Ch 16: Encounter

"I'm going to take you upstairs to a room where you can wash up, and if you'd like to change clothes, you can do that as well," Nathan said.

"Whatever you think is best," Desmond quickly agreed.

"My sons are out at work. They'll be back in the evening, and I'll introduce you to them. They'll be very pleased to meet you," Nathan said, leading them out of the room.

"You have a lovely home," Desmond commented, admiring the surroundings.

"I built it myself. It's not exactly in the modern style, but it suits our needs," Nathan replied as he began climbing the stairs, leading them upwards.

Roy's eyes wandered around as they ascended. At the top of the stairs, they reached a hallway. Just as they stepped into it, Alice emerged from her room. She froze in place when she saw them. Roy's gaze locked onto her face, and Alice's eyes met his. She quickly looked away, closed her door, and was about to retreat back into her room when Nathan called out, "Wait a moment, my dear, come and meet our guests."

Alice paused.

Roy kept his eyes fixed on her.

"This is the man I once mentioned, whom I stayed with as a guest in the village. Meet Roy, and this is my beloved daughter, Alice," Nathan introduced them.

The mention of Alice's name sent a shiver through Roy's body. He gazed intently at her, and Alice briefly lifted her eyes to meet his. His masculine and striking presence seemed to captivate her at first glance. Their eyes met, and with a shy smile, Alice gave a slight nod in greeting before retreating back into her room.

Nathan continued leading them down the hallway.

Alice slowly reopened her door and watched Roy as he walked away.

Nathan led them into the room adjacent to Grace's. Nathan entered first, followed by Desmond, and as Roy stepped into the doorway, he turned his head to look back at Alice. Their eyes met once more before Alice quickly shut the door, her heart racing, a smile playing on her lips.

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Roy had seen many women, but never had he encountered beauty like Alice's. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he was entranced.

Her image remained vivid in his mind, and he couldn't shake the thought of her.

Nathan had left them in the room, and Desmond was in the bathroom while Roy sat in a chair, lost in thoughts of Alice. He didn't even notice when Desmond came out of the bathroom or when he waved a hand in front of his face.

It wasn't until Desmond gently shook his arm that Roy snapped out of his reverie.

"Where have you gone, sir?" Desmond asked.

"I've never seen such beauty before. She's stunning. But perhaps there should be a word even greater than beautiful to describe her," Roy said dreamily.

"It was fortunate that when Nathan came to us, we treated him so well, beyond what was expected. It has paid off today."

"You're right. But what comes next?" Desmond asked.

"I should speak to Nathan directly and ask for Alice's hand in marriage," Roy said after a brief pause.

"They know you're already married. They've even met Maria," Desmond reminded him.

"But I must marry Alice at all costs," Roy insisted.

"What if they refuse?" Desmond asked.

"I'll kill them all. I'll spill their blood, but I'll make sure Alice remains mine. I'll bring her to my mansion as my wife. I will fulfill Lucien's command at any cost. Alice is the goddess of fortune. When she enters my life, my destiny will change," Roy said with a cold, ruthless tone.

"Even so, don't act rashly, sir. Whatever you do, keep it discreet and calculated," Desmond advised.

"I won't act like a madman, but I won't show any mercy when it comes to marrying Alice," Roy replied.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. Desmond got up to open it and found Nathan standing there, with a servant boy behind him carrying a tray with a jug of juice and glasses.

"The truth is, I'm very happy that you've come," Nathan said. The servant poured juice into the glasses, handed them to Roy and Desmond, and then left the room.

"I have a proposition for you," Roy said after taking a sip of the juice.

"What is it?" Nathan asked.

"A piece of land is for sale in the village. You might want to buy it," Roy suggested.

Nathan chuckled. "Not anymore... At that time, I wanted to invest in land, but since then, I've invested my money elsewhere."

"As you wish," Roy said with a shrug.

"If there's a profitable business opportunity in this city, let us know. I've heard that doing business in a big city can yield great returns," Desmond added.

"Of course. Let's have dinner first, and then we can discuss some business," Nathan said.

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Alice glanced at Grace, who had just entered her room, and asked, "Are you helping with the dinner preparations for the guests?"

"I'm just handing over the spices. Your younger sister-in-law is the one cooking," Grace replied.

"What are they making?" Alice inquired.

"A lot of things—meat, kebabs, minced meat, and more. Do you know who Roy is?" Grace asked, listing the dishes.

"What are you trying to say about him?" Alice asked.

"He's the owner of his village. He has so much land that you'd get tired just looking at it, but the land would never end. He has a grand mansion, countless wealth, animals, a fleet of servants, cars—he has everything," Grace explained, singing his praises.

Alice listened with keen interest. As soon as Grace stopped talking, she asked, "Is all of that his alone?"

"Yes, all of it is his. He has no brothers, no sisters. Everything—the wealth, the money, the cars—belongs to him alone," Grace said, widening her eyes for emphasis.

"He's the sole owner?" Alice asked again.

"Yes, he's the sole owner," Grace confirmed.

"Who told you all this?" Alice asked.

"Your mother was telling me. Your father had told her," Grace replied without hesitation.

Alice became lost in thought, contemplating what she had just learned. Grace observed her carefully.

Alice finally spoke, "Roy is very handsome."

"You're not any less beautiful yourself," Grace said.

"I'm talking about him."

"And I'm talking about you," Grace replied with a smile.

"Why? Why are you saying that about me?" Alice asked, looking at her. Her cheeks were turning red.

"Miss Alice, I've been with you for a long time. I've never seen such a flush on your cheeks when speaking about anyone else before," Grace observed.