Chapter 1256: Is the Engagement Off?
"Grandpa." Arlo Seys stood in front of his grandfather with Ariel Morris in his arms.
Dominic Seys smiled kindly at the beautiful couple in front of him. "Arlo, Ariel, sit down. Grandpa wants to have a little talk with you."
"Okay." Ariel smiled sweetly and sat down in front of Dominic Seys, her arm linked through Arlo’s.
Dominic looked at the sweetly smiling Ariel with慈祥 in his eyes and sighed. "The fact that the two of you could finally end up together is a destined bond. Arlo, Ariel, in the days to come you must cherish each other even more. Don’t forget that tremor in your hearts when you first met. Be more tolerant of each other, and spend a good lifetime together, understand?"
Arlo held Ariel’s hand and nodded solemnly. "I understand, Grandpa."
Being able to marry Ariel was his greatest wish in this life. Now that wish had come true, he only wanted to spend the rest of his life well with Ariel.
"Arlo, you’ve saved the elders in this family a lot of worry since you were a child. Whether you’re standing at the peak or have fallen into the valley, in Grandpa’s heart, what I’m most proud of is that my grandson is Arlo Seys. You have always been Grandpa’s pride." Dominic looked at his grandson with deep gratification, his face full of smiles. "I asked you here today to talk about what you think of Nicole’s marriage."
Arlo exchanged a glance with Ariel, then spoke on behalf of the couple. "The Cooper Family is a good choice, and Steven Cooper is a rare, ambitious man. If Nicole marries into the Cooper Family, she should be happy for the rest of her life."
Dominic nodded lightly and said with earnest gravity, "Arlo, your parents and your second uncle are getting old as well. In this generation of the Seys Family, it’s just you and Nicole. Once Nicole is married, the Seys Family will be relying on you to hold it up. Arlo, from now on you are the big tree of the Seys Family, shielding everyone from the wind and rain. Your parents and elders, your wife and children, your younger sister, all of them will be entrusted to your protection. So you must understand the burden on your shoulders, shoulder this responsibility, and protect them for a lifetime. Do you understand?"
"I understand." Looking at his grandfather, who was instructing him, Arlo’s gaze deepened, and his voice grew particularly low.
"As for Nicole’s marriage..."
"Grandpa," Ariel cut in, "no matter how much we say, it can’t compare to Nicole’s own opinion and choice. Why don’t we call Nicole in and ask? Let’s hear what she really thinks."
Dominic nodded. "Ariel, go and call Nicole in."
"Okay."
Ariel called Nicole over, and the three of them kept Dominic company for the talk.
"Nicole, Grandpa will ask you directly now: are you yourself willing to marry Steven Cooper? If you’re not willing, then while Grandpa is still here, I’ll speak a word of apology to the Cooper Family on your behalf and cancel this engagement." Dominic looked at Nicole, his expression serious.
Nicole pressed her lips together and lowered her head in silence.
Dominic gave his granddaughter a long, deep look and sighed. "Child, in what happened with your mother, it’s our Seys Family who wronged her, making her raise you and your brother all by herself. And your brother Wade... If the Seys Family had known of your existence earlier and brought you back sooner, maybe your brother would still be alive. So toward your mother and toward you, I carry a deep sense of guilt in my heart. I only hope that before I’m gone, I can see you find happiness, so that I can consider my wish fulfilled. No matter what you choose, the whole Seys Family will support you. If Grandpa is no longer here someday and you run into trouble, go to Arlo. He’s your older brother; he has the responsibility to take care of you, his little sister, for a lifetime."
Arlo gave Nicole a light nod.
Nicole’s eyes stung at the corners. Looking at the kindly Dominic, a warm current surged in her heart. After a silence of more than ten seconds, she gently parted her lips and said, "This marriage with the Cooper Family..."