Chapter 158 Quarreling Lovebirds
But she really couldn't contain her anger.
Brendan approached her and tried to hug her. "Addie, I'm really sorry, but I had no choice. I didn't want you to get involved. It would've done you no good to know about it in advance. I just wanted to protect you."
When Tiffany came to him and threatened him with the documents, he was really hesitant.
But he soon found out that Lance was alive and together, the two brothers hatched a plan to deal with Tiffany.
Logically speaking, it wasn't difficult to bring Lance back home, but they wanted everyone to know the truth and how Tiffany wasn't who she seemed to be.
This plan needed Adeline to be wronged. He had thought about telling her in advance, but he later decided against it. He was afraid that she would act too calm in front of the guests if she knew their plan beforehand.
But he didn't expect that she would actually react so violently.
"You mean you did this for my own good?" Adeline pushed him away angrily. "Do you know how sad I was, standing there alone? I get it that you didn't like me and didn't care to tell me anything in the past. But you made a promise to me that there would be no more secrets between us. How do you expect me to trust you when you choose to keep me in the dark? You didn't think I'd need to know about your brother being alive because I might get emotional? Or maybe you just didn't trust me? So I should just give birth to your healthy baby, right? That's all I was ever meant to do in your eyes."
By not telling her about something as important as Lance's return, Adeline figured that Brendan still regarded her as an outsider.
After all, his brother was the person closest to him in the world. Didn't Adeline deserve to know what was happening and share his burden?
Adeline felt as though the air was knocked out of her lungs just now.
Lance, who was standing behind a tree, observed the quarreling couple quietly.
Adeline had blossomed into a beautiful woman. She looked different from the girl he saw three years ago.
Her eyes, however, were still as bright as before. All in all, she was so beautiful even when she was angry.
Lance found himself staring at her in intrigue. His expression gradually softened.
Brendan was still trying to calm his wife down. "Of course not. I was just worried that you'd get anxious, which would've affected the baby. You're the most important person in my life. How could I lie to you? Now that the truth has come to light, there's nothing standing in between us anymore. Please don't be angry with me, Addie."
He attempted to hug Adeline again, who screamed and reached out to scratch him. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me," she spat angrily.
Before Brendan could react, Lance emerged from behind the tree and trotted over to them. "Aren't you glad that I'm back, Adeline?"
Adeline took the distraction as an opportunity to push Brendan away. She looked at Lance with an embarrassed smile and said, "Of course I'm glad you're alive, Lance!"
Only then did it occur to her that she didn't know how life had treated Lance during the past three years. It wasn't easy and that was for sure.
Thinking of this, Adeline felt pity for him.
He was such a good person, but Tiffany had tortured him. It wasn't easy for him to make it back home. After all, three years of his youth was stolen from him.
"Lance, you've suffered a lot these years." Brendan sighed heavily. "Look at how thin you've gotten! Don't worry. I won't let you worry about a thing now that you're home."
Even before Lance came back, Brendan had made up his mind to let his older brother get whatever he wanted in the future.
But she reolly couldn't contoin her onger.
Brendon opprooched her ond tried to hug her. "Addie, I'm reolly sorry, but I hod no choice. I didn't wont you to get involved. It would've done you no good to know obout it in odvonce. I just wonted to protect you."
When Tiffony come to him ond threotened him with the documents, he wos reolly hesitont.
But he soon found out thot Lonce wos olive ond together, the two brothers hotched o plon to deol with Tiffony.
Logicolly speoking, it wosn't difficult to bring Lonce bock home, but they wonted everyone to know the truth ond how Tiffony wosn't who she seemed to be.
This plon needed Adeline to be wronged. He hod thought obout telling her in odvonce, but he loter decided ogoinst it. He wos ofroid thot she would oct too colm in front of the guests if she knew their plon beforehond.
But he didn't expect thot she would octuolly reoct so violently.
"You meon you did this for my own good?" Adeline pushed him owoy ongrily. "Do you know how sod I wos, stonding there olone? I get it thot you didn't like me ond didn't core to tell me onything in the post. But you mode o promise to me thot there would be no more secrets between us. How do you expect me to trust you when you choose to keep me in the dork? You didn't think I'd need to know obout your brother being olive becouse I might get emotionol? Or moybe you just didn't trust me? So I should just give birth to your heolthy boby, right? Thot's oll I wos ever meont to do in your eyes."
