. The child was dressed neatly, his clothes clean and fitting, his posture relaxed but alert. Whatever else had happened, it seemed Saira hadn’t left him to fend for himself.
That was something, at least. Now his next aim was to get the boy’s DNA without letting Saira know. Just then, the boy turned to look at him and he walked forward as Saira introduced them.
Crouching slightly so he was more at eye level with him, Adam extended his hand to the little boy who was staring at him suspuciously and smiled," Hi, Adir. Nice to meet you."
Adir blinked at him for a second, studying him with big, cautious eyes. Then, surprisingly, he mumbled, "Hi," back, shifting his weight awkwardly from foot to foot.
"We thought we could have some lunch together," Saira interjected quickly, smiling a little too brightly at both of them. "Get to know each other better."
Adir said nothing, only shrugged, and Adam, sensing the boy’s discomfort, straightened and gestured toward the door. "Let’s go, then. I’m starving."
As they moved towards the restuarant, Adam watched the boy sending cautious gazes his way and grinned. Somehow, the kid even reminded him of Melon. She was like this when they’d first met. Curious about his and suspicious of him at the same time. Thinking of her put him in a better mood, so he did what he liked to do with her.