I Slept with My Boss and Ran Away

Grandma Sterling fiddled with the prayer beads in her hand, her gaze lingering on the beads around Reginald Hawthorne’s wrist for a moment before she asked in a frail voice, “Where have you been all these years?”

“Mom, I went south to do business. I’ve been busy with work all these years,” Reginald Hawthorne replied as he moved closer. “How is your health, Mom?”

Grandma Sterling looked at Reginald Hawthorne with a thoughtful expression, as if she wanted to say something but ultimately decided against it. She simply said, “I’m fine. It’s good that you’re back. I’ll have Julian prepare a room for you.”

“Mom, I…” Reginald Hawthorne started to say that he had a place to stay in Auroraville.

Grandma Sterling interrupted him, “You haven’t been home for thirty years. What, you can’t stay here even for a day?”

Reginald Hawthorne swallowed his words and smiled. “Of course not, Mom. I’ll stay here for a few days.”

“Go rest now. I’m feeling a bit tired and want to sleep for a while,” Grandma Sterling said, not giving Reginald Hawthorne much chance to speak further.

No one mentioned the argument from thirty years ago.

Reginald Hawthorne was somewhat surprised that Grandma Sterling didn’t ask anything or show much emotion. It didn’t seem like the reaction of a mother whose son had returned after running away for thirty years.

It seemed that whether he was her biological son or not, she didn’t care much. Even if he hadn’t come back, Grandma Sterling wouldn’t have been too upset. In thirty years, she probably never looked for him.

Reginald Hawthorne felt a bit more resentment but hid it well. “Alright, Mom, you rest.”

Grandma Sterling closed her eyes and seemed to be chanting prayers as she continued to fiddle with her prayer beads.

Reginald Hawthorne glanced at her before quietly leaving the room.

Julian was waiting outside and asked, “Reginald, what did you talk about with Mom?”

“Mom asked me to stay for a few days and didn’t say much else,” Reginald replied politely. “Julian, I’ll be staying here and might inconvenience you for a few days.”

“This is your home; there’s no inconvenience,” Julian said straightforwardly. “You can stay in the room next to mine. It has good lighting. I’ll get the maid to tidy it up now. As for your apprentice Damien, he can stay on the first floor.”

Julian was quite happy that his brother who had left home thirty years ago had returned. He quickly instructed the maid to clean up and asked the butler to buy new clothes and daily necessities.

After giving these instructions, Julian took Reginald Hawthorne to the study for tea and conversation. They hadn’t seen each other in thirty years, so Julian had a lot to say and didn’t stop talking.

Julian had many questions like: “Reginald, what kind of business do you do? How big is it? What’s your net worth?”

“Reginald, are you married? Why didn’t you bring your wife?”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Reginald, do you have children? Sons or daughters? Why haven’t you come back in thirty years?”

“Reginald, I have only one son named Terrence. He’s injured and in the hospital now. I’ll introduce you later.”

Reginald Hawthorne listened until his ears almost hurt from Julian’s endless questions.

“Julian, have some tea,” Reginald said calmly after taking a sip of tea. “I’ve been doing some small business over the years. I’m not married; I haven’t found the right person yet. As time passed and I got older, I just didn’t feel like getting married anymore.”

“You aren’t married?” Julian was shocked. “How can someone live half their life without having a woman? Isn’t that wasted? You should stay this time; I’ll introduce someone to you. Finding a girl in her twenties might be hard at your age, but someone in their thirties should be no problem.”

“Julian, that’s really not necessary…”

“You are a man; how can you not need a woman? Do you like men?” Julian asked seriously.

Under the table, Reginald Hawthorne nearly crushed his prayer beads out of frustration.

Stella walked in holding Little Lucky and handed the child to Julian. “Can you hold Rowan for a bit? I need to change my clothes; she just spit up.”

“Go ahead; I’ll hold Rowan,” Julian said eagerly as he adored his little granddaughter.

Stella glanced at Reginald Hawthorne before heading to her room to change.

Little Lucky was very lively today and wasn’t sleepy at all. She saw Reginald Hawthorne and smiled at him again.

“Reginald, look how much Rowan likes you! She’s smiling so sweetly,” Julian said with a laugh.

“Julian, may I hold her?” Reginald Hawthorne was touched by Little Lucky’s smile and wanted to hold her too.

“Sure,” Julian said cheerfully as he handed Little Lucky over to Reginald Hawthorne.