Keith ended up staying at the University till Nana's classes finished, and then after dropping her off at her new home, he headed straight to the Angelini Estate.
His Grandfather and Mother would arrive there at 2 pm for Lunch, and he wanted to meet Kiara before that and have some alone time with her.
"Brother!" As soon as he stepped out of the car, a girl in simple jeans and a sweater came running towards him, jumping right into his arms.
"I missed you, Kiara" He said to her as he spun her around with him.
"I missed you too! But I won't forgive you for not seeing me last Friday!" The little girl brilliantly smiled at him even when she complained.
"Sorry." He had already informed her that he would be going out of of city for a week, but still applogized.
"It's okay!" She nudged her nose with his and giggled.
"Ahem.."
Both of them were taken aback when they heard someone clear their throat, and the little girl burned in a scarlet blush when she found out who it was.
Danielle was standing a little away, wearing a playful smile, and the little boy behind her, who was holding her hand, was grinning happily.
"Keith!"
"Ben!" He chuckled and put down Kiara, who stepped behind him, trying to hide away from the teasing glances of her aunt.
"Welcome home, Keith." Danielle stepped forward and hugged him lightly, before allowing her little son to greet him.
"You look beautiful as ever, Aunt Danielle." He smiled at her and picked up Benjamin in his arms. "And how's our little champ doing?"
"I am happy!" Ben told him. "I have been waiting for you to visit us. Now you must play chess with me!"
"We will have a game later." Keith promised him. "And did you like your new place?"
"It's awesome! And I will introduce you to Bells later. It's a Persian cat, and a moody one, but it likes to sit in my lap."
"Keith knows about Bellls, Ben." Kiara giggled at her little cousin. "Remember I told you who gave it to me?"
"Oh yeah!" Ben embarrassedly laughed.
"I haven't seen that fluff ball in quite some time. So you can introduce us again." Keith said which elated the little boy.
"I will!"
By now, Yingying, who had been following him since he left the University had parked her car on the side and was now standing behind him.
Benjamin curiously looked at her, and the sword she was wearing on her back.
"She's my bodyguard." Keith told him.
"Is she strong?" He cutely asked.
"Super strong!"
"But she's a girl..."
"Benjamin!" Danielle didn't like the way her son said those words and admonished him. "Girls can be strong too, and there are many in the world who are stronger than most men." She taught him.
"I understand, Mother." The little boy said and apologetically lowered his head to Yingying. "I am sorry!"
"No worries." The girl in black indifferently said without even looking at him, which tensed the little boy.
"Let's go inside." Danielle greeted Yingying with a nod and then invited them inside the Manor.
Keith grabbed Kiara's hand and pulled her with him, which made the girl happy and she skipped along the way, telling him about how her last week went.
"Mother is making me learn how to cook, learn how to diffentiate between wines, and she is really strict about the etiquette!" She complained to him. "And she is also thinking about finding me a Piano and Violin tutor!"
"Complaining about your mother to your Fiancé. Looks like I need to teach you some more manners, Young Lady." Danielle bemusedly said, which made Kiara giggle.
"But you already know about Wines. Are you pretending to not know anything just so you can keep tasting them?" He narrowed his eyes at her, and Kiara playfully pulled her tongue at him.
"You are in trouble, little Miss!" The older woman sternly said to her, and this time, Kiara did not dare to laugh at her warning.
Keith could see that Kiara didn't really mind learning all these things. She was a person who loved learning new skills, and the more you teach her, the more excited she would become. And he knew that she had always wanted to improve on her Piano skills.
He had arranged for a tutor for her when she had turned seven, and she knew the basics of it. But she could not really play anything other than some elementary tunes.
"How about I teach you both Piano and Violin?" He proposed.
"Really?!" Kiara jumped up in joy, but then co trained it. "Are you sure? You have your own business now, and you are going to be very busy..."
"Don't worry about it. I will only teach you once a week, every Sunday. And Violin lessons come first." Keith said to her and then looked at Danielle, who nodded to him, giving him the permission.
"Thank you!" Kiara hugged him tightly, which earned her some more teasing glances from her Aunt.
"Keith, you can play Violin?" Ben curiously asked.
"Of course, I can. How else would I teach it to your sister if I don't know how to play it?"
