He first looked at Amara, and then at the kid beside her. A flicker of recognition entered his mind. He had met this kid just yesterday… and the boy had asked him to marry his mother. Now he was standing beside Amara. Rowan’s mind began creating its own theories.
Could it be… Could what he was thinking be true….? Could Amara be his mother…? He shook his head, trying to dismiss the idea. It wasn’t possible. Amara couldn’t be his mother… How old was she to be his mother.. barely twenty three..?!
Yet, as Rowan watched them walk to their seats, he couldn’t help but search for similarities between Amara and Vaughn. The more he looked, the more they seemed like mother and son. The way Amara was treating the young boy, the gentle affection, the subtle protective gestures.. everything pointed to a maternal bond. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. If Amara was Vaughn’s mother… then who was his father..?
Rowan’s mind raced, piecing together fragments of conversations and observations. Currently.. Alessandro was Amara’s fiance…
So.. Could Alessandro be Vaughn’s father..?
The thought made his blood run cold. Rowan’s eyes chilled with murderous rage as he imagined Alessandro being the father of Vaughn. His breathing hitched, and he felt an overwhelming urge to confront Alessandro.
His eyes followed Alessandro, who was kneeling beside Vaughn, adjusting something on his clothes. Seeing Alessandro’s tenderness toward Vaughn only fueled Rowan’s anger. The bloodlust surged within him, threatening to turn the wedding into a scene of chaos… A mayhem.. He knew he needed to get out of there before he lost control.
Rowan turned around abruptly and walked out of the ballroom, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. As he exited, he barely noticed the concerned glances from Harvey and Kyle. He needed to clear his head, to make sense of the situation before doing something he might regret.
Outside, the night air was cool and calming, but it did little to soothe the storm raging inside him. Rowan found a secluded spot in the garden, away from the noise and festivities. He leaned against a tree, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. The realization that Vaughn could be his son was overwhelming. The possibility that Alessandro was Vaughn’s father filled him with a violent rage he hadn’t felt in years.
He tried to recall every detail of his brief encounter with Vaughn. The boy had been charming, confident, and remarkably straightforward for his age. The boy had asked him to marry his mother. Rowan had assumed Vaughn’s father was out of the picture or perhaps deceased. But now, the pieces were starting to fit together in a way that made Rowan’s heart ache with silent fury..
Inside the ballroom, Kyle and Harvey had their own thoughts. Harvey had seen the kid beside Amara before, but Kyle was more focused on the potential trouble that could erupt at any moment. He had been watching Rowan’s reaction closely, and visibly relaxed when Rowan left the ballroom.
Kyle turned to Harvey. “Do you think what I’m thinking?”
Harvey looked at Kyle, puzzled. “What are you thinking?”
Kyle glanced toward Amara and Vaughn. “About the kid who’s beside Miss Amara. Thank God the boss left the ballroom, or who knows how many people he might have killed today. Or worse, he could have died at the hands of the Moretti family.”
Harvey sighed, trying to calm Kyle down. “You’re overthinking.”
Kyle pointed at himself incredulously. “Am I overthinking? Did you forget about your big brother? How he gets when he’s angry? Remember that one time when someone spilled wine on his clothes? He drowned the person in wine. And don’t forget when someone accidentally hit his car. He damaged that car until you couldn’t tell where the handle was or where the brake was. Then he burned the car afterward. And let’s not forget how he killed that underground boss for not showing up at a meeting.”
Kyle shivered when he mentioned the last part, clearly remembering the violent incident. Harvey looked at Amara and then back at Kyle, his expression serious. “I know,” he said softly, before turning and walking outside to find Rowan.
Vaughn turned to Alessandro, who had just finished adjusting his clothes. “Thanks,” he said softly, but his eyes were slightly cold. Vaughn didn’t like this uncle being with Mommy at all. His thoughts wandered to the uncle he had met yesterday in the garden. He had liked him instead. In his young mind, Mommy and that uncle would make a great couple.
As Alessandro smiled and ruffled Vaughn’s hair, the little boy subtly shifted away, his dislike evident in his body language. Alessandro, oblivious to Vaughn’s feelings, continued to fuss over his clothes, making sure everything was perfect for the event.
Amara noticed the tension between Vaughn and Alessandro. She felt a pang of guilt for putting her son in such an uncomfortable situation. Vaughn had always been sensitive to the people around him, and it was clear he wasn’t warming up to Alessandro.
“Are you excited for the party, Vaughn?” Alessandro asked, trying to engage him.
Vaughn nodded, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for someone. “Yes, Uncle Alessandro,” he replied politely, but his tone lacked enthusiasm.
Amara knelt down to Vaughn’s level, her eyes filled with concern. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”
Vaughn looked at his mother, his eyes softening. “Yes, Mommy. I’m okay,” he said, trying to reassure her.
Amara kissed his forehead. “If you need anything, you just let me know, okay?”
Vaughn nodded again, feeling a little better with his mother’s comforting presence. But his thoughts kept drifting back to the man he had met yesterday. There was something about that man that made him feel safe and happy, a feeling he didn’t get with Alessandro.
Outside, Harvey looked around and saw Rowan leaning against a tree, his eyes closed as if trying to find some semblance of peace amid the chaos in his mind. Harvey approached him, concern etched on his face.
“Brother, what are you doing here? The wedding is about to begin. We should go inside,” Harvey said, his voice gentle.