Kaden could not very well insist, so he had no choice but to give up. "Alright. If it's possible, do stay an extra two days so we can properly host you. If you really can't make the time, we'll just have to make up for it the next time."
After they ended the call, Kaden put down his phone and ruminated as he sat on the sofa.
Sonny was so busy, and Everly was equally so. They really had to squeeze their schedules around if they wanted to take even just two days off. Under these circumstances, dating was indeed difficult.
If they were both in Clearfield, making time here and there to meet, have a meal, or go shopping together was plausible.
However, they were based in cities so far apart. Though their companies were now collaborating and they occasionally made business trips to each other's cities, it was absolutely impossible for them to cultivate any feelings based on those few days' worth of interaction.
Even if they did, there would not be much time to solidify the relationship. It would also be easy for things to go awry in a long-distance relationship, unless one of them moved cities, but there was practically zero chance of that. Each had their own responsibilities and careers.
Neither of them would be willing to give up on all of that to live in an unfamiliar city.
If Sonny was just a rich heir with no capability and plenty of brothers, he could marry into the family, making him a suitable match for Everly.
Kaden sighed, too many thoughts crowding his brain. He muttered, "Could those blind dates Everly's uncles and aunties are trying to introduce to her be the only ones suitable for her?
"If only Ike were still alive..."
Kaden's heart twinged with pain.
After Ike passed on, the very thought of him invoked heartache. Later on, once Kaden had Everly by his side, looking at her was like looking at Ike because they both looked alike.
The pain of losing Ike was slowly smoothed over with the presence of Everly.
He tried his best not to think of Ike, afraid that he would lose himself in the pain to the point his mental and physical health would give out.
"Ike, if you were still alive, I wouldn't have to worry so much. With how in love you and Maddie were, you'd have a few kids, and would eventually have given me a grandson, and our lineage would be ensured to continue.
"I wouldn't have to worry so much about Everly's future, as I do now. If she had a younger sibling, she could marry as far away and whomever she liked, as long as there was a male heir who could take over."
As he spoke, Kaden's eyes reddened, and he started crying.
Their family business was big, but their family numbered few. It was a source of pain for generations of the Flemming family that they only had one heir, with nobody else to take over.
At the sound of an employee's greeting traveling in from outside, Kaden hurriedly grabbed a tissue to dab at his eyes and gather himself, realizing Everly was back from her jog, then put on his reading glasses.
He quickly grabbed a magazine from the coffee table and flipped it open.
Everly walked into the sight of Kaden reading a magazine and did not walk over to him.
"Grandpa, I'm heading upstairs to change."
Kaden hummed in acknowledgement as if nothing was the matter.
Everly went upstairs.
A while later, she came
suited up
By then, Kaden had
already calmed down, and no ot
knew he had just secretly
ad a cry.
He closed the magazine and looked up to see Everly walking down the stairs, gratification in his eyes.
This was Everly, whom he personally raised like a grandson, because as the only successor, she could not be weak.
Now that she had grown up in a manner according to his wishes, he instead had regrets.
He regretted that she was not a boy because then a marriage of such an outstanding child would have been nothing to worry about.
Well, alright, he would have had to worry, but it would have been much easier.
He would only have had to pick a virtuous daughter of a rich family among Clearfield's upper class and tie the two families together through marriage content belongs t FindNovel.net
He would not have had to brood over the issue like he was now, enthusiastic yet discouraged by reality.
"Grandpa, let's have breakfast."
Everly walked over to help Kaden up, but he stopped her.
"I'm fine."
Everly watched Kaden stand up by himself and walk toward the dining area before following after him.
"I just called Sonny to invite him over for breakfast."
"He didn't say yes, did he?"
"Yup."
"I told you he would only be able to rest very late last night. It's so early, and he wouldn't come so far just for breakfast. There are places all over where he can grab breakfast. Is he someone who would miss out on breakfast otherwise?”
Kaden stayed silent.
Sonny would not miss out on breakfast, but Kaden needed a grandson-in-law.