George’s POV:
“Good to see that you’ve matured, George,” Grandpa remarked as he looked at me intently. I was hardly
home and he was on a vacation in Hawaii when I came back a few days ago. So technically speaking,
we hadn’t seen each other for quite some time now. Just then, my parents, Morton and Erin Affleck,
came out of their bedroom.
“Dad, don’t praise him too much, or else he’ll become cocky,” said my mother. She walked towards me
and sat beside me. Even though she said that, I could see the pride and joy in her eyes. My father, on
the other hand, was wearing a long face.
“The driver saw you leave with a girl when he arrived to pick you up. Is he telling the truth?” he asked.
“Who is she?” my mother asked nervously.
“Do you have a girlfriend now? Most women out there are cold and calculating gold diggers. Do not trust
them easily!” Even though their tones weren’t particularly stone, I could tell that they were interrogating
me, and it was making me feel very uncomfortable.
“Jane is my colleague and business partner. She’s not the cold and calculating woman like you think she
is,” I explained with a frown.
After hearing my explanation, my parents seemed more relieved.
“George, I know that you’re a cautious man, so we’ve never interfered in your career planning. But, what
worries me the most is your marriage. If you’re ready to get married, you need to marry a girl of your
class!” My mother added.
“Mom, your view on marriage is very outdated,” I argued. I couldn’t believe that my mother would even
subscribe to such rotten ideas.
“I’ve heard enough. It’s getting late. Go to bed!” Grandpa shouted. Silence ensued in the living room. Not
daring to say another word, my parents went upstairs. As I watched them go upstairs, I finally breathed a
sigh of relief.
“Grandpa, let me walk you to your bedroom. You should get some rest.” My bedroom was next to my
grandfather’s. Back when I was a child, my parents were always busy, flying from one city to another. I
lived with my grandfather my entire childhood, so I was very much attached to him.
It wasn’t until I went to junior high that my parents finally realized that they should fulfill their
responsibilities as parents. Thus, wherever they went, be it for work or otherwise, they took me with
them.
However, a close parent-child relationship wasn’t something that could happen overnight. They were still
very busy at work. There were times that I couldn’t even see them for two weeks in a row. Living with my
parents after years of estrangement only made me feel like I was an orphan.
As time passed by, I became more and more independent. Even when I later spent years studying
abroad alone, I managed to adapt to my environment quickly.
The next day, I played chess with my grandfather in the study. My waist and my entire back were aching,
but my grandfather seemed as spry as ever. He didn’t even look exhausted at all! That evening, my
father came into the room. “Dad, Mr. Todd has arrived.”
“Okay, tell him to come here,” said Grandpa. I thought that they’d be having a business discussion, so I
stood up to leave.
“Sounds like I should leave you two alone, Grandpa.”
“Hmm? You don’t have to go, boy. Just sit where you are. What happened to the Todd family has
provoked quite the discussion among the public. Young ones like you have more ideas than old dogs like
us. Perhaps you might be able to help us,” Grandpa responded, stopping me from going.
“Sure. I’ll stay then,” I replied.
Frankly speaking, I’d rather not get involved in this matter, but I didn’t have any choice but to listen to
Grandpa. Pretty soon, an old man the same age as my grandfather came in. It was Mr. Todd. I greeted
him before sitting back down. One look at him and I could tell that he was troubled. He was sighing with
resignation as well. Jax Todd, his grandson, was just as dejected.
Jax was several years older than me. As the pride of the Todd family, he had been composed and level-
headed since childhood, and his career had been going pretty well. But unfortunately, his marriage broke
his grandfather’s heart.
Thereafter, they told us the whole story. Jax’s wife was eight years younger than him, and she was a
flight attendant born to an ordinary family. They fell in love at first sight when they met on a plane.
Despite his family’s wishes, he married her. If the woman was behaving properly, the Todds probably
would’ve acknowledged their marriage. Jax was a grown man, after all. He knew what he wanted, and it
was impossible for his family to interfere with his love life.
However, his wife had an affair with another man after marrying Jax. The worst part about it was the fact
that the paparazzi had taken intimate photos of her and her secret lover and posted them online.
The Todd family valued their reputation greatly. For generations, they had never been involved in such
scandals, so they had no experience in dealing with a crisis like this one. Thus, Mr. Todd came here
today to ask my grandfather for help and advice.
“The social circle of rich and powerful families is small. Gossip will spread pretty soon. And I’m sure that
others are already gloating over the misfortune of my family. If I had known this would happen, I never
would have agreed to their marriage.” Mr. Todd scowled, heaving a deep sigh.
My grandfather didn’t say a word until they had finished talking.
“So, what do you think, George?” he asked.
I shook my head in response. Honestly, I had no idea how to pull the Todd family out of this crisis. The
press had provided incriminating evidence to prove the adultery of Jax’s wife. There was no way the
Todd family could turn the tables now.
All they could do was to swallow the bitter pill. Mr. Todd heaved another sigh. My grandfather refused to
let the matter go. I could tell that he must be testing me.
“Dealing with online comments is tricky. The opinion of the public is bound to have a negative effect on
their company’s stock price. So, I’ll ask you again, George; how are they going to get out of this
situation?” he asked again. .
“Their interest in the matter won’t last that long. After some time, their focus will be shifted to another hot
topic. The best way to deal with scathing comments online is to play it cool and keep a low profile.
Because any response you come up with will only draw more attention to the affair,” I responded after
giving it a clear analysis.
“I agree with your opinion, George. I’ll have my men do it.” Mr. Todd nodded in agreement. We kept on
talking for a while longer before he and Jax left. Grandpa asked me to stay for another minute.
“George, let Jax’s problem serve as a warning to you. Remember to marry an educated, amiable, and
decent woman. Otherwise, you’ll end up getting our family into hot water,” he exhorted.
“I understand,” I replied.
I knew fully well regarding the intricacies of my marriage and my family. I also knew that men with evil
intentions were always keeping an eye on me because of my identity. Anything that I did wrong could be
used against not only on me, but also my family.
That was why I always avoided mentioning that I was from the Affleck family in public places I swore to
myself never to make use of my family’s name nor bring shame lot
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