Alyssa Delbert squeezed her eyes.
Enoch James shut his mouth immediately.
“It’s not easy for me to make it back here. We should be in a celebratory mood.” George James used
the chopsticks to pick up some food, “Dad, this is your favourite braised steak, and mum, this is your
favourite fried water bamboo. Bro, this is your favourite braised eggplant.”
“Thanks, son.” Alyssa was full of smiles and it was the kind of smile that came from her heart, all
because of her son. She didn’t try to fake a smile like when she was apologizing just now.
“It’s rare for us to gather around like today. Let’s toast to each other.” Alyssa went to fetch a bottle of
wine.
When she was pouring alcohol for Stanford, she said, “I was always wrong in the past. Please don’t be
bothered by my silliness.”
“Mum, Stanford’s injuries on his leg is still not recovered yet. I don’t think he can drink, can he?”
George removed his Stanford James’ glass and reaffirmed himself, “I don’t think you should drink.”
Alyssa’s expression seemed to freeze as she barked at her son, “How can you be so impolite now?
This is a glassful for your brother.”
“He’s hurt.” George looked at Alyssa and repeated.
Alyssa stared at his son and secretly cursed at him: This moron!
However, she maintained the smile on her face as she said reluctantly, “…Then let’s not make him
drink.”
George raised the glass of wine that Alyssa had just filled for him and said, “It’s a waste if no one is
drinking this. I’ll be polishing it off.”
As he said that, he wanted to pour the contents into his mouth, but Alyssa suddenly stopped him.
“George!”
George asked with confusion, “What’s wrong?”
“No—nothing.” Alyssa took his glass away and said, “Since your brother’s not drinking, then you
shouldn’t drink too.”
George was dumbfounded upon hearing that, “Isn’t it a waste to not drink it since you’ve already
poured a glass?”
Alyssa said with a smile, “It’s not decent for you to drink alone. We will call this off.”
Then, she took the wine away.
George continued to stare at Alyssa as he couldn’t figure out what was going on. However, Stanford
who remained silent all the time seemed to have caught on to something.
Was it possible that there’s something mixed in with the wine? Or else, she wouldn’t have stopped
George from drinking it.
All of a sudden, he felt his heart enveloped in a chilly coldness.
This time that she invited him here, it was probably not out of sincerity, and she wasn’t really planning
to apologize and let bygones be bygones, no?
What were they cooking up this time?
He pretended not to sense anything.
George was feeling a little upset as he was still holding on to the thought that the wine was a waste.
“Come, let’s eat.” Alyssa retook her place by the dining table, “It’s been too long since the whole family
can eat together.”
George sounded a little emotional too, “You’re right, I can’t even remember the last time we were
gathered like this.”
It was too long ago, and it was a forgone day that he had forgotten about.
“Before I came here, I’ve eaten something. You guys enjoy.” After saying that, Stanford rolled his
wheelchair and left the dining table. He didn’t dare to touch any of the food on the table.
Enoch frowned, “What is the meaning of this? We have done our part and apologized, and it was not
easy to gather everyone like this. Are you really going to rain on our parade?”
“Hey, it’s not a big deal that he said that he doesn’t want to eat. Stanford said that he has eaten dinner
just a moment ago.” Alyssa hastily got up and stroked Enoch’s back in an attempt to calm him down.
As she consoled her husband, she said to Stanford, “Stanford, please don’t get angry. Your father is
just showing some concern towards you. He’s just afraid that you didn’t eat anything, nothing more.”
Stanford looked at Enoch’s visibly infuriated expression and thought that his father was indeed angry.
How could this be interpreted as him showing concern?
George could sense that things were going south right at this moment. They were all here to make
peace with each other, but why were they starting to get riled up and on guard again?
He stood up too and announced, “I am not hungry anymore.”
“As you wish!” Enoch tossed his chopsticks and rolled himself back into his room.
Alyssa was feeling enraged in her heart, thinking that Enoch was being too impatient and lost his
composure too easily.
