Episode 2

In the dining room, the employees who had previously talked badly about him behind his back appeared, all of them feeling awkward and suspicious. Igor still looked at them with an unpleasant look, until someone entered the room, breaking the strange atmosphere that was in that place.

"Father, I prepared this chicken soup myself, I added some good ingredients for health, I hope you like it."

A beautiful and elegant woman came in, carrying a tray with the soup. Her speech was kind and attentive, she placed it on the table and immediately served the eldest, while Igor just watched the play.

"Here, please try it, be careful as it's very hot," she served him.

Igor raised his wine glass, took a sip, and observed the woman's actions. She was Andrea, his stepmother. Less than a year after his mother's death, his father brought her home. Later, he found out through some rumors that she was Roberto's first love.

The story he heard was that the two families were unsuitable to join in marriage, so they had to separate. After his mother died from an illness, their passion for each other reignited and they managed to stay together.

When Andrea entered the family, she brought along her seven-year-old son, the fruit of her previous marriage. By logic, old Francesco would not agree to it, but nobody knew what tricks she used to achieve that feat.

After so many years, she had become the true wife of that household. The son she had with her ex-husband became known as the third son of the Rossi family.

Igor pondered all of this and found it ironic. They left a child of the same blood alone in another country, while the other was raised as one of the family's children and even received that title. He narrowed his eyes and then heard the old man in the main chair questioning him.

"Igor, you graduated three years ago, are you still going to play around abroad?"

That tone of voice held no affection or love. It was more as if he were a nuisance in that house. But that tone also seemed to indicate that a storm was approaching. Igor pretended not to notice, swirled his wine glass, and responded casually.

"Actually, it's great abroad, I'm..."

As expected, Francesco interrupted what he was saying, using the same tone.

"What's so good about that? I think being a member of this family is too easy for you. You're already twenty-four or twenty-five years old. What do you do besides spending money? You simply don't know how to help with the family's responsibilities."

Igor was incredulous at those unfounded accusations. Two years ago, he returned and offered to help with the company, but he was ignored. His grandfather's words were, "You've just graduated, what do you know? Don't bother, you can leave." He was dismissed in that way. How could it be his fault?

No one said anything, and the atmosphere at the dining table turned icy. Roberto's gaze shifted from his grandfather to his grandson. Hesitating, he stood up and picked up a piece of fish, serving it to his son.

"Igor, your grandfather is speaking for your own good. You've spent too much time abroad, we, the older ones, are not comfortable with it. Here, eat a piece of fish, I remember that you used to like it a lot when you were a child," he tried to alleviate the tension.

The long-lost concern of his father should have warmed Igor's heart, but it was a pity that Roberto's actions and words in trying to portray himself as a "good father" were not at all genuine, and Igor had outgrown the need for that kind of paternal love.

Igor looked at the fish on his plate, gave a slight smile, and replied.

"Father, when I was eight years old, I choked on a fish bone. The nanny wasn't there, you and Aunt were on a date, I cried a lot, but none of the staff came to help me. It traumatized me, and nowadays I don't eat fish anymore. Didn't you know?"

Roberto was taken aback by what his son said; how could he not remember that incident? He tried to ease the embarrassment between him and his son, but ended up in another awkward situation. Roberto felt that perhaps because he didn't spend much time with his son, he didn't know him as well. At that moment, he sensed a certain sarcasm in the way his son spoke, as if criticizing him for not being a good father.

Seeing that the atmosphere was strange again, Andrea looked at her husband and made a signal, as if there was something important to be said. Igor looked at his grandfather, who still had a scowling expression, trying to understand the situation.

Igor had returned home at his father's request, claiming that Francesco's health was not well at all, and as his grandson, he should return quickly. But looking closely at his grandfather and the situation, he realized it was an excuse to persuade him to return to the country.

"Grandpa, if there's something you want to tell me, just say it."

Igor had learned to be direct while living abroad. He disliked beating around the bush and preferred that they just say what was happening. Upon hearing what he said, Andrea saw an opportunity to explain.

"The truth is, the company invested in a project some time ago, but there was a large loss in the invested capital. If our family doesn't find a solution, we may..." she hesitated to say bankruptcy in front of the old man, "We've already negotiated with the Moretti family. If you marry their youngest son, they will..."