Chapter 223: Those parents aren’t the only issue

"Hey, take your stare down a notch. It’s embarrassing..."

Myles was staring at Blake.

More specifically, he was staring at Blake’s formal self.

Blake raised an eyebrow, cheeks reddening.

"Seriously Myles, what?"

He didn’t answer immediately.

His gaze slowly moved over him, taking in the white suit Blake had chosen.

The jacket fit neatly around his shoulders, the fabric clean and elegant without being excessively decorated.

Underneath, he wore a simple black shirt, the dark color contrasting nicely with the white jacket. His trousers matched, pressed perfectly, while polished shoes completed the outfit.

His dark blonde hair had been carefully styled upward, leaving a few strands falling naturally around his forehead.

It was, objectively, a very good look.

And judging from Myles’ expression, he knew it.

He smirked.

"Hah. Do I look that handsome?"

"Yes."

Blake paused, then laughed.

"Thanks."

Myles continued looking at him.

Blake turned toward the mirror, adjusting his collar.

"Although I doubt looking handsome is going to help me much at the family dinner."

He gave himself a skeptical look.

"Actually, it might make things worse."

"How?"

"They’ll think I’m trying too hard."

"You aren’t."

"I know."

Blake grinned.

"That’s the problem, they don’t understand me."

Myles sighed.

Blake had managed to sleep for roughly six hours, which was considerably better than the miserable amount he’d gotten the previous night. Still, he had spent enough time lying in bed to know that six hours wasn’t exactly luxurious.

And now it was nearly five in the afternoon.

The birthday celebration had already started downstairs.

Blake still had to go.

He looked at himself one last time.

Then Myles walked closer.

"Do you have to do your hair?"

Blake turned toward him.

"Do I have to—"

He immediately realized what Myles meant.

"Well yes!"

Myles reached toward his head.

Blake’s eyes widened.

"Wait—"

Too late.

Myles’ fingers moved through his carefully arranged hair.

A few seconds later, the hairstyle Blake had spent quite some time fixing had been loosened considerably.

Blake stared at the mirror in silence, his expression slowly falling.

"...You ruined it."

"They suit you better like this."

"I worked hard on those, I’ll have you know."

Myles calmly adjusted another strand.

"They look better this way."

Blake groaned.

"You just want me to look less handsome."

"That’s impossible."

Blake paused, then turned toward him.

He pinched Myles’ cheek.

"Yeah. You’re right."

Myles stared at him.

Blake chuckled.

"I’m unfixably handsome."

There was a knock at the door.

Blake’s smile disappeared.

"...I don’t wanna go at all."

Myles looked at the door.

"You have to."

"I know."

Blake sighed deeply, then patted Myles’ shoulder.

"Tell me good luck because I’ll definitely need it."

Myles didn’t answer.

Instead, he pulled Blake into a hug.

Myles lowered his voice.

"No matter what they say..."

Blake became still.

"You’re worth a thousand of anything they own or know."

For a moment, Blake didn’t respond.

Then his arms tightened around Myles.

"..."

Myles pulled back just enough to kiss his cheek.

"I’ll be waiting here, so don’t be anxious."

Blake smiled, his chest feeling lighter.

He waved at Myles and finally walked out.

The moment Blake reached the staircase, the difference was obvious.

The entire first floor had been transformed.

The normally restrained mansion had been covered in decorations.

Large arrangements of flowers lined the walls, golden ribbons hung from the balconies, and enormous chandeliers illuminated the entire hall.

Tables had been arranged around the edges of the room, covered with expensive decorations and crystal glasses.

People were everywhere.

Blake recognized almost nobody.

He paused at the top of the stairs.

"...Wow."

He hadn’t seen this many people gathered here since Calliope’s birthday.

Except this time, there was a very different atmosphere.

This wasn’t a public celebration.

This was family.

He slowly descended.

A few people looked at him.

Some recognized him.

Others whispered.

Blake ignored them, since he wasn’t here to impress anyone. He just needed to survive the evening.

At the center of the hall, Alexander’s mother stepped forward.

She was dressed elegantly, with a composed smile that seemed almost permanently fixed onto her face.

The conversations gradually died down.

"Thank you all for coming today."

She smiled toward the guests.

"Today is particularly special for our family. Alexander is celebrating his seventeenth birthday."

Applause followed.

Blake joined in. He glanced toward Alexander.

