Is this destiny?

Ade and Hande are walking through the hallway…

"Are you sure it's the sunroom?", Hande asked Ade.

Ade nodded confidently. "It says: 'the room where the sun goes deep'. It must be the sunroom."

"It also says: 'under the seat on top of which people can sleep'.", Hande added.

Ade bobbed his head. "Let's think about the second part when we reach there…"

Ade and Hande paused at the door when they saw Arthur standing with his arms behind his back and facing the garden, Gabriella seated on the sofa chair looking at her phone and Darlene on the long sofa staring at her almost-finished iced tea.

Ade and Hande exchanged knowing glances. 'The seat on top of which people can sleep' must be the sofa! And it says 'under' so it's probably at the bottom…

"Excuse us.", Ade announced their presence. "We are here to collect our next clue and will be out before you know it."

"Of course…", Arthur responded while shooting a warning side-glance to his daughter to be polite. He saw that Darlene frowned when her eyes landed on two kids.

Ade walked toward the sofa, and Hande followed after him reluctantly.

Hande saw that Darlene is looking at them scornfully and it scared her a bit. It's not that Ade didn't see how Darlene sees them as unworthy to breathe the same air as her, but he ignored her. In his opinion, Darlene is not important, and as long as she does not attack them in some way, everything will be fine. 

Ade got on the floor and peeked under the sofa.

"What are you doing!?", Darlene exclaimed while standing up abruptly.

Ade didn't respond to Darlene's question. Why is she making a fuss? He is on the other side of the sofa, it's not like he is peeking under her dress or something.

Ade looked at Hande and grinned victoriously. "It's here!"

"Can you get it?"

"No problem…", Ade shifted his body a bit further in and reached with tips of his fingers the yellow envelope which was attached to the bottom of the sofa.

He got up and patted non-existent dust from his cargo shorts. He thought of just leaving, but the way Darlene glared at him and Hande, rubbed Ade the wrong way. Why did she scream at him?

"No need to be snappy. I said that we are here to collect our next clue, and now that we got it, we are leaving."

"How dare you talk to me like that!", Darlene screamed at Ade, making Hande flinch.

Ade stood next to Hande and put his arm around her shoulders, silently telling her not to be afraid of Darlene.

How can Ade allow this snobby woman to act like that? He is the general in the Army of Chaos!

"Miss…", Ade spoke in an official tone (as official as eleven years old boy can get). "I only said the truth. There is no need to yell. You are scaring my partner. That is not how you should act in someone else's house."

Hande glanced at Ade and her heart thumped uncontrollably. Ade called her his partner! And he is holding onto her shoulder while standing up to this woman who wants to bully them. Oh, gosh! She thought that Ade is cool, but she didn't know that he is this... heroic.

Darlene's face contorted from anger. Her father dragged her to this house where she was mistreated yesterday, and she is waiting for what seems like forever in this room surrounded by glass where no amount of air-conditioning can offset the heat from the sun which is invading the space. She is sweating! And now these kids showed up. How can she not vent her anger?

Darlene sneered at Ade. "You got out of diapers last week, and you think that you are qualified to lecture me?"

Ade was unphased. But he felt that Hande tensed, so he tightened his grip on her shoulder with the hope that it will give Hande a sense of security.

"Miss, age has nothing to do with manners. The fact that you are three times my age, and don't know how to act like a lady should be your shame. If I am your father, I would give you a good whooping every day until you learn that not everyone can be offended."

"Darlene, calm down!", Arthur said angrily while holding onto her arm. He wanted to intervene earlier, but he was too surprised by how Darlene snapped and how calm Ade is. He looks like a kid, but he speaks with the wisdom and calmness of an elder. And he reminded them that not everyone should be offended!

Darlene turned to her father. "Why are you telling ME to calm down? We are sitting here like fools while these kids are playing games and the people YOU want to see are ignoring us on purpose." She pointed her index finger at Ade angrily. "And you! How dare you come close to me?"

Ade moved to stand in front of Hande, to protect her from this crazy woman (aka Darlene). Part of him hoped that she will try to hit him, then he will have an excuse to break her arm. And a leg.

Hande was not sure what Ade is up to, but she grabbed his hand to hold him back, silently telling him that he does not need to do this. She can take the yelling and hitting. Hande had plenty of those before coming here, and she could not bear if he gets hurt because he is protecting her.

"Why are you shouting at our children?", Sarah's icy voice came from the door, getting everyone's attention.

Sarah and Aiden are standing at the door side-by-side, and their stern expressions are showing that they are not pleased with the current situation.

Sarah is wearing a knee-length flowy summer dress and Aiden is in pants and shirt; their outfits are white and shimmer in a faint silver glow along the edges (the latest EY creation, just for the two of them), and they look like royalty.

Thanks to the Eve-lens, Sarah and Aiden know everything that happened since Ade and Hande entered this room.

"Mr. White, Mrs. White…", Arthur called while hoping that Darlene will keep her mouth shut. He recognized Aiden and based on the way Aiden's hand rests on Sarah's waist, Arthur assumed that Sara is Mrs. White.

He wanted to say something else, but he swallowed his words when he saw that Sarah walked straight to Ade and Hande.

"Are you OK?", Sarah asked while touching Hande's chin, making the latter lift her head. She didn't want to point out the fact that two kids are holding hands. 'How sweet', Sarah thought.

Ade nodded confidently and then turned to Hande who blinked in response.

Sarah smiled. "Did you get your clue?"

Ade confirmed by showing Sarah the envelope.

"Great. Go and have fun, we will take care of things here…"

Ade glanced at Darlene. "She was rude."

Darlene narrowed her eyes to retort, but her father squeezed her wrist, preventing her from talking.

Sarah ignored Darlene, she knows that if Darlene tries anything funny behind Sarah's back, Aiden will snap her in two without hesitation. Sarah's attention was on Ade and Hande. "Did we ever let you suffer a loss?"

Ade smirked and gave a knowing look to Hande.

"If Hande is uncomfortable, you can grab some chocolate cake from the fridge.", Sarah advised and winked playfully.

Ade grinned and tugged Hande's hand, indicating that they should get going. "Let's eat cake while deciphering the next clue. I have a feeling that this is the last one before we get our prize..."

Hande blinked and walked after Ade. It's not that she has nothing to say because her mind is buzzing with a million thoughts. But she is unable to form a word! All this is overwhelming: the snobby woman, and Ade protecting her, and there will be cake… but the most impactful is that they are holding hands. Oh, gosh!

When Ade and Hande left the room, Sarah returned by Aiden's side.

"You must be Mr. and Mrs. Payne…", Aiden spoke when his hand returned on Sarah's waist, where it belongs. "I am Aiden White, and this is my wife, Sarah."

Arthur wanted to introduce himself, but Aiden was talking again: "Let's move to the living room. The air is fresher there…"

Arthur swallowed his words and gestured to his wife and daughter to move.

Darlene sneered at her father. How can he be so submissive toward a guy who is young enough to be his son? And why is her mother almost non-responsive? How frustrating…

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