Chapter 58 - Car journey into the past (1/2)

Adrien had fallen asleep on her lap when they made their way home in Alexandre's Porsche.

After the bargained chocolate ice cream and another glass of Coke, the little guy had rolled himself up on Lily's lap and fell asleep happily.

It was just before 5 p.m., yet Lily, too, was gripped by this tiredness and nodded off. Only the quiet breathing of his little family could be heard in the car. It was a peaceful and pleasant silence that finally let Alexandre ease after all the stress since yesterday evening.

Alexandre held his gaze straight ahead, looking out at the road as he steered his car through the streets.

He really enjoyed the time he spent with Adrien and Lily. Although the two had entered his life less than a month ago, he felt very close to them. He liked the feeling of coming home in the evening to a house filled with laughter and warmth. A house where he was awaited and welcomed.

It felt at home.

Although he had never asked for it, the two had taken him into their small family and given him something he could not call by name.

He had only understood when he saw Lily lying on the floor so badly injured. Crying. Her smile had disappeared from her eyes. She seemed so fragile. Everything was so temporary. For the first time it hit him hard to understand how fragile everything was. His small family was built on a shaky foundation.

The horror had gone through with him at that moment. He was afraid to lose everything again...

How many years had it been since he felt so fragile?

Five?

He was only 23 years old that night after a call rang him out of his sleep. It had been a gray autumn morning, hardly a ray of light on the horizon of Paris broke through the heavy cloud cover.

”Do I speak to Alexandre de Valois?” A rough voice asked from the other end of the line.

”Yes!” Had he barked into the phone, tired from the long night in various clubs and a climaxing detour to the Moulin Rouge. He hardly could open his eyes while fishing for his watch.