The birthday boy stood beside his mother, dressed formally, his expression calm.

Their eyes met briefly.

Alexander looked away first.

Blake didn’t react.

The speech continued.

There were several compliments about Alexander’s achievements, his future, his education, and how proud the family was of him.

Eventually, everyone began moving toward the dining room.

Blake followed.

The table was enormous.

It was long enough that Blake couldn’t see everyone clearly from one end to the other.

Naturally, his assigned seat was almost at the very bottom.

He sat down.

Two strangers were seated nearby.

They briefly glanced at him, then resumed their conversation.

Blake didn’t mind.

He rested his hands on the table.

For once, his chest wasn’t hurting.

Myles’ words kept replaying in his mind.

You’re worth a thousand of anything they own or know.

A small smile appeared on Blake’s face.

He didn’t need Alexander to forgive him for something he wasn’t even related to.

He didn’t need this family at all.

He could simply sit here, eat and leave. That was all.

’I got influenced far too much by this foreign pain.’

The room gradually filled with conversation.

Blake remained quiet, staring at the tablecloth.

Then, the dining room doors opened, and every conversation stopped.

Everyone stood.

Blake looked over his shoulder.

Two elderly couples entered.

’Ah, those are their grandparents.’

Both sets.

They walked in with the kind of presence that immediately made the room feel smaller.

The grandfather from his father’s side looked particularly stern, his expression barely changing as he entered.

Beside him was his wife, equally dignified.

The grandparents from his step-mother’s side were no different.

Blake immediately understood why everyone had stood.

He stood as well.

His father moved forward first.

"Father. Mother."

His stepmother followed.

Alexander and Calliope went with them.

The greetings were formal, almost painfully so.

Blake remained at his place.

He wasn’t sure whether he should approach them.

’They weren’t there last time, but I did get a glimpse of them face timing at Calliope’s birthday.’

Nobody had told him what to do, so he simply waited.

His father’s gaze eventually moved across the room.

It stopped on Blake.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Blake offered a small smile.

"Good evening."

His voice was calm.

His father gave the slightest nod.

"Yes."

Blake’s smile remained.

Internally, however, he couldn’t help thinking...

’Well. This is all going quite well.’

The grandmother on his father’s side looked at him next.

Her eyes traveled from his face to his suit.

Then back to his face.

"He came, I see."

The room was quiet enough for Blake to hear it

’Would’ve been weirder if I didn’t come...’

His father frowned slightly.

"Yes."

She studied him for another moment.

"He’s changed."

Blake wasn’t sure whether that was supposed to be an insult.

Before he could respond, Alexander’s mother smiled.

"He has grown quite a bit."

The grandmother hummed.

"Indeed."

Her gaze remained on Blake.

"You seem more mature."

Blake smiled.

"Ah, yes."

"You are not leaning on your mother’s side of genetics anymore, then."

Blake felt the room’s attention shift toward him.

"I have never leaned anywhere, as I was never really raised by either, Ma’am."

At least, that’s what he assumed.

Someone nearby coughed.

Alexander’s expression changed slightly.

His father looked at Blake.

The grandmother stared at him.

Blake realized perhaps a second too late that his answer hadn’t been particularly diplomatic.

Still, he wasn’t going to take it back.

He had already spent too much of his life apologizing for existing.

The grandfather finally spoke.

"Enough."

His wife glanced at him.

"We haven’t even sat down yet."

Everyone began taking their seats.

Blake followed.

As he sat, he noticed Alexander looking at him from farther down the table.

Their eyes met.

Alexander’s expression was unreadable.

Blake simply raised an eyebrow.

Alexander looked away.

The food began arriving.

Several servants moved around the table, placing plates down.

Blake looked at the elaborate meal.

It looked delicious.

At least something good was going to come from this.

He picked up his fork.

Then the father’s mother spoke again.

"Blake."

He paused.

"Yes?"

"You seem rather comfortable."

Blake tilted his head.

"Yes. I suppose I am."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You’ve always been more timid."

Blake froze for half a second.

A strange sensation passed through his chest.

Then he smiled.

"People change, after all. There was no more point in staying the same."

Nobody answered.

He lowered his gaze to his plate. Then, picked up his fork again and quietly began eating.

’Whatever, after everything I had to go through, this isn’t what should make my body hurt. Blake, I this heart.’

After all, Myles was waiting for him.