Chapter 66 —Another Failed Attempt!

"I've missed you a lot, Aunt Lena." Itzel draped her hands around Lens hugging her tightly once again. Her joy knew no bounds the moment she took in the sight of Lena as she walked into the room. "I miss you too, and I'm sorry for leaving." Lena purred stroking Itzel's shoulder soothingly. Itzel giggled, "I'm glad you are back. Why did you leave did Daddy do something wrong?" Lena shook her head, her lips pressed together. "Henderson did nothing wrong... I..." Lena stuttered trying to come up with a perfect combination as to why she left but she couldn't come up with anything reasonable. How was she going to explain to Itzel that she left because Kyra told her a lie and she foolishly believed it? "Zel, you wanted her to be back right? She's here, I fulfilled my promise. You shouldn't bombard her with questions, " Henderson chipped in calmly making the save. Itzel nodded vigorously looking at Lena with an apologetic gaze. "I'm sorry." Lena cupped Itzel's cheeks, straightening her hair with her hand and then kissed her cheeks. "See Itzel I told you the countdown magic was going to work the second time and it did." A boastful grin marred Trent's countenance. "Don't be so proud, it's probably coincidental, " Itzel shrugged. "No, it's not." Trent started firmly standing his ground. Itzel scoffed shaking her head, "Whatever, I don't blame you. You are still a kid." "We are the same age, " Trent grumbled glaring at Itzel who had an annoying smirk plastered on her way. "Even if we are, I'm still a few months older." Lena and Henderson glanced at each other as they watched Trent and Itzel argue back and forth. "Who wants some cookies?" Lena raved taking out two packets of cookies from her back and that was enough to bring an end to the protest between the two kids. "Me!" Itzel and Trent gleamed. She made the cookies before they left Oxwey. "Thank you, " Itzel smiled as Lena handed over one of the cookies to her. "You can give both of them to Itzel, " Trent shook his head when Lena stretched the cookie pack to him. Itzel's brows puckered as she glanced at Trent, "Are you sure?" Trent nodded, "Of course consider it a gift from your friend." "Thank you, that's so nice of you." Itzel beamed warming, Stepping to Trent's side she embraced him. "Guess what? Come with me, I have a gift for you." Itzel lips curved happily, and she held Trent's hand pulling him from the couch he was seated on, She pulled him gently with her and they ambled upstairs. "Cleo, this one is for you." Lena stood up and walked over to where Cleo was seated. Since she and Henderson came into the room she and Cleo were yet to say a word to each other. Cleo hugged her after she sat beside her on the couch. "I've missed you so much. We all have and I'm ecstatic that you are back." "Thank you, Cleo. How have you been?" Lena smiled after they had disengaged the hug. "I've been great, Matteo has been keeping me company since you left otherwise I don't know how I would have come and you know how much I hate having a conversation with you know who.." Cleo made a scrunched-up face glancing at Henderson whose face contorted in a frown. "The feeling is mutual for your information." Henderson retorted. Lena chuckled, " Henderson have you been getting on Cleo's nerves lately?" Surprise crossed Henderson's face and he shook his head. "It's been the other way round. You know how much of a troublemaker Cleo can be. She's a handful and I really don't know how Matteo copes with it since I've noticed they've been very close these days, "Henderson's eyes flickered with mischief as he said the last part his eyes darting from Cleo to Matteo. Cleo and Matteo traded glances, she averted her gaze from Matteo shifting her eyes back to Henderson, her brows furrowed slightly. "What are you insinuating?" "What do you think?" Henderson smirked. "I and Matteo are as close as you said only because of the project you assigned to us together, remember?" Matteo nodded in confirmation, "True, we are just working on the project." "Right?" Henderson and Lena said at the same time looking at each other and then they burst out laughing. "You both are not serious, " Matteo grumbled. Cleo shook her head, "It's not surprising hearing all of these from Henderson but Lena I'm surprised that you are believing his words." "Sorry, " Lena muttered but when she peeked at Henderson and he whispered,' It's true, ' she burst out laughing once again. "Henderson, instead of talking about me and Matteo why don't you worry about how to patch up things with your best friend Brian." Henderson's smile faded into a scowl as he watched a satisfied smile creep on Cleo's face as she gazed at him. "Are you trying to get back at me?" Henderson arched a brow at her. Cleo placed her hand on her chest feigning ignorance, "Get back at you? What are you talking about? I'm just trying to help." "I and Henderson went over there before coming over here but Brian didn't want to listen to us he shut the door...." Lena stopped not wanting to complete the rest of the statement. "When he saw me, " Henderson completed peering at Cleo with a pinched expression. "I know you want to judge me, you can go on." Cleo shook her head, her brows snapped together. "Why would I want to judge you? I wasn't going to do that, even though you can be annoying sometimes, I still care about you. Maybe we'll just try talking to him on your behalf and see if he listens?" Cleo shrugged glancing at the others to hear what they thought about the idea. "You guys don't have to. I made the mistake and I'll fix it myself, I will go over there once again and try to talk to him. We'll see how it goes after that." Henderson had an unreadable expression on his face as he spoke, he was racking his thoughts and trying to process things in his mind. Cleo, Matteo and Lena nodded and glanced at each other before nodding concurrently. "But if it doesn't go as planned we'll have to step in." Cleo stated. "Yes, " Matteo and Lena agreed. They looked over at Henderson but he didn't say anything, he was just engrossed in his thoughts. The Next Day.... "Welcome back, " Lena smiled wrapping her arms around Henderson's neck, his hands encircled her waist as they hugged each other. "Thank you, " Henderson planted a kiss on her lips after pulling away from her, he took her hand in his and together they walked to the couch and settled on it. Lena's eyes crinkled worriedly as they studied Henderson's dulled-up countenance, that was enough confirmation for Lena to know that things went amiss. "Are you okay? How did it go with Brian?" Sadness clouded Henderson's features, " I went over to his place but I wasn't allowed in. According to his security team, they said he had ordered them not to let me in if I was to show up.