“Even if you get scolded, I’ll be the one to hear it. Don’t rush.”
So, he’s saying he’ll be my shield?
Though it sounded prickly, interpreting it made her feel good.
“I really don’t understand.”
That man.
He could be prickly, yet sometimes it seemed like kindness was trying to peek through.
As Ryan turned to leave through the front door, his shoulders suddenly looked quite broad.
****
“Didn’t I tell you to come by 6?”
As soon as he parked in the garage and came upstairs, the reprimand fell.
Lincon, sitting on the beige-toned sofa, didn’t even look up but scolded him, his gaze fixed solely on the newspaper.
“I was late because I had an external schedule.”
Ryan replied calmly.
“I’ve told you several times that managing your time well is essential for leading a company. Punctuality is a must.”
“It must have been tough to come. It’s hard to find time on weekends; you’ve worked hard.”
Nathan, sitting opposite Lincon, jumped up to greet them.
He was Nathan, Ryan’s father and the vice president of Mobid Group of Companies, succeeding Chairman Iglis Lincon in leading Mobid Electronics.
Nathan gave Ryan a light pat on the arm and flashed a friendly smile.
The fine lines around Nathan’s eyes, which spread like water streams when he smiled, made his expression gentle.
“Come sit down. Aren’t you hungry? Since my daughter-in-law enjoyed the braised beef short ribs last time, I asked my aunt to make it again.”
Alice felt a surge of emotion at the warmth different from Lincon’s. Although she hadn’t seen Nathan many times, he treated her sincerely like a daughter-in-law.
“I was just thinking about my aunt’s braised beef short ribs… Thank you, Father.”
Nathan was a delicate and kind person.
It was unfortunate that such a good man had lost his spouse early… Every time Alice saw Nathan, she couldn’t help but think of the story of Ryan’s mother, who had passed away long ago.
“Sit down, let’s eat.”
Lincon was already seated at the head of the table. Ryan pulled out a chair for Alice beside him.
Is he telling me to sit?
“Thank you.”
They say a dog that has been trained for three years can recite poetry. After getting married, Alice realized that Ryan sometimes recited Nathan’s kindness.
Ryan also sat down next to Alice, pushing in her chair as she moved. As Lincon’s hand moved, the heavy atmosphere of dinner began.
“So when are you going to tell me about the grandchild? It’s already been four months since you got married.”
How long has it been since I picked up my spoon…
“Ryan, didn’t you say you had no intention of marrying anyone other than Secretary Alii? You came here after registering your marriage without permission, saying you’d give your grandfather the grandchild he wanted, didn’t you?”
Lincon was still referring to Alice as ‘Secretary Alii.’
It was an indirect expression of not yet accepting her as family.
“I’m working on it. Every night.”
Cough-.
Alice choked on her food. Ryan handed her the cup of water in front of her.
“Take your time eating.”
No, I choked on ‘every night.’
How can he tell such a lie without batting an eye? Alice was once again amazed by Ryan’s acting skills.
“If you keep teasing her, Alice won’t last.”
Ryan’s face, which smiled mischievously, looked quite refreshing.
Alice’s face turned red. Now she couldn’t tell if it was from choking or embarrassment.
“Ahem.”
Lincon also cleared his throat, seemingly embarrassed by Ryan’s words.
“As I said before, be careful not to let anyone outside know about the marriage until you bring home a grandchild.”
“Yes.”
Both of them hoped for that. There was no need to hold a wedding for a relationship they planned to wrap up within two years.
As Ryan had predicted, it was flowing smoothly; after registering their marriage, they could inform Lincon and skip the wedding.
“I should tell Manager Kai to prepare some herbal medicine for you. Secretary Alii, you should buy some fitting clothes and take care of your skin at a dermatology clinic. You should also visit a beauty shop.”
“No! I’m fine.”
“Elegance comes from proper care. Some maintenance is necessary.”
That was a blatant jab at her lack of elegance. Alice didn’t know where to look in her embarrassment.
“Father, I’m sure she’ll manage on her own. Daughter-in-law, come here for a moment; I have something to give you.”
“Yes, Father.”
Nathan rescued Alice like a savior. As Alice followed Nathan into the study, he pressed the door shut with his palm.
“Our family’s men can be a bit prickly, can’t they? Please understand, daughter-in-law.”
“Prickly?”
Alice offered a faint smile.
In truth, it was because Lincon was prickly, but Ryan was no easygoing person either. If he had just inherited half of Nathan’s gentleness…
“Though it’s a family matter, we’ve experienced some wounds, so that’s how it is. Everyone carries their scars, which makes them prickly. Moreover, since your father is Ryan’s only son, he tends to meddle a lot. Whenever there’s a tough situation, he always uses his father-in-law card.”
Nathan’s kind smile made Alice smile in return.
