Chapter 379 - 377: What Is Love?

Frederick gulped hard after receiving sharp gaze from Mr. Alinsky.

"Grandpa. Nathan is my past. We have both agreed to divorce our marriage and it was a mutual agreement." Asia tried her best to save the situation.

Of course. Mr. Alinsky would never rely on one source in getting information.

He would gather everything that he could get and then filter it. If this old man was not smart enough to handle the pressure of being on top, then he must surely be dead or was already replaced a long time ago.

Though Asia sounded concern for him (Frederick), deep down, she was laughing hysterically.

Why not? Francais and Frederick's faces looked like they had eaten sh*t.

But of course, they were too good to handle the situation.

"Sir. Eunji is right. I don't care if Nathan was the first husband. What I care is we are the endgame. I love your granddaughter, Sir. And she loves me. And I see her as being the only mother of my future children." Every words that came out from his mouth sounded sincere. Anyone could be easily moved by it but definitely not Asia.

"Love... Oh okay then Frederick, what is love?" Mr. Alinsky had thrown at him the simplest question yet hard to answer.

To make things hard for him, "Why do you love my granddaughter?" Mr. Alinsky rephrased his question.

"Can I just love her for no reason at all? My explanation may sounds cliché but I don't know what love is until she came. For me, her entire existence is the reason why I love her."

Just after he said that, the door opened revealing Jaime leading a group of female servants, with a tray of cookies and their drinks, going inside the room.

Mr. Alinsky adjusted himself on the wheelchair as he looked at Frederick. His answer was convincing. However, it lacked sincerity in it. But he was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

They waited for Jaime and the rest to leave before they continued.

"Do you have any request, Young Lady? Sir?"

Since she was being asked first, Asia looked around and saw that everyone were satisfied so far. Thus she smiled at the head butler and then spoke, "Thank you, Jaime. But I think we're all good. Right, Grandpa?"

"We're good now Jaime. Oh anyways, tell them to prepare a buffet for tonight's dinner. We have to celebrate my granddaughter's arrival."

"As you wish, Sir!"

Now that they were left alone, Mr. Alinsky decided to continue.

"Frederick, you have probably known by now that I actually have a daughter and surprisingly, a granddaughter. They're my only family left in this world. So I hope you know how important they are to me."

"I understand Master, I'm willing to prove myself to be worthy of Eunji's love and your blessing." Frederick knew what Mr. Alinsky meant

That's why they were here in the first place right?

"Good. I just don't want either of them to be used in pursuit of power. They should have been out of this. You won't blame me for doubting you, right?" Mr. Alinsky was straightforward.

He then looked at Asia and talked to her, "Eunji. Is it okay with you if I'll challenge his resolve? He's willing to prove himself to be worthy of you, so can I put him into a test?"

Asia didn't expect that her grandfather had something like that hidden under his sleeve.

That despite of his old age, he still managed to surprise him.

These two were really taking him as an easy man.

But he actually wasn't.

If Francais and Frederick were two-faced people, Mr. Alinsky was worse than them both combined.

Asia really wanted to laugh at them. However she tried to hold it back for her own sake.

Now that the spotlight was on her, she had to answer it, right?

It's not her fault that the old man could see through if not every thing but some of it.

"Of course, Grandpa. I'm fine with it." She smiled to reassuringly. She then turned her gaze towards Frederick and continued, "I also want to know how much he really loves me. But don't worry Babe, I'll root for you."

Since she had finally given her word, Mr. Alinsky looked at Frederick.

"My granddaughter has decided. You're going to compete with the other candidates."

"Other candidates?" Francais who had been silent had decided to join in the conversation.

"Yes, Francais."

"But, why?"

"To have a fair competition. You know my position is the most coveted one in the underworld. And at the same time, sooner or later, everyone will find out about Eunji's existence."

He then retracted his gaze from Francais and turned to Frederick who was still kneeling on the floor and continued, "Thus even before you presented yourself, I have already made up my mind."

Since his heir had come, he was sure that not everyone in the council would favor a woman to lead them.

Of course, they'd demand a male counterpart and that must be her husband.

And so, he had came up with this plan.

Unknown to them Asia also had her own personal take to this. However, she had kept it inside her head.

'Grandpa, if I really wanted your position, I can rule it with ease without a husband. Unfortunately, I don't want to.'

"As we speak, I have already sent and invitation to every legible male from the families of the council to participate in this. And of course, all of the Generals are eligible to take part on it, too. And that includes you."

Frederick was speechless.

"If- if that's what makes you satisfied, Sir. I'll willingly participate it."

"Great! Now, get ready, the competition will happen two days from now."

"Okay Sir." Frederick had no other choice but to agree to it.

However, he was still upset for Asia for not trying to stop it.

On the other hand, Francais looked at the old man and then to Asia.

He really didn't expect for the old man to welcome Asia with such warmth.

After their talk, Jaime escorted Francais and Frederick out.

Meanwhile, he asked Asia to stay. Before they left. Francais threw a warning gaze to Asia which in return she inwardly rolled her eyes.

Now that they're finally left alone, Asia dropped her pretense and didn't worry for them to watch over her every move.

"Eunji."

"Yes, Grandpa."

Mr. Alinsky teared up after seeing Asia's calm response.

"You really resembled like your Mama." His tone was so tender and full of longing.

