Chapter 47 Be Nice to Each Other
The residence had seen better days, but its charm was timeless. Inside, the decor was vintage, with every piece of furniture crafted from high–quality rosewood. As soon as one stepped through the door, a subtle hint of sandalwood could be smelled–surprisingly, it even seemed to complement the fragrance that clung to Yvette.
In the living room, Alex was clad in a vintage suit, leisurely playing chess with the housekeeper.
“There, right there. Just place it there.”
Seeing Alex looking so energetic filled me with warmth. This whole reincarnation thing had its perks–it was like he’d regained a bit of youth, even having fewer gray hairs than before. It felt like ages since I’d seen him so closely.
“Alex! I’m here!” I called out.
Alex looked up with a cheerful grin, and when he saw Yvette holding my hand, his smile got even wider. “Owen, come on over! You can play in place of Johnson and keep me company for a few rounds,” he said, practically shooing Johnson away.
I let go of Yvette’s hand and jogged over. “Alex, it really has been too long.”
“Right? It’s been at least half a month! I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me,” he teased, casting a sidelong glance at Yvette. “She never comes, and you barely stop by yourself, leaving me and Johnson to play endless rounds of chess.”
Johnson, still standing nearby, chuckled. “Mr. Jenning Senior, you know you always have him on your mind.”
“Come on, let’s play,” I said, taking a seat across from Alex. I glanced at the board–apparently, Johnson had been winning until one misstep turned the tide.
Alex had always loved a good chess game. Back in the day, he’d keep me close every time I visited, practically glued to the board with me. It took me a while to realize he didn’t want to be beaten. After Johnson clued me in, I’d started throwing him a few strategic losses here and there to keep him happy.
Alex shot Yvette a pointed look and raised his voice playfully. “Ah, Owen, you’re the only one who cares, not like certain people who just turn into a block of ice the moment they arrive as if they’re here for a business deal.”
I glanced over at Yvette. She was sitting on the couch reading a newspaper, and though she only raised her eyes slightly, even her indifference had a certain charm to it.
“Owen’s the considerate one,” Alex continued, clearly enjoying himself. “He even brought me pizza on the way over.”
His face lit up with a huge grin. He got to his feet without even finishing the game, and I quickly passed him his cane to steady him.
“He’s always thinking about what I like to eat.” His smile was so broad it could hardly contain itself, and that warmth filled me as well. He was the one person in the Jenning family who always treated me like his own, who’d stand up for me if he thought I was being slighted.
He used to joke that if he ever wasn’t around anymore, there’d be no one left to have my back. But life had its own plans – and thinking of it now, a wave of sadness hit me. I couldn’t help it; I moved forward and gave him a big hug.
-I left before he did. I could only imagine how he must have grieved,
He was caught off guard, going stiff for a moment before he gently asked, “What’s wrong? Is Yvette giving you trouble again? Tell me, back tears. “No, Alex, I just missed you.”
“Good, good,” he replied, laughing happily. “Come back more often, so I don’t get too lonely.”
“I will,” I promised, my emotions a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. I helped him toward the dining room.
and I’ll set her straight!” I swallowed hard, holding
As we walked, Alex cast a fond but reproachful glance at Yvette. “That paper on the couch? It’s two days old, and she’s still pretending to read it.” He had a habit of reading newspapers every day, which Yvette had inherited.
She arched an eyebrow, put the paper down, and stood up with a light smile, rolling up her sleeves as she joined us. “You want me to play chess with you? I wouldn’t dare. You hate losing.” Alex feigned anger, raising his cane as if to swat her, but she slipped past him with a grin. Their little back–and–forth was full of warmth and laughter. Watching from the side, my heart felt full; this was family.
When we sat at the dining table, Johnson beamed as he served the food. “Mr. Jenning Senior wanted everything prepped when he heard you two were coming–he made sure we had all your favorites, so dig in!”
This was what family felt like–warmth, comfort, love.
As we started eating, Alex shot a look at Yvette. He was still simmering over the mock swing of his cane that missed her. Suddenly, he tapped her hand with his fork, giving her a sharp look.” Now, tell me the truth–have you been causing trouble again?”
The question caught me off guard. Yvette didn’t even blink, though. She just casually picked up a shrimp, peeled it, and placed it neatly onto Alex’s plate. “Don’t believe every rumor you hear,” she replied smoothly.
“Oh, a rumor, is it?” Alex huffed, unconvinced. “I’ve done my own digging about that little incident at the gathering. You think you can talk your way out of this?”
The gathering? It dawned on me what he was getting at. That night at the family gathering, I’d pulled a stunt with a “health certificate“, sending Lydia into a fit. I’d nearly forgotten Alex would have his questions about that.
Maybe tonight was Yvette’s turn for a “tough talk“.
I glanced at her and saw the flicker of irritation in her eyes as she remembered the scene. Her look told me everything–I was going to pay for this.
Alex pounded the table. “What’s the point of looking at him? You’re the one who put Owen in this position. Now tell me, honestly–is there someone else?”
“No,” Yvette replied flatly, dabbing at her hands with a napkin.
“Then if both of you are healthy and fine, what’s the problem?” Alex pressed, looking more flustered. “Or is it true that you can’t conceive?” His concern turned to me. “Owen, has she seen a doctor?”
I nearly burst out laughing. Seeing Yvette caught off guard was rare, so I decided to play along. Putting on a sad face, I said, “Maybe she’s just embarrassed about going to the doctor.”
Yvette’s face darkened, her gaze sharp enough to slice through me. “My health is perfectly fine,” she said icily. “No doctor needed.”
Alex, still perplexed, asked, “Then what’s the real issue?”
“I just don’t find him interesting,” she replied, casting a disdainful glance my way. “With that physique, what woman would?”
I stiffened. Sure, it wasn’t like she was insulting me out of spite, but did she have to make it about my physique? This body had an eight–pack and a v–cut! It was just that she’d never had the
chance to see it.
“Now that’s just nonsense!” Alex came to my defense. “Whatever’s out there doesn’t matter; nothing compares to Owen. Don’t do anything foolish, you hear me? Even if Owen can let this go, I can’t!”
