Avery's Game Of Revenge
Chapter 67: Headstones

Chapter 67: Headstones

"Yeah, my distant cousin. Ethan DeLoach."

Neil’s eyes widened in astonishment and he subconsciously took a step forward.

"Ethan DeLoach?" he echoed beneath his breath. This explained why his boss sometimes treated this country like his territory. It was because he had a cousin who was one of the most powerful men there.

While Neil’s head was swimming in thoughts, Archie, on the other hand, took one last look at the headstones clustered together, his eyes lingering on each of the names scrawled with cursive writings for one second more than the previous, starting from the right to the left.

~Vanessa Alonso–Donovan

(Made it to 34 despite all the coffee I drank.)

~Alexander Donovan

(Made it to 36 without completely losing my mind)

~ Anthony Donovan

(Lived life to the fullest for 10 years. Barely made a dent.)

Even though all three of them had been buried in the best cemetery they could have found, considering the nature of their deaths and the time, their resting places were still located abroad. Now, he had earned the duty of traveling out of the country each year for their death anniversaries.

Was there anything more bothersome than that?

Jerking his gaze up to meet Neil’s somewhat concerned gaze, he asked, "I’ve got the address. You should be able to find the way, right?"

"Absolutely, if we leave as early as possible," Neil replied.

★★★

"How did you find this place, Donovan?"

Instead of giving a reply to the question which he knew very well was directed at him, Archie busied himself with looking around the house he barged into just a few minutes ago. His eyes picked the bright yellow curtains and the flowery designs of the throw pillows, before finally settling on the owner of the house standing just a few metres away from him.

"Been a while, DeLoach. Did you miss me?" he asked, his eyes glinting in amusement at the frown on his host’s face.

’His distant cousin,’ the thought brought a smile to his face.

Ethan DeLoach was not in any way related to Archie. He wasn’t his cousin by blood, by marriage, or by adoption. They became cousins as a result of simple declaration made by ignorant ten year old more than two decades ago. Their respective parents had been forced to go along with the two boys declarations. After all, what more could they wish for than for their sons, the first sons of the most powerful men in twin countries to form a bond at first sight?

The boys didn’t have the will and opportunity to meet themselves for many years after that, and now, one of them showed up at the other’s house unannounced.

"How did you find this place, Donovan?" Ethan asked again, a ghost of a smile starting to creep on his face.

When Archie saw that, he knew he had to cut his teasing short or this psycho fake cousin of his would help him do that. Definitely not with a nice method.

"You are no fun, DeLoach." He tsked, folding his arm across his chest to mirror Ethan’s actions. "But then, I have no choice but to let it be since this is your territory."

"Donovan, did you lose your comprehension of English language? I will ask you for the third time, how did you find this place?"

"I have my ways, DeLoach," Archie replied simply. "What? Do you still see me as an ignorant 10 year old who can’t even do that?"

"Maybe. But even with your power, it shouldn’t have been as easy as you make it out to be," Ethan mused out loud.

"DeLoach, quit deluding yourself," Archie chuckled. It was his first real laughter for the past two weeks since he arrived in the country. "You lost your privacy the day you married the reporter and gave her the chance to take off your mask. What else—"

A voice emerged from the second floor of the building, interrupting Ethan and hushing the two men instantly, "Ethan?"

Like programmed robots, they turned simultaneously to the stairwell where the voice seemed to be approaching from. The sound of light slippers slapping the tiled steps drew closer and closer until a face finally emerged.

Wavy brown hair a bit lighter than Avery’s, brown eyes and a bright gleam on her face; the face Archie had seen in the international news broadcast for the past few weeks rushed into the room.

Shikera Anderson; show anchor Elovien’s Spotlight.

He watched as the lady—as if she had no idea that a guest she had never seen was present in the room—rushed straight to the man, Ethan, who had been oozing an icy cold demeanor just a few seconds ago.

’Shocking,’ Archie raised his brow at Ethan’s quick transformation and the small smile that graced his lips. Without bothering to announce his presence, he simply watched the most surprising scene of the century unfold before him.

"Got a quick appointment with Mig and Rian. The girls are asleep, can you—"

"I’ll take care of them," Ethan interrupted her mid-sentence, his eyes gleaming in adoration.

"Great! I will be on my way then. Love you, Honey," she tiptoed to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"Love you more, Princess," he returned the light kiss.

Just when Archie thought he would cringe to death if they didn’t stop soon, the couple separated but didn’t let go of each other’s hands yet.

"I’ll pick Esther up from school on my way back. Anything you want me to get for you?"

"As if. I just need you back as soon as possible," Ethan stated.

Archie stared at them unblinkingly until she walked out the door. Only then did he step forward, his teasing mode reactivated.

"What did I just watch, DeLoach?"

"Why are you here, Donovan?"

★

Want to know more about Ethan DeLoach and Shikera? Check out ’The Faceless Billionaire Celebrity Wife’ which is also available exclusively here on NovelFire.

Very sure you’d like it!

See you over there!