His Devious Rule

Alvin hasn\'t reached out to Anya purposefully. A part of him was curious about what was next? She was no more an officer of the crime he was involved in. Since she slowly started to accept him, will she voluntarily stay with him?

She had resigned from her job, he didn\'t want to meet her and hear her say she will move out as the danger named Harper was gotten rid of.

Speaking of Harper, he was very proud of Anya who meticulously handled Harper\'s escape plan and snatched his liberty.

After Zane left the study room, Alvin worked for some time and went to his bedroom to use the restroom. He still had a lot of work as he spent his time out till evening.

He was going towards the door when he noticed one of the double doors slowly opening. Nobody would dare to enter his room without knocking. None of the maids were allowed inside. So he knew who it was.

But… Anya would barge in if she was angry or entered his room unhesitantly. So what\'s going on?

Slowly moving towards the door and he caught the stealthy eyes which widened. He was expecting her to enter inside but she vanished.

Alvin: "..."

He was amused at the realization that Anya was taking a sneak peek at him and got caught red-handed. What thrilled him was her actions of running away, \'Goofball\'

How could he miss the chance when she voluntarily looked for him without a reason?

He quickened his footsteps and followed her. Just before she could shut the door, he stepped his foot at the door and kept a hand on the door.

Taking a glance at the gap, Anya saw a foot preventing the door from closing. She didn\'t have to look up to know the owner of the long legs.

She flushed in embarrassment for running away. Why did she do that? She wanted the ground to swallow her immediately or vanish in the air from his sight.

Would it be odd to say she didn\'t go near his room?

She didn\'t want any more embarrassment. So she pulled a straight face and looked at him. She felt her cheeks burn in shame but held her composure.

Alvin was still in leisurewear, yet to prepare for the bed. The arrogant or teasing smirk she anticipated to see on his handsome face was just aloof. Her anxious heart eased up the sight but her mind knew well he was up to no good.

As soon as she puts her guards down, he could easily read her. Alvin pushed the door open and extended his left hand for her.

Confused Goofball looked at his hand and his aloof gorgeous face. Both refused to start the conversation as if they could speak just through their eyes.

Alvin leaned closer to her. She slowly moved back, blinking her eyes, holding her breath until she felt warmth spread in her palm.

Alvin slid his fingers into her palm and held her hand. He went towards the study and she silently followed him, while trying to peek at him.

Anya looked at Alvin\'s bedroom as they passed by while she followed him a step behind. She didn\'t know why she was following him but she did so like an obedient girl.

Both entered the study room, a whole new world. The silence continued until they reached the desk. Alvin let go of her hand and took a black folder among many. He handed it to her.

Anya glanced at his calmness. His eyes held the emotions she couldn\'t read. He was holding mountainous patience. She lowered her head as she flipped the file open.

Her brows tugged faintly reading, \'Arlan Orphanage\', Her  eyes slightly widened reading next like, \'Adaptation application.\'

She didn\'t have to read further. Her lips curled up into a bright smile and the dimples glimpsed on her cheeks. She refrained from leaping in joy when she turned to Alvin without reading further, "Are you adapting Angela?" She almost squealed in delight. She couldn\'t afford to adopt but Alvin could.

Alvin had seen her sad when sending away Angela. He guessed what she was thinking. And he was right. His Little Donut was too kind and had a very soft heart for the kids. If adopting kids makes her happy, they could adapt as many as she wants.

He corrected her, "WE are adopting."

Anya pointed at herself and him as she asked, "We!?" The adaptation wouldn\'t be given to unmarried couples. "How?" He was financially stable so he could adapt.

Alvin pointed to the file with his chin, asking her to check it out herself.

Anya nodded and started reading the legal papers which had details of Alvin, Anya, and Angela. Angela was eight years old and an old lady had brought her to the orphanage when Angela was just a few days old.

Anya\'s attention wavered when Alvin went in front of her, trapping her against the desk. Heh? She knew it, he was all cool just to bring her away without letting her lock herself in the bedroom.

He twirled his forefinger finger, coiling strands of her hair around his finger as he asked, "Why did you look for me?"

Anya clenched her teeth to look calm, to avoid being called a Goofball for her actions. She wasn\'t shameless enough to accept the truth so she tried to play with his words. Without lifting her head from the file, she sounded tranquil, "I just came to look for you." Then she tried to focus on papers but her attention was fixed on Alvin and the question he might ask next.

