Chapter 113: Don’t push yourself
"I don’t understand you, Rick. Your decision-making seems utterly reckless to me," Alekis said, his voice edged with disappointment as he set his fork down, the sound sharp against his plate. He took his napkin, dabbing the corners of his mouth as he looked Roderick over with a stern, unyielding gaze. The maid had already cleared his plate, her quiet efficiency leaving a lingering silence in the room.
Roderick shifted uncomfortably, lowering his eyes. "Grandfather, I’m truly sorry," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Alekis didn’t soften. "Why, Roderick? Why would you betray Layla for Orabela? Where did you pick up this behavior?" Alekis’s tone grew colder. "And now, after insisting you loved Orabela, you say you’ve broken the engagement. I explicitly told you not to involve yourself with her, yet you claimed she was the one you wanted. Now, you end things as if it was some casual affair. Is this all just a game to you?"
Roderick’s mother, Fiona, spoke up, her voice steady but defensive. "Father, this wasn’t entirely Roderick’s fault," she said, her gaze flickering toward her son. "I was the one who encouraged the engagement with Orabela. As the heiress of the Rosenzweig family, she could have strengthened our household and ensured Roderick’s future. I truly thought she was an ideal match."
Roderick, feeling the weight of his grandfather’s disapproval, stood and bowed his head deeply in respect and remorse. "I apologize, Grandfather. I was short-sighted, and I let you down. But I swear, I won’t make any more mistakes like this. I won’t disappoint you again."
He feared that Alekis’s trust in him had been compromised, that he might no longer be considered for the chairman’s role.
"Go and focus on the work. Did you gain back the land from your uncle?" Alekis asked.
"I didn’t. He did offer me but on one condition. I couldn’t agree to that," Roderick asserted. "I will find another way to get back the land from him."
"Lucius won’t give you the land unless you give him what he’s demanded for. If you truly want to fulfill your father’s dream, then win back the land and prove your worth to me. I have begun doubting your decision making capabilities," Alekis said and left the seat. He left the dining hall, leaving Roderick and Fiona there.