Ares Simon's POV:
It was a few days into our planning against Eric Peterson when Grandpa insisted on meeting me, emphasizing the matter was important.
"Grandpa, if your idea of 'important matter' involves my marriage, then I'm afraid this conversation ends right here," I stated dryly, nonchalantly loosening my tie. "I've made up my mind. This is a personal decision, and I'm not ready for marriage, nor am I interested in expanding the business," I declared firmly, my voice carrying a finality that echoed through the room.
Grandpa, settled in his office chair in the study room, locking cold eyes with me, seated across from him. The room exuded the faint scent of leather, mingling with the subtle notes of paper and lingering traces of cigar smoke.
Today, this matter would be settled once and for all. I refused to entangle myself with the Silvas merely for the expansion of the Knight Group; I was more than capable of achieving success on my own terms.
"Okay!" Grandpa responded unexpectedly, catching me off guard.
My eyebrows shot up, suspicion worming its way through me. I leaned casually against the chair rest, folding my shirt sleeves up to my elbows as I settled into a more comfortable position.
"That's it?" I inquired calmly, my right ankle resting on my left knee, elbow propped on the armrest.
There's no way Grandpa was conceding so easily after years of pestering me about marriage.
"Yeah! If you don't want to marry Silva's granddaughter, then don't..." he affirmed, nodding while reaching for a cigar. Jonathan, standing across from us, stepped forward to light Grandpa's cigar.
My eyebrows furrowed as I considered my plan involving the Silva Group. If Grandpa was finally giving up the marriage pursuit, I'd have to reconsider causing any further disruptions for them.
"I have another list of girls who you can marry!" Grandpa stated matter-of-factly, pulling out a stack of pictures from the drawer.
There, I knew it!
"Grandpa! I've made it clear I don't want to marry," I retorted with a chill in my tone. "Whether it's Silva's granddaughter or any other heiress, I am not marrying any of them. End of discussion." Rising abruptly, my chair emitted a loud scrape as it shifted backward. I turned away without sparing a glance on the multitude of photos scattered on the table, angrily grabbing my coat.
"£20 million pounds..." My strides came to an abrupt halt at Grandpa's next words, my heart pounding in my chest. "You used the company's rarest stock of Red Diamonds and Jadeite Jade to craft a customized necklace for someone, and you say you're not ready for marriage?" His sarcastic voice made me clench my jaw, and I shot a sharp look at Jonathan, who responded with an awkward smile, avoiding eye contact.
Traitor! I thought he was on my side...
"I thought we had a deal, grandpa. You'd stop keeping tabs on me, and—" I drawled, tossing my coat aside in frustration, turning back to Grandpa, fuming with rage. However, my words trailed off as I glanced at the picture of a girl he was showing.
My mind momentarily went blank, drawn into the familiar amber hues staring back at me from the picture.
I blinked, refocusing my eyes on Grandpa.
What was I saying again?
"Sit," Grandpa ordered, breaking through my distracted thoughts. I quietly resumed my seat without uttering a word. "You gifted it to her, didn't you?" he inquired.
I gave a subtle nod in affirmation, averting my gaze. She had accepted my apology, accepted my gift, yet she didn't wear the necklace.
A bitter emotion engulfed me, one I attempted to push away but that stubbornly clung to my heart. I had witnessed her wearing a necklace; she never took it off. I had noticed the silver chain several times, though the entire locket was always concealed under her clothes. It couldn't be that she disliked wearing necklaces; she simply chose not to wear the one I gave her...
"This is the girl your mother and I have chosen for you." My gaze abruptly shifted to Grandpa, my mouth agape, staring at him dumbfounded. "Do you still have an objection?"
"Huh? How? When? No..." I blurted, stumbling over my words, "I mean, does Elysia know about this?" I asked, trying to process everything, my heart doing flips in my chest.
"She doesn't yet; we have met her mother, Sandra Lawson, and she would like to meet you. That's why I called you," he informed. My racing heart calmed down automatically, returning to its usual pace, realizing she was oblivious to all this.
"Wait a minute!" I interjected, frustration and disbelief etched on my face. "You didn't even talk to me or Elysia and met her mother behind her back, and that too, in a hospital? How could you?" I remarked incredulously.
Elders can be incredibly intrusive sometimes...
"So, you're not willing to meet her and marry Elysia?" Grandpa asked calmly, choosing to overlook my comment.
"Of course, not!" I retorted, my tone firm. "I'm not marrying her like this," I stated, determination lacing my words.
I don't even know what she thinks about me. How could they expect me to agree without knowing her feelings?