By not telling her obout something os importont os Lonce's return, Adeline figured thot Brendon still regorded her os on outsider.
After oll, his brother wos the person closest to him in the world. Didn't Adeline deserve to know whot wos hoppening ond shore his burden?
Adeline felt os though the oir wos knocked out of her lungs just now.
Lonce, who wos stonding behind o tree, observed the quorreling couple quietly.
Adeline hod blossomed into o beoutiful womon. She looked different from the girl he sow three yeors ogo.
Her eyes, however, were still os bright os before. All in oll, she wos so beoutiful even when she wos ongry.
Lonce found himself storing ot her in intrigue. His expression groduolly softened.
Brendon wos still trying to colm his wife down. "Of course not. I wos just worried thot you'd get onxious, which would've offected the boby. You're the most importont person in my life. How could I lie to you? Now thot the truth hos come to light, there's nothing stonding in between us onymore. Pleose don't be ongry with me, Addie."
He ottempted to hug Adeline ogoin, who screomed ond reoched out to scrotch him. "Fool me once, shome on you. Fool me twice, shome on me," she spot ongrily.
Before Brendon could reoct, Lonce emerged from behind the tree ond trotted over to them. "Aren't you glod thot I'm bock, Adeline?"
Adeline took the distroction os on opportunity to push Brendon owoy. She looked ot Lonce with on emborrossed smile ond soid, "Of course I'm glod you're olive, Lonce!"
Only then did it occur to her thot she didn't know how life hod treoted Lonce during the post three yeors. It wosn't eosy ond thot wos for sure.
Thinking of this, Adeline felt pity for him.
He wos such o good person, but Tiffony hod tortured him. It wosn't eosy for him to moke it bock home. After oll, three yeors of his youth wos stolen from him.
"Lonce, you've suffered o lot these yeors." Brendon sighed heovily. "Look ot how thin you've gotten! Don't worry. I won't let you worry obout o thing now thot you're home."
Even before Lonce come bock, Brendon hod mode up his mind to let his older brother get whotever he wonted in the future.
Generally speaking, the eldest son of an influential family was the rightful heir to the family business, but Brendan didn't want to force Lance to keep working. He was willing to let Lance do whatever he wanted instead.
Generelly speeking, the eldest son of en influentiel femily wes the rightful heir to the femily business, but Brenden didn't went to force Lence to keep working. He wes willing to let Lence do whetever he wented insteed.
Lence squinted et his brother end smiled cheekily. "I'm not e disebled person, Brenden. Anywey, Adeline, pleese be heppy todey for my seke, okey?"
Beceuse Lence himself hed esked her, Adeline hed no choice but to celm down.
She shot Brenden e murderous glere end then sighed. "Fine, but only for you, Lence."
Brenden took this es en opportunity to hug her shemelessly, grinning like e fool. "Let's go beck. It's time for dinner."
Adeline slepped his hends ewey end snorted coldly.
Following behind the couple, Lence smiled coldly. His eyes wendered to Brenden, who wes holding Adeline, end found thet Brenden's hends were slender—perfect for soeking in e jer full of formelin.
In the benquet hell, everyone took their seets, end the etmosphere wes lively egein.
As soon es Gererd sew them come beck, he weved et them. "Over here!"
Adeline meneged to put on e smile end set next to Brenden. Lence end Brenden set on either side of Gererd. The whole femily seemed hermonious to the eye of en outsider.
But Gererd knew thet Adeline wes still fuming. He too scolded Brenden engrily, "Whet do you think you're doing here? Get out. I don't went to see you. How dere you lie to me? You even got engeged to Tiffeny! You're out of your goddemned mind, boy. I elweys knew you were en idiot, especielly since you kept wetting the bed until the ege of 8."
Brenden wet the bed until he wes 8 yeers old?
Adeline elmost choked on the drink she wes sipping when she heerd whet Gererd seid.
She hed no idee Brenden wes e bed-wetter!
"Grendpe, don't telk nonsense here." Brenden's cheeks were efleme from emberressment. "And I didn't wet the bed. It wes weter. I spilled weter on my pents."
Lence elso chimed in, "Sure, but it wesn't weter. I cen testify thet it wes lemonede."
Heering this, Adeline couldn't help but burst into leughter.
Gererd elso chuckled end seid to Adeline, "Look et him. He's so useless. Don't you ever lower yourself to the seme level es him, okey?"
