449-451

Chapter 449: The Shameless Guy 

Just a minute ago, a guy and a gal strolled into Peggy’s apartment building, chatting and laughing as they headed upstairs. 

In the security room, the gal on duty checked the info and recognized the visitors. “Hurry, call Miss Lisa!” she told her buddy. See, Lisa was in charge of all of them for better management. 

“Shit!” Lisa got the call and muttered a curse, then dialed Adam fast. No answer. She kept trying while sneaking a peek through the peephole. 

By then, the couple had reached Peggy’s door. Lisa’s mind raced with thoughts, but she held back and whispered, “Boss, it’s not that I’m slacking, but who could’ve seen this coming? You’re on your own now…” 

“Haven’t seen Peggy in ages, let’s surprise her!” The woman, looking all glowy and not even forty, fished out the key from her purse and grinned at the middle-aged guy next to her as she unlocked the door. 

“Linda, it’s pretty late, maybe we should’ve given Peggy a heads-up,” the middle-aged guy said gently, gazing at her with love in his eyes. 

“No worries, she’s probably still up, you know how she gets with her science stuff,” Peggy’s mom, Linda, replied with a sweet smile . She twisted the lock, swung the door open, and threw her arms wide, but her “surprise!” got stuck in her throat when she didn’t see Peggy. 

“The light’s on, she must be in the bedroom or the bathroom. David, why don’t you chill on the sofa for a bit?” 

“Sure thing.” David gave a gentle smile. 

Even though he’s not Peggy’s dad—and even if he were—now that she’s grown up, there are still things to be careful about. You know, there’s some nasty stuff going on in the States. Being a decent guy, he makes sure to mind these details. 

“Peggy?” Linda called out while heading to the bedroom. 

Inside the bedroom, Adam, with his super hearing, picked up on Linda and David’s arrival right away. But the window was tiny, and they were on the third floor, so with his size, slipping out wasn’t easy. He was totally stressing out . 

Help, what’s it like to be caught in bed by your “mother-in-law”? 

“Peggy?” Just then, Linda twisted the bedroom door open. 

“Mom.” The bedside lamp was on, and Peggy, lying on her side facing the door, casually greeted Linda. 

“Oh, you’re in bed? Forgot to turn off the living room light, huh?” Linda came over, sat on the bed, and chuckled as she felt Peggy’s forehead. “Wait, you’re a bit warm. You don’t have a fever, do you?” 

Right then, her face changed, and she stood up to flip on the main light. But she sensed something was off and quickly glanced behind Peggy. In the dim part of the bed, there was definitely someone else lying there. 

“Oh my God!” Linda gasped, covering her mouth , and stared at her daughter in shock. 

“Peggy!” 

“I’m an adult now,” Peggy said, still lying on her side with a whatever look. 

“Linda, everything alright?” David called from outside the bedroom, hearing the commotion. 

“I’m okay,” Linda answered, then glared behind Peggy. “Who is that? Come out now! Or do I have to pull the covers off?” 

“Hey there, Mrs. Adler~” Adam finally popped his head out from under the covers and greeted her casually with a little wave . 

“Adam?” Linda recognized him right away, and her face relaxed a little. 

Looks matter, you know. Her daughter’s amazing, and most guys just don’t cut it. But Adam’s different. Not only does he look good with Peggy, but his accomplishments are just as impressive—maybe even better. Hey, it’s a money world, right? Everything’s about cash. Even the best scientists gotta eat. 

If it were some other guy, she’d be pissed . But since it’s Adam, she figures she can deal with it. 

“Peggy, Uncle David’s here too. You two better get yourselves together and come out,” Linda said, shooting Adam a look before turning to Peggy. 

“Okay,” Peggy replied, frowning a bit. 

Linda shook her head with a half-smile, left the bedroom, and shut the door behind her. 

In the living room, David, the sweet middle-aged guy, noticed something was off with his partner and quickly asked, “What’s up?” 

“Peggy’s all grown up now…” Linda awkwardly summed up what happened. 

Since they’d have to meet each other soon, it was better to give a heads-up to avoid more awkwardness. 

“So, this Adam’s been Peggy’s friend since they were kids, and he’s pretty great, huh?” David grinned . 

Being the nice guy, he wanted to help his partner feel better. 

“Yeah,” Linda nodded. “Remember when I told you about my divorce with Barry? Peggy was so upset she started to give up on everything. Thank goodness Adam and Sheldon were there to bring her back.” 

“Good thing, or Peggy wouldn’t be where she is today,” David chimed in. 

“Sheldon’s the same age as Peggy, and Adam’s a few years older. Even though they’re all friends, Peggy used to hang out with Sheldon more,” Linda said, a bit conflicted. “So, Adam showing up like this caught me off guard.” 

