Angela To The Rescue

Aiden turned around. He was startled to see Angela there. The vampire woman beamed at him with a bright smile.

"Do you remember me? We met at Skyview Hotel."

Aiden gave her a polite smile in return.

"Of course. Hello, Ms. Kendall."

"What is happening here? Maybe I can help..."

Her words were interrupted by the familiar sound of footsteps approaching.

The auburn-haired woman looked rather regretful.

Angela wanted to inquire about Aiden's difficulties, but Ryan Caldwell chose to arrive at that very moment.

An authoritative voice that was typical of Angela's employer was soon heard coming from some distance behind her.

"Angela."

Angela whipped her head around and greeted Ryan. The vampire walked in her direction.

"Mr. Caldwell Junior, should we go now?"

Ryan Caldwell was dressed in a three-piece suit the color of the night. Instead of looking at his assistant, he had his deep blue eyes locked on the young man whom his assistant conversed with just a moment ago.

As it happened, Aiden was looking at Ryan at the same time. Their eyes met for a few seconds before Aiden averted his eyes. Before he knew it, his chin was grasped and he was forced to look into Ryan's face again. His soft lips parted slightly from surprise. He wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in his throat. It was as if the vampire had exerted some control over him and turned him into a mute temporarily.

Ryan's expression was unreadable. He merely stared at Aiden for a while before he let the young man go.

"Let's go," he said to Angela with a flat tone that betrayed nothing.

Angela mouthed a "Sorry, good luck" to Aiden before she moved to follow Ryan Caldwell.

Angela threw furtive glances at Ryan while she sat inside the electric car next to him. Ryan had his notebook open on his lap, but he was staring out of the window instead. When Ryan did not take the initiative to talk, he was usually deep in thought and disliked being interrupted. After half an hour of dead silence, Ryan finally said something.

"Who was that boy?"

Judging from Aiden's appearance, it was inappropriate to call him a "boy". Then again Ryan developed a habit of calling everyone younger than him boys or girls these days, so Angela knew immediately who he was referring to.

"We had brunch together. He is an acquaintance of my friend."

Ryan turned to look at Angela, his eyebrow slightly raised.

"A friend? A human being?"

Angela smiled.

"My friend is not a human being."

"Ah."

Angela swallowed hard. Vampires that came from elite families were all similarly arrogant. They considered their status to be higher than any human being.

Having human beings as workers or employees was fine, but as friends? It was unthinkable. People like Ryan Caldwell not only looked down on human beings. They also looked down on vampires who befriended human beings.

"What was he doing at White Chapel?"

Angela's eyes turned round when she heard the question. She thought she misheard, but then Ryan gave her his typical don't-make-me-repeat-myself look.

"He brought his grandmother to get treatment. The nurse in charge of reception today told me that he did not have enough money so they had to leave."

"Ah."

Ryan stared out of the window again. Angela was bewildered. When did her boss last show an interest in human beings? As far as she knew, he had not bothered with the trivial hospital matters ever since he became the director of White Chapel hospital.

But wait.

Angela came to remember something.

There was one time when Ryan showed interest in a human being, and it was twelve years ago. Right after that unspeakable incident.

It was a little boy. A human boy.

Angela suddenly realized why she thought that Aiden was familiar. He resembled the boy that Ryan lost twelve years ago.

A huge painting of the golden-haired boy with astounding hazel eyes was hung in Ryan's bedroom. Ryan had personally painted it based on a short encounter with the little boy.

Now that Angela thought about it, that boy would have looked a lot like Aiden after twelve years had passed.

That was the reason for Ryan's sudden interest in Aiden!

Ryan Caldwell - grandson of Lord Marcus Caldwell, the mightiest vampire in the country - leaned against his seat and gave his instruction.

"Have him come back to White Chapel tonight at ten. I will personally handle his grandmother's case."