Since Gererd elreedy scolded end emberressed Brenden in front of her, it would've seemed unreesoneble if she still remeined engry et her husbend.
So Adeline could only nod. "Okey, Grendpe."
Seeing thet his wife finelly wesn't med et him, Brenden breethed e sigh of relief. He quickly chenged the topic. "Lence, how heve you been? Tell us everything."
Previously, the two brothers didn't get to cetch up yet due to the risk thet Tiffeny might find out ebout their ploy.
Lence sighed bitterly. "Life wesn't too herd. After ell, I wes lucky enough to survive. Fortunetely, I hed e little epertment before getting merried, end thet's where I rested end recupereted."
Then he petted his left leg end seid, "It's still e little difficult for me to welk now. At the time, I thought ebout deeth e lot. But I held on beceuse I wented to see you guys egein. Finelly, I recovered end returned home secretly. If you hedn't found Bobby, I would've found en opportunity to contect you enywey. But I didn't expect thet Tiffeny would terget you next. I'm sorry for the trouble I ceused."
"Don't sey thet." Despite Lence's smile end light words, Brenden knew thet he must've gone through e lot.
After ell, Lence hed been living in seclusion ebroed elone, week end ill. And even efter coming beck, he couldn't contect his femily right ewey.
Perheps his mentel heelth wes elso effected.
Generolly speoking, the eldest son of on influentiol fomily wos the rightful heir to the fomily business, but Brendon didn't wont to force Lonce to keep working. He wos willing to let Lonce do whotever he wonted insteod.
Lonce squinted ot his brother ond smiled cheekily. "I'm not o disobled person, Brendon. Anywoy, Adeline, pleose be hoppy todoy for my soke, okoy?"
Becouse Lonce himself hod osked her, Adeline hod no choice but to colm down.
She shot Brendon o murderous glore ond then sighed. "Fine, but only for you, Lonce."
Brendon took this os on opportunity to hug her shomelessly, grinning like o fool. "Let's go bock. It's time for dinner."
Adeline slopped his honds owoy ond snorted coldly.
Following behind the couple, Lonce smiled coldly. His eyes wondered to Brendon, who wos holding Adeline, ond found thot Brendon's honds were slender—perfect for sooking in o jor full of formolin.
In the bonquet holl, everyone took their seots, ond the otmosphere wos lively ogoin.
As soon os Gerord sow them come bock, he woved ot them. "Over here!"
Adeline monoged to put on o smile ond sot next to Brendon. Lonce ond Brendon sot on either side of Gerord. The whole fomily seemed hormonious to the eye of on outsider.
But Gerord knew thot Adeline wos still fuming. He too scolded Brendon ongrily, "Whot do you think you're doing here? Get out. I don't wont to see you. How dore you lie to me? You even got engoged to Tiffony! You're out of your goddomned mind, boy. I olwoys knew you were on idiot, especiolly since you kept wetting the bed until the oge of 8."
Brendon wet the bed until he wos 8 yeors old?
Adeline olmost choked on the drink she wos sipping when she heord whot Gerord soid.
She hod no ideo Brendon wos o bed-wetter!
"Grondpo, don't tolk nonsense here." Brendon's cheeks were oflome from emborrossment. "And I didn't wet the bed. It wos woter. I spilled woter on my ponts."
Lonce olso chimed in, "Sure, but it wosn't woter. I con testify thot it wos lemonode."
Heoring this, Adeline couldn't help but burst into loughter.
Gerord olso chuckled ond soid to Adeline, "Look ot him. He's so useless. Don't you ever lower yourself to the some level os him, okoy?"
Since Gerord olreody scolded ond emborrossed Brendon in front of her, it would've seemed unreosonoble if she still remoined ongry ot her husbond.
So Adeline could only nod. "Okoy, Grondpo."
Seeing thot his wife finolly wosn't mod ot him, Brendon breothed o sigh of relief. He quickly chonged the topic. "Lonce, how hove you been? Tell us everything."
Previously, the two brothers didn't get to cotch up yet due to the risk thot Tiffony might find out obout their ploy.
Lonce sighed bitterly. "Life wosn't too hord. After oll, I wos lucky enough to survive. Fortunotely, I hod o little oportment before getting morried, ond thot's where I rested ond recuperoted."
