Chapter 444: The Bride of Du Pontstein
In the Ramsy Estate, Elina sat on a chair, expression thoughtful. "Aria... what do you think of that Du Pont guy?"
Aria’s hands paused in their gentle massage. She blinked. "You mean Emile? The boy who came here before?" Her lips curved faintly. "I liked him. He was a sweet boy."
Elina had closed her eyes, enjoying her daughter’s massage. "Yeah. Emile was such a cute boy, totally the opposite of Micah. But I am not talking about him." Her eyes opened, narrowing slightly when she glanced at Aria. "I mean the patriarch."
Aria schooled her features, trying not to flinch under her mother’s gaze. "The patriarch? Oh, you mean Emile’s Uncle. I don’t see a problem. He seemed the kind every girl would wish for, mature and reliable."
Elina sat up straight, glaring at her daughter. "What? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for him, as well?"
Aria burst out laughing, clapping her hand over her mouth. "Pffft. Mum. Please be serious. He is not my type at all. Too stone-faced and cold." Then Aria paused. "No, wait. What do you mean by ’as well’?! Who else? No freaking way! You don’t mean Micah, do you?" she exclaimed.
Elina clicked her tongue and crossed her arms, cheeks tightening with a mix of exasperation and worry. "I’m not sure. But the way he cried in the hospital was like a new bride weeping for her groom lost in a battle! It was absurd! I have never seen him shed tears like that. The way he bawled his eyes out..." She shook her head, unsettled by the memory.
Aria shrugged her shoulders. "He was probably scared. Micah’s always been soft-hearted, even if he acts bratty. He probably thought he had harmed him. I can’t see Micah fall for that man at all. He was the definition of proper and boredom. Total opposite of Micah."
Elina nodded. "Maybe you are right." She rubbed her temples. "But still, Aria, tell me honestly. What is your take on the Du Ponts in general?"
Aria paused. "Well, the patriarch, like I said, seemed sensible. He let Micah have the bed while he slept on the couch. That shows he cares. And the older nephew... he was a goofy man. Silly, a bit over the top, but harmless. As for the niece, I don’t really remember her well. She didn’t leave much of an impression."
Elina tapped her fingers on her knee, her expression thoughtful.
"Mum, why are you asking this?" Aria asked, her tone curious.
Elina patted Aria’s hand on her shoulder. "Mum was just curious. They are such a closed-off family. It makes me wonder if there is a catch."
Aria smiled faintly, her tense shoulders relaxing. "To me, they all seem normal. A bit stiff, maybe. But not shrewd."
"Normal..." Elina echoed softly. She let out a sigh. "Right...Dean was a fine young man. I almost wish Micah were with..."
"Mum," Aria cut it off. "Have you told Mimi and Pops about the switch?" she changed the subject.
Elina blinked, her lips twitching. "No. Are you kidding me? If I told them, they would have barged in here already, demanding to see Micah and Darcy. Then they would have a fight with your grandfather. It would be chaos. Absolute chaos," she said with an exasperated tone.
Aria chuckled. "True. Mimi would drag you by ear, and pops would March straight into the Ramsy estate with his truck like a general at war." Then she pressed her lips together. "But they have to know in the end..."
"I get it. But I don’t have the time and energy to deal with them now. Not to say Edmund’s mouth... tsk. If he caught wind of this, he’d announce it from the rooftops. Half the city would know before dinner." Elina said, feeling her temple throb.
"What about Aunt Mabel and Felicity?" Aria asked.
"Your grandpa said we should wait. He wants us to talk to both boys before letting anyone else know."
Aris frowned, unconvinced. "Wouldn’t that make things worse? Micah will have to deal with all of the relatives."
Elina lowered her gaze to the floor. "But we can’t just go around spilling the truth like gossip at a tea party. What if Micah doesn’t want them to know?"
Aria huffed, folding her arms. "Mum, you are overthinking. Micah’s out there having fun with Darcy. And you are sitting here worrying yourself sick. I didn’t get the chance to meet my biological brother, but Micah is spending every hour with him."
"That’s so like him, making us worry ourselves sick while he strolls around without a care in the world!" Elina said through gritted teeth.
"That boy will be the death of me!"
She shook her head. Yes, the most important thing was how to deal with Darcy and Micah right now. They should have a good talk about it. When it was resolved, they could tackle the love problem.
*****
Micah ended the call and stared at the vast ocean. He let out a long exhale, shoulders dropping. The conversation had left him both lighter and heavier all at once.
He wanted to stay another day, but after clashing with Darcy earlier, his chest felt tight. It would be better to return tomorrow, rip off that band-aid quickly, deal with everything waiting for him back in Isatis, and finally move forward. He had not set aside his plans for the future. He only needed to stay long enough to see Darcy stabilise and make sure those four were properly handled. After that, he would go. He would travel the world, drift through new cities, maybe even attend a live fashion show instead of watching from behind a screen. Or if fortune smiled, he might find a mentor abroad who could sharpen his raw passion into something brilliant.
The thought lifted his lips into a faint smile.
He deserved a breather after everything. A stretch of time to chill, to reset. Maybe... He could even bring Clyde with him... the man needed a vacation more than him.
Micah’s expression softened at the thought. A romantic getaway, just the two of them, tucked away in a five-star hotel...
His face turned red. He slapped both hands against his cheeks. Ugh! What was he thinking?
He shook his head briskly. No. He needed to read something to cleanse his mind, getting rid of these troublesome desires. He had already lost face in front of Clyde more than once. Any more and he’d truly be damned.