CHAPTER 486: MORNING VISIT

Time passed and another day dawned, casting its gentle light over the world with the chirping of birds and the distant sounds of life filled the air.

Coco found herself once again seated in the gazebo, the envelope clutched tightly in her hands, her gaze fixed on the envelope, her mind lost in her thoughts.

She gently ran her fingers over the surface of the envelope, the paper familiar and yet dreaded under her touch.

Thoughts raced through her mind, her expression distant and blank, but then, Coco frowned deeply as she read the words on the letter, the letters engraved getting replayed on her mind over and over again.

Kindly bring yourself to Amberwich. I’ll be waiting.

The simplicity of the message only heightened its significance— it was a command in the guise of a polite request, a summon she couldn’t ignore.

A sinking feeling settled in her stomach as she realized the true implications of the letter because Kairo’s safety was undoubtedly at risk and the thought filled her with anxiety.

Coco let out a heavy sigh, her hand rubbing her face in frustration.

"What’s wrong, master?" Suddenly, a voice spoke from right beside her, causing her to react instinctively.

Startled, Coco reflexively threw a left hook at the source of the voice, her body tensing with adrenaline, but she immediately realized her mistake, wincing as her fist connected with something.

Coco stood up, her heart racing as she heard a pained groan.

She turned to look, her surprise growing as she saw Sinclair crouching by her seat. "Sinclair? What the hell are you doing here at this hour?"

She paused and looked around before turning back to him, frowning deeply. "And how the heck did you even get here without me noticing? What did you do?"

Sinclair winced as he got up off the floor, rubbing his jaw gingerly.

"Ow, ow, ow.." He whimpered. "You really have a powerful swing, master. I think you might have dislocated my jaw."

He rubbed at the injured area, a pout on his face. "You didn’t have to hit me so hard, you know.."

Coco furrowed her brows, her expression remorseful as she inspected his jaw from her spot.

"Sorry." She muttered apologetically before chastising him. "But you should’ve said something sooner, instead of sneaking up on me!"

She let out a sigh, annoyance dripping from her voice. "So, why are you here, anyway? And why so early in the morning? Couldn’t it wait after lunch? Goodness, you really scared me half to death."

Sinclair grinned as he remembered why he came to meet Coco early in the morning. "I received some intel about the little mediator you wanted me to keep an eye on."

Coco immediately shut her mouth and gave him a nod, signaling for him to continue.

Sinclair reached into his coat pocket with his free hand, retrieving a brown folder, then he held it out to Coco, his tone pleased.

"Here you go, master." He said, offering the folder with a polite smile. "I had my husband summarize the report inside so it should be easier for you to read through. I hope it’s helpful."

Coco’s expression softened with gratitude and guilt as she accepted the folder from Sinclair before she met his gaze sincerely, her voice filled with remorse.

"Thank you so much, Sin.. And I’m really sorry for punching you earlier." She whispered softly, her words filled with genuine regret. "I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just too surprised and reacted out of instinct.. I hope your jaw isn’t too bad."

Sinclair chuckled, his smile widening as he stopped rubbing his jaw.

"Don’t worry about it." He reassured her. "I was just trying to mess with you— and yes, I definitely got a taste of your impressive strength there."

He winced slightly, still feeling the soreness from the impact which caused him to rub his jaw again. "Seriously, you have a very wicked powerful hook. I won’t be underestimating you ever again."

Coco raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips at his words.

"Anyway, how did you even get here?" She inquired, her gaze fixed on him. "I didn’t hear any carriages stopping in front of the house. You didn’t just climb the damn gate, did you?"

Sinclair shook his head, a smile on his face. "Looks like you forgot about my ability, master. I turned into my bird form and flew here after getting freshened up."

He chuckled lightly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I thought it would be the most convenient way to get here without alarming anyone, and it was quite a comfortable trip, if I say so myself."

Coco let out an awkward laugh, her expression sheepish as she realized her oversight.

"Ah, right.." She mumbled, feeling embarrassed by her forgetfulness, then she smiled and extended an invitation to Sinclair.

"Since you’re already here, why don’t you join us for breakfast? We have something important we need to discuss afterwards." She said, her tone casual yet had a serious edge on it.

Sinclair nodded in acknowledgment, his hand placed on his chest in a gesture of respect.

He lowered his head slightly as he spoke, his voice filled with obedient reverence. "Understood, master. I shall dutifully follow your instructions and carry out your wishes."

Coco sighed, her expression morphing into both amusement and mild exasperation as she responded to Sinclair’s overly formal gesture.

"Hold your horses there, cowboy." She jokingly remarked, a small smile playing on her lips before shaking her head slightly, her tone turning more lighthearted. "No need to be forma—"

"You know what? Never mind. Let’s just head inside." She grumbled, gesturing for him to follow her lead.

Sinclair nodded, a warm smile gracing his handsome features as he accepted her words, quickly falling in step behind Coco, following her lead with a skip on every step.

"Understood, master." He hummed out, his gaze fixed on her back as they walked inside together.

Coco could only give him a groan as a response.