Chapter 257
Alaric and Stellan had been working nonstop for days, finally finishing their tasks and eagerly looking forward to a break. But just as they were about to relax, Richard’s agent showed up at Nexus Innovations, requesting a dinner meeting with Rowena and Richard—the ambassadors for the entertainment center. The couple wanted to express their gratitude to Alaric and invite him to dinner.
Normally, Alaric would have declined, but something about Rowena intrigued him. He was hoping she was the one he had been thinking of. So, he agreed.
“You agreed to dinner because of Rowena, right?” Stellan asked, her tone teasing, but she saw right through him.
“Yeah, I’m curious,” Alaric admitted, his voice betraying the interest he had in meeting her.
“Me too,” Stellan added, intrigued herself. “I want to see if she’s the girl Cormac’s been pining for all this time. If she is, I definitely want to meet her.”
“We’ll find out tonight,” Alaric said, leaning back in his chair.
He turned to Caspian, Harry, and Elisa. “You three want to join us?”
“No!” they replied in unison.
Alaric and Stellan exchanged a surprised look. When did the kids start thinking alike?
“Your adult dinners are so boring,” Caspian said with a dismissive wave.
“Yeah, all you talk about are billion-dollar deals, making it seem like making money is easy,” Harry added, rolling his eyes. “And everyone around you always flatters you. It’s so annoying.”
“It’s so dull, I’d rather stay home and watch cartoons,” Elisa chimed in, earning a smirk from her brothers.
Alaric and Stellan were left speechless. Why were the kids’ complaints so spot-on?
“Fine,” Stellan said, chuckling. “If you don’t want to go, stay home and behave. No mischief.”
The kids started to respond, but Stellan raised a finger. “And no fighting!”
This was aimed squarely at Caspian and Harry, who always seemed to argue when together.
“As long as Harry doesn’t start anything, I won’t bother him,” Caspian said, crossing his arms.
Harry scoffed. “Caspian, don’t flatter yourself. If you don’t provoke me, I don’t care enough to bother with you.”
“Who always starts it, Rook? You should know,” Caspian shot back.
“I know very well. You always act like my dad just because you were born a few minutes earlier. Always lecturing me in that old-fashioned way. Isn’t that you?” Harry retorted.
Alaric and Stellan exchanged glances, both of them resigned to the endless sibling bickering.
“Forget what I said earlier,” Stellan sighed. “You two can argue all you want. If arguing isn’t enough, go ahead and fight. I’m curious to see who would win.”
“Right,” Alaric added, stirring the pot. “Fight all you want. If you tear the house down, we can just move. Go for it.”
Caspian and Harry fell silent, both of them unsure how to respond to the challenge.
After a brief pause, Alaric and Stellan left for the dinner. Elisa, however, was the most disheartened of all.
She sighed deeply. “I can’t help it. Let it all end.”
With that, Elisa trudged upstairs, leaving her brothers to battle it out. A fierce look passed between Caspian and Harry, but neither seemed to have the energy to continue their argument.
The dinner was held at a luxurious club, chosen by Richard, who was hosting the event. The venue was an exclusive top-floor private room, and it exuded sophistication.
When Alaric and Stellan arrived, Rowena and Richard were already seated. As soon as they saw them, Richard eagerly stood up to greet them, with Rowena following behind him.
“Mr. Knight, Mrs. Knight, it’s an honor to have you join us tonight,” Richard said, shaking Alaric’s hand enthusiastically.
This dinner was a big deal for Richard. Rowena, being the hottest female singer at the moment, and Richard himself—though often criticized for his acting—was still a top-tier male star with a massive fanbase.
“Nice to meet you,” Alaric said politely, his tone just as cordial as Richard’s enthusiasm.
“Rowena,” Richard said after the handshake, motioning for her to step forward. Rowena smiled gently at both Alaric and Stellan. “Hello, Mr. Knight, Mrs. Knight.”
Rowena, well-acquainted with Alaric’s name from Cormac, had heard much about him in the past. Though they hadn’t met before—since Alaric hadn’t been in Arizona when she and Cormac were together—Rowena now found him to be exactly as Cormac had described him.
“Hello, Miss Rowena,” Alaric said, offering her a polite smile and nod.
Stellan, too, took note of Rowena. The moment she saw her, Stellan had a good feeling about her. Rowena came across as gentle and comfortable to be around.
“I’ve been listening to your songs these past few days. Your voice is so unique and recognizable, and your music is just wonderful. You’re truly talented—writing, composing, and playing instruments. It’s amazing,” Stellan said sincerely. Though she wasn’t a music expert, she genuinely appreciated Rowena’s work.
“Thank you, Mrs. Knight. You’re too kind,” Rowena replied, her cheeks flushing slightly at the compliment.
“Not at all,” Stellan said with a warm smile.
Though Stellan wasn’t a fan of celebrity culture, she felt a newfound admiration for Rowena after hearing her music. She had no musical background herself, but Rowena’s art was simply captivating.
Rowena blushed slightly at Stellan’s praise.
“Let’s sit down,” Alaric suggested, and after a brief moment, Stellan took Rowena’s hand and gently led her to a seat next to her.
Richard, eager to make a good impression, immediately raised his glass. “I must toast Mr. Knight, to thank him for choosing us as the ambassadors for the entertainment center. It’s truly an honor.”
Alaric, feeling a bit guilty for his role in the decision (since he had only chosen Rowena), responded graciously, “Choosing both of you was a natural fit. To our mutual success, and I look forward to a fruitful collaboration.”
“Mr. Knight, everyone says you’re the most valuable young entrepreneur in the business world,” Richard continued, not missing an opportunity to flatter. “Meeting you today, I can see why. Your demeanor and conversation are truly extraordinary.”
Stellan couldn’t help but think of Harry’s words about all the excessive flattery that surrounded Alaric. Wasn’t Richard doing the same thing? Alaric hadn’t even said much yet.
“Mr. Richard, you’re too kind,” Alaric said, raising his teacup. “I don’t drink alcohol, so I’ll stick to tea.”
Richard, immediately understanding, glanced at Stellan, then smiled knowingly. “Understood. Drinking is bad for your health. Mrs. Knight, being a renowned doctor, is absolutely right. It’s better to drink less.” With that, Richard also switched to tea, surprising Stellan with the sudden change.
After the first round of tea, Richard tried to steer the conversation in another direction. “Mr. Knight and Mrs. Knight’s relationship is truly enviable. You’re such a model couple. I hope that when Rowena and I get married, we can be as loving as you two.”
Both Alaric and Stellan were taken aback.
Stellan couldn’t hide her surprise. “You two are a couple?”