Hearing that Evius rolled his eyes and kept quiet because his parents were present and he didn't want to insult the Prince in front of them. It would only make them scold him in turn.
"Good Afternoon, Mr. Grimalkin. It's such a nice sunny day and you look as beautiful as ever, Mrs. Grimalkin," Anteros greeted placing a kiss on the back of Nymeria's hand.
"Oh, you flatter me, Your Highness," Nymeria Grimalkin smiled politely.
Anteros's eyes wandered the hall which was noticed by Mr. Grimalkin, "Elie is in his room getting ready. Your Highness, please take a seat."
"Oh, okay," Anteros sat down and saw Evius giving him glares, he returned them with fake smiles to poke fun.
"Right, Your Highness, do you like to drink something?" Mrs. Grimalkin offered.
"No, thank you, Mrs. Grimalkin," Anteros courteously declined.
"Um, so I heard you took a leave for a month," Mr. Grimalkin started the conversation to break the ice.
"That's right. My father insisted that I must take it or else he will tell on me to my mother and you all know what she is like, she will hang me upside down," Anteros shook his head with a little smile on his lips that didn't reach his eyes to lighten the mood.
"What's there to be so afraid of, Prince Anteros? Are you guilty of doing so many misdemeanors?" Evius asked with a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"Of course, who doesn't Mr. Rhincodark? I am not that perfect of man. I did drink till late at night and partied with friends when I was a teen. I was a little mischievous when I was at University. My father did cover up for me, which is why I am in one piece."
Mr. and Mrs. Grimalkin were a little taken aback hearing such an honest answer from the Ice dragon.
Before Evius could reply to that, "Also, I heard Mr. Rhincodark, you were playful too and had a heartbreak, that's why you aren't in any relationship till now, am I wrong?" Anteros had a smug look on his face.
Evius's eyes blazed, his apex predator aura was about to unleash when Nymeria interfered, "Who doesn't have a first love? Evius is a sensitive one since he was a child so he takes everything to heart, Your Highness don't you have a first love too?"
"I have to disappoint you Mrs. Grimalkin. Though I was a mischievous teenager, I never had my first love. I don't know what it feels like to love someone," Anteros half-lied, his face turning a little grim at the mention of first love.
"That's good then you can start loving my son after your marriage. He is such an adorable boy. No one in the entire Aeonia empire has the stone heart to not fall in love with him," Mrs. Nymeria proudly announced.
"I agree. He is just too cute," Anteros spoke his mind without realizing it, recalling last night's incident.
"Oh," Evius raised his right brow hearing such a reply from the Ice dragon.
"Speak of the devil, Elie is here," Mr. Grimalkin voiced out seeing his son walking downstairs all nervous along with his friend.
Anteros turned back to see the little Mainecoon and he... forgot to breathe.
Elion was wearing a pastel pink long-sleeved fluffy sweater with detailed feather accents embellished with tiny sparkles combined with light blue jeans and white sneakers.
The little Mainecoon styled his golden silver wolf cut hair with his bangs down, he had light eye makeup on, and his thick plump naturally red lips were looking...
>>>Too succulent
Anteros mentally face-slapped himself and looked away. Elion spotted the Ice dragon staring at him and pouted seeing him turn his head away in an instant.
"Am I not looking good?" Elion whisper-asked his friend beside him.
"Who the fuck said that? Why do you always doubt yourself, Elie? You look so lovely, believe me. I even saw your fiance stealing glances at you," Evander whispered back.
"He did but why did he turn away?" Elion questioned still pouting.
Evander giggled loudly, "Your Highness, Prince Anteros, why did you look away? Your fiance is whining in my ears that you aren't looking at him."
"Oy, you idiot! Shut up," Elion hit the back of his friend's head.
>>>I shouldn't have complained to him... Where to put my head? Should I dig six feet under and bury myself now?
Elion's face turned crimson as he fidgeted through his fingers.
Anteros hearing Evander's shouting instantly looked back with a small smirk on his face that did reach his eyes this time.
>>>He became whiny because I didn't give him enough attention, huh? This little kitten...
"Ahem!" Evius cleared his throat, "Evanie, you always speak nonsense. Shut up and come down quickly."
"Brother Evius, you!" Evander stomped as he quickened his pace and went to the whale shark to have a word with him leaving his friend.
Anteros stood up and went to Elion when he was on his last step, he offered his hand.
The little Mainecoon was a blushing mess as he placed his palm in the Ice dragon's hand.
"I was looking away because your lips are so inviting. I was afraid I might want to bite your lips rather than your cheek this time," Anteros softly spoke in the little Mainecoon's ear, his breath fanning the smaller's neck.
Elion's pupils enlarged at that, he quickly looked up covering his right cheek. When he went to wash up he saw his cheek swollen a little and when he looked carefully it was red with teeth marks.
At that time, he thought it might not be teeth markings because he slept on the couch on one side the texture might have pressed onto his cheek.