“Come to my room and idle. I will send you back before long.” George pushed Stanford towards his
room.
Stanford didn’t show any sign of resistance.
His room was never neat or tidy, and it was still the same now.
“It’s a little messy.” George smiled sheepishly as he fumbled around and tossed all of his messy clothes
into his closet.
After closing the door of his closet, he turned to look at Stanford, “I think dad has been in bed for too
long. He is a little twisted now, so don’t mind him.”
Stanford had long known the true colours of his father, and he had long lost hope and faith in him. He
knew.
He wouldn’t mind one bit.
“You should start looking for a girlfriend.” Stanford changed the topic.
George suddenly looked uncomfortable, looking like a shy, big guy, “About that, I haven’t met someone
suitable yet.”
“Right, what about you, bro?” George sat by the bed and looked at Stanford seriously, “I can see that
Simona really loves you. It’s a pity that the two of you couldn’t last until the end.”
Stanford held his handle and tried hard to suppress a turmoil of emotion inside him, “Why do you say
so?”
“When she was still around, she used to come looking for me and ask me about your preference. In
fact, I didn’t know at all. She probably thought that since we grew up together since our childhood days,
I would know.” George’s voice slowly became softer, “Although she was from a good background, she
really was easy to get along with. She’s a fine one, so it’s a pity.”
“I am thirsty. Go get me some water.” Stanford diverted him away.
George complied.
He got up to leave the room.
When the door of the room was shut, Stanford initially calm-looking face revealed an agonized look. He
clutched his chest as a stabbing pain started to nag at him.
Everyone knew that she loved him.
Only he was blind to that.
He closed his eyes, wanting to hide away all of the pain.
In the living room, Alyssa who had made some tea and was about to send it in bumped into George
who just emerged from the room.
George looked at the tea in Alyssa’s hands and asked, “You made some tea?”
“Yes, I was thinking since you guys didn’t eat dinner, I should make some tea for you to drink.” Alyssa
handed the tea tray to him and said, “Take it in, and enjoy.”
“Stanford happens to be thirsty now.” George took the tea.
Alyssa smiled, “Is that so? Then faster get it in.”
George said naively, “Mum, you need to try your best to get him to forgive you. He’s not someone
heartless, so as long as you’re sincere, I’m sure he will forgive you.”
Alyssa smiled noncommittally and thought that Stanford was someone heartless and it was no use for
her to apologize anymore. He wouldn’t forget all the things that she had done to him when he was still
a child.
Based on what happened in the hospital last time, it was impossible to gain Stanford’s forgiveness just
by lowering her stance.
Therefore…
“I will, you get it in now. The tea is turning cold.” She urged her son on.
George carried the tea tray and returned to his room.
When he went in again, Stanford had returned to his calm demeanour once again.
He placed the tea on the table and poured two cups for them. He walked over and gave one to
Stanford.
“Bro, did you really have dinner before coming?” When he came out of the company, wasn’t that
happen to be the time he finished work?
Stanford didn’t meet his eyes as he mumbled a vague response.
George took a sip of water and sighed slightly. He wasn’t a complete fool, and he knew that there was
still a thorn in their hearts. It was highly unlikely that they would forget about the past and make peace
easily, “It’s all my mum’s fault. If I could choose, I really hope that I was born by the first wife.”
The siblings in the family would get along fine, and the family would be happy.
Alas, that was just a delusional dream.
“Maybe that’s what we call fate,” George remarked emotionally.
Stanford drooped his eyes and at this moment, even he could sense the helplessness in George.
“Bro, why aren’t you drinking anything?”
He realized that Stanford had claimed that he was thirsty, yet he didn’t drink a drop of water or tea at
all. Instead, he himself had finished the half glass of water that he had poured.
Stanford gulped down the water and thought that he was indeed thirsty. He handed the empty glass
back to George, “I should go home now.”
“Right. Let me send you.” George stood up and placed the glass on the table, but when he turned
around wanting to push the wheelchair, he suddenly felt dizziness in his head.
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