Chapter 681


    At this moment, a fierce gaze was directed toward them, making Leon feel even less like staying. Since


    it happened every time the family gathered, he was sensing that his cousin would very soone and


    cause trouble for him. There was no way this time would be an exception.


    Unfortunately, Heather failed to understand and only advised him patiently, “It doesn’t seem appropriate


    for us to leave so early. Why are you so eager to rush home?”


    “There are some things I can’t exin to you right here,” he answered uneasily. While he didn’t care if


    his cousin caused trouble for him alone, he didn’t want to drag her into things.


    The fact that his cousin had left him alone for so long this time was likely solely because of her


    presence. No doubt, the man was observing them for now so that he could attack them after he had a


    general understanding of her personality. Leon was loath to imagine what that man had to be thinking,


    for his cousin’s gaze was growing more and more unfriendly and even strayed to Heather from time to


    time.


    “Alright,” she relented after seeing the anxious look on his face. “If you think that’s for the best, we’ll do


    as you say.” After all, she didn’t know his family well and had no reason to insist they stay behind.


    Instantly, he let out a gratified smile. It soothed his heart to be so well-understood by her. And so,


    Heather pulled him to his feet and they both walked toward Dave.


    Meanwhile, the cousin noticed their actions and immediately rushed off the dance floor to reach Dave’s


    side. With great interest, the former stared at Leon.


    It was a provocation in Leon’s eyes but despite knowing that was no good news, the cousin persisted in


    walking forward. Many times, he wished he could hire someone to murder this troublesome man. It was


    only logic that stayed his hand.


    Acting as if he only just noticed Leon and Heather approaching him, Dave looked toward them with an


    expression that suggested he knew what they were there for.


    “Grandpa—” Leon started, but Dave quickly interrupted him, “Ah! Good, you’re here. Come with me to


    the study.”


    The sentence thwarted whatever Leon’s cousin had been about to do, and he remained at a loss even


    as they left the room. He never even got the chance to say a single word.


    Dave always did whatever he wanted to and right now, no one was providing a different suggestion.


    Originally, the cousin was about to wait for Leon to say something stupid before he jumped in to fan the


    mes of the discord between Leon and their grandfather, but the present situation didn’t y out that


    way at all.


    For the whole night, he had looked for opportunities and finally found one, but it turned out to be


    fruitless, anyway.


    Meanwhile, the study was silent, as Dave had summoned only Heather and Leon. Even the butler and


    servants were forbidden from entering.


    Heather was immensely familiar with studies, for it was the part of the house that Robert summoned


    her to whenever he had something important to discuss with her. It seemed Dave and Robert behaved


    inrgely simr ways.


    However, their studies were very different. Heather found herself looking at a study so luxuriously


    decorated in a European style that she had to wonder if it was overly opulent.


    “You don’t have to stand. Sit down on the couch,” Dave told them now before sitting down in his own


    chair.


    Naturally, Heather and Leon gave each other a questioning nce before sitting down on the couch


    close to each other. Thetter was feeling somewhat nervous but Heather, who was used to having


    such discussions in the study, was rxed and at ease.


    “I heard Leon has pursued you for a long time, Miss Langston,” Dave said abruptly, startling her so


    much that she was slow to react.


    Here she was thinking he had some other important matter to address, but it turned out he was curious


    about their rtionship. As she didn’t like it when her elders interfered in her love affairs, all thoughts of


    a more intelligent answer fled her mind as she said somewhat awkwardly and unnaturally, “Uh—he


    has.”


    Next to her, Leon contributed, “I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. She’s always been a


    goddess to me.”


    Of course, that only made Heather feel even more awkward. How could he possibly seize this


    opportunity to speak from his heart? She had no idea what to say next.


    “Are you sure of your rtionship?” Dave asked, dropping another bomb on them.


    Instantly, she felt guilty, but Leon helpfully stepped in and answered, “We only just got together,


    Grandpa.” It was a lie that fooled even himself.


    “Yes,” Heather quickly added. “We don’t have any ns to announce our rtionship yet.” She


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    assumed Dave wanted to know when they intended to announce their rtionship to the public.


    In truth, that wasn’t his intention; what he wanted to determine was whether they were actually a


    couple. And so, he dismissed them by saying, “There’s nothing to announce. It’s not necessarily a bad


    thing for you young people to keep your personal lives private.”


    “But of course, Grandpa,” Leon answered smoothly. He couldn’t believe he was so slow to catch on. All


    of a sudden, he sensed where this conversation was going.


    Ironically, this was the moment Heather lost the ability to think on her feet and could only nod along


    dumbly with Leon.


    “When are you going to get engaged?” Truly, Dave’s questions were only bing more and more


    pointed. They couldn’t believe he was already thinking of engagements, to say the least.


    “We’re not in a rush to get engaged,” Leon answered so naturally that it was as if he had alreadye


    up with solutions to these questions.


