Chapter 5 A Father Who Is Cautious of His Sons

• But what difference did that make?
• A person with a disability remains a person with a disability. Even if dressed in royal attire, he cannot transform into a prince!
• "Dad, I apologize. I acted without ... " Steven wished to clarify his actions but was silenced by Lany's piercing glare and didn't dare to continue.
• Noticing the tension in the room, Alina suddenly beamed sweetly and snuggled into Lany's embrace, playfully saying, "Honey, you're frightening Steven so much that he's at a loss for words. I heard that earlier today when you met Mr. Summer in the office, you were planning to assist Marcie in finding a suitable match, right?"
• The others were taken aback by her comments but quickly caught on.
• Despite having moved out and started his own career, Marcus continued to receive the finest gifts from Lany.
• Lany defended this by stating, "Marcie has endured more hardships than anyone else, so it's only fair to compensate him with material things."
• The other sons felt envious, but given Marcus' current situation, as a rejected son, they knew he wouldn't inherit anything in the future.
• As a result, anything Lany granted him now was merely temporary, which helped them feel more at ease mentally.
• Lany's gaze softened, and his initial anger slowly faded away, influenced by the charming antics of his wife.
• He gently held Alina's small hand in his somewhat aged palm, toying with it affectionately. Although he appeared relaxed, his attention remained on Marcus, inquiring, "Marcie, what are your thoughts?"
• Marcus maintained a composed expression, but internally, he fully understood the situation. Lany was concerned for his well-being, worried that he might struggle in the future to find a suitable wife. In fact, in plain terms, Lany was giving up Marcus' inheritance as the head of the family for the sake of the family's interests.
• He recalled the unexpected kiss by the dam at Hawthorn Reservoir six months ago.
• He remembered the sparkling, bright eyes on the ring road highway just moments ago.
• He thought of the small white figure drenched in rain.
• He started to fall into deep thought.
• Noticing his silence, Patrick remarked thoughtfully, "I believe Marcie is also worried about hurting the girl."
• It was unclear what tactics Lany employed to persuade the eighteen-year-old girl, the only daughter, to leverage her marriage as a negotiation tool. It was also uncertain how much he would truly benefit from this business arrangement.
• However, the swift ascent of the Summers in Merryvale over the last two years had become apparent to the entire business sector.
• Therefore, how could marrying the Summers' daughter be considered a burden?
• Clearly, it provided advantages to the family, earned Lany's approval and respect, and even secured a strong and capable partner for himself!
• Caden lowered his long eyelashes, offered a slight smile to Lany, and said, "Dad, it's precisely because I've been divorced that I view marriage more seriously. I've heard that nowadays, girls often prefer men with experience. It's what they call the older man and younger woman romance."
• "Pfft!" Steven chuckled and interrupted Caden, saying, "The older man and younger woman romance has its limits, you know? With your age, people might think that Ms. Summer is actually your illegitimate daughter from your wild teenage years!"
• "Haha, if she won't marry me, does that mean she'll choose you? Sure, you're single, but the Summers aren't naive. With all your faces in newspapers and magazines—yesterday with a supermodel, today with a female celebrity—they wouldn't trust their only daughter with you!"
• "You're dating younger girls. Aren't you worried about it backfiring? Once I get married, I'll become a different person!"
• "Who are you trying to intimidate? Do you think I'm one of those mindless women you mess around with outside?"
• "That's enough!" Lany frowned and scolded them, causing the living room to fall silent. He softened his expression and turned to Marcus, repeating his earlier question, "What do you think, Marcie?"
• Marcus closed his eyes. After reflecting for a moment, he realized why Lany was so keen on him marrying Stella. Because of his disability, even if he wed a wealthy wife, he wouldn't threaten his position as the head of the family.
• However, if another son were to marry Stella, the outcome might not be something he could control.
• Just like Patrick's wife came from a regular teacher's family, Caden married into a business alliance with a solid family background. However, Lany used every tactic to end his marriage after reaping the benefits, leaving Caden without the resources for success. The third son, Steven, notorious for his romantic escapades and surrounded by controversy, was ignored by Lany, who never intervened.
• Lany placed too much importance on power and was excessively distrustful.
• What right does a man who is so wary and guarded even towards his own son have to expect love and respect from his son?
• At least not from Marcus.
• Marcus won't offer him even a single look or expression.
• As everyone waited for Marcus' reply, Patrick calmly remarked, "You know, it's important for people to have self-awareness. Some mountains are just too high to climb, no matter how much you want to."