Chapter 77
Chapter 77
"D*mn you, b*stard!" Jenna cursed. He knew about her mother's kidney disease. Of course, there's nothing he wouldn't know if he wanted to. Furthermore, the Richards Group was one of the shareholders of the best hospitals in the country. If they annoyed Hansen, never mind treating patients, the Director would also lose his job.
When Trevor was being treated in the hospital, it was rumored that Hansen was not satisfied with their treatment plan and immediately fired the Director of the hospital. Hansen hated her to the core. She really could not afford to offend him for the sake of her mother.
There was no other way. Jenna was at Hansen's mercy! What could Jenna do about it?
As soon as Hansen drove into the Richards Manor, he saw the butler standing at the pathway entrance to Green Jade Garden, anxiously looking around. When he saw his car, his eyes lit up and he greeted him with a smile.
"Young Master, you're finally back!" The butler was beaming with joy.
Hansen's eyes darkened and he walked straight past him towards the Green Jade Garden.
The large ornate living room had obviously been deliberately decorated for Mayor McAdams's arrival. The entire house, including the living room, it had been cleaned and the house was immaculate. Several servants lowered their heads as they stood quietly along the hall, awaiting orders.
Hearty laughter could be heard from time to time.
Earl McAdams, dressed in an expensive suit and gold-rimmed glasses, was sitting in the main seat. He was about 50 years old and was a smart and capable man with a rosy complexion and a beer belly. He was talking and laughing with Marissa from time to time.
Georgia Bird, Earl's wife, dressed in a fashionable and elegant outfit. Her facial features were very similar to Aria's. From time to time, she would laugh along with them. Aria was sitting next to Marissa, occasionally flattering and pleasing Marissa, who was all smiling.
They were chatting and laughing in the living room. It was a joyful atmosphere.
As soon as Hansen walked in, Aria stood up and ran towards him excitedly. She said with a bright smile on her face, "Hansen, we've been waiting for you!"
Marissa also stood up and smiled.
The corner of Hansen's mouth twitched slightly. He gently held Aria away and whispered, "Aria, they're all there. Go and sit down properly."
"Hansen, they are my parents. It's no big deal," she pouted as she raised her head and looked at Hansen with happiness and sweetness on her face.
Hansen looked down at her beautiful face. Suddenly, the image of Jenna's pale face, red, swollen eyes, and a pained expression flashed in his mind. His body shook violently. He was so inexplicably disturbed that he nearly forgot to exchange greetings with Earl.
"Aria, Hansen just came back from a busy day. Don't pester him. A girl should learn to be considerate and take care of a man," Georgia chided Aria.
"Mom, Hansen doesn't mind," Aria smiled playfully and made a face at Hansen.
"Hansen, hurry up and say hello to Mayor McAdams," Marissa looked at her son's expressionless face and reminded him with a smile. When Hansen finally came back to his senses, a polite smile appeared on his face. He walked over to the couch and sat down with Aria next to him.
"Uncle, Auntie, nice to meet you!" He spoke softly, very polite but at the same time, he kept a certain distance.
Earl was slightly surprised as he sat upright with a magisterial presence, but the young man in front of him was no less imposing!
He sat calmly and was composed, with his head slightly raised. He picked up his cup of tea from the table and took a sip. When Earl asked him questions, he looked up at him politely and answered him calmly. Even though he had experienced many weird things in officialdom, he still could not read him. His eyes were calm, deep, but not completely clear, and even mixed with a hint of unpredictability in them.
He was very courteous to the elders, but he didn't flatter them too much. He was neither humble nor arrogant. He spoke with respect, just like how someone from the younger generation should, not overly coquettish but also not to be underestimated either.
On the other hand, his daughter, Aria, was completely intoxicated. Her eyes were full of infatuation and love for him. She looked like she was drunk in love. However, seeing that Hansen was not interested in her, his heart sank.
"Hansen, you are the young talent and pride of our A city. We, as government servants, are proud of you!" Earl cleared his voice and complimented Hansen. He was obviously praising Hansen, but also implicitly highlighting his role as the Mayor to remind Hansen not to let his daughter down. He was a man of honor, and his daughter was not easy to be bullied.
Hansen took another sip of tea and said with a faint smile, "Uncle, you're flattering me. I am just carrying the torch for my family. I'm not worth mentioning. I am not like Uncle, who's in the officialdom. You get whatever you want and everyone respects you. Now, that's really something."
Earl's eyelid twitched. Hansen's words seemed very respectful, but he felt that it didn't sound quite right. He was there to talk about his daughter's marriage, not to compare his status with that of Hansen. He deliberately highlighted his identity for fear that Hansen would snub his precious daughter. However, Hansen went along with him and kept complimenting him while demeaning himself to the point of worthlessness.
What was the meaning behind his words? Did he mean that he was not good enough to marry Aria?
