Then his phone rang. It was his grandfather, Don. Don was hosting a dinner at the Sterling manor, and his guests were the Wellingtons. Don's voice on the phone was cold, leaving no room for argument. "I am hosting a dinner for the Wellingtons at the manor tonight, and you will be present. Consider this your final warning, Damien: if you still value your standing—and your future—as my grandson, you will attend."
Damien thought about his grandfather and his sudden interest in the Wellington family. He'd always held a deep respect for Sam Wellington, who had taken over the family company and made it vastly successful, proving old Samuel Wellington right to leave the business to him over his own son, Thomas. In Damien's opinion, Thomas seemed like a power-hungry businessman who would sacrifice anything for money, even at his family's detriment. Their relationship with Sam appeared complicated.
As Damien sat looking over documents in his study, the hours passed and the rain began to fall outside. The fog covered everything within minutes, and the image of the accident flashed before his eyes through the rain-streaked window. He couldn't shake the image of Sarah's face, pale and lost, her eyes filled with a confusion that mirrored his own. He got up and started pacing the room. Only three days had passed since the crash, but it felt like a lifetime. The longer he waited, the more restless he became. He needed to see Sarah again; he needed to make sure she was all right.
The evening came, and the dinner was approaching. He called Johnny, "Get the car ready, we're going to the Sterling manor in ten minutes." Johnny replied, "Got it, boss!" The rain had subdued, but the fog was persistent.
At the manor, Don was already there with Thomas, his wife Evelyn, and their daughter Penelope. Damien greeted them and sat down.
Don: "You could have gotten here before our guests, you're making me, an old man, lose face by being late."
Damien: "Traffic."
Thomas: "Don't worry about it, Don, your grandson must be busy running from one company to another. It's not easy for him."
Evelyn added, "Young people work too hard nowadays."
Penelope: "Yes, that's true. And Damien, being the person many look up to and strive to be like, wouldn't be who he is today and wouldn't achieve the things he's achieved if he wasn't so persistent and hardworking." She smiled politely his way.
Thomas: "Look at my little princess defending your grandson, Don. Just like me and my wife when we were young."
Don: "He's lucky to have caught your daughter's eye, Thomas."
Damien turned to Penelope and said, "Isn't your brother Sam just as hardworking?"
Thomas dismissed his question with a wave of his hand, then added "Damien is right. Sam would have joined us tonight, but unfortunately, he had some unavoidable business to attend to. That boy works himself ragged, doesn't he, Evelyn?"
Evelyn just smiled at her husband.
Damien was looking from the Wellingtons to his grandfather and thought, Am I the only one who finds this conversation ridiculous? Am I the only unwilling participant here?
They sat around the table making small talk until Don got up and proposed a toast, "To our families uniting." They all started clinking their glasses together; Damien reluctantly lifted his.
Then Don spoke again, "To Penelope and Damien, I hereby declare their engagement."
Damien put his glass down, got up, and said, "What engagement?"
Don spoke, "This is why I called you here tonight. I have chosen your fiancé, and she is Penelope."
Damien replied, "When did I agree to this?"
Don spoke, "I'm not asking you, I'm informing you."
Damien just smiled at his grandfather's ridiculous words, turned back, and left without a word.
Don yelled after him, "Damien, come back here!"
The Wellingtons looked between each other. Don then turned to them and said, "Don't worry, he'll listen to me. He was just taken aback."
Thomas agreed, saying, "We understand, kids nowadays don't like us old people getting involved in their personal matters."
Evelyn added, "I know Damien will come around. There's no better candidate for his wife than our Penelope."
They continued eating and chatting as if nothing had happened.