Chapter 22.1
Chapter 22.1
‘He’s too considerate.’
It was something I could easily overlook, and yet, it warmed me.
“I hope your mother likes it,” I said sincerely.
‘Please, let her not coldly reject the gift in front of Ricardo. No, even if she rejects it, it’s alright. Just as long as she doesn’t do anything to hurt his feelings.’
He truly longed for the affection of his family, especially his mother.
***
Luke Randy raked a hand through his hair, the fine, golden strands slipping through his long, knuckled fingers. The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to make it gleam brighter than usual today. “I told you I haven’t given it any thought, Chairman,” he said, his mood souring.
“How old are you now? How long are you going to keep this up?!” Rupert Randy’s voice boomed from the communicator on Luke’s desk. The stern voice of the chairman of the renowned Landis Bank. Barely a week had passed since Luke had returned from the chairman’s estate.
“I’ll handle it myself. I’ve told you repeatedly that you don’t need to worry about it.”
“-Don’t lie! You’ve said that countless times. This time, just listen to me!”
“Grandfather!” Luke finally snapped, unable to contain his frustration any longer. He was incredibly irritated, and the source of his annoyance was none other than Rupert Randy, his grandfather, and his incessant nagging about marriage.
Ever since Luke turned fifteen, Rupert had been trying to arrange a marriage for him. He didn’t want his grandson ending up with someone insignificant, like his former son-in-law, Luke’s father. He had cherished and raised his daughter with care, only for her to run off with some nobody. Rupert had been furious, even more so when they eloped against his wishes.
Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, his daughter’s marriage hadn’t lasted long. The good-for-nothing son-in-law had resorted to violence due to financial struggles, and his daughter had promptly divorced him and returned home. Since then, Rupert had been meticulously arranging suitable matches for his grandson, fearing he’d make a similar mistake.
“-I’m not saying you have to marry. Is it so difficult to just meet someone?”
“If it were you, Grandfather, a single meeting would lead straight to wedding planning.” The problem was, Luke had no intention of marrying anyone his grandfather chose. He had been refusing since he was young, and his resistance had only intensified as he grew older.
“You even feigned illness to try and get me married.”
“-Ahem!” A clearing of the throat echoed from the communicator. That was precisely why Luke had visited the chairman’s estate this time. He had rushed over after hearing about his grandfather’s sudden collapse, only to find an unfamiliar woman waiting for him. It had all been a ploy to get him married.
“In any case, I’m not interested, Chairman. I’ll handle it when the time is right.”
“And then you’ll end up like your mother…”
“I don’t think my mother’s choice was wrong. They simply weren’t suited for each other.” Luke’s voice hardened at the mention of his mother. He respected her for raising him single-handedly and building a successful business. He resented his grandfather’s constant veiled criticisms of her, disguised as concern. It was one of the reasons he defied him.
“Hmm, alright. Let’s leave it at that for today.” Rupert Randy, unable to withstand his grandson’s unwavering stance, finally changed the subject. “The reason I called today was because I have something important to discuss.” Rupert lowered his voice, indicating that this was the real purpose of his call. “His Highness will be returning soon, so be prepared, Luke.”
“…By His Highness, you mean Prince Alexid?”
“Yes, his studies in Kishan are complete, so it’s time for him to return.”
“….”
“-It’s time for you to be introduced to His Highness.”
Luke’s face crumpled. He remained silent, prompting Rupert’s voice to come through the communicator again, “Are you listening, Luke?” He forced himself to answer, “Yes, Chairman,” his voice laced with displeasure. He quickly ended the conversation. As soon as the communicator clicked off, Luke let out a deep sigh.
“D*mn it!” he growled, rising from his chair and pacing around his office. Unable to contain his anger, he kicked at his desk and chair. “That old man.” He shouldn’t have answered the call in the first place. Marriage was one thing, but news about the reckless prince was another.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.