Chapter 63: Your Family Really Does Adore Her
Thea watched the two friends connect from a distance, a soft grin spreading across her lips. Watching Ryder tease John, who was still clearly affected by the mention of his grandfather, made her sigh silently.
"I beg you, Ryder, please don’t even consider it. Oh my gosh." John cried out, his eyes wide with fear. "Please don’t try to kill me; I’m your only buddy! I apologize profusely for what I said earlier. Please pardon me, Ryder; I won’t tease you anymore."
John paled and retreated a step, as though attempting to shake off the thought of having to confront his grandfather’s fury.It appeared as though he was ready to crumble, his self-assured exterior shaken at the mention of his grandfather. He pleaded, "Please, Ryder, have mercy on me!"
"Thea, please help me!" John cried out to her, his voice breaking with despair.
"Ryder, don’t tease him.." Thea urged in a worried voice as her eyes strayed to Ryder.
Ryder said, "Okay.." his smile wavering just before he averted his gaze to try to conceal his laughter. "Well, Ryder, what are your thoughts? I’m going to get worried by calling that old man. You fell for my ploy.." John said again, attempting to sound assured, but his eyes darted tensely in the direction of the door and his voice trembled with anxiety.
But before he could finish, a stern voice boomed from behind, making John’s body stiffen in terror. His eyes went wide, and his face turned ashen as he slowly turned to face the speaker.
"Whom are you calling an old man, you brat?" the voice thundered, echoing off the walls.
John’s eyes locked onto his grandfather’s, and he felt his heart sink. "Grandfather..." he stammered, his voice barely audible, his lips trembling with fear.
Reginald’s face was red with rage, his eyes blazing with fury. "I am the old man you’re referring to, and I won’t take kindly to such disrespect!" he roared, his voice making John take a step back.
Ryder had once mentioned that John feared his maternal grandfather, Reginald, more than anything in the world. And for good reason. Reginald had spent decades serving in the military, earning a reputation as a strict and formidable leader. His no-nonsense attitude and unwavering dedication to discipline had earned him the respect and admiration of the entire nation. He was a decorated war hero, a true patriot, and a symbol of strength and courage.
The whole nation respected and revered Reginald for his selfless service and countless sacrifices. His name was synonymous with bravery, honor, and integrity. But to John, he was simply a terrifying figure, a man whose approval he desperately sought but rarely received.
Reginald’s strict upbringing and military background had made him a hard man to please. He had high expectations for those around him, especially his family. John had grown up walking on eggshells, never knowing when his grandfather’s temper would flare up.
As John stood before his grandfather, he couldn’t help but tremble with fear. Reginald’s piercing gaze seemed to bore into his very soul, and his thunderous voice made John’s heart quake.
"Grandfather, don’t get angry, your blood pressure will rise up," John pleaded, trying to placate his grandfather.
"Your words are enough to raise my blood pressure," Reginald retorted, his anger still simmering just below the surface.
Without another glance at John, Reginald bypassed him and strode over to Ryder, his expression softening slightly. "How are you, Ryder?" he asked, his deep voice a little warmer.
"I’ve been good, thank you, Grandfather. How are you?" Ryder replied, his eyes respectful.
Reginald’s gaze then shifted to Thea, who was standing beside Ryder. "And who is this?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in her appearance.
Thea stepped forward. "Nice to meet you, Sir. I am Alethea Klein, Ryder’s friend.." she introduced herself, her voice clear and respectful.
Reginald’s expression remained stern, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of interest. "Ah, Ryder’s friend," he repeated, his voice neutral.
"Alethea, you don’t need to address me as Sir. With a kind grin, Reginald added, "You can call me Grandfather too, just like them." In acknowledgment, Thea gave a nod to her head.
John did not feel quite at ease, though. "He’s giving you a smile, but in my whole life, I have never seen him smile at me," he moved to stand next to her." Such a resentful old man toward his own grandson." With a tone full of bitterness, John spoke to her in a quiet whisper.
"Do you intend to die?", she covered her mouth and said softly to John, "He could hear you. "Are you really afraid of your grandfather?" John’s look became sentimental. "You can say that."
"I find it unbelievable that you would fear your grandfather." She started laughing out of control. "Are you finding it funny?" John posed the serious question. "If you saw how he treated me, you would understand." Thea turned to face Reginald and Ryder as they were talking. "I don’t believe your words."
"Well, if you had been in my position, you would know,"John responded she gave him a bothersome look and continued to tease him. Reginald moved on to say hello to his other friends.
At that moment, Elder Edward raised his voice and said, "Everyone, pay attention here." "Today, we have gathered here to celebrate our 55th anniversary, and I would like to make an announcement," Elder Edward said, causing the crowd to go silent."As you all know, my grandson has taken the responsibility of our Thompson company."he said, pausing for emphasis." We wish him that he will succeed in his life."After Elder Edward finished his speech, the entire crowd erupted in applause, including Thea and John.
But Ryder was standing away, staring at them impassively. "Are you not going to clap for your grandfather’s speech?" Thea questioned Ryder.
"What’s there to clap for him?"he asked indifferently.
John turned to face the stage and shouted, "Leave him, Thea.I believe he’s still holding a grudge against him, as he asked him to give him great grandchildren ." Without making a response, Ryder sent John a glare before grabbing Thea’s hand and guiding her out of sight. "Where are you taking her, Ryder?" John gave a shout. In response, Ryder said, "You’re a bad influence on her.It’s better if she stays away from you."
"I’m not a bad influence on her, right, my little sister Thea?" John stared at her before he asked. "Yes, you’re not," Thea replied with a cheerful smile."But I’m not little anymore."
"Yes, you’ve grown up," John remarked while rubbing his head.
Glancing around, Thea saw two women looking at each other, giggling and whispering to one another. She said, "John, look, those two ladies are glancing at both of you."
Looking in the direction of the two women, John followed her gaze. Upon catching his gaze on them, their face reddened. "They are just like everyone else. Though I’m not sure what’s going through Ryder’s mind."
Ryder glanced toward the direction that John was mentioning, but he kept silent. Without expressing anything, he just stood there. Thea saw that the two women were approaching towards them.They had applied a lot of makeup when she took a closer look at their features. One of them introduced herself, "My name is Melissa."
Nevertheless, the two men ignored her greetings.Melissa’s eyes were racing back and forth between the two men, looking for a hint of interest.Thea could see that the girl felt embarrassed.
John felt prodded by Thea, who wanted him to answer. "I’m glad to have met you.Please don’t bother us right now." John gave a rough reply. The woman appeared somewhat surprised upon hearing his response.She seized her friend’s arm in an instant, and they took off running.
Thea chastised John, saying, "You shouldn’t speak to them like that."
John answered, "I told you before, I don’t like them. See, Ryder too felt annoyed." With a sigh, Thea found nothing to say to these two men. She found their actions annoying. Elizabeth motioned for Thea to approach her. "I am headed to Aunty.Avoid arguing, you two.".She approached Elizabeth before giving them instructions.
"I can’t believe the little girl has grown up so quickly. Time flies really fast," John said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
"What do you want to say?" Ryder looked at him as he asked.
"Brother,how about getting married to her? You two have been acquainted for a considerable amount of time. And your family really does adore her. Wouldn’t it be simple to grant your grandfather’s wish? "