"Fine, it's your choice," Grandpa replied, placing his cigar down on the tray and gathering the pictures scattered on the table. I noticed they were all of Elysia, captured in various moments — in elevators, at the office, in hospital, and more.
What the...?
"Jonathan! Did you prepare the men's list?" Grandpa addressed Jonathan, completely disregarding my presence.
What men's list?!!
My eyebrows furrowed as I observed a file in Jonathan's hands. Before I could inquire about the pictures of Elysia, he stepped forward, placing a file on the table.
"Here, Mr. Knight. As per Mrs. Lawson's requirements, I have prepared the list of all eligible men for Miss Lawson." My lips parted in shock at his statement, my gaze moving back and forth between the file and them.
"What the heck is going on here?" I got up, seizing the file before Grandpa could pick it up.
Opening the file, I sifted through the list of several guys, each accompanied by a basic background check, my hands formed fists, jaws clenched in death grip.
"We aren't forcing you to get married. Just help me select a man for Elysia Lawson. Your mother has been visiting Sandra lately, and they have become friends, so Sandra is searching for a good proposal for her daughter and Joelle offered her help. You may have met several ones on the list; who do you think would be nice for her?" Grandpa explained nonchalantly, as if he didn't just ask me to choose a man for Elysia.
If he had so much free time to play the role of a matchmaker, I couldn't help but think that I should have sent him on an extended vacation to another continent for a year or two...
I closed the file in my hands with a sharp, resounding flip, shifting my gaze back to Grandpa.
"None of them," I stated through clenched teeth, my knuckles turning pale white from the intense grip on the folder. "She isn't marrying any of them," I added firmly, the weight of my words echoing in the room. Grandpa calmly stared at me behind his glasses, his expression unreadable.
For a serious moment, I genuinely considered destroying each and every man on that list.
"I'll talk to her, and until then, you won't take any action." I declared, picking up my coat, and turned to leave, only to come to a sudden halt after a few steps.
Turning back, I strode purposefully towards the table, gathering all of Elysia's pictures, while Grandpa raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"You will ask your man to stop spying on her now, otherwise, don't blame me if I handle it my way, Grandpa!"
With the file and coat in one hand and Elysia's pictures in the other, I exited the study room, only to hear the lingering echoes of Grandpa's amused laugh as it followed me down the hallway, intensifying my annoyance and causing me to grit my teeth.
••••••
I despised it when someone attempted to control or surveil my every move. Grandpa and I had engaged in numerous arguments over this issue in the past, yet he persisted much to my dismay. Only this time, however, I wasn't angry, rather, it was the opposite.
At first, I was searching for the perfect moment to discuss everything with Elysia. However, following the events of that day in the hospital and the additional revelations about her that surfaced after my encounter with Grandpa the next day, I altered my plans of approaching her.
An uneasy feeling enveloped me, prompting me to subconsciously run my hand through my hair. I once detested lies; left her under the impression that she deceived me. However, today, I was the liar; the deceiver, and surprisingly, I felt no remorse whatsoever.
My gaze shifted to Elysia, who was seated beside me. The hospital corridors enveloped us in an eerie quiet, the only audible sounds being the rustle of our soft breathing.
Lost in her thoughts, she stared at the floor, her hands clasped in her lap. I wish I could comprehend what was going on in her mind in that moment.
Just when I was contemplating the ways to break through the defensive walls surrounding this reserved girl, an opportunity presented itself, accompanied by a legitimate reason to be by her side; a certified chance to have her with me, and that too, the most sacred one.
Despite the doubts and uncertainties that gnawed at me, one couldn't blame a man for embracing the happiness that welled up within me.
Glancing at my watch, I realized we had been sitting there for several hours. It was almost noon.
Discreetly rising without making a sound, I signaled Jonathan, who had been lingering in the corridor for the whole time.
Grandpa's spy!
I instructed Jonathan to watch over the girls while I ventured to the cafeteria. Observing Elysia's state, I could sense she hadn't eaten at all.
I bought simple chicken sandwiches and water bottles, making my way back to the waiting area connected to the hospital corridors. There, I found both Elysia and Esme still in the same position as I had left them.
In the midst of Sandra's concern, they were neglecting themselves. I knew Sandra was a mother figure to both of them, yet I couldn't fathom the depth of her significance in their lives or the pivotal role she had played to render them in such a state.
I quietly approached Elysia, taking a seat beside her. This time, not bothering to leave space between us, catching her attention as she stirred. I waved a sandwich in front of her, and her eyes followed my movement before settling up at me. She shook her head, speaking in a voice just above a whisper, "I'm not hungry."
