Chapter 3
689words
Robin quickly pushed the risotto away. He took a handkerchief from his assistant, wiped his mouth, and furrowed his brows.
"I'm sorry. My stomach's been hurting lately. I can't stand the smell of seafood."
Dad slammed his hand onto the table and lectured the maid. "Robin's not feeling well! Who let you serve something so pungent?"
Then, he offered Robin an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, Robin. Look, it's getting late, and you aren't feeling well.
"Why don't you stay for a simple dinner? Consider it my way of making it up to you."
Robin's gaze flickered toward the maids for a second before he nodded. "Sorry to trouble you."
Cynthia sat next to me, picking at her nails and muttering under her breath, "A stomach bug? Does he have some sort of disease? I've seen plenty of rich second-generation brats at the clubs act like that when their bodies are completely burnt out. They're so weak."
My heart skipped a beat. Cynthia was right.
The rich men in the elite society led notoriously messy lives, had no morals, and had countless partners of both sexes.
It was possible that Robin had contracted some kind of sexually transmitted disease and was using the marriage as an excuse to cover up.
The family dinner at night felt strange.
Dad sat at the head of the table, with Robin in the seat of honor. Cynthia and I sat across from them, looking like we were ready to create chaos.
To my surprise, Kyle Parker was sitting at the far end of the table. Usually, he wasn't even allowed to eat with us.
Dad always claimed that Kyle was the son of our driver, Mike Parker. After Mike passed away, we took care of Kyle because he was an orphan. However, his eyes were a carbon copy of my father's in his youth.
In my first two lives, Cynthia and I were so busy trying to outmatch each other that we never gave this timid man a second thought.
However, it seemed that Kyle was my father's illegitimate son. Dad was just waiting for the right moment to officially recognize him as part of the Powell family.
"Kyle, don't just sit there. Pour some wine for Robin," Dad instructed.
Kyle scrambled to his feet, carrying the decanter over to Robin. "Mr. Wright, allow me to serve you."
Robin raised a hand to block the glass and said in an uncharacteristic gentle tone, "I don't drink wine. Water will do."
Kyle quickly switched to a pitcher of warm water. As he handed over the glass, his pinky finger brushed lightly against the center of Robin's palm.
The movement was incredibly fast and discreet. If I hadn't been watching Robin and Kyle like a hawk, I never would have caught it.
Instead of being offended, Robin lowered his gaze and smirked.
Hold on. A grown man looking at another like that? I felt goosebumps crawl up my arms.
Cynthia noticed it too. She gave me a hard kick under the table and signaled with her eyes. "Something is going on between them."
I shot her a meaningful look, signaling her to stay calm and keep an eye on the situation.
After a round of conversations, Robin finally cut to the chase.
"Mr. Powell, since both ladies are here, why don't we settle this tonight? My time is valuable, and I'd rather not waste any more time on these formalities."
Dad immediately placed his fork on the table and glared at Cynthia and me. "Did you hear that? We're choosing one of you tonight."
Just as Cynthia was about to speak and act out like a lunatic, I interrupted, "Dad, you and Robin are absolutely right. However, marrying into the Wright family is a massive commitment.
"To ensure the best possible genes for the next generation and to be responsible to the Wrights, shouldn't the three of us go for a pre-marital health screening first?"
If Robin just had a stomach bug, a health check-up would be harmless. But if he really had been promiscuous as Cynthia suspected…
