Andreas turned and actually left. He did not care, even when he saw Bryan standing up with an angry expression on his face.
“Andreas!”
Andreas remained unmoved. He walked on and didn’t care about Bryan’s screams.
“You’re a real brat!”
Bryan could only mutter when he realized that Andreas had completely disregarded his call. Andreas had really left after causing chaos.
“You’re out of line, Bryan. How could you curse your own son?”
Bryan turned to Amanda with a sharp look. “This must be because of you, right? It must have been your idea to invite Jonas and Lydia. Why? Do you want to humiliate them in front of Mama?”
This time it was not just Amanda’s hands that were shaking. Her lips were trembling too.
“Me?” Amanda repeated quietly. “Haven’t you humiliated yourself and this family in front of the public all this time? And now you talk about shame?”
A deep crimson flushed Bryan’s face. Amanda had cornered him with hard evidence. Speaking of shame, he should not have cheated while still considering that aspect.
“Besides, you should know one thing, Bryan. I don’t want to sit at the same table with your mistress, let alone hear her name.”
The discussion was also painful for Amanda. So, she decided to leave. She needed to distance herself from Bryan to reconcile with the years of heartache that had accompanied her.
Not unlike Bryan, he sighed as he put his hands on his hips and cursed.
“This house is never quiet. There’s always a problem!”
When he said that, a habit would follow. Bryan would not come home for several days. He would find comfort in the arms of his beloved mistress.
Only Vian remained seated, breathing deeply and slowly sipping his tea.
Something crossed his mind. About his parents’ arranged marriage and his marriage to Andreas and Vlora. It was too early to judge, but unfortunately Vian seemed to have a clear picture.
It seemed that arranged marriages were never a source of happiness in this family.
*
As he had mentioned before leaving Sanders’s residence, Andreas drove his car to Lydia’s house.
It was the first time that Andreas had set foot there. He lifted his head and observed the condition of the house. More and more he realized that Bryan really loved Lydia.
The world had really gone mad. How could a mistress lead such an honorable life?
Andreas didn’t exaggerate considering the size of the house. However, it couldn’t compete with the magnificence of Sanders’s residence, which was accompanied by status and prestige.
As he walked on, Andreas tried not to burst out laughing when he saw the housekeepers in a hurry. He was not surprised. The gossip must have spread not only in his house, but also in Lydia’s house.
So, Andreas approached one of the housekeepers and asked, “Is Mama Lydia here?”
At least Andreas’ question had a touch of politeness to it. It gave the housekeepers a little relief.
“She is, sir.”
Andreas smiled. “Tell her I’d like to meet her. Oh, don’t worry. I won’t cause any trouble.”
Andreas’ eyes swept around. He looked at each of the housekeepers there with a friendly expression.
“I just want to extend a verbal invitation to my stepmother.”
The housekeepers felt even more relieved. They, who had previously huddled together in anxiety, smiled. Then they left to continue their work.
Andreas sat down on the sofa. While waiting for Lydia, he was offered a cup of tea.
“Thank you.”
Calmly, Andreas waited with various possible scenarios in his mind. Maybe Lydia would not meet him. But he did not mind waiting there all day. Besides, he did not have any agenda or plans for the day.
Hmm. One of the benefits of being unemployed.
Andreas smiled to himself. His thoughts suddenly turned to Vlora. He felt compelled to send Vlora a sweet message, but the faint sound of someone’s footsteps caught his attention.
It was a middle-aged woman who was approaching Andreas. She looked fresh and neat. At first glance, one could conclude that she was a few years younger than Amanda.
She was Lydia Madison, the woman who had been Bryan’s lover all along. The woman who, in Andreas’ mind, was his stepmother.
Andreas stood up and flashed the smile that had always charmed women. Was Lydia one of those captivated by it?
“Good morning, Ma.”
Without answering the greeting, Lydia gave Andreas a cautious look. “Good morning, Andreas.”
Lydia was cautious. She had prepared herself for every possible outcome. Unfortunately, a hug from Andreas was something she had not expected.
“How are you, Ma?”
Lydia was stunned. For a moment she froze, even though Andreas had already ended the hug.
“Fine.”
Andreas smiled. “That’s good.”
“So…”
Despite Andreas’ polite and sweet demeanor, Laskmi still couldn’t feel at ease. She felt uncomfortable and all she wanted was to end the meeting as soon as possible.
So, Lydia did not waste any more time. When they sat down, she immediately asked, “What brings you here?”
“Actually, I came to apologize.”
Of all the worries that had been swirling around in Lydia’s head, this was the last thing she expected. No wonder her brow furrowed.
“Apologize?” Lydia asked in a confused tone. “Apologize for what?”
“Apologize for not inviting you to my wedding.”
Lydia blinked. “Oh.”
Once again, it was not what Lydia had expected. But she felt indifferent. Andreas’ wedding was not important to her.
“Actually, I told Dad to invite you, but he refused. Isn’t that strange? I didn’t expect that dad wouldn’t want to invite you. Because, as you know, Dad cares more about you than he does about my mother. In the end, dad went with my mom anyway.”
It seemed that Andreas had decided to start his game. He shook his head while Lydia remained silent.
“Andreas.”
“Forget it,” Andreas said, waving his hand once in front of his face. “It’s better for me to explain my reason for coming now.”
Lydia took a deep breath. She hoped that Andreas would do the same. The sooner Andreas stated his purpose, the sooner he would leave.
“I would like to invite you and Jonas to dinner at my house. This Saturday night, to be exact.”
“Dinner?”
Andreas nodded. “I want to enjoy a warm dinner with my beloved extended family.”
Beloved extended family? Lydia fell silent. How big was the family Andreas was talking about that they would all be sitting at the same table?
“Besides, maybe Mom will get to know Nana.”
It turned out that the extended family Andreas was referring to was indeed a large one. So large that even Lydia’s composure disappeared.
Andreas enjoyed seeing the color drain from Lydia’s face. “The mother-in-law you’ve never met.”
*