UNDENIABLY DESTINED

CHAPTER 25

I received a call from Chris, and as I contemplated whether to answer it or dismiss it, the room suddenly hushed, and everyone's eyes fixated on me as if I were the star of a bizarre reality show called "To Answer or Not to Answer: The Breakfast Dilemma."

I kept swiping that call away, hoping Chris would take the hint. But no, Chris was on a mission, and his ringtone was the battle horn of determination. My frantic dismissals were met with confused stares from my family members, and I could feel my credibility as a phone mastermind slipping away.

But the drama escalated at the third ring when my aunt, with her eyebrows reaching for the ceiling, leaned in and said, "I think you should pick it up, Aadaya." She was looking at me like I was deciding the fate of the free world. Feeling like I'd been cornered into a life-altering decision, I let out a nonchalant hum and said, "Oh, it's just Chrissy..."

Aunt May rolled her eyes so dramatically that I thought they were doing somersaults. She'd been through this before, trying to teach Chris the delicate art of subtlety.

Uncle Ethan, our resident zen master, took a sip of his coffee and said, "Well then, no need to pick it up," with the composure of someone who had transcended the need for phone calls. The table erupted in laughter, and I swear I saw a pancake do a somersault.

Just when I thought the chaos had peaked, Alpha, our family philosopher, chimed in with, "If it's something important regarding the company, you should answer it. It's essential to balance your time between work and home," launching into a profound discourse about the cosmic significance of answering phones. I half-expected him to segue into the meaning of life, but thankfully, the bacon distracted him. It was as if I were having breakfast with Socrates on a caffeine high.

In the end, I picked up the call, but I couldn't help but wonder if Chris had orchestrated this entire circus as an elaborate prank to remind us all that breakfast is never just breakfast in our family.

With Uncle Ethan's stealthy exit and the impending Alpha lecture looming, I felt like I was stuck in a sitcom where the characters keep finding ways to escape awkward conversations. He gave me a sly wink before leaving the kitchen with James, and I couldn't help feeling a bit ditched and betrayed.

As I braced myself for the impending lecture, I secretly prayed for divine intervention in the form of Chris's phone call. I mean, seriously, this was the one time I wanted him to interrupt me with his business updates.

But Chris, ever the master of timing, was nowhere to be found. My phone remained disappointingly silent. I was tempted to do a rain dance or offer my phone a motivational speech, but I refrained.

Just when I was about to surrender to the lecture's fate, my phone buzzed with Chris's name flashing on the screen. I practically leapt out of my chair, my enthusiasm skyrocketing. I made a hasty exit from the kitchen, heading to the back door and stepping onto the porch.

My aunt, who had been enjoying the spectacle from the kitchen, shared a conspiratorial smile with Luna as they giggled at Alpha's bewildered expression. It was like witnessing a live comedy act.

I answered the call, and Chris, in his best nagging parent voice, scolded, "I called five times." I swear I could almost hear him tapping his foot impatiently.

Ignoring his complaint, I urgently asked, "What is it? Tell me the status...

Chris let out an exaggerated sigh as if he were narrating a melodramatic play. He began, "Found an old hut around the mountains of Euthania. People in the nearby village remembered seeing him regularly. The hut is a few miles away from the village, and he only visited the supermarket once every other month. It seems like a decent hideout, but the locals remember him because of his foreign looks. He's been hiding there since the last time."