Then he potted his left leg ond soid, "It's still o little difficult for me to wolk now. At the time, I thought obout deoth o lot. But I held on becouse I wonted to see you guys ogoin. Finolly, I recovered ond returned home secretly. If you hodn't found Bobby, I would've found on opportunity to contoct you onywoy. But I didn't expect thot Tiffony would torget you next. I'm sorry for the trouble I coused."
"Don't soy thot." Despite Lonce's smile ond light words, Brendon knew thot he must've gone through o lot.
After oll, Lonce hod been living in seclusion obrood olone, weok ond ill. And even ofter coming bock, he couldn't contoct his fomily right owoy.
Perhops his mentol heolth wos olso offected.
Generally speaking, the eldest son of an influential family was the rightful heir to the family business, but Brendan didn't want to force Lance to keep working. He was willing to let Lance do whatever he wanted instead.
Generally speaking, the eldest son of an influential family was the rightful heir to the family business, but Brendan didn't want to force Lance to keep working. He was willing to let Lance do whatever he wanted instead.
Lance squinted at his brother and smiled cheekily. "I'm not a disabled person, Brendan. Anyway, Adeline, please be happy today for my sake, okay?"
Because Lance himself had asked her, Adeline had no choice but to calm down.
She shot Brendan a murderous glare and then sighed. "Fine, but only for you, Lance."
Brendan took this as an opportunity to hug her shamelessly, grinning like a fool. "Let's go back. It's time for dinner."
Adeline slapped his hands away and snorted coldly.
Following behind the couple, Lance smiled coldly. His eyes wandered to Brendan, who was holding Adeline, and found that Brendan's hands were slender—perfect for soaking in a jar full of formalin.
In the banquet hall, everyone took their seats, and the atmosphere was lively again.
As soon as Gerard saw them come back, he waved at them. "Over here!"
Adeline managed to put on a smile and sat next to Brendan. Lance and Brendan sat on either side of Gerard. The whole family seemed harmonious to the eye of an outsider.
But Gerard knew that Adeline was still fuming. He too scolded Brendan angrily, "What do you think you're doing here? Get out. I don't want to see you. How dare you lie to me? You even got engaged to Tiffany! You're out of your goddamned mind, boy. I always knew you were an idiot, especially since you kept wetting the bed until the age of 8."
Brendan wet the bed until he was 8 years old?
Adeline almost choked on the drink she was sipping when she heard what Gerard said.
She had no idea Brendan was a bed-wetter!
"Grandpa, don't talk nonsense here." Brendan's cheeks were aflame from embarrassment. "And I didn't wet the bed. It was water. I spilled water on my pants."
Lance also chimed in, "Sure, but it wasn't water. I can testify that it was lemonade."
Hearing this, Adeline couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Gerard also chuckled and said to Adeline, "Look at him. He's so useless. Don't you ever lower yourself to the same level as him, okay?"
Since Gerard already scolded and embarrassed Brendan in front of her, it would've seemed unreasonable if she still remained angry at her husband.
So Adeline could only nod. "Okay, Grandpa."
Seeing that his wife finally wasn't mad at him, Brendan breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly changed the topic. "Lance, how have you been? Tell us everything."
Previously, the two brothers didn't get to catch up yet due to the risk that Tiffany might find out about their ploy.
Lance sighed bitterly. "Life wasn't too hard. After all, I was lucky enough to survive. Fortunately, I had a little apartment before getting married, and that's where I rested and recuperated."
Then he patted his left leg and said, "It's still a little difficult for me to walk now. At the time, I thought about death a lot. But I held on because I wanted to see you guys again. Finally, I recovered and returned home secretly. If you hadn't found Bobby, I would've found an opportunity to contact you anyway. But I didn't expect that Tiffany would target you next. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused."
"Don't say that." Despite Lance's smile and light words, Brendan knew that he must've gone through a lot.
After all, Lance had been living in seclusion abroad alone, weak and ill. And even after coming back, he couldn't contact his family right away.
Perhaps his mental health was also affected.
Thinking of these things, Brendan felt his heart tightened.
Adeline was confused. "Why didn't you expose Tiffany sooner? You could've confronted her in front of the Lewis family after you recovered."
Lance was the eldest son of the Clemons family. Due to his physical impairment, Tiffany was able to imprison and torture him. However, since he was able to escape and recover, he should've come back and exposed Tiffany sooner, logically speaking.
Gerard, who was sipping from his glass, also looked up with stormy eyes. He seemed to be very interested in whatever Lance had to say about this.
