In the evening, Derek left for his family home at Starlight Bay.
As soon as he entered, his eyes swept over the room. He spotted some guests seated in the living room. It was Jack, one of the Board of Directors whose documents Mathew had handed him earlier that morning, revealing the conspiracy against him and his family.
Jack had taken the liberty of welcoming himself into their home, bringing along his daughter. The reason for their visit became immediately clear: they had plans to arrange a marriage between their daughter and Derek.
Derek walked over to his grandmother, Lily, who was sitting on the couch, completely ignoring the guests.
"Grandma, how are you?" he asked, his voice calm, clearly unfazed by the guests' presence.
"I'm good, child," his grandmother replied warmly.
Derek paused. "Grandma, what's this arrangement?"
Grandma smiled knowingly, leaning back in her chair as she observed her grandson. "It's your Grandpa's plan," she replied, her voice filled with affection but also a hint of mischief.
Derek sighed inwardly, thinking of his grandparents' insistence on getting him married.
Grandpa Harold, sitting beside her, chuckled. "I want a granddaughter-in-law, and since you won't go find one, we're taking matters into our own hands."
"She's Lisa," Derek's grandma announced with a smile.
Lisa sat up straighter as she entered the conversation, her eyes locking onto Derek with quiet fascination. She had heard rumors about the enigmatic Derek, but seeing him in person was an entirely different experience. The way he carried himself, the aura of authority he exuded, made her heart race. His presence was magnetic.
Derek, however, offered nothing, clearly uninterested in initiating any conversation. He stood, his indifference evident, before making his way to find his mother after a brief exchange with his grandparents.
His body language spoke volumes—he was not about to be tied down by anyone, especially not by a forced arrangement.
"Excuse me," he muttered as he turned toward the hallway.
Jack, though angered by the indifference, refrained from saying anything. He knew well enough that Derek was no easy person to subdue. His bold move of coming to the family home with his daughter was meant to be a power play, but Derek had made it clear he wasn't interested.
Derek stepped into the kitchen, where his mother, Emily, was busy preparing dinner with the maids. She noticed him immediately and smiled warmly before moving toward him.
"How was your day, Derek?" Emily asked, her voice filled with genuine care.
Derek's lips curled into a small smile as he pulled her into a brief hug. "Good, Mom," he replied, his tone softer.
"I made everything your favorite," Emily added, her smile softening as she glanced at him.
Derek smiled and pulled her into a quick hug. "Thanks, Mom." "Where's Dad?" Derek asked.
Emily, with a warm smile still on her face, replied, "He's in his study."
After their brief exchange, Derek stepped out of the kitchen, only to be met by his younger brother, Ryan, who had just returned home. Ryan noticed the guests in the living room and wasted no time in heading toward Derek.
"Big brother, I missed you!" Ryan exclaimed, practically leaping forward to hug him.
Derek stepped aside to avoid the hug, his hands sliding into his pockets. His voice was dry, and his expression unreadable. "What do you want?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ryan's face fell for a moment, a playful pout forming. "Why do you always say that?"
"You act clingy when you need something," Derek replied flatly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Ryan's grin returned, but this time it held a glint of mischief. "A new car. The latest model. Why don't you get it for me?"
Derek's gaze hardened, his voice colder now. "Why don't you buy it for yourself?"
Ryan chuckled, clearly expecting the same response, but he couldn't resist pushing it a bit further. "Come on, big bro. Just get me one."
Derek remained unfazed. "Work for it yourself," he shot back, his words final.
Ryan, sensing the discomfort in the air and aware of the purpose behind the guests' visit—an arranged blind date—waggled his eyebrows. "She'll suit you."
Derek narrowed his eyes. "Really? Then why don't I talk to Grandpa about your situation?" he retorted, the threat in his voice unmistakable.
Ryan froze, panic flashing across his face. "No, brother! Don't do that!" he pleaded, his voice laced with fear. "I don't want my freedom to be confiscated, or to bear the weight of this ridiculous arrangement!" He hastily fled the room, leaving Derek behind.
Soon after, everyone gathered around the dinner table as the rest of the family joined.
Jack leaned forward and nodded toward his daughter. "Why don't you sit beside Derek?" he suggested.
Lisa hesitated for a moment, but then, gathering her courage, she moved toward the empty seat next to Derek. Her heart pounded in her chest as she sat down, her eyes briefly meeting Derek's. The weight of his indifferent gaze made her feel small, but she steeled herself, hoping to make a good impression.
Derek glanced at her but said nothing, his focus entirely on his family and the food his mother was serving.
The tension in the room thickened, and Lisa could feel the weight of the unspoken expectations hanging in the air.
Grandmother and Grandfather exchanged knowing glances, their eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.
"Look at him," Grandfather muttered, his voice low. "Not giving anyone importance." He sighed, shaking his head.
"It seems no woman can catch his eye," Edward, Derek father replied.
"Yes," replied Grandma, her tone filled with exasperation. "It always happens like this when they try to find a woman for him. He hardly notices them. They're like air to him."
"This lion son of ours cannot be tamed by a docile, sheep-like woman," Emily added shaking her head with a small laugh as she observed Jack's daughter, too nervous even to make eye contact.
"Who knows who will catch his eye ?"