Chapter 186: Powerhouses
The next morning, April woke up late.The morning sun was already high past the horizon, casting long, warm beams across her bedroom floor.
Normally, she would have been up at the crack of dawn, ready for her daily lessons, but her body had demanded every minute of rest to recover from the previous night’s mental strain. Not to mention she had slept after four am that morning. She definitely deserved to sleep in and no one disturbed her.
When April stepped down the grand staircase, Rufus and Lily were practically attached to her ankles.
The divine dog padded beside her with heavy, protective steps, while the snow-white kitten trotted right at her heels, purring softly. April didn’t have any plans on taking them into the city, but both mythical beasts seemed stubbornly determined to guard her until the very last second, sensing the kind of mood she was in.
"Good morning, Miss April," a head maid said softly, stepping forward near the foyer doors with a gentle bow. "We will take over from here and look after them."
April paused, kneeling for a brief second to pat Rufus behind his ears before handing Lily over to the maid. "Keep them fed," April murmured softly, standing back up and smoothing down her dress. "I’ll be back later."
As she pushed through the front doors onto the grand courtyard steps, she was greeted by an unusually packed atmosphere.
Alexander stood upright, adjusting his dark jacket as he checked his watch. Today was supposed to be his scheduled driving and further evasive maneuver lesson with April.
He was completely in the dark about the previous night’s events—he had no idea about the Gabriel family incident, or the sudden appearance of a biological twin.
Instead, the main thing occupying his thoughts all morning was that lingering forehead kiss he had given her after their last session. He had been quietly worrying about it for hours. What if she thinks it was awkward? What if she acts distant today? What if I overstepped?
He hadn’t thought that far back then but now he was being paranoid.
Then, his thoughts were abruptly cut short when he turned around and saw Xavier standing near the villa entrance, dressed in a sharp suit, surrounded by several high-tier security details.
Alexander blinked, genuinely confused. Normally, Xavier wasn’t around during the days of April’s driving sessions—it was only Alexander and April, with Nat occasionally popping in to make a mess. Xavier managed his own business and inspected his fortress building on days like this. Yet here Xavier was, completely dressed for an urgent outing, looking like he hadn’t slept a wink and was waiting for a showdown.
Even worse, Nat Collins was already standing right beside the lead SUV. He looked especially imposing today, his dark shades pulled down slightly over a pair of razor-sharp, lethal golden eyes, his tall frame radiating the unyielding authority of the underbelly ruler.
Alexander blinked, genuinely confused as he looked between Xavier, Nat, and the heavy security detail lining the driveway.
"Did I miss an episode?" Alexander muttered under his breath, walking over toward the steps. "Did something change with the schedule?"
"Good morning, Mr. Greels," Samuel stepped forward, adjusting his thin-rimmed glasses with a polite, disciplined nod. "There was a private matter that arose late last night requiring Miss April’s immediate attention. Today’s driving lesson will need to be canceled."
Alexander’s brows furrowed slightly. "An issue? Is she alright?"
"Miss April is well," Samuel replied smoothly, keeping the details light and brief due to the time constraints.
April walked down the steps, her posture rigid, her face returning to its quiet, unshakeable mask. Seeing Alexander, she walked towards him.
"It seems our lesson for today cannot hold, Alexander," April flatly stated, stopping before him.
Alexander looked at her, searching her face for any sign of distress. "Ah, Samuel just informed me that we have to cancel. But... are you sure you’re fine?"
April gave him a simple, quiet nod. "I am fine. We have a matter to handle."
She didn’t say more and walked towards Nat and Xavier, and Alexander merely watched. He saw the slightly tired look in her eyes as well as the way her shoulders slightly slumped and he knew it was not normal. He could not even begin to imagine what this issue was.
"Samuel, what is going on? Where are we headed?" He asked.
"We are currently heading out to Mr. Reed’s private medical facility. An unexpected personal situation regarding her family has developed." Samuel answered, tilting his glasses up.
"Family?" Alexander repeated, his jaw dropping in sheer disbelief as he climbed into the passenger seat of the trailing escort vehicle beside Samuel. "Since when does April have a family? No offense, but I don’t think she’s ever mentioned having anyone!"
Samuel started the engine, pulling the sedan out of the estate gates right behind Xavier’s armored convoy. "It is a recent discovery," Samuel explained quietly, his dark eyes fixed on the road. "A twin sister, to be exact."
"A twin sister?!" Alexander nearly choked on his own breath, turning his head to stare at Samuel in complete shock. "How is that even possible?! A twin?!"
"It is quite a complex situation, Mr. Greels," Samuel noted, his tone disciplined yet heavy. "One that has caused Miss April a great deal of distress. We are heading to the facility to oversee her care now."
Alexander rested his back against the leather chair, his finger digging into the device of his pants. A twin sister suddenly discovered? Ah, it was enough to make anyone distressed, including a legendary seer.
The vehicles arrived at the private facility within twenty minutes, pulling up to the polished glass entrance of the secluded medical building.
As April stepped out of the rear passenger seat alongside Xavier, Nat, and Alexander, she noticed a tall, solitary figure standing right by the main glass doors.
The man wore a pristine white lab coat over a dark black turtleneck, with thin silver-framed glasses resting on his sharp nose. He held a tablet under his arm, his posture completely indifferent to the luxury cars and heavy security surrounding him.
Xavier stopped dead in his tracks, his dark eyes narrowing in immediate recognition.
Samuel blinked, his disciplined composure faltering for a fraction of a second. "What is Oliver Baxter doing here?"
April looked at the man, then at Samuel. "Oliver Baxter? That name sounds familiar..."