    It’s a good thing he’s being so reliable right now, Heather thought, for they would be in a very


    embarrassing situation otherwise. Never had it urred to her that they would have to face the topic of


    marriage eventually.


    “If you’re confident in your rtionship, the responsible step would be to get engaged,” Dave persisted.


    At that moment, she didn’t know whether tough or cry. Meanwhile, Leon felt simrly awkward. All of


    a sudden, he was remembering what Dave said to him previously, and it seemed Dave was no longer


    holding back.


    “We haven’t been together that long, Grandpa. It really wouldn’t do to rush the engagement,” Leon


    continued to exin while Heather fervently wished that she could find a corner to hide in alone.


    “You’ve both known each other for so long. For you to be together now means it’s a well-thought


    decision. That means engagement wouldn’t be rushed but rather something that is a natural


    conclusion,” Dave pointed out sensibly.


    All of a sudden, Heather felt like the situation would end badly if she didn’t make some things clear.


    With no other choice, she brought up whatever leverage she had. “I still have to discuss the matter of


    getting engaged with my family, Grandpa.”


    With a smile and a nod, Dave merely answered, “That’s quite fair, Miss Langston. Perhaps I shall drop


    by the Langston Residence tomorrow.”


    The first sentence lightened her heart, but the second sentence made her feel infinitely tenser.


    Everything was spiraling out of control too quickly, and it seemed like Dave was truly the kind of person


    to do exactly as he wanted to.


    Ufortably, she informed him, “I haven’t exined things to my family yet. I’m afraid it won’t be


    appropriate for you to drop by tomorrow.”


    Upon hearing that, Leon quickly stepped in as well, saying, “Don’t rush things, Grandpa. You’re going


    to scare my future wife away.” While his tone was deliberately light, he was actually feeling incredibly


    nervous.


    “Ha!” Dave roared withughter before telling them directly, “It’s clear to me that you aren’t sure of each


    other’s intentions yet.” His knowing gaze made them feel immensely guilty.


    “We just want to take things slow, Grandpa,” Leon continued to lie. Yet, at this moment, the more he


    said, the more the truth would be revealed.


    “You have been taking things slow. Haven’t all these years been enough?” Dave asked in the tone of


    someone who had been through simr situations before.


    Meanwhile, Heather kept her silence. There was no point in continuing to argue; they had yed right


    into Dave’s hand. If she kept talking, she would have no more secrets left.


    “It’s decided, then,” Dave said without further ceremony. “Before I leave Bradfort City, I want to see it


    done.”


    His announcement made them both feel a bit like jumping off a cliff to their deaths. They were in for it


    now. Only now did they understand that some lies couldn’t be told without major repercussions, but it


    was already toote for them toe clean.


    Impulsively, Leon asked, “When are you leaving Bradfort City, Grandpa?” He couldn’t give up just yet.


    “It could be weeks or it could be two to three months. I wouldn’t feel good about leaving without seeing


    you both engaged,” Dave answered gleefully, sending chills down their spines.


    Once more, they exchanged nces. They didn’t say anything else and Dave took their silence as


    acquiescence. In truth, he had long taken measure of Heather and found her to be an excellent


    potential addition to their family. That was why, even if he knew they were acting right now, he was


    determined to have his grandson marry her.


    There was no way he would be able to find someone better suited to Leon than her, and he could feel


    his body deteriorating day by day. His only wish now was to see Leon a husband and a father.


    No longer could they dy things. He could tell that Leon did want Heather as a wife, and while he


    could also tell that Heather wasn’t in love with Leon, such petty matters as feelings no longer mattered.


    All Dave wanted was to see them united, so he would be wilful for one more time to ensure that their


    marriage happened as soon as possible.


    “You may leave now. I want to be alone,” he informed them without giving them any more opportunities


    to protest. By having them leave, he could plot his next step in peace.


    One after the other, the pair left the study. At this moment, Heather didn’t know what to say, nor did


    Leon know how to exin things to her.


    “I’m sorry things turned out this way, Hat,” Leon took the initiative to say. Other than apologizing, he


    couldn’t do anything else.


    “It’s not your fault,” sheforted him. “I should have thought of this possibility when I agreed to your


    request.” The most important thing right now was for them to figure out how to resolve the situation.


    “What are we going to do now?” For however much he hoped for them to spend the rest of their lives


    together, he had no wish to force her to marry him.


    “We’ll figure it out. For now, let’s go home.” She felt weary and emotionally exhausted and no longer


    had any wish to stay there.


    “Alright.” Simrly, he didn’t want to stay and only wished they could be home sooner.


    Just like that, they passed through the hall directly and left without saying their goodbyes to anyone.


    While it was a little rude, Heather was no longer in the mood to care about such etiquette.


    “Wait for me, Hat!” Leon eximed as he hurried behind her. It was evident from how quickly she


    walked, even in heels, that she was in a terrible mood.