Chapter 126 - Most Awkward Lunch

Ch-125 

"Arey… see who came? My daughter-in-law came. Aiden, did you call her?" Regan asked as if he didn't know anything. 

Aiden: "..." 

[How I wish to kill him and bury him under my chair?] he couldn't help but stare at him with killing intent in his eyes. 

Regan noticed that too… but he just gave Aiden an annoying smile. 

"Nora… sit down beside me," Aiden said. Indirectly he was asking others to move aside. 

"Aiden… there is no place. Let her sit beside Cedric," Regan said. 

"Yes, let her sit beside him," Simon said. Even Griffin nodded his head at that. 

Eleanor has no choice but to sit beside him. Eleanor could say that this was a setup. First Eric called her and said that Aiden was missing her. If her dad missed her, he would call her and talk to her directly. But Eric called for the first time. Something was amiss here. And what was supposed to be a private lunch between her and her father became a lunch between her father-in-law and his friends. From the looks of it, she can say that her father wasn't aware of this. Cedric wouldn't do this. The only one who was left was Regan. Of course, she could guess that Cedric had already informed Regan about their marriage and might have asked him to prepare things for it. But Regan being Regan was impatient for it. So, it's not hard for him to guess his motive behind this. The only thing that confused her was how he got tamed, Eric. 

With a tight smile, she sat beside Cedric. 

"President Emerson, It's nice to meet you. Never got to meet you after the banquet," Eleanor said so professionally and distantly. 

"President Callan, President Owen, I am glad to meet you suddenly. Blame my negligence… I didn't even bring any gifts for you all despite meeting you all for the first time," Eleanor said. 

Regan raised a brow at Eleanor. Nevertheless, he smiled at her. Her words confirmed to him that she figured out what happened. 

[Hm… she is smart. Just like a perfect wife for my son.] Regan thought. 

Simon and Griffin laughed out loud. "Aiden… you got a daughter who is no less than Martin. Got sharp and smart tongue as him. No wonder… Zora's group raised from ashes quickly. She is your phoenix," Griffin praised her. He turned his head towards Regan and looked at him. 

"Regan, till this young lady walked in… I still held doubts about her abilities. And though only my daughter matched your son. But… now I admit… Only Eleanor would suit him the best. Cherish her, before someone steals her away," Griffin admitted his defeat blatantly. An eerie silence enveloped the room. 

Everyone could guess that Regan plotted this meeting for his unknown personal gain reasons. But Eleanor knew that he was too eager to get them married. That was the reason she indirectly said that… they were still strangers and she would treat him just like others until their formal meeting. And everyone could guess the insulation behind her words. Her words didn't stab him directly but indirectly she gave his platter of word desserts. And here she directly showed her stance that she was not that easy to fall into the trap of. 

Eleanor was too shocked to say something. She realized that she has a love rival. She looked at Cedric and from the unnatural look on his face, she could say that… there was a history that was hidden from her. Eleanor narrowed her eyes at him before averting her gaze. 

"Since… new members are here. Let's order more and add more cutlery," Simon said as he tried to ease the awkward silence that lingered in the room. 

"Let's call the waiter," Mark said, coming to Simon's aid. 

Simon gave him a grateful look. Even Griffin realized that he revealed something which he was supposed to not. 

Aiden looked at Cedric with a displeased gaze. Cedric and Regan noticed this too. But they knew it wasn't the right time to talk about things. 

At the very time, the door was opened. A waiter came with extra cutlery and kept them in front of Mark, Cedric, and Eleanor. When he was about to exit, someone came and reversed the cutlery cart, breaking the remaining clean cutlery bowls, dishes, and other things. 

"DON'T YOU GUYS HAVE NO HEART!? HAVING TO GET TOGETHER WITHOUT ME!?" a female's angry voice came. 

"Suddenly, I feel a slight headache. I will take my leave," Simon said. 

"SIMON!! Don't you dare!?" The female's voice resounded again. 

"Aria, please stop it. I am tired of your voice." Griffin said. 

