NovelEnglishNo sooner had the words left his mouth than the two men outside, deep in conversation, entered the room.
Both men seemed calm enough.
Augus settled into an armchair and asked, "How's Maja doing? I heard she had a rough twith morning sickness a while back?" "She's fine now, as you said, that was before." Beck answered, his gaze shifting to the doctor.
He didn't change his form of address, fearing it might be awkward for both, "Doctor, please, have a seat." The conversation that followed revolved around their recent shared experiences, discussing Augus's health and lan's recovery.
The three Sanders men avoided discussing the events of the past years, not wanting to exclude the doctor and possibly make him uncomfortable.
In that moment, there was an unspoken understanding among them all.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtOver at Greenfield Gardens, lan trailed behind Maja, watching her pore over the secret level Beck had sketched out on paper. He couldn't help himself and tugged at her sleeve.
"He's coming over soon, right? Do you think he'll like the gift I picked out?" lan's gift ranged from fine art to rare, priceless vintage wines, stopping just short of handing over shares in the Raymond Corporation, a testament to his sincerity.
"He'll love it, don't be nervous." How could lan not be nervous, his palms were sweaty.
When the gatekeeper announced the arrival of their guest, lan immediately stood up and went to wait by the living room door.
A Maybach glided up to the house, with Beck still behind the wheel.
As the car stopped at the curb and Augus stepped out, his gaze fell on Maja and his eyes instantly reddened.
The usually stoic man opened and closed his mouth several times, struggling to find the right words.
In the end, it was Beck who clapped him on the shoulder.
"Dad, let's go inside." Augus nodded, his expression turning stern as his eyes met lan's, even uttering a cold huff.
It seemed he wasn't too pleased with lan, particularly the matter of his second marriage, a thorn in everyone's side.
lan's spine stiffened, but he maintained his composure and politeness.
As they all sat down to dinner, lan ladled soup for Maja first, then served the others in turn.
When it cto the doctor, he made a special mention.
"Doctor, this soup is great for beauty and vitality, made with wild ginseng to boost energy and blood." The corners of the doctor's mouth curved into a smile, "I must say, lan seems more reliable than the other two boys." The other two boys being Beck and Dylan.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmA hint of pride flashed in lan's eyes as he poured a glass of wine for Augus.
"Mr. Sanders, please." Seeing Augus's grim expression, lan hesitated to call him 'dad', not e wanting to embarrass himself if the man didn't respond, which would make it awkward for everyone present. Augus's face softened considerably, thinking the kid wasn't as bad as Beck had made him out to be.
Over dinner, lan flattered his in-laws by alternating between addressing Augus as Mr. Sanders and the doctor, leaving them both beaming.
Unable to resist the ambiance, Augus indulged in a few extra drinks and eventually patted lan on the shoulder.
"Take good care of Maja. You should cut back on the drinking." "Dad, don't worry. I never drink when I'm out, just so Maja won't worry." With a subtle shift, lan moved from addressing him as Mr. Sanders to 'dad' without Augus noticing, and continued to chat.
"Still, dad, I remember Beck's string of scandals. Hasn't settled down yet, has he? Maja's baby is almost here and if he continues his I.net' ways, it's not setting a good example for the nephew or niece, you know." lan appeared thoughtfully concerned, as though the matter weighed heavily on him.
Augus's expression darkened.
It was true; the eldest was busy running the company and hadn't had tfor relationships, now tasked with caring for a young girl they had brought back from a research. facility. There was no rush to settle down. But the middle son's numerous escapades, often making headlines, would indeed set a poor example for Maja's future child. Though unborn, it was wise to nip any issues in the bud.
Setting down his wine glass, Augus turned to look at Beck, who had just returned from the kitchen.
Beck had accidentally bitten into a whole peppercorn and had to douse the fire with several glasses of water in the kitchen. Yet, when he returned to the table, he found the conversation had taken an unexpected turn.
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