MAINE sobbed and welcomed Erin in an affectionate embrace. Max rubbed Maine’s back and told her that Erin will stay. This time, Erin will not disappear.

Hyacinth whispered, “They’re quite close, aren’t they? Your sister and Erin.”

“They’re like soul sisters now.”

Hyacinth smiled and rubbed her stomach. “At least I will be assured that Erin will grow up with people who will love and protect her. I never had that.”

“Erin will need you, Hyacinth. She needed you beside her. Why don’t you live here? My house has many rooms.”

“That will be suicide. A thread reader and a time traveler? What a fine team we would make.”

Max pulled his hand from his pocket to point at himself. “I have connections, Haya. I have influence and power within this city. Do you think I will let anyone harm my family?”

“Erin is your family. I am not.” Hyacinth smiled. “Take care of her. I’ll go back to my old condominium here in Sutton.”

“Mom? I want you to meet Auntie Maine. She loved me as her own daughter and became my playmate.”

Hyacinth offered her hand. “Hyacinth Sinclair. Nice to meet you, Maine.”

Maine’s jaw dropped. “You’re Erin’s Mom? That means you and Max...”

Hyacinth blushed. “No, Max and I aren’t together. I mean we...you know—”

“I know.” Maine smiled in an attempt to ease Hyacinth’s sudden discomfort. “There’s no need for explanation.”

Hyacinth thanked Maine with a nod. “Well, then. I will leave now. Erin knows how to reach me.”

Erin reached for Hyacinth’s hand. “Mom, can’t you live here? There are plenty of rooms here.”

“No, honey. I need to leave now. Philip and I are going to SCPD. That’s my side hustle.”

Erin nodded. “I remembered. Dad told me that you used to interrogate suspects in SCPD with your thread-reading abilities.”

Hyacinth smiled. “I helped them gather pieces of evidence by thread reading.”

Maine gasped. “Can you read my thread? Please?”

Upon looking at Erin and Maine, Hyacinth realized that they looked like twins with their vibrant blue eyes and the same thick brows and pointed nose. Is only contrast between the two is their hair color. Erin has light brown while Maine’s is ebony, almost the darkness of the night.

Hyacinth nodded, not even surprised by Maine knowing the Sinclair bloodline’s secret. The young woman casually asked her to read the future like how she would ask an artist to paint a flower or something.

She gave in to the request. “What do you want to know?”

Maine’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I wanted to know if I’m going to marry in the future. What is his name? Is he handsome? An independent man?”

Erin cleared her throat and Max loosened his tie, suddenly looking at the potted plant nearby his front door with keen interest.

Hyacinth cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, Maine, but that’s not possible. I can’t tell you that or I will risk your fate being altered.”

Maine’s shoulders dropped. “But is he handsome?”

Hyacinth smiled. “Yes. He’s also kind and trustworthy. Erin saw him in the future. Right, Erin?”

Erin nodded. “That’s right.”

Maine sighed dreamily. “That’s everything I need to know.”

Hyacinth chuckled nervously. “I will go now. Thank you for taking care of Erin.”

Max held her elbow in a light touch. “My driver, George, will send you home. You can also use this.” He handed her a card. “Use it for groceries or anything you need.”

Before Hyacinth could protest, he added, “It’s for our baby.” His eyes lowered from her face to her belly.

She accepted the card. “Thank you.”

“And the family doctor recommended an Ob-gynecologist. Go to her after three weeks and have a check-up. I will be there.”

“Just send me the schedule.”

“Jean will do that.”

“You told Jean about this?”

Max shook his head in response and Hyacinth heaved a sigh of relief. “But she has a lot of questions. Do take care of those.”

Hyacinth was about to complain when Max fished his phone from his pocket and answered a call.

She cussed and massaged her temples. She had to face Jean Baden-Rodriguez again and explain what is happening. Hyacinth exhaled as if she just carried the entire world’s dilemma.

Maximillian’s driver, George, introduced himself to Hyacinth and she did the same, too.

