Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 221
The youngest son kept his silence throughout the meeting. He only spoke when his grandfather addressed him directly, taking a small sip of tea and frowning at its bitter taste.
Suddenly, the topic shifted to Roman's love life... Caesar was still holding onto his dream of having a little girl in the family. As one of the wealthiest families in the country, the Alejandro family lacked only one thing: a daughter to spoil and pamper.
"Roman, how are things going between you and your girlfriend? Have you given any thought to marriage?"
"Grandpa—"
"Dad, don't ask Roman something so outrageous. Naturally, he only views that actress as a passing fling, they don't have a serious future together. Roman is going to marry his fiancée," Heneral interjected firmly, refusing to budge on his stance.
Caesar set his teacup down... He wasn't fond of tea either, but his wife constantly insisted he get used to it. He scowled at his second son.
"Heneral, are you really that desperate? Has our family fallen so low that we need to rely on another family to elevate our standing?"
"Veronica comes from a prestigious family that owns the nation's leading telecommunications company. Dad, marrying her isn't a bad move for Roman at all. Besides, they maintain a solid relationship and are quite close. Isn't that right, Roman?"
"Dad, Veronica and I are just friends. I'm currently dating Sidney," Roman answered smoothly. Truth be told, Roman had zero intention of getting married anytime soon. However, he was thoroughly enjoying his time with Sidney, Both of them led busy lives, Sidney with her acting career and Roman with his frequent business trips back to Timog-Kanluran province.
Still, their relationship suited them well, and Roman had no desire to alter the status quo. He also found the idea of dating Veronica uncomfortable, as neither of them harbored romantic feelings for the other.
"See? Your son has made his own decision, and you ought to respect it. You should be asking Tonto about his fiancée instead," Caesar added, turning the spotlight away.
"Him?" Heneral glanced sharply at his youngest son. Tonto instinctively sat up straight in his chair.
"..." Heneral remained quiet.
Just like Roman and Alfonso, Tonto had an arranged fiancée. However, Heneral actually felt a pang of pity for the girl... Tonto was a constant headache, while his fiancée was a prim, highly respectable woman working as a prominent news anchor.
In fact, the woman had made it clear on numerous occasions that she held no affection for Tonto, but her parents insisted the match was set in stone since childhood... Heneral lacked any confidence that Tonto could ever be a decent husband.
At least Alfonso and Roman were men Heneral could rely on, they were exceptional sons. Tonto, on the other hand, was entirely different.
"Alright, let's set marriage talk aside. This is a family gathering, we should enjoy ourselves," Caesar declared. Knowing Heneral and Roman shared the exact same stubbornness, he decided to let them resolve their own conflicts.
Unfortunately, since almost everyone present was a workaholic, the conversation quickly reverted to business operations, leaving Tonto completely isolated.
A few hours later, Heneral's family took their leave from the mansion.
"Dad, my wife and kid are waiting for me at home, so I'll take a separate car," Alfonso bid them farewell. He was eager to get back to his family.
"Give my greetings to your wife and let her know I'll drop by to visit next week," Allyson instructed her son. She was already looking forward to seeing her adorable grandson.
"Will do, Mom. I'll let them know," Alfonso replied before heading to his vehicle.
"Mom, Dad, I have somewhere I need to be as well," Tonto chimed in, quickly seizing the opportunity to slip away before his parents could corner him for another lecture. He was thoroughly sick of their scolding.
"Alright. Drive safely," Allyson told him, her eyes lingering on Tonto's figure as he went into the car.
Back when Tonto was just a small child, he and Allyson had been practically inseparable. He used to cling to her side constantly, craving all of her attention.
'When did everything go so wrong?'
Allyson asked herself silently. Perhaps it started back when Tonto stabbed his classmate in the eye. Allyson had been utterly horrified, reprimanding him severely and raising her voice in disbelief that her own child could commit such a cruel act.
'...The older he gets, the darker he becomes.'
She vividly recalled an incident during Tonto's high school years. After his crush rejected his confession, he hired a hitman to execute her, unable to stomach the humiliation of rejection.
The gunman he contracted belonged to a syndicate nurtured by the Araneto family, Vice Governor Araneto's faction, who maintained a hit squad to handle political rivals and dirty work. Allyson had always despised politics and kept her distance from her family's illicit ventures, striving to maintain her principles despite knowing her bloodline's shady background. Marrying Heneral had been her escape from that world.
Regardless, her relatives had alerted her to Tonto's hit order, leaving Allyson stunned and enraged. For a teenager, Tonto's mind was profoundly twisted, he didn't even bother denying it when confronted. Furious beyond words, Allyson had slapped him across the face, and fortunately, the assassination was aborted in time.
Ever since that day, the bond between mother and son had completely shattered, until Allyson could only view Tonto as a dangerous stranger.
She let out a heavy sigh... It seemed Tonto had inherited the dark, ruthless nature of the Araneto family, standing in stark contrast to the Alejandro family's honorable reputation. She carried a persistent weight of guilt, suspecting her own blood was responsible for how crookedly Tonto had turned out.
...
...
...
"Phew, fuck those people! All they ever do is obsess over work! Don't they have a single fun bone in their bodies?" Tonto muttered, growing increasingly fed up with his family. Yet he couldn't break away from their grip. Having no actual job of his own, his lavish lifestyle was entirely funded by the trust fund managed by his parents and grandparents.
If he dared to skip these family obligations, his elders would cut off his allowance without hesitation, a threat Heneral and Caesar were strict enough to enforce.
[Thank you for reading this novel.]