Chapter 145 - TENSION AT LUNCH

Stefan went out of his room followed by Chris. The two of them sat at the dining table with his family and their guests. He took off his scarf and coat and placed them behind his chairs, leaving his white polo shirt; with a lipstick stain on his collar.

Everyone saw what was on his collar and it garnered different reactions; most of them were negative and Hilary was the only one who chuckled at him. She even gave him a wink.

Stefan knew that she found a good partner for his crime. Marrying him off? Impossible.

"Are you still fooling around outside? You should stop that now. You are not young anymore." Magnus commented, giving his son a glare. "And this is a family dinner, not a business. There's no need for your secretary to be here. He can have lunch with the other people later."

"No, that can't be. He has a job to do." Stefan responded.

They couldn't understand what he meant by his words but since he decided on it, they knew that Stefan won't back out on his words. He'll do whatever he thought was right.

"You have a girlfriend?" Hilary asked over lunch.

"Yeah."

"And you're serious with her? I've heard that you are very frivolous outside." She added. "You should know the purpose of this lunch, right? I'll become your fiancé."

Stefan didn't answer her. He needed to stall for time to get the report before the meal is over. To their surprise, Stefan didn't get any food but his secretary did. He took little servings of each food and place it on his plate. He drank a bit of the soup that was served and savored the taste.

"You can have this soup." Chris spoke after a minute. He tasted the other dishes and did the same process. He told Stefan which food he can eat and which food he can't.

"Insolence!" Ferdinand shouted angrily as he slapped the table. He was so angry with what Chris was doing. It was really rude and disrespectful and to think that he's just a mere secretary. Contrary of his expectation to see him afraid of him, Chris was calm. Stefan just ignored his grandfather. "Who do you think you are, huh?! Food testing? Did you really think we'd poison you? Is that how you really see us all these years?"

Stefan put down his hand on each side of his plate. He chewed his food while looking the people in front of him. After swallowing his food, he spoke, "I didn't think that you would poison me but I would still die in severe allergy reaction. Out of all these dishes you made, only three of them I can eat."

The room sank into a deafening silence. Base on his words, you can tell that his family never paid attention to him. They didn't even know which ingredients he was allergic to. In the past, there was Alexander who can help him but now, he had to rely on his secretary to taste the food first.

But with Cayenne, he will eat everything that she'll prepare for him with the help of his medicine. He'll drink his medicine in secret to suppress his allergy reaction just to eat the food she makes. He didn't have to do it as often do since Cayenne rarely cooks at home now. Most of the time, he'll cook for the two of them.

In the dining room, Stefan didn't care about his family. He placed some food on Chris' plate because he knew that his family would badly look at him if he'll get his own food. Chris didn't care as well. As long as Stefan's around, he couldn't be bothered by his family.

The resumed their lunch without saying much to Stefan. They have this thought that no matter what they say, Stefan will find a way to refute them.

Hilary Reid wasn't particularly interested with the lunch date. She had so many ways to break off this arrange marriage but she wanted to see how Stefan would react on this matter.

"I have heard that Hilary finished her study in Harvard. You took up law, right?" Magnus questioned the young lady in front of them. He racked his brain to find a topic for conversation that would lead them to the marriage proposal but with Stefan, he was afraid that he will say whatever he wanted he say to go against him.

"Yes, uncle. I took the course to help my parents with their business." Hilary answered with a shy smile.

'Acting shy and coy when you've done something unscrupulous to your parents. Aren't you afraid of getting struck by a lightning?' Stefan mentally snorted but his face remained expressionless as he continued to eat.

"A lawyer and a businessman. It's a good combination." Ferdinand commented. He glanced at his grandson who didn't even raise his head to look at them. He was really making him angry.

Hilary's changed for a moment and now she looked a bit hesitant to talk. Seeing her expression, Clara, for the very first time since they sat, talked in her gentlest voice – a fake one. "Hilary, dear, do you want to say something?"

"Auntie, I'm a bit worried. I've read so many things about your son and that he's involve with lots of women. I couldn't help but think of how broken I will be in the future if he cheats on me."

'Buzz. Buzz. Buzz'

Chris took out his phone and showed it to Stefan beside him.

"Your worry isn't necessary Ms. Reid." Stefan commented.

"Really? Are you going to change for me?"

Hearing her response, Stefan raised his eyebrow. "I will change but not for you. I don't want to be deceived by you like how you deceived your parents for three years now."

Her face darkened when she got his reply. She didn't expect him to not cooperate with her at all. "Am I crossing the line to ask you to change for me?"

"I involved myself with a lot of women in the past but, I never got involved with married women. That's a taboo for me."