“That’s how young folks are,” David reassured her. “When they click, things happen fast. Peggy’s always buried in her research, and you can’t look after her like you used to, so she’s probably been lonely. This might be a good thing.” 

“Yeah,” Linda said with a small smile . “Peggy’s always been unique. I was worried that our stuff might mess with her, but now I see she’s really grown up. She’s got her own life, and it’s not just about science anymore. I can relax a bit.” 

“Still, we gotta check out this guy,” David said, glancing at the bedroom with a weird look. 

They’d been talking for a bit, but there was zero noise from the bedroom. Hmm… 

“David, you’ll help me keep an eye on this later,” Linda said, then realized something was off. Her face turned red, and she yelled toward the bedroom, “Peggy!” 

No answer from the bedroom. Everything went silent. 

David’s lip twitched as he thought, Kids these days, no way… 

After a solid ten seconds of silence, Linda’s face twisted, and she hissed, “Adam Duncan!!!”  

“Just a sec, almost ready,” Adam called out awkwardly from the bedroom. 

“Right,” David thought, shaking his head at how kids behave these days. Seeing Linda’s face turn red, he quickly changed the topic. “Hey, Linda, you hungry? Maybe we can whip up something to eat?” 

“No, thanks,” Linda said, unable to smile even at her partner right now. 

That little jerk, Adam Duncan! This is too much! 

And just when she thought Adam couldn’t be any more shameless, time proved her wrong. It was a whole half hour later when they finally heard the bedroom door opening. While they waited, David tried to distract himself by reading on his phone. He came across a page mentioning “pat-reon:belamy20,” but his mind was elsewhere, wondering what was taking so long. 

Chapter 450: What's the Big Deal with Big Pants? 

Peggy's Apartment 

The bedroom door creaked open, and Adam stepped out, flashing an awkward grin. 😬 He was met by David, who had a weird look on his face, and Linda, who seemed ready to explode. 

"Mrs. Adler…" Adam began. 

"I’m not Mrs. Adler anymore," Linda cut in sharply, her eyes drilling into him with barely contained rage. 

If she hadn’t been straining to catch any odd noises from the bedroom, she’d have already barged in and let Adam have it. No matter how good-looking, wealthy, or talented he was, he couldn’t just act like he owned the place. It was disrespectful—especially in front of her partner! 

"Uh…" Adam stammered, at a loss. He didn’t even know what last name Linda used now, since they’d barely interacted before and he had no clue about her maiden name. 

"You can call her Ms. Watson," David chimed in, his warm tone smoothing over the tension. "I’m David Grossman. You must be Adam Duncan, right?" 

"Hi, Mr. Grossman," Adam said, shooting him a grateful glance. He started to reach out for a handshake but hesitated and pulled back at the last second. 

David’s lips twitched, and the room sank into awkward silence again. 

"Peggy!" Linda snapped, glaring daggers at Adam. She was about to storm into the bedroom to talk to her daughter when Peggy emerged, fully dressed. Linda called out to her anyway. 

Peggy gave a quiet nod, walked to the open kitchen, and yanked open the fridge. She grabbed a water bottle, twisted off the cap, took a big swig, swished it around with a gurgle, spat it into the sink, and then chugged some more. Turning to Linda, she said casually, "Mom, you guys chat," then nodded at David on the sofa. "Hey, David." 

"Hey, Peggy!" David replied, standing up with a wave and his brightest smile. 

Peggy ignored them all, strolling over to her desk and sitting down in a pose so perfect it could’ve been a painting. 📚 

Meanwhile, Adam sidled over to the sink, turned on the faucet, let it run for a moment, washed his hands, and shut it off—all while dodging Linda’s icy, murderous stare. Yep, she was furious, and everyone knew why. They were all adults here; it wasn’t hard to guess what had happened. 

Ahem. Adam cleared his throat, shaking off the embarrassment. He’d faced bigger scenes than this. "Ms. Watson, Mr. Grossman," he said, forcing a casual tone, "Peggy mentioned you were in Washington before?" 

Linda didn’t bother responding. She marched over to Peggy, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the bedroom, slamming the door with a loud thud. Clearly, she couldn’t wait another second for that mother-daughter showdown. 

"Yeah, my hometown’s there," David said with a gentle smile. "I decided to start my own business, so I moved back from New York. I design furniture, make it myself, and sell it." 

"Design, huh? That’s cool," Adam replied. "I’ve got a friend who’s a designer too—he works on buildings." 

"Oh?" David’s eyes sparked with interest. As a furniture designer starting his own gig, he was eager to connect with others in the field, even if their crafts differed. 

