Lucas slammed his hand on the table, shouting angrily at Herbert, “Get out of here! Go back and make a hundred copies of the family rules. You can’t leave until you’ve done that!”
Herbert was livid, his face paling. He rose abruptly, glared at Dave, and stormed out, unwilling to defy Lucas’s authority.
Dave remained calm, sipping his tea as if nothing had occurred.
Unsettled by Dave’s calm attitude, the other uncles kept quiet. Dave’s reputation for being ruthless loomed over them, and they feared what he might have against them.
“Dave, it’s not that I disapprove of your romantic pursuits,” Lucas began, gripping Dave’s hand earnestly. “But I hope you find a woman who is truly worthy of you. Those scheming temptresses out there aren’t deserving. I hope to see you married and perhaps with a great-grandson someday. You can count on me to help you with finding the right partner.”
Dave’s hand, holding the tea, stopped moving, and his expression darkened.
“Grandpa, I’m not planning to get married anytime soon,” Dave stated calmly.
Lucas sighed softly. Since Dave’s parents passed away, he had become more reserved and distant. Sometimes, Lucas found it difficult to understand his grandson’s thoughts.
Lucas had discouraged Dave from getting involved with women, fearing a repeat of his father’s mistake of abandoning everything for love.
But Lucas didn’t want Dave to end up alone. He had plans; he had been grooming a woman for him since Dave was young.
When she returned from her studies abroad, Lucas believed she would capture Dave’s heart.
“Shall we go for dinner?” Lucas thought, feeling a sense of relief as he led Dave toward the dining room.
Meanwhile, in the hospital, Bianca lay bored in her bed. Sophia and Diana’s visit earlier had briefly relieved her from the monotony.
Now alone under the nurse’s watchful eye, she felt trapped.
Dave had promised to assist with her paperwork but hadn’t contacted her or provided any updates.
Pouting, Bianca grabbed her phone, wondering where Dave could be.
With that thought in mind, Bianca dialed Dave’s number.
The Evans family had strict dining etiquette. The dining room was quiet except for the faint sound of utensils clinking.
Dave’s phone rang during the family’s composed dinner.
It was a call from Bianca.
Dave glanced over to Lucas, who heard him get up and say, “Grandpa, I need to take this call.”
“It’s a work call, isn’t it? Go ahead,” Lucas said, allowing Dave to leave, knowing he had important business to attend to.
Making his way to the living room balcony, Dave answered the phone and greeted, “Bianca, what’s up?”
“Just checking on you. You’ve been quiet. Have you been sneaking around with some other woman behind my back?” Bianca teased, her tone playful.
Chuckling softly, Dave leaned against the balcony railing, gazing out at the lush scenery. “No, I’ve been caught up with your paperwork and work calls. I’ll be with you soon. Do you miss me?”
His voice, low and charming, carried a captivating allure.
Blushing, Bianca teased back, “Aren’t you missing me?”
“Miss you so much!” Dave’s reply dripped with tenderness.
Bianca smiled sweetly in response.
Just as Dave turned, Rupert appeared at the balcony door, a smile on his face.
“I’ve got to go. Bye,” Dave said quickly, ending the call before Bianca could respond.
Putting his phone away, Dave turned to Rupert with a calm expression. “Uncle Rupert, what brings you here?”
“I just finished dinner. There’s some business at the company I need to take care of. It’s nothing to worry about. I was just passing through,” Rupert replied with a smirk, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Dave looked around. The route from the dining room to the main entrance didn’t necessitate passing through that area at all.
However, Dave remained silent.
As they passed each other, Rupert smiled and remarked, “Dave, your grandpa really cares about you. Don’t let him down like your father did.”
Dave didn’t reply and headed straight to the dining room.
‘Something didn’t sit right.’
Rupert’s instincts told him that Dave was keeping something hidden.
He turned to watch Dave’s retreating figure, a smile spreading across his face.
After dinner with Lucas, Dave left early, explaining he had work to do.
By ten in the evening, Bianca had fallen asleep in bed. Half-awake, she felt movement beside her, then a large hand gently encircling her waist. Startled, she instinctively threw an elbow backward!
But her elbow hit nothing. Instead, it was caught, and she was pulled into a strong, reassuring embrace.
“It’s me,” a deep, slightly rough voice whispered, breaking the silence of the dark room.
“Why didn’t you let me know you were here?” Bianca’s cheeks flushed red. She had mistaken Dave for an intruder and almost hurt him.
“I didn’t want to wake you,” Dave replied, wrapping his arms around her from behind and planting a kiss on her neck. Her scent brought him comfort.
Bianca breathed in, the blend of cedar and tobacco from Dave. She turned to face him, her arms reaching to hug him, her nose lightly brushing against his.
“You’re acting like a dog. Why are you sniffing me?” Dave looked at her with affection.
“I want to check if you’ve been wearing another woman’s perfume!”
Dave chuckled softly. “So, did you smell anything?”
“I did smell…” Bianca lifted her head to meet Dave’s amused gaze. “You’ve been smoking quite a bit. Is something bothering you?”
Dave’s expression turned serious, though his manner softened. In the dim light, Bianca’s smile was reassuring. The smell of tobacco on him was noticeable, but she drew closer to him, offering comfort.
He gently stroked her hair. “I stopped by to see my grandpa after work and ended up meeting my uncles.”
Bianca looked surprised. “Did they give you a hard time?”
“No, they just made some annoying remarks,” Dave murmured, nestling his face in Bianca’s neck. His usually tidy hair was now tousled across his forehead.
It was with Bianca that Dave could truly relax.
As a prominent CEO, he rarely showed his vulnerable or sorrowful side to anyone. Known for his power and composure, he was seen as a man in control of everything.
But with Bianca, he wasn’t the untouchable king anymore; he was just a regular guy with feelings and desires. He could fully embrace life and find comfort in her arms when feeling down. What a happy life.
Yet tonight, Dave felt restless, unsure how long this happiness would last. He couldn’t discuss his family matters with Bianca or introduce her to his grandpa. It felt like a huge block lay between them.
The only way out for him was to inherit the Evans Group and run it himself.