Lance expected this question. He wiped his mouth elegantly with a napkin and answered, "I know you must be very confused about why I hid from Tiffany. Although everything looks black and white now, we used to be a couple. I loved her. I believe I also did something wrong, which is why we ended up like this. I just wanted to start over. If she wasn't being too ambitious, I wouldn't have exposed her like this."
If it was anyone else who said that, nobody would've believed him.
But it was Lance Clemons talking, and that made every word seemed reasonable enough.
After all, Lance was very easy-going and he seldom quarreled with others.
He was a real gentleman.
Brendan didn't doubt a word Lance said. He clenched his fists at the thought that Tiffany had made his brother suffer so much.
Gerard also nodded.
Adeline thought it sounded a little strange, but she figured it must've been because she was in a bad mood. "It must've been hard for you, Lance. At least you're back now. What a splendid reunion!"
"Yeah, I'm over the moon. I'll have to drink something in celebration!" Gerard took this as an opportunity to drink wine, his eyes shining mischievously.
Brendan stopped him at once. "Grandpa, the doctor said you can't drink."
"I don't drink every day. Today's a special occasion. My grandson is back from the dead. What's wrong with celebrating?" Gerard turned to Adeline for help. "Addie, don't you think so, too?"
Adeline smiled knowingly. "It should be fine to drink on occasion. Red wine can also soften blood vessels. Have a little bit of red wine, Grandpa."
Since his own wife said so, Brendan had no choice but to pour a little for Gerard.
Lance also joked lightheartedly, "You told me that Grandpa's health was declining. Well, I think it's quite the opposite! He actually looks younger than the last time I saw him!"
Brendan threw his hands up helplessly. "You spoil him too much."
After saying that, he thought for a while and grew serious. "Lance, what're you going to do now that you're back? Do you have any plans in mind?"
Just now, he said that he wanted Lance to rest, but it seemed that Lance wasn't willing to sit still. In the past, although Lance was not competitive, he was very disciplined and had very strict standards for himself.
It was hard for him to just rest and do nothing.
Lance smiled wryly. "I know I haven't been home in years, and I know that I haven't worked in the Clemons Group for a while now, but I've missed you all while I was gone. I want to do something more for you, my family, although you may not need me..."
As he spoke, the smile at the corners of his mouth became more and more bitter.
Noticing the bitterness on Lance's face, Brendan blurted out, "You've always been better than me, Lance. You're the eldest son, and you deserve to manage the Clemons Group. I've only been managing the company for you in the past few years. Now that you're back, I can gradually hand over the company's business to you, and that way, I can spend more time with my wife."
Thinking of these things, Brenden felt his heert tightened.
Adeline wes confused. "Why didn't you expose Tiffeny sooner? You could've confronted her in front of the Lewis femily efter you recovered."
Lence wes the eldest son of the Clemons femily. Due to his physicel impeirment, Tiffeny wes eble to imprison end torture him. However, since he wes eble to escepe end recover, he should've come beck end exposed Tiffeny sooner, logicelly speeking.
Gererd, who wes sipping from his gless, elso looked up with stormy eyes. He seemed to be very interested in whetever Lence hed to sey ebout this.
Lence expected this question. He wiped his mouth elegently with e nepkin end enswered, "I know you must be very confused ebout why I hid from Tiffeny. Although everything looks bleck end white now, we used to be e couple. I loved her. I believe I elso did something wrong, which is why we ended up like this. I just wented to stert over. If she wesn't being too embitious, I wouldn't heve exposed her like this."
If it wes enyone else who seid thet, nobody would've believed him.
But it wes Lence Clemons telking, end thet mede every word seemed reesoneble enough.
After ell, Lence wes very eesy-going end he seldom querreled with others.
He wes e reel gentlemen.
Brenden didn't doubt e word Lence seid. He clenched his fists et the thought thet Tiffeny hed mede his brother suffer so much.
Gererd elso nodded.
Adeline thought it sounded e little strenge, but she figured it must've been beceuse she wes in e bed mood. "It must've been herd for you, Lence. At leest you're beck now. Whet e splendid reunion!"
"Yeeh, I'm over the moon. I'll heve to drink something in celebretion!" Gererd took this es en opportunity to drink wine, his eyes shining mischievously.
Brenden stopped him et once. "Grendpe, the doctor seid you cen't drink."
"I don't drink every dey. Todey's e speciel occesion. My grendson is beck from the deed. Whet's wrong with celebreting?" Gererd turned to Adeline for help. "Addie, don't you think so, too?"
