NOVEL NEXT Chapter 743: Aiden’s weakness.
When Brenda heard him put it like that, she wasn't surprised that he read the situation well. She knew he would do it easily.
Still, she tried to pretend.
"Why do you think like that?" she asked as though he had hurt her with his words. Can I not ask you here without a reason?"
Aiden stared at her, his gaze obvious. "We never got the chance to bond in a way where you would call me just to spend some time with you." He didn't even hesitate to put it that way.
"Aren't you too inconsiderate to say that on my face?"
He shook his head. "I am just playing along the script you already have prepared. Giving you the chance to deliver all the dialogues you have practised to yourself."
"So, you are trying to be considerate towards me?" Brenda lifted the corner of her lips in amusement.
Aiden didn't reply. He just sat and watched the old woman, matching her eyes. It was hard to tell how he was feeling inside, seeing her like this, because a part of him resented her for hiding away the main culprit behind Arwen's suffering.
"You are right," Brenda spoke slowly. "I called you for a reason. A reason that's very important."
Aiden patiently heard her.
"Arwen is not just a granddaughter I adored," her weak voice only sounded heavy with emotions. "She is also the one who gave me the chance to break the pattern I once unknowingly created through my actions. My redemption, and hence, she is more precious to me than anyone else. So precious that I can't bear to leave her behind —not even when I know she would be alone in this world anymore. She would have you."
She took in a deep breath, continuing further. "I know you will never leave her alone, will always have her back. Still, before it's too late, I wanted to take the chance to ask you. So that when the time comes, I can go without any worries."
Brenda paused for a few seconds before extending her hand out towards Aiden, "I know you resent me for all right reasons, and I don't actually deserve your reassurance, still, Aiden, promise me. Promise me, you would never let my granddaughter suffer, not even the slightest."
Aiden didn't move. His eyes darted to look at her hand, but he didn't place his onto hers the moment she asked for it. "I don't think a promise would be enough to assure you." he gazed back at her and stood up. "Not when you know which threat would always stay lurking in the shadow under your shield and grace."
He might have sounded cruel. But he couldn't always be kind. Especially, not when it involves Arwen.
"If that was all you called me here for, I think I can now take my leave," Aiden said as he turned to leave. He wished that Brenda would stop him and reveal the one name he wanted to hear.
But when she didn't, he stopped at the door and turned to look back over his shoulder. "I can't give you the promise you are asking for, but I can assure you I wouldn't leave her even in the worst of the worst situations. He would always have me."
Saying that, he didn't linger. He left without giving another glance back.
Brenda closed her eyes with a sigh. Her days were close, but it seems she wasn't fated to have a peaceful end.
————
At the same time in New York —
In one of the private rooms of a high-end restaurant, Caden was waiting.
His brows furrowed when, even after the decided time, the person he came to meet didn't appear.
He tilted his head and glanced at his secretary. With a frown between his brows, he asked, "Did you give them the right time?"
The secretary also looked troubled, but he nodded confidently. "Yes, sir. Trust me, I relayed your message the way you wanted me to. And I have strictly mentioned to them the date and time. By now, they should have been here."
"Then why aren't they here yet?" Caden felt losing his patience. Up until now, never had he waited for anyone. And that lack of experience was just making him lose his patience.
Just when he was about to snap, a pair of steps approached closer. And in the next moment, the door was pushed open, revealing a restaurant attendant at the door.
Caden's brows tugged in a frown, but before it could have gotten worse and he would have gotten up to leave, the attendant took a step aside and showed the man who was standing behind. "Sir, your guest is here."
Caden looked behind him and gave her a nod. She quickly left the person inside before closing the door after him.
"What made you ask me out today, Caden?"
Dafydd looked at the man with scrutinizing gaze, as though trying to read through his thoughts. However, it wasn't an easy feat. Even after trying for a good moment, he couldn't tell.
Caden smiled. He gestured for him to take the chair across from him. "Of course, to talk about business that would benefit you more than it would benefit me."
Dafydd raised his brows in suspicion. He repeated, "A business that would benefit me more than it benefits you?"
Caden nodded positively. "Yes, you heard it right," he again gestured him towards the chair across him as he added, "Now you can sit so that we can discuss it."
Dafydd looked skeptical about it, but when he heard him mention something about him gaining, he decided to sit and hear it out once.
"Why would you help me get the gains?" Dafydd asked, still cautious. "Aren't you and your family one of the supporters of my father? You have been supporting him and his decisions all the time."
Caden knew Dafydd wouldn't so easily believe. Hence, he came prepared. Looking at him, he said, "We used to be Morgan Winslow's stronger supporter, but now … now, we no longer support him. And you know which of his decisions we oppose the most?"
Dafydd's brows tugged in a frown as he stared at him, waiting to hear.
And Caden didn't make him wait for long. Finding him staring at him, waiting to hear, he finally said, "The decision to choose Aiden as the heir of the family and the President of Winslow Globals."
"You oppose Aiden?" Dafydd asked as though he could quite understand it. "But why would you oppose it now when you have been secretly supporting him all the while?"
Caden's eyes grew dark. "Because only recently have we realized how bad of a decision it had been."
After he mention that, Caden slowly spoke about all his resentments, especially mentioning the way Aiden targeted their family and company, ruining their generation-built reputation.
He deliberately didn't mention Selene's involvement. The last thing the wanted was to scare him away. So, Caden only revealed the needful so that he could just encourage enough to make him take the actions on their behalf.
"Just because you hold resentment against him, you want to instigate me against my own son. What made you think I would agree to it?" Dafydd asked, his tone suggesting that the refusal was just at the tip of his tongue.
However, Caden knew this better than anyone else. He let his lips curve up at the corners. "I didn't think you would agree to it straightaway, Dafydd. I just realized you have no reasons to refuse to it."
"What do you mean?" Dafydd asked with a frown.
Caden stared at him with a known smile as though he could read past all his intentions. "Haven't you eying for Aiden's authority and positions since the day he took over?"
"So, what if I am?"
"Then this is your chance to get it. The same chance would never return to you again." Caden threw the bait and waited to see if it was successful.
And right as he expected it to be, it was.
Dafydd took the bait. "Chance?" he scoffed. "Do you think I have any less chances in all these previous years?"
Caden looked at him and slowly shook his head. "No, I didn't say that," he said, adding, "You have enough chances in all the previous years. It was just that your approach wasn't very right."
Dafydd frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean it's time to improve your approach. As long as you aim the right time, you will win against him." Caden added.
"You are suggesting a plan?" Dafydd asked
But Caden at once shook his head in refusal. "No, this isn't my war to step into. I am not going to get involved."
When Dafydd frowned. "Then, what exactly are you here? Just to tell me how I would keep on losing even here ahead."
"No," Caden shook his head. "I am here to tell you what will make you win it for sure. Aiden's weakness —aiming which you will never lose."