"Valene, settle the bill for broken cutlery," Aria ordered who was still behind the room. 

"I will pay everything for this afternoon ordered from this room," Valene said. 

The waiter heaved a sigh of relief. The one thing which was good about the rich people as they won't push the blame on waiters when they broke things. But it doesn't mean everyone is like them, there are some mean people too. 

Valene and Aria settled at the dining table. Coincidentally, Valene sat beside Eleanor. And Aria across Aiden. 

Aria's eyes met with Aiden, who looked stiff. She turned silent for a few seconds as she gazed at him. When she realized how stiff he was… she averted her gaze. 

"If not for my butler informing me that you guys are meeting today… I wouldn't have known that Regan is going to steal my daughter-in-law," Eleanor was just taking a sip of water spurted out. Her Emerald eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Aria. 

When did she become her daughter-in-law? Did she forget how she hurt her daughter? 

"Mrs. Parkinson, I guess you are mistaken," Eleanor said with a strained smile. 

"Mom, don't tease the kid," Valene's voice came. His eyes softened as he gazed at Eleanor. Sigh… unfortunately… she was becoming Cedric's woman. If not he would have… Forget it. 

"Valene...  Eleanor is a good girl. I like her so much. I can see how capable she is when she dealt with that fake daughter of your dad," Aria said as she huffed. Not minding her manners and displeasure towards her husband.

"Aria… you are trying to kidnap a person in broad daylight," Regan said in his cold voice. He wouldn't allow anyone to steal his family member. His son finally got someone he liked. He wouldn't let her slip from his grasp. Regan glared at Cedric asking him to be cautious of things and people losing from his grip. 

"I am trying to have a fair fight," Aria said, puffing her chest. 

"First deal with your family shit before you put your finger in mine," Regan's voice was dangerously low but everyone could sense the coldness spitting out from his words. Of course, if he didn't hold any power how could he manage the Emerson groups all those years and make it unbeatable. 

Everyone felt chills in their spines when they heard Regan's words. His eyes emit the coldness, warning others not to lay their fingers on Eleanor even if it's a joke. And he wasn't going to take lying down when it involved his family. The silence can be slashed with a sword into two pieces. Everyone could sense how serious he was with Eleanor. 

"Mom… enough. Order what you like," Valene said, breaking the silence. Aria ordered the food she liked. Everyone started to eat awkwardly after the little encounter. 

Aiden turned stiff from the moment Aria entered the room. He didn't move despite everyone starting eating. 

"Dad, You like lamb fry. Try that. It tastes good," Eleanor said as she brought her dad into reality. 

Eleanor heard her dad's conversation with Eric. She heard the woman's name that her father loved was Aria. And from today's situation… She could guess the Aria her father loved and the Aria, who was Mrs. Parkinson's were both the same. 

"Mrs. Parkinson, where did you go to your university?" Eleanor asked suddenly out of nowhere. 

"Summit University," Aria said as she gazed at Eleanor with her sparkling eyes. Her heart melted at her sight. 

How she wished she could kidnap her and keep her with herself. 

"Oh! Just the same as my dad's university. Did you attend the one-hundredth anniversary of Summit University last year?" Eleanor asked. 

"No, sweety. I regret not attending that," Aria said with a sad sigh. And Eleanor it wasn't wise to probe more into the university thing. 

"You look beautiful despite your age," Eleanor said. 

"Aww… That was praise from the younger generation. This makes me shy. But… you are more beautiful than me. Most importantly… your eyes," Aria said. 

"I got them from my mom," Eleanor said. 

Aria's face dropped at the mention of Eleanor's words. She coughed a bit before returning her a strained smile. 

Eleanor saw the unnatural expression of Aria. She turned her head to see her father's face too. His face turned stiffer than before. 

Simon saw the awkward atmosphere and decided to ask Aria something he heard. 

"Aria, is it true that the news is circulating in the circle?" Simon asked. 

Aria gave him a confused look. 

"You divorced?" he asked. 

Aiden's eyes widened in shock at those words.