600: You'll need her

You'll need her

"People know you and read you like an open book. I'm not saying you should close the book, but rather keep it open. But… the content should be different. You let them read you the way you want them to."1

Axel furrowed his brows, wondering if he was just tired, that he couldn't process Heaven's words properly. He couldn't seem to understand her explanation, even though it sounded easy.

"Do you understand?" Heaven asked, and he immediately shook his head. "My… you need more lessons, then."

"Sis."

"Come on, Axel, be a good boy. It'll take time to change an old habit. But once you do, it'll be easier." She smiled, nodding at him encouragingly. "Anyway, since you're making progress now, here's a chip."

Heaven fished out a token from her apron and slid it near his empty plate. Axel gazed at it in confusion before lifting his eyes up to her once again. 

"What's that?" he asked. "I know it's a chip from a casino, but what am I going to do with that?"

"I need you to play."

"Play?"

"Yep!" Heaven nodded, with her lips shut into a thin line. "Do you know how to play poker?"

"Err… a bit?"

"I already ordered chips from that casino and named it under your name," she explained. "Once you finished your acting lessons and your business affairs, go straight to the casino to gamble."

The lines between Axel's brows deepened, looking at her with utter confusion. What was she saying now? Did he hear her correctly? Heaven wanted him to gamble? What was it for this time?

"Heh." Her lips curled up into an amused smirk. "Moose will be with you, don't worry. He will teach you how to play the game properly."

"Sis… I'm getting worried now," Axel mumbled, expressing his concern at the moment. "First, acting lessons. Second, you want me to learn how to gamble. I will be in deep trouble if Grandma hears about it."

"Don't worry, Axel. Grandma is the one who paid for your chips."

"What?!" he gasped as his eyes went wide, looking at her in disbelief and dismay. Heaven just chuckled in response to his reaction, nodding reassuringly.

"Grandma knows and even sponsored me for this project. Your brother has his second thoughts, but he's a little busy so he can only trust me," she explained with a wide, excited grin. "So, you don't have to worry about anything aside from doubling the capital I've given you."

"Sis, you can never win in gambling, you know?"

"Who said that?"

"People!" Axel exclaimed. "I've heard many people who lost their wealth because of their gambling habits. Also, isn't that common knowledge?"

"Well, I don't know anything about this common knowledge, but I have my trust in you." Heaven nodded at him encouragingly, biting her tongue not to tell him how she often doubled her money whenever she gambled in the past as Hera. If she bragged about it, Axel would only ask more questions. If she didn't give him a satisfactory answer, he might doubt her. She didn't want that.

"Anyway, I prepared this meal just for you because you've been working hard!" Heaven clapped, sprawling her arms toward the pot to serve him some of it. "It's your favorite dish."

Axel just watched her put food on his empty plate. He pressed his lips into a thin line, sighing as he gazed down at the food.

"To be honest, I just want to sleep," he muttered as he picked up his cutlery. 

"You have to eat, Axel. Don't copy your brother's eating habits. It's bad."

"I miss the kids," he added under his breath, scooping out a spoonful of food. "Also, sis, how have you been?"

"I'm busy."

"About?"

"Some things." Heaven shrugged and grinned. "Don't worry about me, Axel. Just eat and replenish your energy. Once you finish, have a warm bath and relax. Tomorrow is your day off, yeah?"

"Hmm." He nodded. "Though I still have to meet Leo and Director Guan in the afternoon."

"Perfect! Moose will be in the casino in the evening. You can meet him there."

"I need to gamble tomorrow?"

"Yep."

"But sis —"

"The sooner the better." Heaven abruptly stopped him mid-sentence, smiling, but this time, it didn't reach her eyes. "Your brother has announced the new members of the board. It won't be long once Silas makes his move."

Axel pressed his lips into a thin line. "Shouldn't I add a self-defense lesson now?"

"You don't have to. You can in the future, but we're running out of time."

"Sis, you promised," he reminded her almost innocently. "I might get hurt, but I won't die, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

Heaven maintained her short smile while watching Axel eat his food. A shallow breath slipped past her nostrils as she kept her eyes glued on him. 

"Thank you, Axel," she remarked after minutes of nothing but silence.

Axel suddenly raised his head a little, looking at her with a tinge of surprise and confusion. "For?"

"For doing everything for the family," she expressed with a shallow breath. "I know you don't like acting and lying and that you wanted to stay away from gambling after that incident in the race. I really appreciate it, so I promise you…"

Heaven took a deliberate pause, looking at him straight in the eye. Her expression slightly changed and her aura felt a bit intimidating as she grew serious. 

"I promise you, Axel, Silas will not last long," she stressed each of her words in that sentence, nodding at him reassuringly. "Though I don't promise blood will not spill, I can assure you this family will not only emerge from it unscathed but also, we'll come out stronger than ever."

Axel and Heaven looked at each other quietly. He still had food inside his mouth, which he chewed slowly while holding her gaze. Seeing that look on her face, Axel let out a sigh of relief.

"You don't have to thank me for it, sis," he smiled subtly, nodding back at her a little. "You said it yourself. It's for the family. I haven't done anything for this family. If anything, I'm always the one to receive many things and live a privileged life. So, making a bit of a sacrifice is fine with me."

A glint of determination flickered across his eyes. "I wanted to do this. I wanted to help. And I'm not doing this for appreciation or recognition. I simply want to do this because I love this family with all my heart."

"You make me proud." Heaven raised her hand and stood up from her seat a little to ruffle his hair. "You're good, Axel. And even if that isn't your aim, we appreciate your efforts."

His eyes softened as his cheek slightly turned pinkish, gazing down while she ruffled his hair. Although he wasn't lying with his claims, it still felt nice to hear her praises. Axel continued to eat the food she specifically prepared for him, talking about everything like the status of the company and their plans. 

"Oh, right, by the way, Axel." In the middle of his meal, Heaven spoke again as if she remembered something important. He looked at her and waited for her to continue her sentence. "I'm a little busy, so I'm going to hand you Mary Rose from now on. She will report directly to you."

"Mrs. Deng? Why?"

Heaven smiled. "You'll need her."

pqdm.com