Family Dinner

Cole

Stepping into the Buckman estate felt like walking straight into the past…Nothing had really changed.

Except for me.

I straightened my cuffs, stepping into the dining hall where the familiar figures of my father and Vanessa, my father's wife, were waiting for me.

"You're back," Vanessa greeted with a gentle smile, but her eyes carried none of the warmth her voice pretended to hold. "We were just talking about you."

I sat down, my lips curling into something polite, something unbothered. "How thoughtful of you."

My father barely spared me a glance before focusing back on his plate. His silence spoke volumes. Vanessa, however, leaned in just slightly, her voice coated in a sweet voice.

"You’ve been away for so long, Cole. We were beginning to think you wouldn’t return at all." She tilted her head, trying to fake a sympathetic smile.

"You must’ve been so busy abroad. No family to visit, no home to return to… That must’ve been difficult."

I smirked. "Not as difficult as you might hope."

A flicker of something—annoyance, perhaps—crossed her features before she smoothed it away. She was good, I’d give her that. But I’d been dealing with her long enough to recognize her tactics for what they were. She wasn’t welcoming me back; she was reminding me that I had no place here.

My father cleared his throat, finally speaking. "It’s good that you’re back."

A lie.

I merely sipped my wine, watching as he set his glass down and turned to Vanessa, as if needing her approval before continuing.

"Ethan has made great progress in the company these past few years," he said, a note of satisfaction in his voice. "He’s shown great leadership, gained the support of many key shareholders. His work ethic is commendable."

I didn’t react, didn’t flinch.

Instead, I smiled.

It was interesting, really—how my father still believed that words like these could affect me. As if after all these years, he still thought I was the same boy who longed for his approval.

"It’s good to hear that Ethan is working hard," I said mildly, setting my glass down. "I suppose he has no other choice, does he?"

My father stiffened, but before he could respond, Vanessa took over.

"Speaking of Ethan," she said smoothly, "there’s something important we need to share with you."

I raised a brow, waiting.

Vanessa smiled, her fingers resting elegantly on the stem of her glass. "Ethan and Celeste Rothem will be officially getting engaged soon. He recently just proposed to her!"

I let out a short breath of amusement. "How fortunate."

"Isn’t it?" she said, her eyes shining excitedly. “I didn’t expect Ethan to be with Celeste. In fact, I don’t care about Ethan’s girlfriend’s background, as long as he is happy, that’s enough.”

Ah. So that was their play. She wanted me to believe that she wasn't interested in the fact that the Rothem family was very influential and their support was very invaluable to them. They believed that a union between both families will secure Ethan’s position—both in society and in business.

Vanessa sighed, feigning concern. "Cole, you focus too much on work. Marriage… it can bring unexpected good fortune. Perhaps you should consider it."

My patience in their fake acts was gradually wearing me out. Could they just stop with the fake acts and pretence?

There was always something suffocating about being in their presence—like an invisible force trying to pull me back into the mold they had cast for me years ago. But I wasn’t that boy anymore.

Before I could respond, a familiar voice cut through the tension.

"Come to the study, Cole."

I turned, meeting the sharp gaze of my grandfather.

Without hesitation, I pushed back my chair, sparing Vanessa and my father a final glance before following him out of the suffocating room.

As I followed my grandfather down the long, familiar hallways, a strange realization settled over me.

It had been years since I had last walked beside my grandfather. Since my mother’s passing, her father—my maternal grandfather—had severed ties with my father’s family, with everything that reminded him of the daughter he had lost.

And that included me.

Because every time he looked at me, he saw her.

I had inherited my mother’s features—the sharpness of her jawline, the shape of her eyes, the way my expressions mirrored hers without effort. To him, I wasn’t just his grandson—I was a living, breathing reminder of the daughter he couldn’t protect.

So, he had let me go.

For years, he had chosen distance over pain.

My paternal grandfather was now my sole, reliable pillar, always there to back me up and support me.

We got to the study and it smelled of old books.The heavy oak shelves, the worn leather chairs—it was the same as I remembered.

My grandfather sat behind his desk, watching me carefully. Unlike my father, his gaze was real and genuine.

"You’ve grown," he finally said. “Welcome back.”

I smiled slightly. "It’s been a while."

He gestured for me to sit. "You’ve done well for yourself overseas. I’ve heard nothing but praise. I'm really proud of the capable man that you have become."

Hearing his words, something unfamiliar settled in my chest—something warm. It had been years since I got a genuine admiration and compliment from him.

But that warmth didn’t last long.

His expression suddenly turned serious. "Ethan’s engagement to the Rothem girl—do you have a plan?"

I leaned back, considering.

For a brief moment, an image flashed through my mind. A woman, fierce and unapologetic, throwing a cup of coffee in Ethan’s face, but I shook my head to clear the image.

I exhaled. "I’ll find someone to marry soon."

My grandfather studied me, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk. Then, with a sigh, he patted my shoulder.

"I know it’s unreasonable, but you understand the rules. Only a married man can become the official heir of the Buckman family."

I nodded. This tradition had bound the Buckman family for five generations. There were no exceptions, even for me.

"I’ll be married before Ethan," I assured him.

He didn’t look convinced. "I just hope you marry someone you love, Cole. Love and happiness… It's very important in marriage."

His words struck something deep—something I didn’t want to face. My grip on the chair tightened slightly.

"Love," I said, my voice cold, "is the most useless thing, Grandfather."

Grandfather’s disapproving gaze bore into me, but I didn’t back down. But when I saw how intent those disapproving gaze were, I exhaled, softening my tone.

"I will be happy when I inherit Buckman Corporation. That’s all that matters."

He sighed but didn’t argue. Instead, he nodded. "Then bring her to see me in advance."

I simply nodded. After our conversation, I left the study, but didn’t go downstairs immediately. I needed air.

The terrace was the perfect escape, but before I reached it, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

Ethan.

His voice was sharp, edged with irritation.

"Skylar, my patience is running out."

I frowned, pausing just outside the doorway.

"There are only some negative comments about your mother’s studio now," Ethan continued with an arrogant tone. "I can’t guarantee what will happen in a few days."

Skylar.

The name echoed in my mind.

The woman from earlier.

She had looked ready to kill him back at the café. And now, here he was, still trying to break her down.

I heard the faint sound of her voice on the other end of the call, but I couldn’t make out the words.

Ethan chuckled. "You’ll compromise soon enough," he said smugly. "I’ll be waiting for you to beg."

I raised my eyebrows at his arrogance.

Ethan had always been entitled, always assumed the world would bow to him.

Spoiled, arrogant brat.