In the opulent embrace of her beloved sofa, Magdeléne sat with her hands clasped and legs crossed, her gaze fixed upon Alaric, the Darling Son. Dharma, her husband, was occupied with his own affairs, and Aymard, her flawlessly accomplished firstborn, held her pride. Though her face never betrayed a graceful smile, Alaric understood all too well that his mother's mind was at work. The glint in her eyes was a familiar sign to him—a situation that was inevitable and would undoubtedly lead to a decision from Magdeléne, one that Alaric could never refuse. It always concerned his life or what Alaric had to do in that very moment. She was the quintessential Grande Dame, impervious to opposition.
Alaric was weary. He understood that Aymard's taunts were not entirely baseless, calling him Mama's perfect puppet. It resulted in people's judgment of him as an empty vessel devoid of intellect. But what choice did he have? Alaric knew well that he was not blessed like Aymard, who always knew his purpose from the start. So, instead of doing nothing, it was far better to comply with Magdeléne's every command and wholeheartedly serve as her dutiful child. Aymard would surely squint with a surge of emotions if Alaric dared to resist, defending himself with such reasons. Aymard would label him as the Dull-Witted-Fool who found excessive happiness within his comfort zone.
Lazy, that was the crux of it.
Even thinking for his own well-being was surrendered to Magdeléne, his mother. It was utterly pathetic.
Deep down, Alaric felt offended. But his thoughts remained the same: there was nothing wrong with it because he believed that Magdeléne did everything for his own good. So far, it had proven to be true, except when it came to his proficiency at work. For God's sake, Alaric couldn't understand why Aymard and Dharma made a fuss about his lack of responsiveness to situations in the office. After all, in the end, it was always Aymard or Dharma who made all the decisions. Besides, regardless of the commotion that occurred, Alaric's personal power over the ownership of the company was evidence of his existence. It would always be the primary consideration, rather than the perfection of his work supporting Aymard. That was undeniable, whether one liked it or not. So Alaric simply ignored Aymard's nagging, which was just excessive. At least he requested him to be competent in his actions. That's what Alaric thought.
"Did you get the information we needed?"
Alaric sighed lazily in response to Magdeléne's gaze. "It's not important."
Magdeléne squinted. "Whether it's important or not, Mama is the judge. You're just asked to find information, that's all!"
Alaric grumbled in annoyance, sitting cross-legged while looking at Magdeléne. His mother was truly impatient, always wanting everything to be done at lightning speed. Her request the other day to find out about the AR Durlach family now made Alaric feel hunted. It made him reluctant to linger at home. Upon reflection, it was actually Magdeléne's fault. According to Alaric, her impatience with everything was the trigger for his lack of independence. Magdeléne always acted, giving Alaric orders about this and that. Yet, in reality, Alaric could be capable of thinking and analyzing everything on his own if Magdeléne didn't chase after him and interfere. Alaric began to feel burdened, even though Magdeléne only wanted him to shine quickly like Aymard. According to Magdeléne, Alaric was never like Aymard, who had been resilient since childhood. Their personalities were completely opposite. Aymard was like an adventurous child, interested in excelling in everything, while Alaric tended to easily lose hope with just one failure.
Unfortunately, over time, Magdeléne seemed to forget. Instead of using past failures as a driving force for Alaric, she indoctrinated him. That Alaric always needed support and to be informed about everything, rather than allowing him to learn on his own. Now it was too late, and Alaric, who had grown into a complete adult, did not become the man Magdeléne had hoped for. Handsome, radiant, and stylish, a perfect embodiment of a young man growing up in the transient beauty of the world. Captivating. Magdeléne should have compiled everything into a how-to-create-a-perfect-son for dummies. A manual that would undoubtedly sell well if thrown into the market. Everyone would always be curious about why there are a few individuals who can smile without using their hearts but still be adored. Like Alaric.
Yes, based on Magdeléne's guidance, Alaric never behaved naturally. He was always acting according to what was expected of him. Only in front of Aymard, Magdeléne, and close friends would he be honest about everything. He succeeded in making girls consider him a gentleman, while business associates struggled to decipher his true intentions. However, going back to the initial issue, as Aisha Roestam said, it all became pointless because, in reality, Alaric wasn't really working. If only he had put a little thought into it, he could have intimidated Aymard.
Or, even scarier. It's truly regrettable.
"Mama just wants to know if there's a possibility of a match between us and them."
Alaric slumped back against the sofa's backrest. Gazing up at the ceiling, he groaned, "Oh no! Here we go again, Mama!"
Magdeléne chuckled softly, "What's with you? You're so exaggerated. Matchmaking is normal and very common."
Alaric sat up straight, folding his hands in front of his chest, "Where's the normalcy in that? Matchmaking is normal when we know each other well, have a long business history, and recognize their faces."
Magdeléne laughed, "That's for Aymard's marriage. Isabel is still on his list. Mama is indeed very selective in getting to know people. But the presence of AR Durlach distracts Mama, my dear Alaric."
Alaric pressed his lips together, putting on a disgruntled expression to make sure Magdeléne understood he didn't like it. But Magdeléne only responded with a brief giggle. Then she continued speaking, explaining why she wanted AR to be associated with Alaric.
"First, let's be honest, unlimited financial support." Magdeléne said casually.
Alaric remained silent although he felt uneasy. This kind of thing was natural for them. It was like an obligation to the family because they had been bestowed with abundance since birth. With fortunes that were hundreds of times greater than the common people.
Don't special privileges also demand special obligations? As a grateful individual, Alaric understood that well.
