Chapter 224: What a conversation

The first few minutes passed without anything particularly remarkable happening.

Blake ate quietly.

The food was excellent, unfortunately.

’Why can’t I enjoy this food alone with Myles...’

Everything had been prepared with ridiculous precision, from the arrangement of the vegetables to the temperature of the meat.

Yet the atmosphere around him made even swallowing feel like a formal procedure.

He kept his posture straight.

He didn’t speak unless someone spoke to him first.

And, most importantly, he didn’t look toward the main family.

There was no reason to make things worse.

Across the table, the grandparents on his father’s side were engaged in a quiet conversation with his father.

He didn’t particularly care about that, but he could still overhear.

They spoke about Alexander’s education, his future plans, investments, and some upcoming business arrangements.

’Woah... this feels like anything but a family gathering. No warmth at all!’

It was more like a board meeting where everyone happened to share blood.

Blake continued eating.

Then, he noticed something.

His father’s mother glanced at him, although not directly, it was just enough to make it obvious she was watching.

’Whatever, let’s pretend I didn’t see that.’

She turned away.

A few minutes later, her husband did the same.

Blake almost laughed.

’Am I being inspected?’

He lowered his gaze toward his plate.

At the opposite end of the table, his stepmother’s parents hadn’t acknowledged him once, not even a glance.

’Thank goodness they’re ignoring me.’

They were speaking to their daughter, occasionally asking Calliope something about school.

When Alexander spoke, his grandfather smiled.

When Calliope laughed, his grandmother joined her.

He had expected hostility but, instead, he received complete absence.

He took another bite.

His supposed grandmother finally spoke, loud enough so that Blake could hear him from such a distance.

"So."

Blake looked up.

She was looking directly at him now.

"How have your studies been?"

"Fine, as you might know, my highschool career has come to an end."

"You intend to attend university?"

"Yes."

"I see. Of course, I take it your father has organized everything."

There was something strange about the way she phrased it.

Blake paused.

"Yeah."

His father looked over, his expression remaining neutral.

"He has been provided for."

He smiled faintly.

’That’s one way to put it.’

But apparently, it was a bit too much of an obvious smile.

His grandmother’s eyes narrowed.

"Your father has always fulfilled his responsibilities."

Blake rested his fork against the edge of his plate.

"Of course, I’m sure he has."

There was a brief silence.

His grandmother seemed ready to say something else.

Instead, his grandfather spoke.

"Don’t start."

She looked at him, sighing.

"I wasn’t."

Then she looked back at Blake.

"Your father made mistakes when he was young."

Blake’s hand stopped.

The words were casual, almost dismissive.

His father immediately interrupted, an almost dejected look on his face.

"Mother."

She looked at him.

"I said nothing inappropriate."

"You don’t need to discuss the past, it is Alexander’s birthday."

Blake’s eyes moved between them.

’That shouldn’t be the reason why she can’t bring it up...’

His grandmother leaned back.

"I’m sorry Alexander. However last time, I wasn’t physically there, so I today I had to get my point across."

Alexander’s face stiffened. "No, grandmother, don’t apologize..."

Humming, she then added, almost absentmindedly, "Especially after everything was clarified with your father, although it wasn’t how I expected it to be."

Blake slightly raised an eyebrow.

He looked toward his father.

For the briefest moment, the man’s expression hardened. However, it disappeared almost immediately.

He lowered his gaze.

But his thoughts had already begun moving.

’What was that about?’

Blake was the illegitimate son, an affair child.

Everyone behaved as though his existence had been a wound inflicted upon this family.

’Seems like that, for a period, the story was different. If not, what had to be clarified in the first place?’

And his grandmother had spoken as though everyone already knew what had happened.

’Maybe that man, Blake’s father, lied about something? But why? What could he possibly have lied about?’

After a second, he simply sighed heavily. He didn’t even have enough information to form a theory anyway.

Besides, this wasn’t the time.

He took another bite.

Across the table, Alexander had been watching him.

Blake noticed.

Their eyes met.

Alexander looked away.

Blake sighed internally.

’He always looks like an angry little boy huh... it’s a bit funny to see that face.’

A servant approached the table and refilled several glasses.

When she reached Blake, she hesitated just slightly.

Blake looked at her.

She immediately lowered her head.

"Forgive me, young master."

"Don’t apologize, it’s fine."

She poured the drink and left.

Blake watched her go.

Everyone here acts like they’re afraid of stepping on a landmine.

