Brian's tone remained calm and distant. "I have no use for those herbs. There's no need to send any more in the future."
His refusal left no room for discussion.
Roxanne could not help stepping in. "Lydia went out of her way to prepare those for you. How could you just let them go to waste? After all, we'll be one family soon. There's no need to be so particular about such things."
Her words naturally steered the conversation toward the topic of marriage between the two families.
Rosie immediately joined in with a cheerful smile, "That's right, Brian. There's no need to keep up with the formalities. Lydia has always been thoughtful toward you. She spent a great deal of effort gathering those herbs. She truly cares about you."
She gave a meaningful sigh and continued. "Wayne and I are getting older. We don't wish for many things. What we hope for most is to see you and Lydia settle down together. Years ago, when Lydia was determined to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, the two of you missed many chances to spend time together.
"But this year, she promised us she would stay home more and make time to reconnect with you. You two have delayed this long enough. I believe it's time."
Wayne said nothing. Having lived through enough, he could easily see that Brian had no intention of marrying Lydia. Otherwise, this arrangement would not have dragged on for so many years.
But he was Lydia's grandfather, and he could not openly oppose his wife's insistence either. No matter what, Lydia was still his granddaughter.
Lydia sat beside them, feigning humility and shyness. "Grandma, please don't say these things. I don't want to put any pressure on Brian."
Though her words sounded considerate, the eager anticipation in her eyes gave her away. Her intentions were impossible to miss.
Kayden watched the scene unfold, his expression growing darker. He had known this dinner would be trouble.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Mr. Norman, She's Out of Your League Now