After setting up the chessboard, Layne prepared himself for a fierce battle against Kelvin, as if he was determined to defeat him without leaving any chance for a comeback.
However, a few minutes passed.
“Oops, wait… just give me a moment to think.”
“No, I made a wrong move earlier. Let me reconsider… Why are you so impatient?”
“Grandfather… You said earlier that once you make a move, there’s no regret!”
“Is that so? I don’t recall saying that. What are you talking about? Well, this time I’m sure I want to place my piece here. Now it’s your turn.”
Kelvin discreetly took a deep breath. If the person sitting across him was his own grandfather, he would have already excused himself and left by now. Playing chess against his own grandfather would at most invite a few taunts. However, playing against Cheyenne’s grandpa was a completely different story. He had to be extremely cautious.
He wondered when he could get these two old men to play together so that everyone could be free from this chess match. The game lasted until past six o’clock from half-past five, but luckily, dinner was already prepared, and Yvonne’s call to eat saved him!
“Grandfather, let’s have dinner first. The chess game can wait.”
Layne hadn’t won yet, and he tightened his grip on the white pieces, unwilling to give up. “Are you very hungry?”
Kelvin tensed up, “Not really.”
Layne hummed in a spoiled tone, “Since you’re not hungry, you can finish the game before you eat. The loser shouldn’t be allowed to have dinner, right?”
Damn, he didn’t want to win, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to eat.
Just as Kelvin hesitated, Yvonne walked over and forcefully pulled Grandfather away from his seat.
“You’ve had enough. Kelvin and the others came all the way here, and if you continue like this, they won’t even have a bite to eat. If Cheyenne finds out, she’ll definitely scold you later.”
Upon hearing the name “Cheyenne,” Layne immediately wilted, obediently putting down the chess pieces and following Yvonne back to the dining room.
Kelvin also took a seat next to Channing.
Today’s dinner was lavish, filled with all of Cheyenne’s favorite dishes. Unfortunately, Cheyenne wasn’t present, and everyone’s mood was a little down looking at these dishes.
Layne, in particular, expressed his dissatisfaction through his eyes, “You, why didn’t you bring Cheyenne along this time?”
Kelvin also wanted to do so, but the circumstances didn’t allow it.
“Grandfather, Cheyenne and I still have two children at home. Oliver needs to go to kindergarten and requires someone to pick him up. Cheyenne needs to go to work.”
Upon hearing this, Layne felt a slight loss, but he knew Kelvin was telling the truth. However, as an old man… the older he got, the more he enjoyed having more people at home, making it lively.
“But don’t worry, Grandfather. Cheyenne and I are getting married next month. You and Aunt Yvonne can come together and stay for a while.”
Kelvin brought up the topic proactively, and Layne’s expression improved, “You’re right. It’s just on the 24th next month. I’ll definitely come then.”
“Great.”
When it came to the wedding preparations, Yvonne couldn’t help but ask a few more questions, “How are the preparations going? If you need any help, just let us know.”
As Cheyenne’s biological father, Channing also paid special attention to this matter. He looked up from his plate with a condescending gaze towards Kelvin.
“No matter what, Cheyenne is my only daughter, and this is her second marriage to you. The first time, I wasn’t around but I still heard how you neglected her back then. This time, I’m going to be involved in the entire process.” Speaking of the past, Kelvin felt guilty. He knew he had let Cheyenne down… The marriage was all arranged by his grandfather; he was only responsible for showing up.
As soon as the wedding was over, not even the wedding night was spent together before Kelvin flew abroad alone, leaving Cheyenne to drown her sorrows in a bar until dawn.
Looking back now, he wanted to smack himself in the face, especially considering Layne and Channing who deeply loved Cheyenne.
The meat on his plate seemed to be stabbed and crushed by the fork as if it were not a chicken cutlet but Kelvin himself.
Feeling uneasy, Kelvin remained silent, unable to speak up.
“Grandpa, Aunt Yvonne… and dear father-in-law, rest assured, this time I will give Cheyenne a luxurious wedding that everyone will admire. It’s what she deserves.”
“Hmph!” Layne expressed disdain. He wasn’t lacking in money, and to the Edwards family, organizing a wedding was just a matter of talking.
He didn’t care for Kelvin’s idea of a “luxurious wedding.” To Layne, it was simply materialistic; what he wanted to see was sincerity!
Channing, Kelvin’s father-in-law, was straightforward in his speech. He patted Kelvin on the shoulder and said in a low voice, “Very well, I want to see how deep your love for Cheyenne truly is. Otherwise… my daughter has no shortage of suitors, that’s a fact everyone acknowledges.”
Currently, Omari, Iker, Benson… were all eligible bachelors.
Channing favored Iker the most. He had met the boy before and, though a bit aloof, his treatment of Cheyenne was beyond reproach.
Kelvin felt like he was being pounded by his father-in-law’s words, almost on the verge of a breakdown. He hurriedly promised, “Please rest assured, dear father-in-law, I will make sure Cheyenne is satisfied, and so are you.”
This was what Channing wanted to hear, finally giving Kelvin a look. “Hmm, let’s eat. After dinner, we’ll talk about Oliver and Cierra.”
“Yes.”
The dinner was not exactly harmonious, mainly because Kelvin was under immense pressure.
After dinner, Reece unexpectedly arrived.
Holding a bag of fruit, he grinned. “Grandpa, I’m here to see you!”
He and Cheyenne had been good friends since childhood, so he also called Layne “Grandpa” just like Cheyenne did.
Layne had a favorable impression of Reece, considering him a good kid.
“Oh, Reece is here. Have you been filming in Onistead recently? Come on in!”
Reece had only arrived in Onistead last week and had joined a production team right at the airport, finally taking a day off to visit Layne.
Upon entering the house, Reece noticed Kelvin’s presence and coldly snorted. He didn’t particularly like the man who married his best friend.
“Oh, isn’t this the always-busy Mr. Foley? What brings you here? Where are Cheyenne and the two kids, where are they?”
Apart from the three rivals, Kelvin disliked this man in front of him the most. The man not only looked flamboyant but also always found opportunities to talk to his own wife while playing games.