Chapter 266

“There’s a snowflake on your shoulder p>

Dane glanced over, barely reacting. “Yeah p>

They stepped inside together. The first thing they heard was the sound of the two old men arguing in the living room.

“Padgett, you stubborn old fool p>

“That’s not what you said when you broke off Melissa and Ablett’s engagement p>

“Ablett’s still single, and that’s all Melissa’s fault, isn’t it p>

Baldrick sounded full of energy. You’d never guess he was supposed to be sick.

Padgett shot back without missing a beat. “How is that Melissa’s fault? The engagement ended years ago. If Ablett’s still not married, that’s his own choice. You really think he’s been waiting around for Melissa all this time? No, he just doesn’t like any of the women you tried to push on him, so he stayed single p>

Word was, Baldrick had tried everything to get his youngest son to settle down. He’d even sent women to Ablett, hoping one would stick, but Ablett just threw them out. The stories about those poor women getting tossed out, their hair a mess and their clothes all tangled, traveled fast.

Everyone in Cabinda said Ablett was some kind of saint, completely uninterested in women. Some people insisted it was because his fiancée ran off with someone else, and now he hated women and wanted nothing to do with them.

For a while, even Baldrick started to believe it. Whenever his youngest was seen hanging out with another man, Baldrick would have someone keep an eye on him, just in case.

When it became clear Ablett wasn’t going to get married, Baldrick even tried to compromise. He told his son to at least have a kid, just to keep the family line going. After that, if he wanted to be with a man, fine, whatever. Baldrick said he’d stop interfering.

Ablett was furious. He told Baldrick never to mention it again. He didn’t even like men, but in Baldrick’s mind, every male secretary was a secret lover. Who could put up with that kind of scrutiny?

Padgett shook his head. “You keep saying Ablett likes men, but I think he’s just rebelling, doing the exact opposite of what you want. Instead of blaming him, maybe you should look at yourself for once p>

Baldrick’s chest was rising and falling, he was so worked up. “Who says this is my fault? Are you just trying to get out of our arrangement p>

The way the two old men argued was almost entertaining. Neither of them would give in, not even a little.

“You just don’t want to keep your promise,” Baldrick huffed. “You’re trying to stop Claire from marrying into the Green family, aren’t you p>

Claire and Dane heard every word. Claire couldn’t help glancing at Dane, but his face didn’t reveal a single thought it vas like none of this had anything to do with him. Claire decided to follow his lead and

pretend she hadn’t heard anything, either.

Padgett spoke up again. “Who says I’m breaking my promise? We should at least ask the kids what they want, right? Claire just got back to the Churchill family. She and Dane barely know each other How could there be any feelings between them yet p>

“She’s only eighteen or nineteen, just a kid. Give it a couple of years. If they still don’t mind each other by then, we’ll consider the engagement.” Padgett rattled off his reasons one after another.

Baldrick finally noticed Dane and Claire had come in. He let out a cold laugh. “If you wanted to wait two more years, you could’ve just said so. I still think Claire and Dane are a perfect fit. There’s no one else for Dane but her p>

Claire could only smile awkwardly. Baldrick really did have high hopes for her.

Padgett looked at her, worried she might be upset. He sighed. “Baldrick, times have changed. Arranged marriages aren’t the norm anymore. I’ve regretted it ever since. If I hadn’t I forced that engagement between Melissa and Ablett, maybe Melissa wouldn’t have run off with Agassi the way she did p>

Claire was back, but his daughter was gone. The regret lingered in the air, unspoken

but heavy.