"You guys should chat sometime," Adam suggested. "His name’s Ted Mosby. He recently wowed a client with a design and jumped to project manager for a 70+ story skyscraper. Well, it’s still in the design phase, so it’s not set in stone yet." 

Adam walked to the desk, scribbled a phone number, and handed it to David. "Here, you two could hit it off." 

"Your friend’s Ted Mosby?" David asked, lighting up. 

"You’ve heard of him?" Adam raised an eyebrow. 

"Of course," David said. "He was just a junior designer under the legendary architect Old White. The client hired the firm for Old White’s name, but somehow, Old White came up with a 78-story building that was… uh, let’s just say unique." 

"I know," Adam said with a knowing smirk. 

Old White’s design was a 78-story tower wrapped in pink marble, topped with a dome, and featuring two spherical entrances on either side. Compared to that monstrosity, even the wildest buildings out there looked tame. 

"Everyone saw it for what it was, but Old White didn’t," David chuckled. "When the client saw the model, they were horrified and ready to bolt. This was supposed to be a landmark skyscraper! If it ever hit TV, they’d probably have to blur it out. The client wasn’t nuts—they weren’t about to greenlight that." 

"Old White’s reputation was too big," Adam agreed. "When he unveiled the design, his whole team just clapped and cheered. My friend Ted saw through it but kept his mouth shut, swallowing his critiques." 

"That’s why I quit to go solo," David sighed. "Working for someone else stifles you. I doubt Ted was the only one who noticed. Probably everyone did, but Old White could fire them, so they all played along." 

"Exactly," Adam nodded. "Ted asked his colleagues later, and they all admitted it was ridiculous, but no one dared call out the emperor’s new clothes." 

"So when the client walked away, it could’ve sunk the firm," David said. "But Ted had a backup plan—he’d secretly designed his own version and pitched it. The client loved it, and that’s how he became project manager. It’s an inspiring story buzzing around the design world." 

"Now Old White works under Ted," Adam laughed. "Pretty ironic. Ted’s even thinking about firing him." 

"Really?" David leaned in. "Is it payback, or…?" 

"Nah, not revenge," Adam said, shaking his head. "Ted’s a good guy, even if his personal life’s a mess. It’s just that Old White still acts like the boss, undermining Ted in front of everyone." 

David gave Adam an odd look, maybe because that bit about Ted’s personal life sounded a little too familiar. 

Adam caught it but brushed it off. "Speaking of stories, Ted’s rise is so wild, it’s like something out of a novel. Actually, I read a similar tale on pat-reon:belamy20. It’s about a young designer overcoming obstacles to make it big. Life imitating art, huh?" 

"Oh, cool!" David perked up. "I haven’t heard of that author, but I’ll check it out. Always hunting for inspiration." 

"You should," Adam grinned. "It’s a great read." 

Just then, the bedroom door flew open. Linda stormed out, her face still red with anger, with Peggy trailing behind, cool as ever. 

Adam and David exchanged a quick glance, both knowing this wasn’t over yet. 

Chapter 451: A Million Paths 

In Peggy’s apartment, out in the living room, Adam and David are cracking up and having a blast. Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Linda’s looking totally helpless . Her own daughter pulled something like this, and when Linda caught her in the act, Peggy didn’t even flinch. Instead, it’s Linda who’s feeling awkward, her initial anger slowly turning into embarrassment. What is this mess?! 

“Peggy,” Linda said carefully, “what’s really going on between you and Adam?” 

“Didn’t you already figure it out, Mom?” Peggy replied, looking surprised. “It’s just a pure, uh… you-know-what kind of thing.” 

Linda’s jaw dropped, completely floored . 

For years, Linda had been by Peggy’s side, supporting her studies, proud of the brilliant kid she raised. But after just a few months of Peggy chasing her own love life, hearing such blunt words come out of her mouth? It was a lot to swallow. 

“Did he put it that way?” Linda snapped, clenching her teeth. 

That jerk Adam—how dare he treat her precious girl like this? So full of himself! 

“Nope,” Peggy shook her head. “I went after him first. Mom, you know I’ve only got one and a half friends. Sheldon’s always been this neutral, clueless kid, so I had to go for the half-friend instead.” 

“But you’re a girl, Peggy. This puts you at a disadvantage,” Linda said, torn. 

“Disadvantage?” Peggy blinked. “Mom, remember how my research was totally stuck a few months back? Once Adam came into the picture, everything clicked—my path forward opened up. He’s my muse, giving me nonstop scientific inspiration. If anyone’s losing out, it’s him. How am I at a disadvantage?” 

