Genius Kids' Scheme Claiming Daddy's Billionaire Empire novel Chapter 71

Genius Kids‘ Scheme: Claiming Daddy’s Billionaire Empire

Chapter 71

“Getting scared?” Adam’s voice carried just a hint of amusement, though he didn’t try to pull his hand away.

“Yeah, right.” Irene’s attempt at sounding casual totally failed, thanks to how tightly she was gripping his hand. “I’m just… checking out how wrong these props are. Like, that skeleton? The proportions are completely off, and the movement is so fake-

Another scream ripped through the darkness, making her jump and let out this embarrassing little squeak. Through her grip on his hand, she could feel his wheelchair shift slightly on the uneven flooring.

“Want me to get Thomas back?” Adam offered, noticing how her eyes kept darting to the shadows. “These haunted house paths can be tricky to navigate.”

Irene shook her head quickly, unconsciously steadying his chair as something crashed nearby. “No, I should stay. The floor’s pretty uneven, and with all these sudden scares…” She caught herself fussing over the wheelchair’s position and felt her face warm. “I mean, as your doctor, I should make sure-”

“Not scared at all, hm? Adam’s lips twitched slightly.

“I’m just concerned about the structural integrity of this place,” Irene defended weakly. “And the kids are out there somewhere-*

“Thomas will find them,” Adam assured her. His thumb moved slightly against her palm, probably unconsciously, but the small gesture sent an unexpected wave of warmth through her. “Though if you’re that worried about safety hazards, you’d better stay close.”

She shot him a quick look – was he teasing her? But between the darkness and his perfect poker face, it was impossible to tell.

A zombie suddenly lurched out from behind a curtain, making the most awful gurgling noise. Irene jumped so hard she almost lost her balance, her free hand automatically grabbing Adam’s shoulder to steady herself.

“Easy there,” Adam said softly, his hand warm and steady around hers. “I’ve never seen the unflappable Dr. Sterling quite like this.”

“Oh, stop it,” Irene muttered, but she couldn’t help smiling a little. Having him there was honestly the only thing keeping her from bolting straight out. “Like you wouldn’t jump if-”

Red lights suddenly lit up a wall of reaching skeletal hands, and Irene completely gave up on maintaining any professional distance. She pressed closer to Adam’s side, telling herself it was purely practical. After all, in this darkness, they needed to stick together to navigate safely, right?

They moved deeper into the haunted house together, finding a natural rhythm. Each new scare had her instinctively drawing closer, until she found herself holding his hand with both of hers, their joined hands resting comfortably in her lap.

“You know,” Adam commented as they passed yet another enthusiastic ghost, “for someone just concerned about wheelchair safety, you have surprisingly strong grip stength.”

“Professional necessity,” Irene managed, trying to sound dignified despite having just flinched at a mechanical bat. “Surgical precision requires… firm control.”

‘Is that what we’re calling it?”

Before she could think of a comeback, this huge furry creature dropped from the ceiling with an unholy shriek. She actually yelped this time, practically jumping behind Adam’s chair.

“Just monitoring potential safety issues, right?” Adam teased, but his hand tightened protectively around hers.

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Chapter 71

‘Absolutely, Irene agreed, still a bit breathless and not moving away at all. “Standard medical procedure.”

They continued through the darkness, hands linked, both pretending this wasn’t becoming the most natural thing in the world. Each scare brought them a little closer, their playful banter masking something neither was ready to acknowledge.

Somewhere ahead, they could hear the kids excited whispers mixed with Thomas’s dramatic screaming. But in their own little bubble of darkness, time seemed to slow down, marked only by share warmth and the steady pressure of their joined hands.

The exit sign appeared far too soon, its green glow breaking the spell Irene felt an unexpected pang of disappointment as they approached it. In the normal world, there would be no excuse for this closeness, no reason to keep holding on.

But when they finally emerged into the sunlight, Adam’s hold remained steady for several heartbeats longer than necessary, his thumb brushing one final circle against her palm before they slowly reluctantly, let go.

“Okay, you three, Irene planted her hands on her hips, eyeing her children suspiciously. “What happened back there? One minute you were begging to go in, next thing I know, you’re nowhere to be found!

The triplets traded mischievous grins. “Oh my gosh, Mom, we saw the coolest thing ever!” Lucas bounced on his toes.

“And then we got a teensy bit lost,” Lily piped up, her head tilted innocently to one side. “But hey, we found our way out!”

“You weren’t too scared, were you, Mom?” Alex asked sweetly, though his eyes were twinkling with something that looked suspiciously like satisfaction.

I was perfectly fine,” Irene said primly, feeling heat creep up her neck.

“Really?” Thomas chuckled. “Because from where I was standing, it looked like you weren’t letting go of Mr. Haven’s hand for anything.

Irene opened and closed her mouth, caught completely off guard. Her face felt like it was on fire.

“Hey, Uncle Adam!” Lily sang out, practically dancing with delight. “Mom’s hands are super soft, right? Like, the softest ever!”

“Yeah!” Lucas jumped in, grabbing Lily’s hand and striking a dramatic pose. “Never fear, dear sister! Your brave protector is here!”

The whole group cracked up at their performance. These kids could give Broadway a run for its money.

“That’s enough out of you two!” Irene tried to sound stern, but her lips were twitching.

The little troublemakers darted away, giggling like mad. Just like that, the moment was broken, replaced by the sound of children’s laughter.

Adam glanced down at his hand, his fingers moving slightly as if remembering the feel of hers. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth.

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