"Can you teach me too?" The little boy requested. "I always love the tune when Mama plays it. But she never had time to teach me..."
"You were too young, Ben. And now that you are about the age when you can start learning it, I was thinking about finding a teacher for you." Danielle lovingly ruffled her son's hair.
"You can join Kiara in the lessons, silly boy." Keith smiled at him.
"Thank you!" Ben, who was still in his arms, kissed him on the cheek.
"You're welcome!" He said and returned the courtesy by kissing him on his chubby cheek.
Danielle left the four of them alone in the drawing room, and sent over some refreshments for them.
"But horses are scary!" Ben cowered and said when Keith invited them over to his home to see the ranch on their Estate.
"They are only scary when you don't know them. Once you learn how loyal and loving they are, you will fall in love with them!" Kiara convincingly said to her little cousin, who are still not sure if it was something he wanted. "And brother! Can you help me get Gin out of that Club?"
She asked for her Favourite horse to be taken out of the club where it was staying.
"Sure. The club is only responsible of taking care of him. I am the one who owns him." Keith nodded to her. "Do you want me to send him to the Angelini Estate, or should I put him in the Ranch at the Demiliore Estate?"
"Demiliore Estate." She had already thought over it, and after today, when their families have officially agreed on their engagement, she would be able to go over to the Demiliore Estate whenever she would want to.
"Kiara!"
As they were talking about things, the door of the room opened and in came Danielle, sternly looking at her niece.
"Yes, Mother?" Kiara confusedly asked.
"What time is it?"
As soon as the little girl looked at the clock, she tensed up.
"Come with me. I will help you get ready." Danielle stepped forward and pulled her by her hand. "We want you looking your best when you meet your mother-in-law. Venessa is really strict about the appearance and etiquette."
"I understand, Mother." Kiara depressedly lowered her head, and Keith smiled when he saw the nervousness on her face.
"Go. I will accompany little Ben to a couple of games of chess." He assured her when she turned to look back at him.
As soon at the two of them left the room, Keith couldn't help but sigh.
He wanted to tell her about his upcoming wedding, but now it looked like it would have to wait.
Ben caught him sighing and curiously looked at him.
"You are sighing. Is something troubling you?" He asked.
"No, silly boy." He smiled at her sharp little boy. "Go, bring the Chessboard so we can have a few games."
"Yay!" The little boy immediately nodded to him and rushed out of the room.
"What's up?" He asked his Shadow, who was standing behind him.
"I am not sure what you mean by that, Master."
"I can feel that you are behaving a little odd." He said and turned to look her. And as soon as their eyes met, Yingying lowered her head. "Say it." He ordered her.
"You should have let me in your car before you decided to come here, Master."
Keith frownned at her words.
"Do you think I am in danger here?"
Yingying kept her head lowered and stayed silent.
He knew that she was just worried about his safety, and ever since the night he got himself hurt, she had been blaming herself in her heart.
"We are safe here, Yingying. I know it is good to be cautious, but being too cautious would never allow you to trust anyone."
"I am not supposed to trust anyone. I am your Shadow, Master. And your safety and well-being is my only responsibility." She kept her eyes lowered, but spoke resolutely.
"I know." He sighed. "Come sit with me."
Yingying hesitated a little but then listened to his words.
As soon as she took her seat, she was pulled by him in his arms, and his haunting deep brown eyes looked right into her beautiful orbs which were a lighter shade of brown.
He smiled when he saw her eyes slightly quiver under his gaze, and then he leaned in, catching her lips in a soft kiss.
"You are silly, but you are mine." He chuckled near her ear. "Next time, you could just try to politely ask me about what you want. If you want to come sit with me in my car, you can simply call me and ask for it."
"It's not..." Yingying tried to explain herself, but Keith silenced her by stealing another kiss, which flustered her even more.
Keith knew that she was only worried about his safety, but how could he miss on a chance to tease her?
He let her go as soon as the door opened and little Ben came running towards him, panting heavily.
"Let's play!" The boy said as soon as he climbed the couch, and without even taking time to catch his breath, he started assembling the pieces on the board.
"There no rush, silly boy." Keith chuckeld at his behaviour and helped him set the pieces. "We will start the game after you have caught your breath."
Ben did not argue and decided to do what he was told.
