A few hours after waking up, Adam had found his parents in the kitchen, deep in discussion. Their voices were low and serious, making it difficult for him to decipher what they were talking about. He had just returned from his daily run at the home gym and taken a shower, his white hair still slightly damp, clinging to his forehead and neck.

Adam had spent considerable time reflecting on the revelations from the previous night in the Dreamverse. The events hadn't unfolded as he had anticipated with him being saved from dying, he was somewhat relieved that he wouldn't have to endure the soul-wrenching pain that day.

The revelations, however, had left him in a more somber mood. His morning run had helped him alleviate some of the negative emotions, allowing him to focus on the task at hand. Now, Adam was resolute in his determination to find the first follower for his cult. He knew the challenge lay in figuring out whom to approach and how to do it.

As he approached the kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Curious about their conversation, he had slowed down, trying to listen without drawing attention to himself. His parents' voices remained indiscernible, but their expressions revealed the gravity of the topic. When he got closer, they suddenly stopped talking and looked at him with warm smiles, their eyes holding a mixture of surprise and relief.

"Hey, Adam," his mother, Melissa, greeted him cheerfully. "You're up early today. How was your run?"

His father, Yusuf, nodded in agreement, adding, "You're looking refreshed. That shower must have done you good."

He noticed that their previous solemn expressions had been replaced by genuine warmth, and he wondered if their conversation had anything to do with him.

Adam, feeling a little awkward about interrupting their conversation, managed a smile and replied, "Yeah, the run was great, and the shower was just what I needed. I hit a new personal best today during my 30-minute run. Somehow, I managed to increase my running distance by like 22%."

Adam was slightly confused about how he had managed to set a new record all of a sudden, as his runs had plateaued for the past few months. Regardless, he was happy to see improvement and looked forward to seeing if he could maintain or even surpass this distance in the coming days.

Yusuf's eyes widened, impressed by his son's accomplishment. "That's fantastic, Adam! Your dedication is really paying off. You know, both your mother and I could use more cardio in our lives. Maybe we'll join you on your runs sometime."

Melissa immediately pouted, playfully protesting, "Noooooo, I need my beauty sleep! There's no way I'm getting up that early to go running."

Adam chuckled at his parents' banter, feeling the warmth and love of the moment. The genuine connection between the three of them seemed to dispel any lingering thoughts about the earlier conversation he had inadvertently interrupted.

Yusuf turned his attention to the stove and asked, "Hey Adam, would you like some breakfast?"

Adam nodded, his stomach grumbling slightly. "Yeah, that would be great, Dad. Thanks."

As they gathered around the kitchen table, Adam couldn't help but notice the unusual situation. "By the way, isn’t one of you guys supposed to be at work by now? You're usually out the door by this time."

Melissa grinned, "Well, we decided to both take the day off and spend some time with our favorite son."

Yusuf chimed in, "We figured it's about time we have a day off together. Plus, we both have competent teams at work, so we're not needed there all the time."

Melissa laughed, adding, "Oh, the power of delegation! It's amazing how much free time you get when you trust others to do their jobs well."

Adam smiled, feeling grateful for the chance to spend some quality time with his parents. Their presence helped ground him in reality, providing a much-needed reprieve from the pressures of the Dreamverse.

Adam considered asking one of his parents to be his follower but hesitated, remembering their response to the cult member who had knocked on their door a week prior. He recalled his dad warning him to stay away, and now he had a talent that forced him to create a cult. 'How would they react if they knew I needed to form a cult of my own? Would they understand?' Adam wondered.

Melissa, noticing his hesitance, furrowed her brow and asked, "Adam, is everything okay? You seem a bit distracted. Did something happen in the Dreamverse? Did you die again?"

Adam forced a smile and shook his head, "No, I didn't die this time, and I won't die for a while yet." In his head, he added, 'At least that is if I manage to find my first follower before I enter the Dreamverse tonight.'

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Seeing that Adam was still preoccupied, Yusuf tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, we have a surprise for you today. Something to lift your spirits."

Adam, curious but still worried, asked, "What's the surprise?"

Melissa grinned, "Now, if we told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it? Just wait and see, it's going to be fun!"

As they continued preparing breakfast, Adam noticed his dad making an unusually large amount of food and wondered why. He asked Yusuf about it, and his father jokingly replied, "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling really hungry this morning!"

Adam's attention was captured when Melissa playfully swiped Yusuf's coffee while he hummed, busy preparing breakfast. Melissa saw that Adam noticed her taking the coffee and gestured for him to keep quiet. Yusuf, not turning around and continuing to cook, said, "Honey, put my coffee back."

Melissa, feigning innocence, pouted and returned the coffee. "How did you know?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Yusuf smirks, "When you've been married as long as we have, and when you love coffee as much as I do, you develop a sixth sense for these things."