"Alexander."

He looked toward his mother.

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow, we’ll have the photographs taken."

Alexander nodded.

"Your grandparents will be staying for another two days, make sure you take walks with them."

"Yes, mother."

Blake quietly continued eating.

The conversation moved naturally around him.

Calliope spoke of a recital.

Alexander’s grandfather mentioned a business conference.

His father spoke about a new investment.

’Wah, now I’m curious to see how other fancy gatherings are. I’ll have to ask Myles all about where the mission will take place.’

Blake’s lips curved slightly.

His grandmother noticed.

"What are you smiling about?"

Blake looked up.

"Oh, nothing important."

She stared at him.

"Nothing?"

"Just something I remembered."

"Something amusing?"

"...yeah."

She said nothing.

Blake returned to his meal.

’What was that...’

The dinner continued.

Eventually, dessert arrived.

A beautifully decorated cake was brought into the room.

The lights dimmed slightly.

Everyone turned toward Alexander.

Blake joined the applause.

Alexander stood beside the cake while his mother gave another short speech.

"Seventeen years ago, our family welcomed Alexander into this world."

Blake listened.

The speech was warm and proud.

Everything a birthday speech should be.

His eyes wandered toward Alexander.

For the first time that evening, Blake noticed that Alexander looked genuinely happy.

’Ah.’

Blake smiled.

When the candles were blown out, everyone applauded.

Alexander cut the cake.

The first slice went to his mother.

The second to his father.

Then his grandparents.

Blake expected nothing, and he got nothing.

’Well, last time they also did that. How can they just behave the same every single time... I wonder if it gets tiring at some point.’

He took a piece when the servants eventually reached him.

’It’s so delicious. At least the cake likes me.’

That thought almost made him laugh. He raised his gaze, naturally looking towards the main family.

There, he noticed his biological grandmother looking at him, lips pressed into a thin line. Her face looked complicated, as if she was confused and disgusted.

Blake’s fingers slowly loosened as he immediately lowered his gaze.

His grandmother didn’t look at him anymore.

His father seemed to have noticed that.

And, for some reason, Alexander looked deeply uncomfortable.

The table became increasingly silent.

Blake took another bite of cake, his smile somehow remaining.

There was something almost absurd about the situation.

Everyone here clearly had some kind of sense of betrayal.

’Or at least, that’s what I think? Why do they stare at me like that... especially when I look normal, that woman just kept asking me questions. Is it that bad that Blake is not miserable as they want him to be?’

Something he didn’t know was clearly in the picture, far deeper than he could imagine, but then again...

’It’s not something I can just guess.’

He could live with that.

The dinner eventually began winding down.

People started leaving their seats, conversations breaking into smaller groups.

Blake stood as well.

His father approached him, looking at him for several seconds.

"Blake."

"Huh, yeah?"

Blake’s voice cracked a little as he showed a smile.

Not once has he heard this man utter his name. It was a little weird, actually, creepy was the better term for what he was feeling.

"What is it, father?"

The man immediately covered his mouth, his complexion suddenly worsening.

"Dear, don’t push yourself today, of all days."

Arabella stepped up, wrapping her arm around his.

The man nodded.

Just like that, they walked past him.

"You should be grateful."

Blake stopped, looking over his shoulder.

"For what?"

"For everything that has been provided to you."

Blake walked away before he could answer.

He made his way toward the stairs.

His chest felt surprisingly light, actually, it was so light it felt dull.

’That face he made... he looked at me as if I were disgusting. He even covered his mouth and everything else. At this point, why not gag, too...’

He reached the staircase.

Then his phone vibrated.

Blake pulled it out.

One message.

Come back up faster.

Blake smiled, feeling his heart flutter.

’He is getting impatient these days.’

His fingers moved across the screen.

You could tell I was coming huh? I’m surprisingly alive.

A second message appeared almost immediately.

I know.

Blake chuckled.

I will come up faster, don’t worry, I also want to rest with you.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket.

Behind him, the family continued talking.

The mansion was still bright.

Still beautiful.

Still painfully expensive.

He climbed the stairs.

And somewhere below, his father and step-mother simply stood there. She was staring at the place where he had disappeared, while he was simply looking away.

Her expression was difficult to read.

She quietly looked down, eyes trembling slightly.

Her husband looked toward her.

"I don’t understand you, Arabella."

She looked up.

"Stop talking as if I have anything left for him. My love is for you and our two children only."