Chapter 148: You are not suitable for Augustine.
At the mansion...
The atmosphere was heavy with intimidating silence. Anne stepped through the door, her gaze immediately falling on Dimitri, who sat stiffly on the grand leather sofa. His sharp, penetrating eyes fixed on her, his expression as stern as a judge preparing to deliver a verdict.
Anne felt a chill travel down her spine. Her legs threatened to buckle under the weight of his gaze. But mustering her composure, she plastered a polite smile on her face and walked toward him.
"Good evening, Grandpa," she greeted warmly, her heart thudding against her ribcage.
Dimitri didn’t smile back. Instead, he gave a brief nod and gestured to the seat beside him. "Sit down."
Anne perched herself on the sofa while trying to steady her breathing. Her palms lightly pressed against her knees, trying to hide their faint trembling.
"Augustine has endured more than you know," he began, his gaze distant as memories flickered behind his eyes. "He lost his parents just after graduating from high school. I sent him abroad to continue his studies."
Anne listened silently, already familiar with the broad strokes of Augustine’s past. She had heard stories of how he had fought to survive in a foreign land, while his own family barely reached out a hand to help. She wondered why Dimitri was bringing it up now.
Dimitri’s voice softened a bit. "It wasn’t easy, being abandoned in a foreign land. But he didn’t break. He fought, he endured, and he built his own success, brick by brick. I’m proud of him."