Filed to story: The Regretful Billionaire: An Unpredicted Reunion >>
He had tied Danika’s pink apron around his waist. It looked surreal.
Danika hummed in response. This all felt like a dream. Was Eustace Quincey actually going to make her breakfast? Could he even make breakfast? He was Eustace Quincey. He never dirtied his hands in his life. How could he make breakfast? She couldn’t believe it.
However, sounds came from the kitchen. When Danika walked in, he was beating eggs expertly. He looked. just like a homemaker.
“You… can cook?” She was just too curious to stay quiet.
Eustace nodded. The knife in his hands moved swiftly as he sliced up a tomato. His knife skills were comparable to that of a renowned chef.
Danika thought she was witnessing a whole new Eustace.
“Are you surprised?” Eustace turned to face her after noticing she had remained silent. She was in a daze. “I grew up with my grandfather. He was busy with the company and had no time for me. Although we had. nannies, they thought that since I was young and my grandfather wasn’t around, they didn’t cook. So, I learned to cook by myself.”
He learned to rely on himself from a very young age. He learned fervently and mastered everything in life so that he could live comfortably.
That was the first time Danika heard Eustace talk about his childhood. Her curiosity was piqued. “What about your parents? Were they absent, too?”
His back stiffened. The atmosphere instantly turned grim. “They divorced very early on. My father left for another woman. My mother couldn’t handle the heartbreak and killed herself.”
She died right before his eyes.
That day, he had fallen asleep early. His mother was sleeping in the same bed as him, which was a rare occurrence. He was happy. But he never could have thought that when he woke up in the middle of the night and tried to crawl into his mother’s arms, instead of his mother’s embrace, he would feel an ice-cold corpse.
It was pitch dark. Little Eustace had no idea what had happened. He merely cried out for his mother, but no response came. It was only until his cries startled his grandfather downstairs and the lights were turned on that Eustace saw his mother’s pale face.
From that day onward, he began fearing the dark. He felt that it brought bad news. Of course, he would never tell anyone about this. Danika was no exception.
He did not need any of their sympathies.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know…” Danika was uncomfortable. Although she was married to him for two years, she knew nothing about the Quinceys. On the one hand, it was because her grandfather had never said anything to her. On the other, it was because she bore absolutely no interest whatsoever. She felt that she wouldn’t stay with the Quinceys for long and thus never wished to understand them.
“It’s alright. It’s all in the past.” Eustace shrugged nonchalantly. “Weren’t you curious about the grudge Max has against me? The truth is, my father eloped with his mother. They abandoned their families for the sake of love. In the end, my mother was the one who died. Although his father lived, he turned into an alcoholic and would beat Max every time he got home. He married again, and they both tortured him.”
Max hated his father and mother. He blamed Eustace’s father for his mother’s departure and extended his grudge toward the entire Quincey family.
Danika needed a moment to recover after Eustace said all of this. She would never have expected things to be so complicated between them. “So all these years, despite him annoying you, you never fought back because you felt guilty?” she asked.
Eustace laughed. “What do I have to feel guilty about?”
“It was your father who took his mother away…”
“Wasn’t my father taken away by his mother?” Eustace retorted.
Danika thought that made sense, too. They were both willing participants in the affair it didn’t matter who led the other astray, so why did Max hate the entire Quincey family? it seemed implausible
As if reading her mind, Eustace said. “I just think he’s pitiful His father blamed everything on mine. He thinks my father destroyed his family Under the influence of a family like that Max is brainwashed You don’t know how much he got beaten up. He was bloody all over, always. In that kind of household, Max is long gone.”
Eustace thought that Max was pitiful. They shared similar fates, but at the same time, they weren’t very similar.
Although Eustace had lost both his parents, he still had a grandfather-one who was strict but caring, and who genuinely loved and protected him. It resulted in Eustace and Max having very different upbringings.
Danika only knew about this shared past between the Quinceys and the Pearsons now. It was no wonder that every time Max brought up the Quinceys, his face would twist in hatred.
But could he really blame the Quinceys? Even Eustace?
After all, Eustace was a victim too.
Danika was silent. She suddenly didn’t know who to feel sorry for.
“That’s all. Eat your breakfast.” Eustace interrupted her train of thought. He showed no signs of upset over losing his parents. To him, that was all in the past.
Danika nodded. She followed him into the living room, and they slowly ate breakfast.
“You can stay if you don’t want to move out,” Danika said after a while.
Her expression amused Eustace, and his lips curled up. “Are you pitying me?”
“No.” She shook her head at once, but she knew that she felt guilty about his past.
“You don’t have to. They’re just strangers to me. I’m not even upset about them being gone,” Eustace said. He cared nothing for his irresponsible parents at all. For the past twenty or so years, he only cared about his grandfather.
Although, it looked like he would care for Danika now, too.
Danika looked at his calm expression. He did look like someone who didn’t mind. “I really don’t care!” she lied. “Does someone like you even need sympathy?”
“Nope. I don’t,” Eustace said.
The atmosphere grew quiet once more. No one spoke. Danika ate her food and realized that it was delicious. She felt a little embarrassed. “This tastes really good. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied. “So, can you forgive me for yesterday?”
“No.” Danika glared at him and put away her cutlery.
Eustace didn’t force it. Breakfast was over, so he didn’t have a reason to stay there anymore. He had to leave. “Grandpa misses you. Will you visit him in the Old Mansion when you’re free?”
“Yes, I will.” Danika nodded.
Eustace stood at the door, wanting to keep talking, but Danika didn’t give him a chance. She shut the door, leaving him outside.
He smiled bitterly and called Vincent. “Get someone to pack up my things here in the condo.”
“Right away, Mr. Quincey. Are you preparing to move out? Vincent asked.
“Yes. Move them to Quincey Mansion.”
“Yes, sir,” Vincent replied. He didn’t find it strange at all. The company president shouldn’t even have lived in that tiny condominium.
Danika had organized a meeting in the restaurant that night, and only Gilbert and Max were present.
“So, it seems like you’re considering my suggestion, Miss Danika?” Max said, chuckling. He was in a good mood.
He understood Danika. If she wasn’t considering his suggestion, she wouldn’t have called him and Gilbert there.
She smiled, nodding. She looked at Gilbert, who returned her gaze. “Danika has told me about your suggestion, Mr. Pearson. I think it’s possible, and I believe you will be a valuable ally in our work.”
“Of course,” Max replied.
“Tonight, we’re mainly talking about splitting the profits with the Pearsons. It’s best to put these things out in the open to prevent fights in the future.”
Gilbert was a qualified business person. He would forever favor profit.
Max was not angry when he heard this. “Of course.”
After that, the two began talking about their business partnership. Danika didn’t know the details of it all, but she didn’t say much. She was merely a bridge connecting the two of them.
Once the negotiations were complete, Danika went back home. When she got to her door, Eustace was moving out his things.
“Miss Danika,” Vincent greeted when he saw her. Danika nodded and took out her keys.
“I’m sorry, Miss Danika,” Vincent said. “I couldn’t recognize you when I saw you.”
He felt responsible for it. As Eustace’s assistant, he had to understand everything that happened around him fully. If he had, such a joke like this would never have happened.