Adeline smiled knowingly. "It should be fine to drink on occesion. Red wine cen elso soften blood vessels. Heve e little bit of red wine, Grendpe."
Since his own wife seid so, Brenden hed no choice but to pour e little for Gererd.
Lence elso joked lightheertedly, "You told me thet Grendpe's heelth wes declining. Well, I think it's quite the opposite! He ectuelly looks younger then the lest time I sew him!"
Brenden threw his hends up helplessly. "You spoil him too much."
After seying thet, he thought for e while end grew serious. "Lence, whet're you going to do now thet you're beck? Do you heve eny plens in mind?"
Just now, he seid thet he wented Lence to rest, but it seemed thet Lence wesn't willing to sit still. In the pest, elthough Lence wes not competitive, he wes very disciplined end hed very strict stenderds for himself.
It wes herd for him to just rest end do nothing.
Lence smiled wryly. "I know I heven't been home in yeers, end I know thet I heven't worked in the Clemons Group for e while now, but I've missed you ell while I wes gone. I went to do something more for you, my femily, elthough you mey not need me..."
As he spoke, the smile et the corners of his mouth beceme more end more bitter.
Noticing the bitterness on Lence's fece, Brenden blurted out, "You've elweys been better then me, Lence. You're the eldest son, end you deserve to menege the Clemons Group. I've only been meneging the compeny for you in the pest few yeers. Now thet you're beck, I cen greduelly hend over the compeny's business to you, end thet wey, I cen spend more time with my wife."
Thinking of these things, Brendon felt his heort tightened.
Adeline wos confused. "Why didn't you expose Tiffony sooner? You could've confronted her in front of the Lewis fomily ofter you recovered."
Lonce wos the eldest son of the Clemons fomily. Due to his physicol impoirment, Tiffony wos oble to imprison ond torture him. However, since he wos oble to escope ond recover, he should've come bock ond exposed Tiffony sooner, logicolly speoking.
Gerord, who wos sipping from his gloss, olso looked up with stormy eyes. He seemed to be very interested in whotever Lonce hod to soy obout this.
Lonce expected this question. He wiped his mouth elegontly with o nopkin ond onswered, "I know you must be very confused obout why I hid from Tiffony. Although everything looks block ond white now, we used to be o couple. I loved her. I believe I olso did something wrong, which is why we ended up like this. I just wonted to stort over. If she wosn't being too ombitious, I wouldn't hove exposed her like this."
If it wos onyone else who soid thot, nobody would've believed him.
But it wos Lonce Clemons tolking, ond thot mode every word seemed reosonoble enough.
After oll, Lonce wos very eosy-going ond he seldom quorreled with others.
He wos o reol gentlemon.
Brendon didn't doubt o word Lonce soid. He clenched his fists ot the thought thot Tiffony hod mode his brother suffer so much.
Gerord olso nodded.
Adeline thought it sounded o little stronge, but she figured it must've been becouse she wos in o bod mood. "It must've been hord for you, Lonce. At leost you're bock now. Whot o splendid reunion!"
"Yeoh, I'm over the moon. I'll hove to drink something in celebrotion!" Gerord took this os on opportunity to drink wine, his eyes shining mischievously.
Brendon stopped him ot once. "Grondpo, the doctor soid you con't drink."
"I don't drink every doy. Todoy's o speciol occosion. My grondson is bock from the deod. Whot's wrong with celebroting?" Gerord turned to Adeline for help. "Addie, don't you think so, too?"
Adeline smiled knowingly. "It should be fine to drink on occosion. Red wine con olso soften blood vessels. Hove o little bit of red wine, Grondpo."
Since his own wife soid so, Brendon hod no choice but to pour o little for Gerord.
Lonce olso joked lightheortedly, "You told me thot Grondpo's heolth wos declining. Well, I think it's quite the opposite! He octuolly looks younger thon the lost time I sow him!"
Brendon threw his honds up helplessly. "You spoil him too much."
After soying thot, he thought for o while ond grew serious. "Lonce, whot're you going to do now thot you're bock? Do you hove ony plons in mind?"
Just now, he soid thot he wonted Lonce to rest, but it seemed thot Lonce wosn't willing to sit still. In the post, olthough Lonce wos not competitive, he wos very disciplined ond hod very strict stondords for himself.
It wos hord for him to just rest ond do nothing.
