Jepherson walked towards the entrance of the Moore family’s home. Then, he stopped by the gate and said, “How’s Old Master Johan doing?”
“Well, he’s good,” the old butler replied immediately.
“We’re here to pay him a visit,” Jepherson said. “I wonder if it’s convenient to meet him?” Jepherson’s attitude was one of deference. He sounded like a parent who had brought his misbehaving child over to issue an apology.
However, the old steward doubted their motive. “How kind of the Richards family, huh?” he thought.
“It’s blatantly obvious that he’s courting trouble. Look at the sheer number of people and cars.”
The old butler thought for a moment and said, “Wait a minute. Let me pass the word over.”
The old butler then turned around and hurried to go into the house. Jepherson waited by the gate. Santiago stood behind him, with his hands in his pockets. Jepherson had a similar posture. However, Jepherson was decently dressed, while Santiago wasn’t properly groomed.
The old butler arrived at Johan’s room. He went in and told Johan what happened.
Johan took a sip of tea and spat out some phlegm. Then, he leaned against the bed and said, “Let them in.”
“Dad, that’s so gracious of you to let them in,” Yousif said. He happened to be at home and overheard the conversation. Irritated, he said, “Why are they here? They can’t just come to the Moore family’s home uninvited.”
Johan put the teacup on the table and glowered at Yousif. “Well, if I don’t let them in, then they may refuse to leave. And that’s going to be even more embarrassing, isn’t it?”
Yousif lowered his head and remained silent. He did not dare to say anything as Johan was rather intimidating.
Elina happened to be here too. She glanced at her husband before directing her gaze towards Johan. Then, she walked towards Johan and said, “Shall we get Flynt to come over?”
“Nah,” Johan said. “It’s not that we’re at each other’s throats and picking a fight with them. So, it doesn’t bother us if they were to make a scene out there. Anyway, we’d better not be frank and speak our minds since they are mad now. We know very well that they are here today over what Deanna has gone through.”
“Flynt’s been rather reckless,” Johan added. “But regardless, it’s a job well done. At the very least, this can serve as a severe warning to them.”
Elina was elated as Johan publicly praised Flynt. Flynt was her son after all.
Elina flashed a smile and said, “Well he needs plenty guidance from you. After all, he’s young, hot-headed and reckless. He would even act outrageously at times, bringing trouble to you.”
“Hmph…” Johan snorted. “He hadn’t brought trouble to me. It was all the Richards family’s fault. They have been such bullies.”
Johan had never wanted to retaliate. However, he resorted to giving the Richards family a taste of their own medicine since they had consistently taken advantage of the Moore family.
Elina lowered her head and asked, “Now that they are coming into the house, shall I make a move to hide elsewhere?”
Johan was pleased with Elina’s remark. Not only had she given birth to a few intelligent children, she was a rather vigilant lady herself. Yousif could not hold a candle to Elina.
Johan knew that he could not count on Yousif.
“I thought so too. You’re a woman after all. So, you’d better not show up.”
“Alright then,” Elina said. She then turned around and left. She did not bother looking at Yousif, not even once. Since they no longer had romantic feelings for each other, she reckoned that she did not need to be affectionate towards him.
Yousif was resentful of Elina’s reaction. He took umbrage at Elina for gloating at his humiliation when he was reproached by Johan.
Yousif swore that he would teach her a lesson one of these days.
Johan squinted and looked at the old butler. “Go, let them in,” he said.
“Okay,” the old butler replied. Then, he hurried to inform Jepherson and led them into the house.
While they were walking into the house, Jepherson told Santiago, “Tuck your shirt into your trousers. Button up, please.”
Jepherson’s words apparently fell on deaf ears. As they arrived at Johan’s room, the old butler let them in without saying anything.
As they went in, Jepherson addressed Johan with deference. “It’s great to see you again, Old Master,” he said. “How are you doing?”
Johan waved him off, as if suggesting that he was not well. After a long pause, he said, “Well, I guess I’m kicking the bucket soon. I may be fine now but we can’t be certain. I’m in my twilight years after all. The clock is ticking my life away, day by day.”
Then, Johan coughed twice. “You’re still sprightly,” Jepherson said with a smile. “You look much better than before when I last saw you. I guess you’ve been confined indoors most of the time. Take a stroll outdoors. You’d feel much better.”
“That’s so thoughtful of you,” Johan said. “I’m happy to hear that. Even then, I’m too weak to move around.”
Santiago could tell that Johan was merely trying to exchange pleasantries. Then, he said, “Well, then there’s nothing much you can do. You can’t even get up from bed, much less taking a stroll outdoors. Who knows, you might die in your own bed.”
There was complete silence at that moment. Johan quirked his brow as he looked at Santiago. Santiago then directed his gaze elsewhere in the room. Jepherson gave Santiago a sideways glance and said with a frown, “Nonsense.”
“Alright then, I’m talking nonsense,” Santiago said disdainfully. He then grabbed a chair and took a seat. The old butler smirked. “The Richards family has such good-looking offsprings,” he thought. “Unfortunately, their attitude stinks.”
Jepherson glanced at Santiago. One could not tell whether he was annoyed or secretly delighted as Santiago provoked Johan. He then looked at Johan and said, “He’s been spoiled by my Dad. I didn’t bother to discipline him when my Dad wasn’t around. Hopefully, you won’t take his words to heart for he’s just a mouthy idiot.”
“Hmph!” Johan snorted. He was visibly offended. Jepherson had been calm. Out of boredom, Santiago turned impatient. He sat cross-legged and said, “Hey, old man…”
“Santiago,” Jepherson interjected. Santiago immediately replied, “Alright, I get it.”
He sounded impatient. Fortunately, at the very least, he watched his manners.
Jepherson was still waiting to be seated. Annoyed, Santiago said, “We’ve been here for a while. Why hasn’t someone offered Jepherson a seat?”
Johan shrugged him off. “Well, you came uninvited in the first place,” he said.
Jepherson said with a smile, “You’re right. We shouldn’t have come here uninvited.”
Johan did not respond to Jepherson’s remark. In spite of that, Jepherson was not offended.
“I have no choice but to pay you a sudden visit,” he added. “It was all Santiago’s fault.”
Johan remained silent. Yousif snorted and said, “Well why cause mischief at our home if you know that it isn’t proper?”
Johan glowered at Yousif. He then stopped talking, lest Johan told him off again.
Jepherson flashed a smile. Then, he said matter-of-factly, “I agree with you. However, he’s a grown-up. So, I can’t meddle in his love affairs. I can’t stop him since he’s adamant that he wants to come over. Now that he refuses to leave, I’ve got to bring him in. He’s my brother after all.”
Something crossed the old butler’s mind the moment Jepherson explained himself. “Perhaps…” he thought.
“Perhaps, it has something to do with that incident?”