7

Lindwens House

Avery was following after Apollo. With every step she was taking, she kept playing with her hands and looking down. 

Without looking she took another step and suddenly she hit her forehead against something that felt hard. Avery mumbled, 'Ouch!' and looked up, rubbing her forehead.

As she saw Apollo staring at her coldly, she smiled at him apologetically.

"Sorry." 

"There's nothing to be nervous about, what's wrong with you?" There came, his stern voice. 

"I am just... I can't help it."

"Do you need some time?"

Avery looked up at him, her nervous eyes meeting with his emotionless ones. She once thought about how would she handle it when she would be meeting with the person Apollo was taking her to meet with, but she quickly shoved the thoughts and decided she would be brave yet here she was, eating her words.

"No, I'm ok."

"Are you sure?"

Avery took a deep breath and nodded her head. As Apollo extended his arms towards her, she gave her hand to his and let out a breath of relaxation. 

In the living room, an old lady was sitting on the settee elegantly, reading a magazine. Two women who were standing behind her looked like her personal assistants.

Avery took a deep breath as she was walking forward. Her eyes curiously peeked at the woman who was sitting on the sofa. She looked quite young compared to her age, with little to no wrinkles on her face, she had fair and delicate skin. 

"Mrs Jessy." Apollo asserted and the old woman turned her head towards them. She glared at Avery as if reading her face. She looked at her head to toe for a while when Avery kept holding onto Apollo's arms but she kept her face calm by showing a beaming smile on her face.

"Take a seat." The old woman in a genuine tone asserted.

Apollo sat on the settee opposite of her and he let Avery sit next to him. 

'Is she his mother?'

"Mrs Jessy, this..."

The old woman interrupted Apollo as she added, "What Mrs Jessy? Brat. In front of your wife, are you going to call me like that?"

Avery's eyes went wide as the word grandmother hit her ears. 'Grandmother? She is his grandmother?'

Apollo let out a sigh then added, "...Granny, this is Avery. My wife. Avery, this is my granny."

Hearing him Avery quickly looked at him. Was he kidding?

"Hello, granny..."

She thought it was going to be someone else, not his granny. She never met her before nor had she hear about her.

The old woman was scrutinizing her. "You, come here."

Avery pulled out of her trance, looked at the old woman. She read every detail she needed to know about Apollo when they were in the car but as if all those information were getting messed up in her head now. Avery with nervousness sat next to the old woman who was named to be Jessy.

She held Avery's hand and glared at her. For some reason, Avery didn't feel Jessy was going to treat her badly though.

Avery sat still keeping her smile on her face. Jessy's serious face turned once towards his grandson then at Avery who looked shy and nervous at the same time.

After keeping her eyes fixed on Avery for a while Jessy asked them both, "How did you meet each other?"

"In high school." They both answered.

"Who fell first?"

"Him," Avery answered swiftly.

"Who proposed first?"

"Him."

Avery answered again in a hurry. For a moment Apollo's eyes dilated then he looked down. 

'Is she kidding me?' he gritted his teeth.

"I see... Apollo, you go upstairs, your grandpa is waiting for you in the study room." Jessy asserted while holding her hand. 

Apollo looked at Avery and then at his granny. "Ok."

'She is accepting her this soon? Or am I dreaming? This old woman never fails to amaze me.'

As he left, Avery kept her head down and her smile still on her face. Now it was her turn to handle everything and she was ready.

But like she thought, nothing happened. In swift as if the old woman changed. She held Avery's hand and said with a smile, "Your name is Avery right? Dear."

"Yes, granny."

"Good. Granny will call you Eve from now on, is that ok for you?"

"Of course, granny."

"Great, now tell me how did you two meet in school in detail." Jessy sounded excited. Avery with utter disbelief glared at her, "Pardon me?"

"I know my grandson, he is always having that poker face and he always likes to act cold. I want to know how he met you."

Avery couldn't help but smile. 

"He was here that's why I had to show that serious face who likes to be like that? You know with a poker face all the time."

Avery found Jessy cheerful just like her grandma. "Granny."

"Now tell me. I can't wait to hear it. Hehe."

**

It was evening. Avery with Apollo stayed at his grandma's place. Unlike the imagined, her grandma was different. She was so cheerful and a lovely person.

"Is this his room?" Avery asked the servant who came to send her to his room. Since they were going to spend the night here.

"Yes, Mrs Lincoln. This is Apollo sir's room." 

"Ok, thank you so much. You can go back now." 

Walking into the room Avery looked around. The room was neat and clean, everything was in its right place. She guessed though he didn't stay here, people cleaned his room every day.

She closed the door and walked towards the study table. Slowly she was seeing things, there were his school days photos, photos of him, the medals he got and many more. 

She giggled as she looked at a pic of him where he seemed to be looking so funny with a poker face and someone probably took his picture when he didn't notice.

"Didn't know this tyrant had this side too..." She smiled but her smile faded as her eyes went to a photo frame. Avery looked at the door, checking no one was coming she grabbed the photo frame.

"He seems close with this woman. Who is she?" In the photo, Apollo was standing behind a woman, he was smiling while keeping his chin on her shoulder and she seemed to be happy too. As if a couple.

In the school, Avery was not the only girl Apollo always talked to though but Avery never saw her before. Curiosity surrounded her heart, she wanted to know who was she.

She tapped on the photo frame and was looking at it when the doorknob turned. The door opened and Apollo walked in.

Avery glared at the photo frame and bit her lips. "Sorry, I was just..."

"Don't touch my things next time without my permission."

"Sorry."

In school, Apollo was the one Avery probably knew the best. She knew well that he never liked anyone touching his things without his permission. 

"Put it down." He ordered her in an icy tone.

Avery putting it down walked past him. The curiosity kept growing in her heart, she just couldn't neglect it.

She saw him holding the photo frame and looking at it. For once she saw his emotion in his eyes like she never saw it before.

Avery pushed herself ahead and asked gathering all the courage she possibly had, "Who is she?"

"..."

Seeing him staying silent she turned around. "Forget it..." And then his words halted her, "She is my fiancee."

'Fiancee..?'