So, he asked Evander to put some makeup to cover it, that snow leopard too never thought it was a bite mark.
But to think it was the Ice dragon who bit him... He slowly remembered everything that happened last night.
Elion blinked his eyes recollecting how Anteros was about to kiss him before he blocked out, his cheeks flushed red, "You..."
The Ice Dragon's lips raised a little seeing the reaction of Elion, "Why, did you remember something?"
"No, hmph!" Elion pulled out his hand and walked to his parents in a hurry not to expose how bashful he was at the moment.
Mr. and Mrs. Grimalkin were pleased to see their quiet interaction. They both had their worries regarding this abrupt arranged marriage.
Cassain and Nymeria the night before they took Elion to the company and declared the marriage all of a sudden had a huge argument for the first time in their married life.
They both married for the second time and had gone through a heartbreaking time after their first partners they loved passed away.
It was a coincidental meeting, the both of them never imagined falling in love for the second time.
Nymeria was from the powerful Apex Predators family, she was basically the princess of the Whale-shark clan and Cassian was a well-known businessman from the Mainecoon clan.
Totally from different worlds to be exact. But after meeting for business meetings occasionally they fell in love and married.
Though Nymeria was an apex predator, she never showed any unnecessary dominance. She loved how Cassian didn't mind her independent nature and respected her opinions.
Cassian, on the other hand, loved her for what she was. They both were workaholics and business-minded minded so it was rare for them to fight as they understood each other's works.
But when they got to know that their biggest enemy disguised themselves and brought almost fifty percent of the shares with different names, both of them were shaken.
It not only happened to them but to their business rivals Azurdraycens too who were unparalleled in both power and wealth in the northern region of Ravenire kingdom, they were literally the rulers of the northern mountains, presently called Ice Dragon province.
Cassian thought it was the end. Nymeria wanted to ask help from her estranged maternal family but in such a crisis Mr. Azurdraycen suggested for a collaboration to kick out the enemy from their kingdom back to the empire they came from.
The proposal was attractive but the condition to not betray each other was the marriage alliance between the families.
Both of them were shocked to hear it and didn't agree on the spot. They came back home and tried to reason with each other.
First, they crossed out their eldest son cause he would never agree to it as they knew how long it took Evius to become normal after his heartbreak.
So, if they decide to merge their companies then their youngest son would be the one but he was still studying and has so many dreams which they supported till now.
Nymeria was against it at first. She wanted Elion to complete his studies, reach whatever goals he dreamed of, and be independent and successful.
But Cassian was not only a father, he was the C.E.O. of Grimalkin's company too. All the employees and their families' lives depended on his decision, he neither wanted to betray their trust nor he wanted to be a bad father forcing his son into an arranged marriage.
Cassian very well knew his son wanted to marry the person he dated and loved. He didn't want to crush his son's dreams when he himself married twice falling in love.
His first wife, Elion's mother was his first love after her death he married Nymeria, Evius's mother... So, how could he urge his son to get into a loveless marriage?
But it wasn't like the marriage partner of Elion was some old man shown in dramas, he was the prince of Ice Dragon province, the only heir of Azurdraycens, and the next Archduke, many die for just his one look.
So what if Prince Anteros was the most handsome man in the Ravenire kingdom or the entire Aeonia empire? As a father he wanted his son to marry the person he gave his heart to.
Thus, the entire night they argued and argued and reached a conclusion that they would take Elion to the company as the Archduke asked to meet them to discuss the marriage further.
If Elion in the end refused to accept the marriage they thought even if their company faced a severe problem they would solve it themselves but after the talk with the prince their youngest agreed to it which made them happy at that time sad that they were using their child for business.
Not all parents would be money grubbers to sell their child for business exchanges some have their own difficulties and responsibilities to bear which would push them to make decisions, even, they think they were wrong and unfair to their children.
Which was why Cassian and Nymeria were content to see Anteros and Elion getting along with each other.
They never expected Prince Anteros to be the one to request them to take Elion on a date cause on the day when they first met at their company he was so offended that he was going to marry a boy instead of a girl.
Though Anteros apologized right after that was another matter. Both Cassian and Nymeria were worried about how the Ice Dragon would treat their son after marriage.
Hence, Anteros being proactive in building their relationship came as a surprise for them yet that lessened their concerns.
Elion sat beside his mother holding her hand still shy,
>>>How can I face him now? Can I not go on this date?
>>>I... kissed him and if I didn't lose my conscious he was also going to...
>>>Hmph! He said he would never lay hands on me like ever because he is straight as a stick, so why did he...
>>>All men do is lie, tsk! But I am a man too *mental facepalm*
"Little kitten-ahem! Elion what are you doing, let's go. We will be late," Anteros corrected himself immediately.
But everyone heard the nickname. Evander whistled wiggling his eyebrows. Evius became grumpy. Mr. and Mrs. Grimalkins smiled, clearing their throats.
Yet again, fumes of embarrassment rushed out of his ears making his face cherry red.
****