Adam couldn't help but laugh at his parents' antics, feeling some of the tension leave his body. Despite his concerns about his ‘Dream child’ status and his new mission, moments like these with his family reminded him that he still had a lot to be grateful for in the real world.

The sound of a knock on the door interrupted the family's antics, causing Adam to wonder who could be visiting them at this hour. Melissa shared a knowing glance with Yusuf and encouraged Adam, "Go ahead and open the door, sweetie."

Adam stood up and opened the door, and to his surprise, Stella was there, eagerly rushing in to embrace him in a tight hug. Caught off guard by her unexpected presence, he tried to keep up with her excited, rapid-fire chatter.

"Adam! You won't believe what happened! It's so amazing, and I just couldn't wait to tell you!" she exclaimed, barely pausing for breath.

As he was a bit taller than Stella, he could only see flashes of her vibrant red hair while they hugged. Adam, still trying to process her excitement, gently patted her back and laughed.

Still laughing, Adam gently told her, "Slow down, Stella! What's going on?"

Stella let go of Adam and blushed out of embarrassment. She then explained, "Adam, my mom and I have finally left the Edwards family!"

Adam felt a wave of excitement for Stella, he was grateful that the conflict he had at the Emmanuel family's party hadn't negatively impacted their plans to leave. In fact, he couldn't help but hope that his violent beatdown of Rupert had made everyone wary of messing with him and those close to him.

As he watched Stella's bubbly nature reemerge, now that there was no one to hurt her, he felt a sense of accomplishment and relief. The thought of Stella and her mom finding a safe haven with his family brought a genuine smile to his face, and he looked forward to seeing her regain her happiness and confidence.

Stella noticed Adam's parents and greeted them, "Hello Aunt Melissa and Uncle Yusuf! Thank you for having us."

Her excitement started to build again, and she bounced on the balls of her feet as she told Adam, "We're going to go shopping together to buy stuff for our rooms and paint them. It's going to be so much fun!" Realizing she might have given away their plans for the day, she quickly covered her mouth, her eyes wide.

Adam's parents looked amused, and he turned to them with a grin, "So, is this the surprise you were talking about?"

Annabelle Edwards, Stella's mom, entered the room and playfully scolded her daughter, "Stella, you weren't supposed to tell him yet!"

“Hey little Adam,” Annabelle hugged Adam before embracing Melissa warmly, saying, "Thank you so much for having us over. We really appreciate it."

Melissa, feeling a bit guilty, replied, "You're always welcome here, Annabelle. I'm sorry I left you to deal with those two families."

Annabelle held Melissa's hand and reassured her with a smile, "Don't worry about it, Melissa. I'm glad you followed your heart, and I wish I could have been there to celebrate your wedding. But the Edwards and Emmanuels made sure I couldn't attend. Now, I'm just thrilled to be with my dear friend again, and there is nothing standing in the way of our friendship any longer."

Melissa teared up and hugged her friend again, sharing a quiet moment together.

Annabelle then looked over at Yusuf with a playful smile and said, "I have to thank you, Yusuf, for letting us use the remaining guest rooms and for clearing them out. And to think, if I had known back in our private school days that you would steal the heart of my young miss, I might not have introduced you two!"

Yusuf chuckled, waving off her gratitude and teasingly replied, "Well, I'm glad you did introduce us, or else I might have missed out on the love of my life." He then added, "I've cleaned the rooms, and you and Stella can move into your separate rooms once you replace the furniture. We're really glad to have you both here with us."

Stella, still bouncing with excitement, added, "Thank you so much, Uncle Yusuf! This is going to be a new start for us, and we're so grateful for your support."

Yusuf, smiling warmly, replied, "I'm just about done with breakfast, and I've made plenty for everyone. Why don't you both join us?"

Annabelle gratefully accepted the invitation, saying, "We'd love to. We have a big day ahead of us. Thank you, Yusuf."

The aroma of breakfast filled the air as they all sat down to enjoy the feast Yusuf had prepared. The table was laden with an assortment of items: fluffy scrambled eggs, freshly baked bread, a variety of fruits, and grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. As they dug in, the lively conversation revolved around their plans for the day, and laughter filled the room.

Once they finished eating, the adults decided it was time to head out for their shopping trip. Eager to spend more time with Stella, Adam chose to ride with Annabelle and Stella in their car. Settling into the comfortable seats, he couldn't help but let his thoughts drift back to the pressing issue of choosing his first follower. He knew he needed to make a decision and ask someone before the day was over, or he'd be in for a lot of pain.

'But who should I ask?' The question lingered in his mind as they drove off, leaving him to ponder his options while the car hummed down the road.