Linda couldn’t help but laugh and sigh . She got it. For her math-and-science-obsessed daughter, nothing trumped research. Adam being a constant source of inspiration was Peggy’s biggest win. The usual “who’s taking advantage of who” stuff in relationships didn’t apply to her one-of-a-kind kid. 

Still, even if Linda understood, as a regular mom, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Adam was getting the better deal—and it ticked her off. 

“Peggy, maybe I should stick around and keep you company?” Linda offered hesitantly. 

“No need,” Peggy said, shaking her head. “Lisa’s got me covered. You should go hang with Uncle David. Too many people in the apartment’s no good.” 

Linda felt drained . I’m her mom, darn it! 

“Who’s Lisa?” she asked. 

“Adam’s assistant,” Peggy said casually. “Now she’s mine, handling all the random stuff.” 

“He even got you an assistant?” Linda’s face twisted with mixed feelings. “Peggy, you’re the youngest mathematician ever. If you asked, the school would’ve hooked you up with an assistant—no need to lean on him.” 

“Lisa’s super good, though,” Peggy countered. “She saves me a ton of time. The school’s assistants couldn’t keep up like she does.” 

Linda paused, then glanced around the bedroom. It hit her—the place had changed. Subtle luxury oozed from every corner. She realized why Lisa was so capable: Adam wasn’t skimping on the cash. 

That made her feel both relieved and worried. Relieved that Adam seemed to care, but worried about how long that’d last. 

“So, what’s your plan?” Linda asked, getting serious. 

“Plan for what?” Peggy looked confused. “You don’t mean marriage with Adam, do you?” 

“If you like him, and he likes you, and you’re already… like this, what’s wrong with marriage?” Linda shot back. 

“What, so we can end up like you and Dad—fighting all the time and then divorcing?” Peggy said coolly. “No thanks. That’s way too much time and energy. Marriage is just a boring chain holding tons of scientists back from going further. 

Like, if Einstein didn’t have two wives and a bunch of lovers, wasting all that time on his teacher’s daughter, college buddies, cousin, cousin’s kid, and secretary, he might’ve nailed the unified field theory. We could be zipping through space in warp ships by now. 

Or Schrödinger—if he didn’t have all those wives and girlfriends, spending energy on students, actresses, and office clerks, and if he’d hired an assistant who actually helped instead of just picking someone because he liked their wife, we might know if that cat’s dead or alive. 

Madame Curie—” 

“Okay, okay!” Linda’s head was pounding, and she waved her hand to stop her. “I get it, I get what you’re saying.” 

The bedroom went quiet for a moment. 

Linda replayed Peggy’s words in her head, her eyes brimming with guilt. This is all my fault! No—scratch that—it’s that creep Barry’s fault! If he hadn’t picked fights with her, spouting garbage like “You care too much about Peggy, giving her all your love and leaving none for me,” showing Peggy the nasty side of marriage, she wouldn’t have these wild ideas. Seriously?! Peggy’s his kid too! Was it wrong for Linda to pour her heart into loving their special daughter who needed extra care? 

For a split second, Linda’s mind drifted. She remembered stumbling across something online about creators getting support through pat-reon:belamy20. Maybe Peggy could use something like that for her research one day, she thought, but she brushed it off quick, snapping back to her guilt and frustration. 

Then she thought about Adam’s job. A doctor—just like Barry. Peggy was only eleven when they split, and Linda had raised her solo ever since. With no dad around, it made sense Peggy might gravitate toward Adam, who had the same gig as her father. Add in Adam’s grown-up charm and his nerve—thick enough to make even weathered adults jealous—and Linda’s self-blame hit harder. 

She didn’t like Peggy being with Adam in this vague, no-future setup, but the memory of Peggy spiraling after the divorce held her back from getting too tough. Sigh, she thought, letting out a heavy breath. “You’re still young, so there’s no rush. But if you’re gonna keep hanging with Adam, don’t take his money. Things stay equal only if there’s no cash involved.” That was a brutal lesson from her years as a housewife. She’d put up with so much for so long because she had no income, totally reliant on her husband. 

“I didn’t ask for anything,” Peggy said, frowning. “We don’t owe each other a thing—it’s fair.” She didn’t sweat the small stuff. If it’s there, cool; if not, whatever. It wasn’t a big deal to her—like when Adam offhandedly named her formula the Duncan-Adler formula. Just random stuff, no fuss. If your heart’s calm, why’d the wind even matter? 

Linda had no comeback. In the end, she just stressed the safety basics. Peggy’s only eighteen, barely an adult, so messing around with Adam for a few years isn’t a disaster. Plenty of scientists don’t settle down until their thirties. Peggy’s got loads of time to sort it out. But the big rule? Be safe—don’t end up with a baby!