The next day, Alan woke up early in the morning and prepared breakfast for himself. As his eyes took into account the massive size of the mansion, he realized that he needed a butler to look after his house. He meant to live a luxurious life and what luxury would it be if he himself had to prepare the food and sweep the floor?
He alone could not manage everything, especially considering all the supernatural events that would be happening around him. And taking into account these very same supernatural events, he could not do with an ordinary butler. The butler needed to be special, powerful, and extremely capable.
And given the sprawling businesses, investments, estates, and wealth he had inherited, the butler also needed to be well versed in these things too. If he could, he would say that he needed someone like Alfred was to Bruce Wayne and Batman.
And Alan already had someone in mind, someone who was surely very capable, but he would have to wait for a few days before he could approach that person. And he was also not sure if the said person would even accept his proposal. But he had a feeling that most likely, his proposal would be accepted.
Alan placed the breakfast plate on the table and picked up the newspaper.
"A Young Couple Killed in the woods of Mystic Falls in an animal attack."
This was the headline on the second page of the newspaper, which dealt with local news of the surrounding places.
"So, it has begun," Alan muttered to himself. Damon Salvatore and Stefan Salvatore, the infamous Salvatore brothers, are in town.
Alan finished his breakfast and was about to wonder what he should begin the day with when there was the crisp sound of his doorbell ringing. He frowned, wondering who it could be so early in the morning? He was not really expecting anyone.
He did not even know anyone personally in the town. It was his grandfather who had managed all the affairs related to Mystic Falls.
He got up to open the door. As the large wooden gates were pulled open, he spotted a trio, well dressed and well groomed, standing before him.
A middle-aged man, a middle-aged lady, and a young adult. And even though he had not seen them even once in real life, he recognized them at a glance.
"Mr. Alan Alejandro?" the middle-aged man said in a questioning tone. He was tall, muscular, and strong in appearance.
Alan nodded in response.
A smile appeared on the man's face as he extended his hand toward Alan.
"Mr. Alejandro," he said. "I am Richard Lockwood, the Mayor of Mystic Falls."
"Mr. Lockwood," Alan took the hand and greeted the man with a polite smile and a firm handshake.
"These are my wife, Carol Lockwood," Richard said, gesturing toward the lady and then toward the young man. "And my son, Tyler Lockwood."
Both of them nodded in greeting as Alan shook his hand with them. Carol was all smiles and happy, while Tyler, though also smiling, was clearly just trying to keep appearances and clearly he was not getting much success in it.
"I know about your family," Alan said with a smile on his face. "Grandfather used to tell me stories of Mystic Falls back in the day."
"Please," he said politely. "Come on in."
Richard smiled, pleased at the invitation, and so did his wife as they stepped inside the mansion. They followed behind Alan into the main hall.
"Please, have a seat," he said, and the family took their seats on the sofa in the center of the hall.
"You know," he continued. "I would have offered something to eat, but I am alone and it would not be appropriate to leave my guests unattended."
"But I wonder," he added, with a small smirk. "Would it be appropriate if I brought some drinks even before noon?"
Both the husband and wife chuckled as Carol took the initiative.
"Generally, it should not be appropriate," she said with a playful smirk of her own. "But I think given that it is the first time we are meeting, a little exception could be made?"
"What do you think, Richard?" She looked at her husband.
"I totally agree," he remarked, raising his hands.
"Great," Alan said as he turned toward the bar. "Let me see what I have."
A moment later, he returned with a bottle of old wine and three glasses. He placed the glasses on the table and poured a drink for each of them.
"Sorry, Tyler," he said with a wink toward the young man. "I would have offered you some, but not in front of your parents."
Tyler shrugged but did not say anything. Alan took his seat on the sofa.
"Cheers!" he said.
"Cheers!" Richard replied.
"For our first time meeting," Carol added as they each took a sip.
"Mr. Alejandro," Carol began, but Alan cut her off.
"Alan," he said. "Call me Alan."
Carol smiled and nodded. "Alan it is."
"Alan," she continued. "We would like to welcome you on your return to Mystic Falls."
"The Alejandro family is one of the founding families in the city, and it is great that one of its own has made a return."
"I will not bore you with history and all that stuff about the founding families and the history of the town, but know that we are genuinely pleased to have you, to have your family back in town."
"I appreciate the welcome," Alan smiled. "And now that I have no family left, I thought it would be better if I returned to my roots. And hopefully, I will stay here."
"Permanently," he added.
Carol and Richard exchanged glances before Richard leaned in slightly.
"Alan," he said, his tone as soft and sympathetic as it could have been. "We are sorry about your grandfather."
Alan just shrugged. Though he had the memories of this body, and felt a connection with the old man, it was not to a very large extent.
"I guess we cannot really do anything about it," he said.
The husband and wife nodded before they spiraled into small talk, changing the topic.
"Alan," Carol said in between their talks. "I know you have already graduated from college, but the children are holding a 'back-to-school party' in the woods tomorrow night."
"Maybe you should check it out, you know, make some friends and get to know more people," she continued. "Tyler would love to show you the party and even the town."
She turned toward her son with her eyes narrowed, almost glaring at him.
"Sure," Tyler responded with a shrug and a wry smile. The helplessness in his voice was pretty obvious.
"Thanks for the invitation," Alan responded. "I am not sure, but maybe I will check it out."
"Great," she said. "And while there is no obligation for you to attend this party, you must come to the Founder's Day party that we will be holding in a few days."
"It would be the first time in years that an Alejandro would attend the party," she added.
"I will," he replied without hesitation. "In fact, I am quite interested in the famous Founder's Day party of Mystic Falls."
The trio of the Lockwood family remained for around one more hour before they took their leave. It was a nice talk between them. And to Alan, Richard and Carol genuinely seemed making an effort to make him comfortable.
Although he had an idea about what their other motive might be, thanks to his grandfather, he could not deny that really seemed caring.
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