Before turning her back on the classic house on Mondville Street, Erin hugged her one last time before the driver escorted her towards the fancy black car in the driveway.

“Where are we going, Ma’am?”

“We’re going to Sutton City Police Department.”

George nodded and walked ahead of her to open the car for her.

“Thank you, George.”

Hyacinth watched how people’s thread glistened as she sat on the car’s rear seat. She saw a black thread among the passersby but no ashen gray ones. It is quite rare to find gray threads as it signifies sacrifice. Human beings are known for being selfish and gray threads are a rare occurrence.

But Maximilian Bismarck once had a gray thread. He’s willing to sacrifice his life for his sister, Maine. Hyacinth’s mind commented on her train of thought.

And then she remembered how he touched her last night...how he reinvented the sexual act with her abilities; his lips against her skin as it found the twin, aching buds on her chest.

He kissed and lapped and tasted her as if she were a delicacy. Max groaned his pleasures and whispered his promises of intimate satisfaction. Hyacinth squeezed her legs together, her feet flexing. The tips of her breasts hardened against the foam of her brassiere as if they responded to her thoughts.

Her phone beeped and she immediately looked at her phone to distract herself. Hyacinth gulped when she received an email from Max. She almost forgot that she gave Max her contact details.

Oh, how she wanted to laugh when Max frowned upon seeing her email.

“Your name’s beautiful. Why do you call it ‘bullshit’?”

To which Hyacinth replied, ”My name is a mouthful. You knew the struggle, right? You have four syllables on your first name alone.”

She proceeded to read his message.

From: Maximillian Bismarck

maximillianbismarck@bismarckgroup.sc

To: Hyacinth Sinclair

theonewiththebullshitname@email.com

Re: Lacy panties

Hyacinth,

Last night was unforgettable. I thought you should know.

I’m sorry that I’ve ripped your panty. I’ll replace it.

Hyacinth blushed at the message while her thighs rubbed together in an attempt to stop the sudden wetness that was oozing out of her entrance. She bit her lip.

From: Hyacinth Sinclair

theonewiththebullshitname@email.com

To: Maximillian Bismarck

maximillianbismarck@bismarckgroup.sc

Re: Lacy panties

No, don’t bother. I can buy them myself. Besides, you’re a busy man.

Hyacinth tapped her palms against her knees as she waited for his email. She nearly jumped from her chair when her phone beeped.

From: Maximillian Bismarck

maximillianbismarck@bismarckgroup.sc

To: Hyacinth Sinclair

theonewiththebullshitname@email.com

Re: Lacy panties

Not busy today, Haya.

Also, I happened to have an excellent chef who knows how to cook ribeye steak with red wine reduction sauce. If you want, I’m friends with a popular chef in Sutton. Do you have dinner plans?

From: Hyacinth Sinclair

theonewiththebullshitname@email.com

To: Maximillian Bismarck

maximillianbismarck@bismarckgroup.sc

Re: Lacy panties

Sorry. Hard pass. Needed to work to afford lacy panties.

MAXIMILLIAN chuckled at Hyacinth’s last email regarding his flirtation. The woman knows how to turn down a man. Max is not disappointed with that.

“Is something wrong, Mr. Bismarck?” His company lawyer stood up from the sofa across his desk and watched him with concern. “I can revise the contract, Sir. In Section Thirteen, subsection B, the terms...”

What does Hyacinth like? Dinner dates? Coffee? Jean mentioned that Hyacinth always works for coffee shops. Does she have a fascination with coffee? Should he invite her for coffee sometime?

But he preferred steaks, though. Hyacinth loves steaks, too. Maybe they’ll both enjoy it?

He clicked his tongue from the roof of his mouth.

“...and they all agreed to the idea, Sir.” Max only heard that last sentence from the company lawyer.

He smirked upon hearing that, realizing that the words associated with his thoughts in an uncanny coincidence. “Ah, yes. Thank you for that, Attorney.”