"Yes. But I think I got some from my Papa, too." However, Asia regretted a little bit because Mr. Alinsky's expression changed when she mentioned about her father to him. He was obviously displeased with her father.

"It seems like you're not fond of my father, Grandpa." Asia's question made him to frown even more.

"Can we not mention that man inside this house?"

"Why, Grandpa? Without my father, I won't be here, you know."

"Yes. But still it didn't erase the fact that he's the son of my mortal enemy." His disapproval of Kim Nam-joon made Asia to be disappointed to it, too.

And so, she had decided to confront him about it.

"Is that the reason why you didn't stop Xu Ying from using your name to convince others to attack our base that night?"

Mr. Alinsky evaded her intense gaze which means that he was guilty of the crime.

Him not denying what she said really made her feel disappointed and angry towards him. He could actually stop it in one command yet he didn't. For what? Because of family feud?

"Grandpa, did you know how much trauma that incident had brought to my family. Especially to my Mama?"

"I'm sorry Eunji. I didn't mean for that to happen. You can't blame me! Francais told me that he, your father, didn't stop the experiment and continued it behind my back. And he even forced my daughter to join it! On top of that, he's actually the son of my mortal enemy!"

Asia composed herself and decided to not match Mr. Alinsky's level of emotion.

"Grandpa, my only advice to you is to never believe on mere words. You better hear the facts, first. Not all that were being told to you are true."

Eunji then got up and bowed her head to him.

"I'll retreat now to my room, Grandpa." But before she left, she decided to remind him, "Grandpa, please don't let others know what we talked about today."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Let's just say, aside from family members, I don't trust anyone."

Mr. Alinsky immediately became defensive of him. "Impossible. Francais is like a son to me. He can't do that!"

She had already seen this coming. But instead of getting mad or upset to her grandfather, she just smiled and said, "I know Grandpa. Just sit back and relax. I know you won't believe me immediately. However, give me the chance to expose him, okay?"

She then playfully dragged her right index finger and placed it over her lips.

"If you'll agree, I will help you to get my Eoma's forgiveness. However, I won't guarantee if she'd really believe you and forgive you. After all, you have done many things that had hurt her and my grandma or you let a misunderstanding to ruin your relationship to my Mom and Grandma."

Since Asia had said it, Mr. Alinsky asked her.

"Why should I trust you? Why should I believe you?"

If she was an ordinary person from an ordinary background and had received such kind of question from someone who's her biological grandfather, she'd surely be upset.

However, just like Eunji, she had gone through a lot, too.

She smiled genuinely before she talk to him, "I'm your granddaughter. And if there's someone in this world who can understand you, I think it's me. Because I am like you."

Asia meant every words that she told him.

She thought that she got her personality from her grandfather.

She had done many things that had hurt Eunji in the past.

"You can doubt my intentions Grandpa. After all, I had only come to see you now when I have many chances to introduce myself to you in the past. But I didn't. Because I had a lot of prejudice and grudges on you. But seeing you now is like I'm looking myself in the mirror."

Mr. Alinsky could tell that she's true and genuine to what she said. "I see. Then, entertain me."

"Thank you, Grandpa. Don't worry. You'll be on the front seat."

Mr. Alinsky didn't hold her back any longer and decided to let her go to her room.

When she left, Jaime entered the room and talked to Mr. Alinsky.

"Sir."

Mr. Alinksy looked at him and then asked.

"Jaime, what do you think about Eunji?"

"It's too early to say, but I like her confidence. She can handle herself really well. She really reminds me of your father, Sir."

Mr. Alinsky was satisfied with Jaime's impression on Asia.

"I think the same thing, too. Any updates on why Nathan and her got divorced?"

"Well, it seems like they did agreed to it mutually. But for the reason why, it's something personal that only her and Nathan knows."

Mr. Alinsky sighed to himself and said, "I see. Then having that competition is indeed for the best, yeah?"

"True. To tell you honestly, Sir, I think Frederick is a man with a weak character. If not for his father, Reynold Heart, I don't think he even qualifies to be your Left Hand General."

He never liked Frederick's character. He was never fond of him. He'd prefer Nathan over him to succeed his title.

Mr. Alinsky avoided his gaze from his most trusted confidant and then thought of something else to divert the topic.

"Did you already send the invitation to Nathan?"

Jaime seemed to be troubled about it. "Yes Sir. However, there's no response from him yet."

"Give that lad some time. He seems to be really hurt of this break up." Before Nathan left, he visited him one day and told him that his wife divorced him.

Mr. Alinsky also didn't know that his wife was actually his granddaughter until Nathan told him. Nathan told him that he had discovered about it long before yet he dared not to disclose it to him because he had no rights to make that decision but his wife, herself.

But he started doing the investigation after Francais called that she wanted to meet him. It only meant that she had actually decided to introduce herself to him.

That's why he knew his feelings and he's still deeply in love with her but since it's her request, because of love, he granted her wish.

And also that was his reason why he raised that question to Frederick, earlier.

Even his granddaughter's eyes were telling him something.

So he wanted to give them both a chance.

He wanted to do something right for her granddaughter.

Before Nathan left, he only told Mr. Alinsky that he's going to make things better for her. So his wife won't suffer any hardships.

And also after hearing Asia's words, he would be telling a lie if he was not starting to doubt Francais from now on.

However, he didn't want to sabotage his granddaughter's plan. Thus, he'll let her do her plan.

And for Francais, he's under his surveillance.

***