I nodded in understanding and began, "You may not feel hungry, but you'll need your energy for later. So you have to eat something at least." Placing a sandwich in her hand, I interjected in a slightly stern voice as she opened her mouth to speak, "Eat, Elysia, or I don't mind feeding you."
Her eyes widened slightly at my words, a hint of color covering her pale skin as she shook her head lightly and asked, "Have you eaten?"
Surprised by her unexpected response, my eyebrows raised, but a small smile tugged at my lips before revealing the sandwich in my other hand.
Realization dawned in her eyes as she nodded in understanding and shifted her gaze towards Esme.
I placed a hand on her head, gently stroking her hair, and stated, "Eat! I've brought for her as well." Elysia looked at me with a grateful expression and nodded.
I rose from the steel bench, making my way towards Esme, and extended a sandwich along with a sealed water bottle. Her gaze shifted from the sandwich in my hand to Elysia, who offered a small smile.
Taking the sandwich from me, Esme mumbled a quiet thank you. Returning to my spot beside Elysia, I observed her as she began to eat before unwrapping my own sandwich.
*****************
It was some time in the evening when the light above the operation theatre door turned off, and Dr. Finn emerged. The strong smell of disinfectant and chemicals filled the corridors.
Elysia and Esme stood up, hurriedly approaching Dr. Finn, with me following closely. "How is Mom?" Elysia inquired, her voice slightly shaky.
I stopped behind her as Dr. Finn glanced at me briefly before turning to them with a smile. "Congratulations! The surgery was a major success."
A gasp escaped Elysia's lips as she placed a hand over her mouth, tears streamed down her face, this time in relief. She threw her arms around equally relieved Esme, both of them comforting each other.
My gaze automatically softened, witnessing Elysia's face illuminated with happiness and relief.
Casting a quick glance toward their direction, I asked Dr. Finn, "How's her body responding?" My words caught their attention, and they turned back to us. Dr. Finn nodded reassuringly, "Fortunately, everything seems good, and her body is responding quite well. We just need to observe her condition for the next few days to gauge the overall body's response, but her current state is a good sign."
Relief consumed everyone's features as Dr. Finn elaborated on a few more details before excusing himself.
Sandra Lawson was on the path to recovery; it was just a matter of time. Casting a relieved glance towards Dr. Finn's retreating figure, I turned to Elysia, who was already looking at me. She instantly averted her gaze, a slight pinkish shade coloring her cheeks.
"Can we talk?" I approached her and inquired in a low voice. Now that her initial worry about Sandra has subsided, her features seemed more cautious; more aware, brooding and thoughtful.
She cast an unsure glance towards Esme before facing me and nodded hesitantly, fiddling with her clothes again.
We walked out of the hospital building, making our way to the garden area. I gestured for Elysia to take a seat on the bench.
Taking a deep breath, I crouched down in front of her, resting one knee on the ground and gently taking her fidgeting, cold hands in mine.
Despite days of preparing myself for a proper conversation with her, now that she was in front of me, I was at a loss for words.
"It's your choice if you want to tell her, but you should know... She may not accept you after knowing the truth." Grandpa's voice echoed in my head.
I have recently held her hand, I can't just bear to lose her...
"I'm... here to give you answers," I stammered, meeting her searching eyes. Her amber hues seemed to penetrate my soul, creating an uneasy feeling, as if she could unveil my innermost secrets. "For all your questions, ask away!" I added cautiously, silently cursing myself for playing safe.
Elysia silently observed my face before posing her question, "Did you... Were you aware that it was me?"
I swallowed hard, nodded in affirmation, and replied, "Yes!"
"Since when?"
"Two weeks!"
She lowered her head, biting her lip, inquiring seriously, "Were... you forced?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "To marry me." She clarified.
"Of course, no!" My answer was instant, but I was perplexed by the way her brain was thinking.
"Then, Why?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Why what?"
"Why would you agree to marry me?" Her question was direct and instant.
"Why wouldn't I agree to marry you?" I countered back, emphasizing each word.
Could she really not see what I see? Any man would be lucky to have her by his side.
******************
Hey, lovelies! Share your thoughts about today's chapter. ❤️
Another Question: What type of story do you guys want me to write next?
Dark Romance
Enemies to lovers
Brother's best friend
Romantic Comedy
Ex-lovers or ex-couple
Best friends to lovers
Arranged marriage
Crime Romance
Mafia Romance
Deception and Redemption
Fantasy Romance
CEO/Billionaire Romance?!
Or do you guys have any other requests? I wanna try new things...✨