"Right this way, Sir," the maître d' said with a welcoming smile, guiding him to the exclusive section of the hotel restaurant reserved for the ultra-wealthy. This establishment was helmed by a renowned Michelin-starred chef from France and was a hot spot for big shots in politics, entertainment, and business. Needless to say, only the crème de la crème were permitted entry into this prestigious establishment.
As he walked into the room, he could sense a gentle hum of chatter among the patrons, accompanied by the sweet melodies of classical music. However, as soon as he entered, all eyes were on him, and the murmurs faded into hushed whispers.
It was none other than Matthew Schneider himself, the elusive CEO of Schneider Enterprises, dressed impeccably in a custom-designed black Armani suit that perfectly complemented his fair complexion. His jet-black hair was slightly unkempt, suggesting that he had little time to prepare, but it only added to his natural charm. His unique, endearing feature was his protruding ears, peeking through his tousled hair. But the most captivating aspect was the bouquet of pink and white lilacs cradled in his arm.
All eyes followed his every move, trying to decipher the mystery behind the CEO's unexpected floral accessory. After all, Matthew Schneider was known for his secrecy and was never seen on dates, leaving many to speculate about his love life. While there were rumors linking him to some of the most attractive people in their social circle, nothing had ever been confirmed.
For tonight, though, the biggest question was: who was the lucky recipient of those gorgeous flowers?
A group of ladies at a nearby table speculated about the Schneider family's only heir, who had been dubbed the modern prince of Texas by a well-known international magazine, and was believed to be on a date. Some suggested that the CEO might be dating Selene Renard, the pretty heir of a French hotel tycoon, who had also been seen entering the same restaurant a few minutes ago. Others disagreed, claiming that the Renard heir was currently in a relationship with the CEO of Anderson Banking Group.
The elusive heir followed the maître d(headwaiter) to their private room, ignoring the unnecessary attention that was showered upon him. From the corners of his eyes, he noticed some ladies eyeing him up and down, while some men were judging him. To the ladies, he was a prey, while to the men, he was a predator.
He was used to it. From the moment he was born, the spotlight had been on him. As the only child of the elite Schneider family, Matthew was treated with respect and fear. The Schneiders owned and held power in most countries.
When he reached their table, which was placed in a private room inside the restaurant, Matthew greeted his parents with a warm smile, and handed flowers to Mrs. Schneider.
"Mom," he said, "Thank you for the flowers, they're really lovely."
"My son," Mrs. Schneider smothered her only son with kisses, "I'm glad you could make it."
"Dad," Matthew nodded to his father, who was seated directly in front of his mother.
Mr. Schneider patted his shoulder and said, "I'm glad you made it, Matthew. We have some business to discuss."
Everybody settled down on the round table with the Matthew seated in between his parents. On the table were all of Matthew's favorite french dishes - courtesy of his mother. He sighed. He knew the purpose of this family dinner. Ever since he left their home, his mother would always call him to set dinner dates. Most of the times, Matthew's schedule would not allow him to have family dinners, but for some reason this month, even though his schedule was packed, his secretary was able to fit in an evening date with his family.
That little minx, he mused.
The three started to eat. Matthew's mother would always gush how thin her son has become while filling up his plate with all of his favorite dishes. Matthew just let his mother do whatever she liked because it was his way of making up to her. Mr. Schneider would just shake his head and smile at his wife and son fine wrinkles showing at the side of his eyes.
"So, my dear son," his mom cleared her throat.
Ugh. This is it. Matthew thought as he downed a glass of red wine. Whenever his mom has something important to request, she would be overly affectionate with him. Somehow, Matthew knows what his mother wants of him.
It was the same thing she asks every other month since he turned thirty.
"Do you have someone special right now, huh?" Mrs. Schneider casually asked while cutting her steak, "You know you're not getting any younger. How old are you again? Thirty three?"
"I'm just thirty-two years old, mom," Matthew grimaced, "And that's not old. That is still relatively young."
"Son," his mother said with a firm voice, "Your dad and I were married when he was thirty! We had you when he was thirty-one. If you'd ask me, at your age, you should be expecting your second child. Your dad and I are not getting any younger. We want to see your kids, our grandchildren, before we even decompose."
"Mom, don't say that. You and dad are going to live a long healthy life."
"Matthew," his father interjected, "you have reached an age where marriage is appropriate. You have financial stability, and even if you stopped working, you could still provide for a family of ten for five lifetimes. Time is passing by, and you need an heir to continue our legacy."
"I understand, dad," Matthew replied, "but I do not wish to rush into anything."
Mrs. Schneider added, "Seeing Henry and Melissa's children makes me yearn for grandchildren, Matthew. The house is too empty with just your father and me. We want to hear laughter and see children running around."
Matthew remained silent. His parents had never pressured him to marry or have children before. He knew his mother would make him feel guilty, as she often did. After leaving their home at the age of twenty-one to become independent, Matthew has lived alone in his upper-east Texas apartment for over a decade. His mother often asked him to visit on weekends, but he found ways to avoid going because he knew she would bring up marriage and children.