Chapter 124: Do You Trust Me?

Words : 1138 Updated : Sep 30th, 2025

Chapter 124: Do You Trust Me? As Stefan and Genevieve walked to the car, neither of them said a word. They got into the car, and Stefan turned to her, "I’ll drop you off at your place and Pete can take me back to the hotel." "So, you can have a drink with him again," she said dryly. Stefan chuckled, "Yeah." He started the car. "What time does your flight leave tomorrow?" "10 a.m., you don’t have to take me to the airport. I’ll take a cab," he said as he drove out of the park. "You’ve got to be joking. Of course I’m going to see you off to the airport. It’s not up for debate," she said firmly. "Alright. Alright," he said, and they fell into silence as he drove. After some time he turned to spare her a glance, "Why are you so silent?" Genevieve sighed deeply, "I was thinking about your invitation to visit you in Ludus." "Oh. Really? What about it?" Stefan asked, turning to look at her. "I was just thinking about what it’d be like," she said simply. "What do you want it to be like?" Stefan asked, his gaze fixed on the road. "Would I have to meet the rest of your family or the Hanks?" she asked hesitantly. "You don’t want to?" He asked without answering her question. When Genevieve hesitated in answering his question, he reached out to touch her hand, understanding what she wasn’t saying. He knew she was scared of being discovered. "As long as we are friends, you are going to have to meet them sooner or later. And I really think you should. They are absolutely wonderful," Stefan said, and Genevieve winced inwardly. "I don’t think it’s a good idea considering all that has happened all these years. I refused to see them all these years, and I’m sure they saw the scandal years ago. Why would they still want to associate with someone like me?" Genevieve asked, wanting to use that as an excuse. "Do you trust me?" Stefan asked after a short while. "Yeah," Genevieve said, and Stefan nodded. "Then trust me when I say you should meet the Hanks. I want you to meet them and see for yourself the kind of person you’re capable of becoming. I don’t know what your stepfather told you, but the Hanks do not have evil in their genes. They’re selfless and kind," Stefan said, and Genevieve sighed. If only she wasn’t an impostor and they were her true family, then she would have been more than happy to meet them. "What if they start bothering me with DNA and all of that?" Genevieve asked hesitantly. "They won’t. Why would they want to do that? There is no doubt that you’re a Hank. They did a DNA test on you as a kid so they know for a fact that you’re one of their own," Stefan said firmly, wanting to put her mind at ease so that she would agree to visit Ludus. Genevieve chewed her bottom lip as she considered it, and then after a while she sighed, "Okay." "Okay what?" Stefan asked. "I’ll visit. Maybe in a month’s time," she said, and Stefan smiled. "I’ll be looking forward to it," Stefan said, glad that she had agreed. "What about your dad? He won’t have a problem with you visiting, will he?" Stefan asked, and she shrugged. "I don’t expect him to," she said and then asked him to stop when she saw a signpost. "Pull over by that store." "Why?" He asked as he pulled over, wondering what she wanted to get in a store like that. "I want to get some items," she said, as she got out of the car, "I’ll be quick." She got out, and then Stefan watched with concern as she rushed into the self defense supplies store. What did she need protection from? He mused as he waited there. Ten minutes later she returned with a small bag. "Do you have a stalker or something?" He asked, and she laughed. "None that I know of. But a girl can never be too careful, can she?" She asked with a grin. As they approached the house, she called Jamal to come out so that he would drive Stefan back to the hotel, and by the time they got there he was standing outside. "Thanks once again for today. I’ll see you tomorrow morning," Genevieve said as she stepped out of the car. Genevieve waved Stefan goodnight as he left, and then she walked into the house carrying the puppy they had won earlier and the bag of self defense tools. It was late and she wasn’t sure if Abigail was asleep yet, but as she got to Abigail’s door, she stopped and knocked on it. She waited for a moment before Abigail opened it. Abigail was surprised when she saw Genevieve standing there. "Here. Don’t forget to lock your door," Genevieve said, thrusting the bag into Abigail’s hand, and without another word she walked away. Abigail frowned as she looked at the bag and then at Genevieve’s retreating figure. Genevieve got her a gift? Why? What was in the bag? She mused as she shut the door and returned inside. She had been busy on the internet searching every news article she could find on the Hanks and Lucy. Ryan had been away to her relief, so she had had dinner alone with Josh, and after tucking him in, she had spent little time with the staff in the kitchen before retiring to her room. She had gone through Lucy’s instagram profile, and from there had found Jade’s, and then she had seen Jamal’s uncle Harry, and had also seen Bryan. Through their profiles she had seen Jamal’s friends whose pictures were posted on their birthdays. The only Hank whose page she had not seen was Tom, and she had found out from the internet that he didn’t have a social media presence. That was what she had spent her evening doing, until Genevieve knocked on her door. Pouring the items on the bed now, she was surprised to see a pepper spray, a taser and a stun gun. Did Genevieve expect Ryan to make any more move on her? Abigail wondered as she placed them in her bedside drawer, grateful for the gift. She couldn’t help but wonder why Genevieve was being kind and what she wanted. If she was being this way because she was feeling guilty for the past, then she’d had to do better than this. And she would have to start with a proper apology. They were adults, and an adult ought to know how to apologize when they’ve done wrong. No kind gesture would make up for a heartfelt apology.

Chapter 124: Do You Trust Me?

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