"Second, clear assurance of our future livelihood."
Alaric snorted, commenting to himself, "That's the same as the first one."
"Third, the livelihood of our employees is also highly secured."
Alaric squinted, unsure about his mother's statement. Magdeléne responded with a sharp look, acknowledging Alaric's skepticism but ignoring it. Magdeléne's social concern always depended on its exchange value. And it was only done during certain seasons.
"Fourth, extending the power of our business. For the future of Mama's grandchildren."
Still the same point. Alaric sneered inwardly.
"Fifth, you can't live a difficult life."
Magdeléne's last sentence struck Alaric's heart like a swiftly launched arrow.
"What do you mean, Mama?"
Magdeléne raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"Earlier, what did Mama mean by saying that Alaric can't survive a difficult life?"
Magdeléne paused for a moment, looking at Alaric earnestly. Feeling guilty because, to be honest, Alaric, being pampered, was doubtful about his ability to be independent. Then Magdeléne sighed, trying to be wise, and spoke softly,
"Mama loves you. And Mama knows you well. Can you really live a life different from what it is now?"
Alaric frowned, understanding Magdeléne's intention but that wasn't what he meant. To him, the fifth point was just a confirmation that Magdeléne never truly believed in him. He didn't know why she didn't believe, either.
"Am I the only one who can't live a life without all of this? How about you, Mama? Papa? Aymard?"
Magdeléne held her breath for a moment before speaking slowly,
"You're right. But here, Mama is talking about ensuring that you won't struggle in the future."
Alaric sneered, "Listen, Mom. I don't know why I was offended by what you just said. It seems like I has to seek benefits from the woman who will become my wife."
Magdeléne remained silent, unsure of what to say. If she agreed with Alaric, her beloved son would get angry, even though the issue at hand was clearly being discussed. Alaric's incompetence in his work made Magdeléne consider pairing him with a family that didn't demand a merger of businesses. There are many independent young women nowadays who prefer to work without the interference of their partners. Magdeléne thought she just needed to choose one of them carefully. Someone who wasn't even interested in involving Alaric as one of the responsible parties. Magdeléne was afraid that Alaric might misbehave and ruin the carefully crafted agreement. It could embarrass the extended family.
So, AR Durlach became her target. Her reasoning was simple—they were new people, not familiar with anyone's personal character. Alaric actually had a strong position, and his value as a potential son-in-law was good. Unfortunately, Alaric enjoyed having fun too much, showcasing the glittering side of life. To make matters worse, rumors had already spread about him not being keen on working. Magdeléne was actually just worried thinking about Alaric.
"It's like Mama thinks I can't do anything!" Alaric grumbled, his voice restrained.
Magdeléne remained silent, staring at him.
"I knows people like to mock. Dono himself often calls me incompetent. But that doesn't mean I can't work at all!" said Alaric.
Magdeléne still looked at him in silence.
"Please, Ma, please! Mama doesn't need to get involved in this matter."
Magdeléne blinked, her gaze becoming unbelieving upon hearing Alaric's words. He spoke with determination, firmly and resolutely
"From the beginning, Mama always enjoyed controlling me. But not anymore. It's better for Mama to focus on Aymard because there are so many clans targeting him to be their ideal son-in-law."
Magdeléne chuckled. A glimmer of hope flickering in her mind. Although small, she felt a comforting warmth. Her spoiled son had a little intention to grow up. For Magdeléne, this was already extraordinary.
"Aymard can take care of himself. The women who want to bring him down always come back with a strong slap, too ashamed to show their faces in front of us."
Alaric snorted, "In other words, he's cruel to women."
Magdeléne shook her head,
"It's better that way. It gives them clarity. Unlike you, who are kind to every woman. It gives them hope. By the way, who is this Shafina? Lately, she's been acting all high and mighty. She wants to go everywhere on your private jet. Have you told her that Mama doesn't like her?"
Alaric grimaced, "Can't Mama just stir up a little trouble for Mardi? She just dumped that perfect Isabel."
"Mama's child is named Aymard, not Mardi," Magdeléne snorted.
"Yes, Mamaa. Aymard! Why do I always get into trouble? Even though Aymard also embarrassed himself by leaving Isabel just like that!" Alaric complained.
Magdeléne remained silent for a moment. Then, shrugging her shoulders lightly, she said,
"I already told you, your brother never makes decisions lightly. He can take care of himself."
Alaric shook his head, giving up on arguing further with Magdeléne, who often didn't make sense. Magdeléne's impatient and unopposable behavior caused Alaric to prefer just going along with her. Aymard claimed that he was genuinely spoiled. Alaric knew there was a great deal of jealousy from Aymard regarding Magdeléne's unequal treatment of them. Magdeléne believed she was right not to be heavily involved in Aymard's affairs because he was already perfect and capable of taking care of himself since childhood. Magdeléne never considered the possibility that sometimes Aymard just wanted to be hugged before going to sleep. Instead, he was sent to a dormitory school and grew up under Dharma's tutelage without a moment's respite to experience the warmth of a mother.
"So, find out if AR has any daughters. Or anyone else from their side. You're old enough to get married."
Alaric remained silent, shifting his gaze towards the swimming pool where the water rippled due to the strong wind. He had had enough of Magdeléne's ramblings, which stopped when Alaric lazily nodded when called upon. His mother was just like the other mothers of his friends, not caring and forcing her will upon them. They all liked to use the pretext of their children's well-being for their actions. Unconsciously, they made themselves easy to be placed as antagonists in every story of life that didn't go smoothly. Characters to be blamed and cursed.
Pity.
*****