Chapter 121- just a second
"You don’t have to do this!" Charles snapped, his voice cold and distant. Expecting him to open his heart so easily was just impossible.
"Derrick, please... don’t reject a father’s love again..." Derrick sighed deeply. Just being able to see his son one more time like this was already more than he could hope for. "I’m leaving now. Take care of yourself."
The airport announcement echoed overhead.
Derrick turned quickly, his hunched figure blending into the crowd of passengers. In mere moments, he was gone from sight.
Only then did Charles realize—time had flown by. Derrick... was truly old now.
Derrick and Philip left for France, and life returned to how it used to be. That house, once filled with Derrick and Philip’s presence, was a place Charles rarely visited. Now, there was no reason to go back at all.
"Pack up your things and move back home," Charles said flatly, tossing the keys to Snowpeak Villa onto August’s desk. The "home" he referred to wasn’t vague—it was the house Derrick had given to August. From now on, it belonged to him.
"Why?" August asked, confused. He hadn’t been informed about Derrick’s arrangements.
Charles merely waved a hand. "He and Philip went back to France. The house is yours now. Move in."
August blinked, stunned. The man he least wanted to face had left so quietly. His heart felt heavy, as though someone had thrown a stone into a still lake—no relief, only deeper unease.
"You and Manfred are just friends. I hope you understand that. You’re Derrick’s son—whether you admit it or not, that’s the truth." Charles leaned forward, one hand on his desk. His tall, proud figure towered over August, his gaze fixed on the young man’s furrowed brow. It was a gesture he had noticed often. Funny—brothers really did share some habits.