Tristan leaned against the wall, his heart pounding from the tension in the room. He could still hear the muffled conversation between his father and grandfather inside. The confrontation weighed heavy on him, the unresolved anger hanging thick in the air.
As he stood there, lost in his thoughts, his mother, Jessica, appeared quietly beside him. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
She said (softly) "It's late, Tristan. You should go to bed. What's done is done, and there's nothing more you can do tonight."
Tristan's gaze shifted from the closed door to his mother, conflicted. He wanted to stay, to make sense of everything that had just happened, but he knew she was right.
Tristan said (reluctantly) "I know, Mom. I just… I didn't think it would come to this. I didn't even know Grandfather was coming."
Jessica offered him a reassuring smile, but before she could respond, Tristan's grandmother, Eleanor, appeared from the hallway.
Eleanor (nodding in agreement) "Your mother's right, Tristan. It's late, and this… this will all be waiting for you in the morning. Go to your room. You need to rest."
Tristan hesitated for a moment but then nodded. Both women watched him walk away toward his room.
Eleanor to Jessica, quietly "Let's make sure everything from the party is taken care of. It's been a long night."
Jessica glanced down the hall where Magnus and his father were still in the library, tension evident even through the closed door. She sighed and nodded, following Eleanor back toward the remnants of the dinner party. They ensured the staff had cleared the dishes and that the library remained undisturbed. Afterward, Jessica gently took Eleanor's arm.
Jessica, smiling "Come on, let me help you to your room. You've had a long day too."
Eleanor accepted the offer, and they made their way through the grand hallways of the estate, passing richly decorated rooms until they reached Eleanor's chambers.
Eleanor's room was elegantly maintained, with soft lighting illuminating the family portraits and a large four-poster bed adorned with lush linens. Jessica helped her settle into the chair near the window, overlooking the expansive grounds of the estate.
Eleanor sighing softly "Jessica, we've been through so much as a family… and now this. Magnus has always been so stubborn. Do you think there's any chance he and his father will work things out?"
Jessica said that "It's hard to say. He's carried this weight for so long, Eleanor. I'll talk to him, but…" (pausing) "He hasn't forgotten what happened in the past, and I don't know if he ever will."
Eleanor patted Jessica's hand gently.
"You're a good wife, Jessica. Just be there for him, like you always have."
Jessica smiled softly, kissed Eleanor on the forehead, and left her to rest, quietly shutting the door behind her.
Meanwhile, Tristan had finally reached his room. He closed the door behind him and collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He grabbed his phone from the bedside table, and his screen lit up with messages from Derek and Matthew.
Derek texted "Hey, where are you? Everything okay at the mansion?"
Matthew texted " What's going on?"
Tristan sighed, quickly typing out a reply.
Tristan texted back "Things are tense. My dad and grandfather had a huge argument. I'll fill you in tomorrow."
After sending the messages, he tossed his phone aside and rubbed his eyes, feeling the weight of the night pressing down on him. He had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but for now, he just wanted to sleep. He closed his eyes, trying to push the worries away.
Jessica returned to her room, finding Magnus already there, his back turned to her as he stood by the window, staring out into the dark night. The tension was still thick in the air, and she knew he hadn't let go of the confrontation from earlier.
Jessica said (softly) "Magnus… are you alright?"
Magnus didn't turn to face her. His voice was low, heavy with the burden of old wounds.
Magnus said that "Though my father is here, Jessica… I won't forget what he did. I can't."
Jessica moved closer, placing a hand on his arm.
Jessica said "I understand, Magnus. What happened… it was unacceptable. You had to deal with everything on your own, and he wasn't there for you when you needed him the most." (pausing) "But now he's here, and whether we like it or not, we have to deal with it. For the sake of the family, for Tristan."
Magnus turned to her, his eyes clouded with frustration.
Magnus shaking his head "It's not that simple. You know what happened. You know what he did, what he didn't do. He abandoned me when I needed him the most, and now he thinks he can just show up and fix everything?"
Jessica stepped closer, her tone calm but firm.
Jessica replied "I'm not asking you to forget, Magnus. I'm just asking you to take a breath. You've carried this burden for so long, and it's taken a toll on you. I see it. We all see it. But this… this anger you're holding onto—it won't help."
Magnus's expression softened for a brief moment, the exhaustion of years of resentment showing in his eyes. He looked away again, staring out the window.
Magnus sighing "Maybe you're right… but I can't let go of this so easily."
Jessica reached up and cupped his face gently, guiding him to look at her.
"You don't have to let go right now. But for tonight, Magnus… just take a rest. We'll figure this out tomorrow. I promise."
Magnus held her gaze for a moment before nodding slightly, the tension in his body finally easing just a little. Jessica smiled softly, leading him to the bed.
"Get some sleep, love. Tomorrow will be better."
Meanwhile, Tristan's grandfather had returned to his room, his expression thoughtful as he closed the door behind him. His wife was already waiting for him, sitting up in bed with a book in her hands.
Eleanor without looking up, "How did it go?"
Tristan's grandfather sighed heavily, sitting down beside her.
Grandfather replied, "Magnus is as stubborn as ever. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I didn't think he'd hold onto this grudge for so long."
Eleanor closed her book and set it aside, turning to face him fully. "He's hurt. You know that. It's going to take time for him to even consider letting you back into his life, especially after what happened."
Grandfather, nodding, "I know. But time isn't something we have a lot of. The estate, the business—it's all on the line. I'm not sure if Magnus understands just how precarious things have become."
Eleanor sighed, leaning back against the pillows. "You can't force him to accept your help. He has to come to that decision on his own. All you can do is be there when he's ready."
The old man nodded, though the weight of the situation clearly troubled him. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"You're right, as always."
They settled into bed, the quiet of the room a stark contrast to the turmoil outside.
At the same time, Derek and his parents were talking about the sudden arrival of Magnus's father at the estate. His parents exchanged a look, a flicker of tension passing between them, which didn't go unnoticed by Derek. He frowned, wondering what had caused their unease.
Derek, curiously asked, "Is something wrong?"
His parents quickly masked their expressions, shaking their heads.
Derek's mother replied,"Nothing, dear. Just… surprised, that's all."
Derek wasn't convinced, but he let it go for the moment. There would be plenty of time to ask questions tomorrow.