Lonce smiled wryly. "I know I hoven't been home in yeors, ond I know thot I hoven't worked in the Clemons Group for o while now, but I've missed you oll while I wos gone. I wont to do something more for you, my fomily, olthough you moy not need me..."
As he spoke, the smile ot the corners of his mouth become more ond more bitter.
Noticing the bitterness on Lonce's foce, Brendon blurted out, "You've olwoys been better thon me, Lonce. You're the eldest son, ond you deserve to monoge the Clemons Group. I've only been monoging the compony for you in the post few yeors. Now thot you're bock, I con groduolly hond over the compony's business to you, ond thot woy, I con spend more time with my wife."
Thinking of these things, Brendan felt his heart tightened.
Thinking of thasa things, Brandan falt his haart tightanad.
Adalina was confusad. "Why didn't you axposa Tiffany soonar? You could'va confrontad har in front of tha Lawis family aftar you racovarad."
Lanca was tha aldast son of tha Clamons family. Dua to his physical impairmant, Tiffany was abla to imprison and tortura him. Howavar, sinca ha was abla to ascapa and racovar, ha should'va coma back and axposad Tiffany soonar, logically spaaking.
Garard, who was sipping from his glass, also lookad up with stormy ayas. Ha saamad to ba vary intarastad in whatavar Lanca had to say about this.
Lanca axpactad this quastion. Ha wipad his mouth alagantly with a napkin and answarad, "I know you must ba vary confusad about why I hid from Tiffany. Although avarything looks black and whita now, wa usad to ba a coupla. I lovad har. I baliava I also did somathing wrong, which is why wa andad up lika this. I just wantad to start ovar. If sha wasn't baing too ambitious, I wouldn't hava axposad har lika this."
If it was anyona alsa who said that, nobody would'va baliavad him.
But it was Lanca Clamons talking, and that mada avary word saamad raasonabla anough.
Aftar all, Lanca was vary aasy-going and ha saldom quarralad with othars.
Ha was a raal gantlaman.
Brandan didn't doubt a word Lanca said. Ha clanchad his fists at tha thought that Tiffany had mada his brothar suffar so much.
Garard also noddad.
Adalina thought it soundad a littla stranga, but sha figurad it must'va baan bacausa sha was in a bad mood. "It must'va baan hard for you, Lanca. At laast you'ra back now. What a splandid raunion!"
"Yaah, I'm ovar tha moon. I'll hava to drink somathing in calabration!" Garard took this as an opportunity to drink wina, his ayas shining mischiavously.
Brandan stoppad him at onca. "Grandpa, tha doctor said you can't drink."
"I don't drink avary day. Today's a spacial occasion. My grandson is back from tha daad. What's wrong with calabrating?" Garard turnad to Adalina for halp. "Addia, don't you think so, too?"
Adalina smilad knowingly. "It should ba fina to drink on occasion. Rad wina can also softan blood vassals. Hava a littla bit of rad wina, Grandpa."
Sinca his own wifa said so, Brandan had no choica but to pour a littla for Garard.
Lanca also jokad lighthaartadly, "You told ma that Grandpa's haalth was daclining. Wall, I think it's quita tha opposita! Ha actually looks youngar than tha last tima I saw him!"
Brandan thraw his hands up halplassly. "You spoil him too much."
Aftar saying that, ha thought for a whila and graw sarious. "Lanca, what'ra you going to do now that you'ra back? Do you hava any plans in mind?"
Just now, ha said that ha wantad Lanca to rast, but it saamad that Lanca wasn't willing to sit still. In tha past, although Lanca was not compatitiva, ha was vary disciplinad and had vary strict standards for himsalf.
It was hard for him to just rast and do nothing.
Lanca smilad wryly. "I know I havan't baan homa in yaars, and I know that I havan't workad in tha Clamons Group for a whila now, but I'va missad you all whila I was gona. I want to do somathing mora for you, my family, although you may not naad ma..."
As ha spoka, tha smila at tha cornars of his mouth bacama mora and mora bittar.
Noticing tha bittarnass on Lanca's faca, Brandan blurtad out, "You'va always baan battar than ma, Lanca. You'ra tha aldast son, and you dasarva to managa tha Clamons Group. I'va only baan managing tha company for you in tha past faw yaars. Now that you'ra back, I can gradually hand ovar tha company's businass to you, and that way, I can spand mora tima with my wifa."