He moved a bit closer watching her every reaction. With her head lowered, he couldn\'t see her expression but she had stopped breathing, her fingers held the file tighter. "Then why did you run away?"

Anya felt her heart skip a beat hearing his husky baritone voice. Her heart picked up speed while she tried to look as if she was focused on the papers.

There was enough space yet she felt hard to breathe forgetting she was holding her breath.

\'Why did I run away?\' She didn\'t even know. She just instinctively ran away like a prey escaping from a predator.

She couldn\'t even pick up her mother\'s usual lie whenever she wanted to escape from her father, \'I have kept something on the stove.\'

The silence encircled the room. Anya awkwardly flipped the page without reading it. She wanted to appear like she ignored Alvin\'s question as she didn\'t find a suitable lie.

"Let me guess." His voice continued to hit the right spots to fluster her as he went closer.

Anya wanted to say \'No need,\' but he continued, "You are touched by knowing the past." Linus updated him about his conversation with Krystle.

\'Touched!?\' She wasn\'t quite sure. She had a lot of questions. The important one was, \'Why did you give up on your dream for me?\'

Does she deserve his sacrifice?

She always gained knowledge through him and she did nothing for him to give her importance. Yes, she had written some intermittent or unimportant exams sneakily for him, and submitted his assignments so that he didn\'t have to hear the lecturers\' condemning him. Those weren\'t notable.

She shut the file and lifted her head to face him, she scoffed, "You were dumb too."

\'Too!?\' Anya wanted to smack herself for including herself.

Alvin discerned what she was pointing at. Both were driven away from each other and they didn\'t have each other\'s contact information.

Alvin brushed her hair away and cupped her face. His thumb gently brushed over her smooth velvety skin. If given a chance to redo everything, Alvin would still choose to give up his dream for her. Not just because it could protect her that way, he wouldn\'t have grown better and built his empire single-handedly.

In another way, Anya gave him the chance and freedom to leave the cage and fly.

Hearing nothing from him, Anya asked expectantly, "Do you regret it?"

Alvin trailed a hum, making her brows quiver. He continued before her thoughts could go south, "To make up for it, you should marry me." He said it so convincingly that Anya even considered his words for a second.

"Huh?" Anya tilted her head and punched his stomach. She was glad he doesn\'t regret his decision so they don\'t have to fight one day on that topic.

Alvin suddenly snapped at her, "How dare you hit your husband?"

Anya was startled a bit before she kicked his leg, "Alvin Matthews."

"You should be punished." He declared and dipped his head.

Anya gasped when he went close to her. Flustered, she turned away from his face. She felt him pause a second before his lips landed at the corner of her lips.

Her eyes widened with her heart drumming against her chest. His lips were soft and barely pressing on her skin. She could have pushed her head away but she stood frozen in anticipation.

Her heart skipped a beat when she felt like he smiled against her skin. Wait… Was he teasing her? Argh.

She was about to push him away when he whispered, "I have signed. Are you going to sign? Or… should we talk about why you ran away?"

\'Wasn\'t she embarrassed enough?\' She grabbed the file and pen from the desk and started signing wherever she saw her name at the bottom of the pages.

After four signatures, she tried to run away but Alvin tugged her back. And to his surprise, her arms slowly, with a bit of hesitation coiled around his waist as she rested her head above his chest.

His lips were threatening to arc. His Little Donut was a fast turtle. Wrapping his arms, he buried her in his embrace. They had successfully passed the verdict day.

"Thank you for the adaptation!!" Her mellow voice floated to his ear. She wasn\'t sure if she could be a good mother for Angela. Nevertheless, she will be a good friend and a supportive sister. With Alvin\'s help, they could give her a better education and a good life.

Alvin\'s arms slacked around her. Anya flashed him a lovely smile before she happily left the study room.

Alvin picked up the file Anya just signed. Yes, he decided to adopt Angela to make Anya happy. Adopting could be done by a married couple or a single person.

Why would he adopt the little unknown girl if he didn\'t have his Little Donut?

He flipped the papers in the file and looked at the marriage registration form that was signed by both of them. Once their marriage is registered, he could complete the adoption process.