Dinner with Silas’s parents.

Ewan was the first to spot the couple, and he enthusiastically welcomed them into the house. He embraced his son tightly. "I thought the rain would start before you arrived."

"Yes, I saw flashes of lightning on the way," Silas said. "It seems that a storm is coming. Speaking of Storm, where is Mom? Is she okay?"

Ewan chuckled, sensing his anxiety. He knew why Silas was asking this. "Everything is fine," he replied, tapping him on the shoulder. "She is eagerly waiting for you."

"You are scaring me now," Silas smirked meaningfully.

Ewan laughed and turned his attention to Esme. "Hello, Esme. Silas has mentioned you to us. It is nice to meet you finally." He held her in a warm embrace.

"It's my pleasure." Esme smiled at him. "Silas told me how loving and caring you are. I can see why he said that. You remind me of my father."

The atmosphere was cordial and welcoming, putting Esme at ease amidst the unfamiliar surroundings.

Ewan was pleased to hear this. "How sweet. I now know why my son is attracted to you."

"Dad." Silas appeared slightly embarrassed by his father's display of affection, yet he couldn't conceal his smile.

Esme found his shyness endearing, and she was tempted to tease him about it. However, Ewan's presence stopped her from doing so.

"Come, take your seats." Ewan gestured to the sofa. "I'll tell Victoria about your arrival."

As he walked away, Silas and Esme sat down on the sofa.

"How are you feeling? Are you nervous?" Silas asked, turning to her.

"I am fine," Esme asserted. She was not as nervous as before. Ewan's kind and caring attitude erased half of her worries. "Your father is nice. I like him."

"I told you." Silas smiled proudly. But there was a nagging tension in his heart, as he didn't know how his mother would react. He didn't show his worry to her, yet he cautioned her, "Be careful while talking to Mom. She can catch our lies in no time."

Before Esme could respond, her eyes shifted to the couple heading down the steps. She couldn't take her gaze from Victoria.

She was astounded by Victoria's timeless beauty, which had not faded with age. Her dark eyes, similar to Silas', sparkled with intelligence, and her slender physique was accentuated by the fitted gray sheath dress she wore.

Her elegance and beauty enthralled Esme. She now knew from where Silas acquired his attractive features. Silas looked like his mother, with the same dark eyes, sculpted jawline, and sharp nose. Even his hair was black, like his mother's.

Victoria's stern demeanor, however, made her unapproachable, which deviated from Silas's jolly and inclusive attitude. It was clear that Silas inherited his kind and warm temperament from his father, creating a striking balance between his parents' traits.

As Victoria and Ewan approached, Esme stood up, intimidated by Victoria's imposing presence.

"Hey, Mom." Silas walked over and hugged her.

Victoria smiled, her eyes softening. "I missed you," Victoria mused, hugging him back. She had been thinking about him since their last argument. Silas had not called her since then, and Victoria was worried he was upset with her.

Silas was taken aback. He had not heard his mother say such kind words in a year since she had asked him to marry Lara, which he had declined. Since then, they had often argued over this issue, and his visits to the estate had dropped significantly. When he discovered Victoria had been missing him, he couldn't help but be thrilled. He believed his mother had given up on pursuing him to marry Lara.

He grew optimistic.

"I missed you too, Mom," Silas cooed.

Victoria looked at him with adoration, putting her hand on his face.

"This is Esme." Silas introduced Esme to his mother.

"Hello, Ma'am." Esme smiled at her cordially.

Victoria inspected her from head to toe, her stern demeanor resuming. "Hmm. So, this is your new girlfriend." She turned her sharp eyes toward Silas.

Ewan, who had been watching the interaction between Silas and his mother, decided to intervene. "Now, now, Victoria," he said with humor. "Let's not be too harsh on poor Esme. After all, she is the first girlfriend Silas has brought home. We should consider her his first serious girlfriend."

Victoria raised an eyebrow at Ewan's comment, but she couldn't counter him. Esme was the first one Silas had ever brought home to meet them. It was clear that Silas was serious about her, and that was what distressed Victoria.

She turned her focus to Esme, scrutinizing her.

Esme felt uneasy under Victoria's intense scrutiny, her hands growing colder as she attempted to smile. She couldn't shake off the feeling that Victoria didn't like her and that she was being judged and found lacking.

"The dinner is ready," Victoria said, diverting their attention. She walked over to the dining area, and the rest of them followed her.

As they gathered around the elegant dining table, Esme sensed an unspoken tension in the air. The ambiance, initially warmed by Ewan's friendly demeanor, turned chilly under Victoria's scrutinizing gaze. Esme felt like an outsider, navigating unfamiliar family dynamics.

The clinking of cutlery against fine china echoed in the room as the maid served dinner. Esme's fingers tensed, registering the palpable disapproval emanating from Victoria. Maybe she wanted Lara to be her son's wife.

Esme couldn't understand why Silas was avoiding getting married. Did he like his bachelor life this much? Or was it another thing that she didn't know?

Maybe he didn't like Lara for some reason, she thought. If it were like that, his parents shouldn't force him into this relationship. Esme had gone through the same situation. She didn't want Lara to endure the heartbreak just like her.

Silas's warm hand on hers put a brake on her racing thoughts. His touch offered a small comfort amid the awkwardness that surrounded them. Esme couldn't stop her lips from curling.

"So, Esme. Tell me about yourself." Ewan was the first to start a conversation.

"I just completed my master's degree in business management and started a job," Esme replied.

"Oh, that's great. Where are you working?" Ewan didn't know she was working for his company.

"It's…"

"She is Emma's assistant," Silas replied, cutting Esme short.

The revelation caught Victoria off guard, and her gaze turned toward Esme. "Is she working at our company?" she asked, surprised, her eyes turning razor-sharp.

"Yes, Mom. Emma has been complaining about the heavy workload. I thought I should help her."

"And you hired her!"

"She got this job based on talent," Silas tried to justify.

"She just completed her study, and you found her eligible for that post!" Victoria wasn't convinced; her brows furrowed in suspicion. "Favoritism is not good."

"I am not favoring her," Silas defended himself, implying that he was not showing preferential treatment to Esme. "We had a proper interview."

Victoria remained unconvinced, her anger evident in her expression.

Esme grew nervous as she saw the tension between mother and son escalate. Her already cold fingers turned even colder.

"Ahem…" Ewan cleared his throat, turning everyone's attention toward him. "The food is getting cold. Esme, dear, start eating."

Esme mustered a small smile and obediently began eating, keeping her head low. The air was thick with awkwardness, and she wished for the dinner to conclude swiftly.

As Ewan tried to steer the conversation in a lighter direction, he asked about Esme's parents.

"What do your parents do?"

Esme, trying to maintain composure, replied with a hint of pride, "They both are lawyers."

"It's quite odd that you pursue business management," Victoria expressed her wonder. "Didn't your mom and dad want you to be a lawyer like them?"

"They obviously wanted me to be a lawyer and join the family law firm," Esme said, her heart aching as she recalled the past. If she hadn't been so madly in love with Julian, she would have already become a lawyer and begun working alongside her parents.

Pushing her agony deep inside her, she cracked a grin. "I wanted to explore a different field, and my parents didn't mind."

"I am glad that you chose the path you desire." Ewan expressed his approval, seemingly pleased with Esme's independent choices. "How did you meet my silly son?"

Silas turned to Esme, his eyes dancing with mischief. He was also eager to know what story she would weave.