Although he was a bit displeased, Hansen didn't say anything explicitly. He was so experienced that he didn't change his expression. He laughed and praised loudly, "You indeed have a bright future ahead of you. You're still so young yet you talk with a high level of thought."
"Thank you Mayor McAdams for the compliments." When Marissa heard Mayor McAdams repeatedly praising Hansen, she grinned from ear to ear and answered, "Now that Hansen is back and it's getting late, let's have dinner first. We will discuss their marriage after dinner."
"Sounds good," Georgia echoed with a smile.
Soon, everyone was all smiling and standing up.
Hansen smiled in response and stood up as well. Aria clung onto Hansen as she took his arm. They all headed towards the dining room.
The servants were busy preparing dinner in an orderly manner, and all of them were cautious. There was a sumptuous dinner served on the long wooden table. In a friendly atmosphere, the two families began to dine happily.
"You guys take your time. I'm going upstairs first," Hansen said politely as he excused himself after taking a couple of bites. A servant handed him a hot towel. He accepted it, wiped his mouth, and stood up.
"Hansen, why are you eating so little? You should stay and eat more," Aria quickly grabbed hold of Hansen's hand and said anxiously.
"It's okay. I'm already full," Hansen slightly pursed his thin lips and smiled gently. He was gentle and polite, "Aria, you should stay and accompany your parents. I have something to do and have to excuse myself first."
Earl's eyes darkened, and his face was calm. He quietly picked up a fish and put it on his plate, but his eyes were on Hansen, and he slowly spoke out,
"Hansen, you must know why we are here today. I know that there are a lot of things going on in your company, but since you're home, it means that those things can wait, right?" Earl said as he put the fish into his mouth. His lips moved slightly. After a while, he politely spat out the fishbone onto his plate. He gently bit a few times, swallowed the fish, and stretched out his hand. He continued, "Of course, this marriage is between you and Aria, and we as her parents cannot say much about it. However, you should know that she is our only daughter and we are somehow not at ease until we are certain that you are right for her. Please understand our feelings as her parents."
The servant, who was standing aside, hurriedly handed him a warm towel. Earl took the towel, wiped his mouth, and placed it lightly on the plate on the table. He laughed and then stood up immediately.
All the movements were elegant, noble, perfect, and impeccable. His nobility was unparalleled.
The room was so quiet that even the sound of a pin falling on the ground could be heard.
Everyone's eyes fell on the fish bones on his plate. A small fish, which only took a few seconds, was spat out of his mouth. It was the complete skeleton of the fish, not a single bone was missing. Everyone was stunned at once. All his actions were captured by Hansen's eyes. His eyes were darkText property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
and inexplicable, but his heart was very conflicted. He had a complicated indescribable feeling. His thoughts were unusual, and his smile was stiff.
"Yes, Mayor McAdams is here today to discuss your marriage. Hansen, you can't leave tonight. Anything important has to be put on hold. Your marriage is something that we have to discuss thoroughly. This is a life- changing event. You can't be sloppy," Marissa smiled and quickly stood up as she tried to calm the situation.
"Fine," Hansen's eyes flashed with irritation. After thinking for a while, he replied quickly.
The magnificent, gleaming chandelier in the living room was transforming into a colored aperture on the beautifully sculpted ceiling, shimmering and refracting the light, bringing a smooth, soft, perpetual glow of warmth and peace to the entire living room.
Hansen sat on the couch as he sipped on a cup of tea. The soft light made his attractive face appear even more handsome and charming. He was wearing an expensive hand-made suit, which made him look noble. He sat quietly and calmly.
"Hansen, you and Aria aren't getting any younger and the two of you have been together for a few years. Since we are here today, it's time to talk about your marriage!" Earl brought up the topic when he saw that Hansen still had no intention of speaking up after sipping on his tea.
After taking another sip of tea, Hansen slightly frowned and asked, "Uncle, I've already made it clear to Aria last time. I wonder what your opinion is."
Georgia, who was at the side, pulled a long face and said to Marissa with some displeasure, "Marissa, our Aria, who is well-educated and polite, is a noble lady from a famous family. No matter what, the Richards family can't treat her unfairly. How can she not be recorded in the family tree and be acknowledged as one of your family members after their marriage? You know, we are all respectable people. Even if we don't care about it, if word gets out, we will still be ashamed."
Georgia was a little agitated. Aria was their only daughter and because her husband was a government official. They had to take care of his image. However, she could not take things too far. She already thought that her daughter was at a disadvantage if she married Hansen because this was his second marriage. However, she could not do anything as her daughter was infatuated with him. Besides, her daughter was more than capable of being married to Hansen as the first wife, but now it turned out that Hansen would marry her with her status as a concubine. She couldn't get over it in her heart, not to mention how the world might perceive them.