Entangled (Phoenix 1)

CHAPTER 26

It was four in the evening. Fiona was seated beside Max, who was doodling in his book. She was deep into Dan Brown's book 'The Deception Point,' as far as she was concerned. Just when she was about to flip the page, the bell rang.

First, she frowned as she wasn't expecting anyone, and if Justin was to come, then he already had the keys. Nonetheless, she shrugged and went to answer the door, and to her utter surprise, it was her husband who was standing there.

"What are you doing so early?" She asked him while giving him space to enter.

"I didn't feel like working, so I decided to come home early." He told her with a huge smile on his face.

"Huh," she said. That was so not like Justin.

"I am not a workaholic, Fi." He shook his head at Fiona's reaction.

"You could have fooled me otherwise." She murmured, but Justin heard her.

"I certainly did. Plus, I thought this would be a great way for us to connect." With a hopeful smile, he said to her.

Before Fiona could respond, Max came rushing to her and hugged her knees.

"Hey, Maxi. What's wrong?" She asked him while going down, matching his gaze.

"Who is this guy?" He whispered to her in an adorable voice. But he looked alarmed.

Ever since Emily's and Jake's biological father came into the picture, Max has been weary of strangers. His grandpa is not an easy man to jell with, and Max has witnessed far more squabbles between his father and grandfather than any child should.

"This is Justin." She told him with a smile and a tiny ruffle in his hair.

"Shh... Aunt Fiona. You should not say his name aloud. Aunt Emy told me 'he-is-who-must-not-be-named.'" This made Fiona pursed her lips to keep herself from laughing out loud. However, Justin did not find it amusing.

"I am not Voldemort." He gave them a blank stare.

"Yes, you are. My Aunt Emy told me that this house is a prison where my Aunt Fi is trapped, and you are 'he-who-must-not-be-name.' She also told me that you are slowly taking my favorite aunt's soul like a dem—deme—"

"You mean Dementor?" Fiona finished his sentence.

"Yes, that." Max looked at her adoringly.

"I am not a Dementor. Emily is infiltrating this poor kid's mind." Justin whined.

This made Fiona chuckle.

"Okay, Max. Let's just forget what Emily said. Justin is a good man, and he is not trapping me here." Fiona tried to explain to him.

"But Aunt Emy told me..."

"She was having fun with you. Trying to make Harry Potter a bit more interesting." She tried to control the situation and end Justin's misery.

"Aunt Emy told me that you would try to make him look good." Max turned around and took a few tentative steps towards Justin. He then pulled the tall man's trousers with his tiny hands, signaling him to kneel at his level.

"I love my Aunt Fi. If you hurt her, I will ask Aunt Emy to chop you into small pieces and feed my dog Sparkle." Max warned him.

"Max, I would never hurt your Aunt Fi. Pinky promise." Justin understood why Fiona loved Max. He was way too adorable. He wanted to pull his cheek. But instead, he extended his last finger for Max to cross with his.

"Pinky promise. Now you need to give me cheerio's. That is an honorable way to seal the deal." This made Justin's eyes widen, and he turned to face Fiona.