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Rain’s face paled, her eyes widening as she blinked at Mr. Rock. “What?!”
He chuckled at her reaction, clearly amused. “Relax, I’m just teasing. But honestly, a grandchild wouldn’t be so bad, don’t you think?”
Rain let out a nervous laugh, still trying to wrap her head around the unexpected direction the conversation had taken. A grandchild? She hadn’t even begun to sort out her unusual marriage, let alone consider children. But seeing Mr. Rock’s hopeful expression, she realized just how much he wanted this marriage to succeed and how much more complicated her life had just become.
Forcing a smile, she murmured, “Let’s take things one step at a time, Mr. Rock. We’re not exactly on the best terms right now.”
Mr. Rock nodded, his smile unwavering. “Fair enough. But just know, I’m rooting for you two,” he cheekily grinned. “Again, sometimes, things have a way of working out when you least expect it.”
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Rain didn’t know how to respond. Eventually, the car fell into a brief silence, something which Alexander’s father eventually broke. “Sinclair Wine Estates was my wife Alexa’s passion,” Mr. Rock informed her.
She felt a wave of relief as Mr. Rock shifted the
conversation away from grandchildren, though the new topic wasn’t exactly a light one either. Dutifully, she listened intently as he explained the situation.
“She built it from the ground up, and it eventually thrived under her direction. But after she passed away, I entrusted it to her sister, Maria, to manage,” he began. “Everything then seemed to be running smoothly until recently when I agreed to Maria’s request to let her son, Lucian, take over the day–to–day operations.”
Rain nodded along, sensing that there was more to the story. “And now there are problems?”
Mr. Rock sighed, his expression growing more serious. “Yes. I’ve been hearing complaints from the employees about poor management, cost–cutting measures that compromise quality, and even some unethical
practices. The staff morale is low, and the business is starting to suffer.”
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“That sounds serious,” she frowned. “It must be difficult
for the employees, especially if they were used to the way your wife ran things.”
“Exactly,” he agreed with a grave nod. “That’s why I want you to take a look. I need someone I can trust to get to the bottom of this and to see if there’s a way to get the estate back on track. I know it’s a lot to ask, but it would mean a great deal to me and my late wife’s legacy.”
All of a sudden, Rain felt the weight of the task he was asking her to undertake press down on her. It wasn’t just about a business, it was about preserving something deeply personal to Mr. Rock and his family.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “I’ll do my best, Mr. Rock. I’ll look into things and see what can be done.”
The conversation died down after that, with the two of them simply enjoying the atmosphere as they waited to arrive at their destination. They were almost halfway to the winery when Mr. Rock received a call. Answering his phone, his expression shifted the more he listened, and as soon as the call ended, he gave out a firm instruction.
22:10
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“Ben, turn around. We need to go back home
immediately.” He then turned to Rain and apologized, “I’m sorry about this, Rain, but we’ll have to reschedule the site visit. An emergency just came up, and I need to head back immediately. I’ll drop you off where you parked your car.”
“Of course,” Rain replied, concern evident in her voice. “Is everything alright?”
“Oh, it’s nothing serious, Rain,” he smiled, trying to reassure her. “Don’t worry about it.”
Despite his efforts, Rain couldn’t shake the feeling that it was indeed serious. His eyes gave it away…
However, she didn’t push the issue further, and soon, she got dropped off at the spot where she parked her car. With her feet firmly on the pavement once more, she watched as Mr. Rock Lancaster’s car drove away, disappearing into the distance. Absently, she looked down at the paper bag she was holding, the one Mr. Rock had insisted she take.
“It’s nice having a father–in–law like him, someone who doesn’t discriminate and accepts me for who I am…”
She mumbled with a sigh before walking toward her
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car. It was still early, but she decided she could report to the Gentleman’s Club early and get some practice. for her performance that night.
****
Meanwhile, inside the car, as soon as Rain stepped out, Butler Ben quickly asked, “Sir, what happened?”
Rock’s voice was heavy as he replied, “Ava… She found out about my tumor. She’s hysterical right now and she’s at the mansion.”
Ava was deeply attached to him. He wasn’t just a brother to her, but also a father figure who had always taken care of her. Rock sighed deeply, dreading the sight of his devastated little sister. But he knew he had to be strong, to comfort and reassure her that
everything would be alright.
In front of the car, Ben echoed his sigh, sharing his
concern.
“I don’t know how I’ll handle things when Xander and Will find out about my health,” Rock confessed. “It’s not that I’m afraid to join Alexa soon. I just hope I can still experience being a grandfather and witness my sons. settle down with good women like their mother.”
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Ben hesitated before asking, “But, Sir, how can you be
so sure that Xander and Miss Rain will work out? Their situation is so complicated.”
A small smile tugged at Rock’s lips. “I know my sons. well. Rain Clayton is someone who will pique Xander’s interest. Before they know it, those two will soon. develop feelings for each other. They just need a little stir, a bit of a push… and that’s where I come in.” He then paused, taking a deep breath before adding, “Rain has had a tough life, but she still strives on her own despite everything…”
Rock had done a thorough investigation into Rain’s background, and he was genuinely impressed with what he discovered. Even more, she was involved with the special task unit he was sponsoring led by his friend Arlan Cartier, the country’s Field Marshal. He had access to every case record she had been involved with, and he was amazed by the significant
contributions she had made to the country at such a young age.
“Someone like her is one in a million,” he mused. “Who would have thought that their lives had been intertwined since they were young? It’s almost as if
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they were fated to be together….”
aid Privilege Chapter Unlocks
