As they entered the mansion, they were greeted by the maids. "Ah, there you are." A woman in her mid-forties came hurrying toward them, her face beaming with happiness.
She hugged Cain tightly. "Oh boy, you sure know how to make people miss you."
"I missed you too, Zoe." Cain returned her smile. Since he was young, Zoe had insisted he call her by her name rather than "Nanay" or "Aunt."
When Zoe turned to look at Claire, her jaw nearly dropped. Zoe had worked for the Wilsons even before Cain was born, and in all those years, she had never seen Cain bring a girl home—Maria being the only exception. She had grown up in the household, but aside from her, no other girl was ever seen around Cain.
Walking toward Claire, Zoe smiled warmly. "You are a very beautiful young lady. What's your name?" she asked kindly.
"I'm Claire Miller. Nice to meet you." Claire smiled back.
"Oh, dear! You are lovely. I'm the caretaker of this mansion. You can call me Zoe," she instructed politely. "Come on in. Your father has been waiting for you," Zoe said, heading off toward the kitchen to continue preparing dinner.
Once inside, they sat on the couch, waiting for his father. Claire still wasn't sure if coming here was a good idea, but she went along with it. Cain squeezed her hand gently, giving her a reassuring look. The sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention, and she turned to see a man in his mid-fifties, dressed casually. He was nothing like what she had imagined.
In a simple T-shirt, casual shoes, and neatly styled hair, he had features strikingly similar to Cain's and looked lively and approachable. Walking over, he patted Cain on the shoulder. "How unfilial of you! Your visits are becoming less frequent."
Noticing Claire, his face lit up. "Oh? What a beautiful young lady! Cain said he'd be bringing a guest—I didn't know it would be a female companion." He laughed warmly.
"Hello, sir. I'm Claire." Claire greeted him politely.
"Sir?!" he exclaimed, narrowing his eyes. "Call me Fa—"
Cain cut in, knowing what his father was about to say. "Mr. Vincent Wilson," he said firmly. "That's what he is." Vincent gave him a look of mock betrayal.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Wilson. I hope you're well," Claire replied, offering him the gift hamper she'd prepared earlier. "Just a small present—I hope you like it." She smiled.
"That's so thoughtful of you, Claire! I'm already thrilled just to meet you." He took the gift hamper and sat on the couch.
"Father—here you go." Cain handed him a wrapped bottle of wine and a pack of fine cigars.
Vincent began unwrapping the gifts, starting with Claire's. Inside, he found two boxes—one containing dry, dehydrated fruits and the other a beautifully wrapped perfume. He sprayed some on his wrist, smelling the fragrance with satisfaction. He then spotted the cufflinks and tie set.
"Oh, Claire! You're just like the kind and thoughtful daughter every parent hopes for." He laughed. "This is one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received and it means a lot that you care about my health."
"No, no, Mr. Wilson. It's my pleasure, and I'm so glad you liked it." Claire smiled, relieved.
Then Vincent moved on to Cain's gift. As he uncovered the bottle of wine and a pack of his favorite cigars, he squinted in disapproval.
"There's a saying," he remarked, "'Good daughters bring health, while sons…well…" He sighed dramatically.
Cain looked at his father in disbelief. Wasn't this the man who always requested cigars and wine of this exact brand? He used to call Cain specifically to bring these whenever he visited.
Such a chameleon. Cain thought, shooting his father a glare before turning to Claire, who was looking at him with a mixture of pride and amusement.
Cain had had enough of the theatrics, and just then, Zoe called them to the dining room for lunch.
They stood and headed to the dining area. Cain and Claire sat opposite his father. Once they were settled, the maids began serving the dishes. Vincent instructed them to serve extra portions on Claire's plate.
As they ate, his father chatted about various topics, and Claire began to feel more at ease, enjoying the lively atmosphere. That is, until she choked on her food at the next question Vincent asked.
"So, have you both decided on a wedding date?" he asked, beaming.
Claire choked, and Cain quickly stood, patting her back. A maid rushed over, helping her drink some water.
"Oh dear. Easy there, child," Vincent said, concerned.
Claire took a deep breath, wiping her mouth. She had been completely blindsided by his question. Who would ask about marriage without even knowing the nature of their relationship? Neither Cain nor Claire had said anything to imply they were dating, let alone engaged. Why would he ask something like that?
"Are you okay?" Cain asked her. She nodded in response, still trying to recover.
Cain glanced at his father, his expression demanding why he would ask such a question.
But Vincent ignored the look and continued eating his lunch, leaving both Cain and Claire speechless.
After lunch, they sat and talked for a while. Vincent encouraged Claire to pursue her career, suggesting that one day she might even open her own hospital. He offered to invest if she ever planned to do so, expressing his excitement over the idea.
Soon after, Vincent asked Cain to join him in the study for a private conversation.
Once they were inside, Vincent's tone grew more serious. "Cain, I heard you went to S City and assumed you were busy, so I handled some things myself. Did you see the recent news? Someone framed Maria, and she was sent to prison. She's had a rough time, even being placed in mental rehabilitation." He narrowed his eyes with concern. Cain's expression remained unmoved.
"Cain, I want you to investigate the matter. Maria isn't the type to get involved in such things; she must be the victim of some rival's schemes. I couldn't bring myself to visit her, and I'm upset that I found out too late. She told me a month ago that she'd be traveling abroad. I must have missed the recent updates," Vincent said, sounding frustrated.
"Dad, you don't need to get involved. It's her personal life, and we—"
Vincent clicked his tongue in annoyance. "How can you say that, Cain? She's like a sister to you. Are you abandoning her like your mother did a few years ago?"
Cain's face darkened. He clenched his teeth, frustrated. His father had always doted on Maria, treating her like a daughter. But Maria wasn't worthy of it.
"Investigate the situation and bring her back as soon as possible," Vincent concluded firmly, leaving the study.
Cain stayed behind for a moment, silently fuming. Eventually, he followed his father, still irritated. Finally, as they prepared to leave, Vincent walked them to the door.
"Do visit us often, Claire," he said warmly.
"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Wilson. Please take care of your health," Claire smiled.
As they turned to leave, Vincent added, "Oh, Claire, you still haven't answered my previous question." Claire turned back, offering an awkward smile.
Sensing her hesitation, Vincent took the liberty of speaking for her. "Since you haven't decided, we'll schedule the engagement for the start of next month. That should give you both enough time to prepare." Without waiting for a response, he disappeared inside.
Cain and Claire stood there, looking at each other, utterly at a loss for words.