The Royal Contract

He had given Serena enough time and space to breathe and rethink their relationship. Of course, he hoped after that, she would see and realize the truth.

And what truth was he talking about?

Simple.

That life and relationships were complicated entities with no black-and-white explanation. Sometimes, trust was the only way for people to survive in this chaotic world.

No matter how much they tried to avoid keeping secrets or hurting the people they loved. Somehow, they always unintentionally ended up doing precisely that.

With their chosen professions where lies were predominant, it was easy to get lost. It was far easier to believe the untruths.

But now, he wanted her to see that for their relationship to push forward. They had to learn to trust each other. There should be no more doubts.

"Who is he?" Ken’s questioning tone made him look up from the papers on his desk.

Since yesterday, he had offered Ken and his buddy a job. They had reached a compromise where Ken would return to school and work for him afterward.

Then, his buddy would act as his errand guy. At least in that way, he had taken the boy off the street and away from trouble.

"What are you talking about?" Adam had no idea of what the little kid had been mumbling about.

He had been busy with work as new cases seemed to keep piling up. He wondered if David was happy with his performance, believing he could handle all these clients.

Or, his Managing Partner thought that was a reasonable punishment for his misdeed because he still did not believe his explanation.

But whatever it was, he was a professional. He would handle all his clients with everything he got, regardless of how they landed on his lap.

"You have not seen this." The boy pushed his new phone to his desk, showing him something playing on the screen.

Yes, part of Ken’s initial benefits was getting a new functional phone that he could use for school and his personal needs.

But let us face the reality. Kids mostly use their gadgets for recreational benefits, like games and social apps.

"What is this?" It took him a few seconds before his eyes could focus on the small screen.

Then, he finally read the small caption and details of the post. But he guessed he had seen it before, realizing it was a copy of what he watched earlier.

It was a story that was going viral on the internet. And with a famous star on the center stage, the news was selling like hotcakes.

Whether it was true or not, it made a compelling story that piqued the interest of the public eyes. Now, it was the news that was buzzing around the world.

"Serena," Ken said as if that should be enough answer for him to understand.

"Oh, that!" He nodded, confirming that he knew. "So, what about Serena?" He asked the boy, seeing the puzzled look on his face.

He pushed the phone back in his direction, not needing to watch the video clip again. He did not see the point. Besides, he did not believe it anyway.

"I thought you were marrying her." The boy uttered in bewilderment. "Then, why is she hugging that man?" He finally asked the question that must be plaguing his young mind.

From another point of view, the scene did not seem ideal. Under another time and circumstance, Adam would also think the same way.

"Because of several possible reasons." One thing he had learned in his line of work. Not everything was what it always seemed.

One action could have happened because of some series of events.

But until he had dug to the bottom of the story, left no stones unturned, then that was the only time he would know the truth.

"What are you saying?" The boy looked more confused than before as he pushed his phone back into his pocket.

But he was not leaving until he got his answers as he sat on the empty chair before his desk, appearing ready to listen for more.

"As I said, I love Serena, and I will marry her." That was his definitive answer. "But she is going through a rough situation. And I am giving her space."

Again, he had learned that constantly pushing on a wound would not stop it from bleeding. But if he gave it enough time for the blood to clot, it would slowly close and hopefully not even leave a scar.

"What about that guy?" Ken asked. "Aren’t you worried or jealous?" He seemed more concerned than nosy.

"Why should I be," Adam answered the kid. "If she loves me, then I doubt that man meant anything to her. If I want us to be together, I should trust her."

He believed it was the only way. He could not believe every story he saw in the news. He had to stop judging her without getting any facts. He could not sentence her without proving her guilt.

That was not how their relationship would work.

"But aren’t you afraid to get hurt?" The boy’s eyes darkened as if he was in deep thought. Suddenly, he wondered if they were still talking about him or something else.

Nevertheless, he thought he could use this to his advantage. He could finally connect to the boy through their different experiences.

"Of course I am. I am not a robot. I also have feelings. But pain is part of life. It is one way of knowing if we are still alive." He would like to look at it subjectively. Experience new stories on NovelBin.Côm

"After all, only the dead could not feel pain." He added to emphasize his point. "But how you handle it is the true measure of one’s character."

"Some people avoid pain like a plague, thinking it would destroy them. Others use pain to make them stronger." He said as a matter of explanation.

"But overall, pain is just one feeling. Why should I let it rule the rest of my life when I can tap into my other emotions? I can choose to be happy instead. I can decide to let go of the pain."

Did it sound that easy? To him, it was.

Since meeting Serena and loving her, his life seemed to change. He thought his search for meaning had more to do with his profession, but he learned it was just a tiny part of who he was.

The portion of his life missing was the other half of his heart. He thought helping others would fill the void that made his life seem empty.

But now, he realized that having someone to share his life with was what he truly needed and wanted. Serena was the missing piece that would complete him.

"That included all the doubts, the jealousy, mistrust, and all the negative things that would not help my relationship with Serena." He continued as if that should explain his action.

He could only wonder if Ken listened to him with an open mind. But so far, he had stayed quiet as if processing his words.

"I have to trust her because I love her." That was his conclusion.

Adam guessed he also wanted the boy to trust him and Serena, not without doubts, but at least enough to put his faith in them.

He could never guarantee that the boy would have a great future with Serena or him. But he promised he would try his best to be there for him.

But first, the boy had to let them in.

Anyway, at least Ken was here now, back at school and hopefully away from the streets for good. Still, he would prefer if the boy would have a stable family that he could call his own.

A family that he could come home to.

"So, you think that nothing is happening with Serena and that man," Ken asked again, but he seemed more relaxed now, unlike earlier.

"I trust that Serena would not do something to hurt me like I will not do anything intentionally to cause her pain." That was the truth.

He only hoped that Serena would see it that way. He wished she could get through the incident and believed nothing was between him and Roseann.

"I think I get it." The boy said while he looked down on his hands. "It is just..." He paused as if thinking of something. "... It is hard to trust people when they constantly disappoint you."

He could understand where Ken was coming from. He had been there. And it took him years to get out of that rut.

But eventually, through the help of a friend, he had found his way out of that place. And now, through Serena, he had found new hope for a much better future.

A future that he never even dreamt of possible.

She had shown him that despite the darkness, there was hope. And through her beautiful soul, he saw the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

He only hoped he could also be her light in her darkest days.

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