Unexpected bond

chapter five

(Alice Pov)

Over the six years I had lived with the Livingstons, I came to understand just how much Aunt Rose and Uncle Shedrak loved their son—and how much he loved them in return. He would do anything for them.

‎Whenever I watched them talk during meals, laughing softly and enjoying one another’s company, a dull ache would settle in my chest. Their happiness reminded me of my parents, of everything I had lost. Yet, despite that ache, the Livingston family never left me out. They made sure I was included in everything they did, treating me as an equal.

‎And I appreciated it—most of the time.

‎Moments like those brought back painful memories, but they also made me feel wanted. They made me feel like I truly belonged, just as they wanted me to—even if I couldn’t fully accept it myself.

‎Uncle and Aunt Rose had once suggested legally adopting me and changing my last name. But my name was one of the few things I had left that still connected me to my parents.

‎So I stayed Alice Johnson.

‎Even though I refused to become Alice Livingston, they never treated me differently. They never made me feel out of place.

‎And for that, I was endlessly grateful.

‎“Eat your food, will you?”

‎The sound of Amanda’s irritated voice snapped me back to reality. Even though she looked annoyed, I could still see the concern in her eyes. She always got like this whenever I drifted too far into my thoughts—it worried her. Being an only daughter, she treated me like the sister she never had. And I felt the same way about her.

‎I lowered my gaze to my plate and realized our orders had arrived some time ago. Amanda was already halfway through her meal. She loved food—probably more than anything else. Unlike me, who often struggled to eat. Sometimes I skipped meals entirely, which was exactly why Amanda always dragged me along to eat with her. And whenever I wasn’t at home, Aunt Rose never failed to call or text, reminding me to eat.

‎We finished our meal in a comfortable silence, only occasionally exchanging a few words about school. Afterward, we stood up, cleared the bill, and made our way back to class—we still had one more lecture before the day ended.

‎Since Amanda and I were studying the same course—Business Administration—it was easy for us to stick together. I had chosen the course because I wanted to manage my parents’ business someday, to keep what they built alive without struggling.

‎As for Amanda, being an only child meant she had to inherit her family's company so we decided to walk the same paths.

Even though the dinner with my adoptive brother was still in my mind I decided to just push it aside for the meantime and focus on what's important right now;my studies.i don't care what shareholders say about me ,I believe in myself and I'm sure I can manage my family business -now my business

(Alexander POV)

I had just settled into my office after a long meeting with some of the directors when my phone rang. I barely glanced at it—until I saw the caller ID.

Mom.

Without realizing it, my tense expression softened.

“Hello, son,” her voice came through the line, calm and familiar, the kind of voice that always seemed to ground me no matter how chaotic my day had been.

“Hi, Mom,” I replied, leaning back in my chair.

Since Dad stepped down a few years ago, the company had become my responsibility—my world, really. Days blurred into nights, meetings into deadlines. Yet no matter how busy I became, Mom never failed to call. She had always been that way, especially after I moved out. She checked in, worried quietly, and somehow always found gentle ways to remind me that I still had a home beyond glass offices and boardrooms.

At first, I assumed it was just another one of her routine calls. I was wrong.

“It’s been a while since you’ve come home,” she said softly after we exchanged pleasantries. There was no accusation in her tone—just longing. “Why don’t you come have dinner with us tonight?”

Her words made something tighten in my chest.

Typical Mom. Never demanding, never forceful—just hopeful.

I stared at the neatly arranged files on my desk, suddenly aware of how empty the office felt. I realized then that I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d sat at the dining table with them, laughed, or listened to Dad talk about the little things that once annoyed me.

I had been too busy building a life to actually live in it.

“I will, Mom,” I said after a brief pause. “I’ll come home once I’m done with work.”

The relief in her voice was immediate, unmistakable.

“I’ll tell your father,” she said warmly. “We’ll be waiting.”

After the call ended, I held my phone for a moment longer than necessary, a small smile tugging at my lips. No matter how far I went or how high I climbed, to her, I was still just her son—and maybe, tonight, that was exactly what I needed to be.

>>>>>>>>>

I parked my Aston Martin at the entrance and stepped out of the car. The air carried the faint scent of fresh flowers and expensive cologne drifting from the open windows. The silence of the estate wasn’t empty—it was refined, controlled, rich.

As i walked forward, my polished shoes clicked against the marble floor, echoing softly beneath the towering archway. The double doors were crafted from dark mahogany, detailed with gold inlays and intricate carvings—art, not just wood.

Everything about the place spoke of wealth, legacy, and power.

Yet beneath all the luxury, it was still home.

I reached the doors and stepped inside, the warmth and grandeur swallowing me whole.

this used to be my home for so many years but ever since we got An additional person there seems to be something pushing me away yet pulling in against my will at the same time and I just feel like it's not going to stop there.

‎