âCarrie, how can you drop your cutlery at dinner with Grandpa? Where are your manners?â Shannon
lectured Carrie with a long face.
âThatâs enough. Itâs just cutlery. Must you yell at the child?â
Nigel had a problem with Shannon because Carrie was his precious granddaughter.
Shannon gripped her fingers under the table. She could be blamed for breathing in the presence of the
old man.
âGrandpa, Dad, Mom, Iâm finished with dinner.â
With her cheeks burning in shame, Carrie kept her head down and bit her lips as she left the dinner
table in a hurry.
Justin stared in contemplation at his sisterâs receding figure while falling into thought.
Bethany was delighted to get even with Carrie.
âYou should stay an invisible dummy, Carrie. You didnât have to endure the humiliation. But thatâs what
you get for trying to get with my man. Open your eyes and see who is Momâs and Dadâs favorite and
who deserves to stand next to Ryan!â
âWhy Ryan?â
Nigel blinked and asked in bewilderment, âI thought Ryan was into Anna.â
Gregory, Shannon, and Bethany made a face.
They were speechless.
Justin was taking a sip of his drink when his grandfatherâs remark made him choke.
The man clutched the glass, his face grimacing.
âWhy would Ryan be interested in Bella, Grandpa ?â Bethany turned flushed with rage.
âDoesnât he like Anna? I might be 80, but I can read the room. Ryan. was all over Anna at my birthday
celebration. He couldnât stay away from Anna. Iâm sure heâs the type to be loyal to his wife.â
While talking, Nigel side-eyed Justin, who scowled. âSince Ryan was interested, I thought about setting
Anna and him up since the Hoffmans are in the same social class as Annaâs family. Most importantly,
Ryan is good to Anna. He cares about her wholeheartedly. Iâm sure he can give Anna a better life if
they end up together.â
âA better life? As if Ryan and Bella would have a better life together.â
Justin thought, his fingers clenched so hard that he could crush the glass he was holding.
Nigel never mentioned Justinâs name, but Justin could tell that the comments were directed at him.
Ryan played the field and experienced his first intimacy at the age of 16. He could not even keep his
pants on, yet Nigel had the nerve to set Ryan and Bella up together. Talk about reading the room.
Justin had nothing to say.
âAm I your granddaughter, or is Bella your granddaughter, Grandpa?â
Bethany was so angry she could cry. âRyan loves me, not her. You should be paying attention to me.
Why would you pair Ryan with her?â
âYou like Ryan, but are the feelings mutual on his part?â Nigel looked at her seriously and asked.
âI⦠Iâ¦â Bethany was at a loss for words.
âI saw how Ryan acted around you at the birthday celebration. You didnât even say a word to each
other. Ryan didnât even look at you.â
Consumed by rage and embarrassment, Bethany gritted her teeth.
However, Nigel was right. She could not refute the truth.
âWe donât need our girls to marry for business, but they canât be throwing themselves at men. You canât
force things to happen, or they might turn out badly.â
Nigel was not optimistic about the marriage. He shook his head. â Besides, you and Ryan are two very
different people. Ryan is hot- tempered. I can imagine the heated arguments when you marry him.â
âGrandpa!â Bethany teared up.
âWhat do you expect Bethany to answer, Dad? Sheâs a girl. Have some consideration for her feelings.â
Coming to his daughterâs rescue, Gregory said with a smile, âRyan feels something for Bethany. I know
that because he came to the house the other day to have a word with Bethany. Shannon and I were
home, so we saw him.â
As Bethanyâs mind wandered back to what Ryan said, her heart sank.
She knew that Ryan could not stand her, but so what?
Bethany believed she could marry Ryan once she got her whole family in on it. With time, Ryan was
bound to fall in love with her and be captivated by her charm.