CHAPTER 105: THAT BRAT IS GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF OUR FAMILY.

Lola idled alongside Chairman Lancaster, helping him feed his chickens and other "pets." She had to admit that just spending an hour with him was therapeutic. She was able to talk about her mother and grandfather with someone who knew and adored them just as much.

Although the conversation left a longing feeling in their hearts, it was a good way to remember them. Due to his age and health, however, the chairman couldn’t stay in the sun for too long. After helping him back to his bedroom, she bid him farewell with a promise to return.

"Lola."

Lola paused by the door and looked back at him. "Yes, Grandpa?"

The chairman simply looked at her before he smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing. Just come by from time to time, alright?"

"Of course," she smiled back before politely bowing her head, then walking out.

A smile dominated her face, and she chuckled at the thought that Chairman Lancaster had named his chickens. Looking back at the door, she promised herself to make time for him.

With that thought, she put on her head mask and strode off. But once she reached the entryway, she saw someone walking in the main door.

It was Travis Lancaster.

"Bring these to Grandpa. I heard they were good." The man handed a bag of food containers to the helper who had welcomed him. As he let it go, he shifted his eyes to the figure who had emerged from the corner of his eye.

The second he turned, he caught a horse’s head on a human body from the shoulders down.

"Lola?" he called, his brows knitting together. Lola just raised her hand in a wave, making him smile subtly.

"I didn’t expect you to be here."

***

Travis Lancaster was a member of the first branch of the Lancaster family and was currently leading it. After all, the Lancaster family was a large family with several branches for its businesses.

Travis wasn’t the chairman’s direct grandson—his grandfather and the chairman were brothers. Yet, the chairman favored him more than his direct grandson, Derek. Lola couldn’t blame the chairman, though.

Travis, after all, was not only talented, but he was also smart and considerate.

Lola knew them, of course. Her family had a good relationship with theirs, so Travis felt like a reliable big brother to her, even though there wasn’t a huge age gap.

"I heard that you were back," Travis snapped her out of her thoughts, walking her out of the residence. "I would have sent you a gift if I had known where you were staying."

Lola smiled behind her mask and glanced at him. She didn’t answer, knowing he would ask where she was staying.

Travis knew that; he was used to her short answers or her silence. "I’m sorry, Lola."

"Hmm?"

"For what Derek did to you," he said. "I was against his engagement to Melissa, but..."

"Heh." She snickered, making him raise his brows. "Don’t apologize. I was the one who broke off the engagement."

He gazed at her side profile, even though there wasn’t much to see with that horse head mask. "Didn’t he pressure you to do that?"

"Pressure me for what?" she laughed. "Travis, I don’t like Derek. I don’t know why everyone thinks I do. If anything, I’m glad he’s going to marry Melissa. They were a match made in heaven. She is pretty, he is good-looking."

She was pretentious, and he’s fickle. A perfect match.

"You’re also pretty, Lola," he said, making her stop. He watched her look at him. "You don’t have to hide your face like this, you know that."

"..." She slowly raised a finger and pointed it at herself. "Travis, if you think I’m pretty, will you marry me if I ask you?"

He didn’t answer, just stared at that cross-eyed horse. His lack of an answer earned him a laugh from her.

"I’m kidding." She gave his shoulder a mild slap. "I’m not hiding my face because I’m embarrassed about it. As a matter of fact, I think I’m stunning! Too stunning that if I took off this head mask, you might have given me an answer right away!"

I don’t think so, he thought.

His mouth opened, but he was too speechless to say another word. Not that he didn’t believe her, but her level of confidence took him off guard. Even so, he ended up laughing.

"I was just worried about you," he said and pinched her horse head mask. "It’s good to see you again, Lola. Come by and visit me too, or let me know when you’re visiting Grandpa. Let’s hang out more."

She chuckled, nodding at him. "I’m also glad to see you again, Travis. It’s been a while, huh?"

"It has been."

***

Travis stood outside the residence, watching Lola walk away down the driveway. A smile was plastered on his face, and he chuckled at their brief interaction. His smile, however, faded when he remembered her horse face mask.

"Is that a trend now?" he wondered to himself, furrowing his brows as he was reminded of that man with a fish head mask.

He had almost forgotten about it, but he knew it was something he wouldn’t truly forget. After all, that man with a fish head mask left a deep impression on him.

"Maybe it is," he muttered. "And I’m just getting too old to follow the trend."

Throwing the idea out of his head, he smiled and turned on his heel. Travis headed straight to the chairman’s room, where the chairman was already eating some snacks.

"Oh, you’re here?" The chairman looked up, his back leaning against the headboard with a tray table over his lap.

Unlike his relaxed demeanor with Lola, Travis was more formal as he walked in. He took the seat beside the bed, eyeing the food he was eating.

"Lola was here," said the chairman. "She brought me all sorts of fruit."

Travis smiled and faced him. "I met her on her way out."

"Did you walk her out?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, good!" the chairman huffed faintly. "My pretty granddaughter has been through a lot, and our family owes her a huge debt for what that brat had done to her."

Travis lowered his head a bit and let the chairman rant about Derek’s actions and decisions.

"Not just that, but... that brat offended someone he shouldn’t have," the chairman frowned deeply, waiting for Travis to look back at him. "Travis, make sure to watch Derek closely and don’t let him make another mistake."

"That brat is going to be the death of our family," the chairman continued, huffing sharply as he remembered a specific meeting he had.

Travis, on the other hand, furrowed his brows. "What did he do this time, Chairman?"

"He offended the man behind The Summit Partners!" the chairman harrumphed. "And that man had just warned me. So, if that brat doesn’t get it together, even I can’t do anything if he ends up losing his limbs!"

His expression darkened. "That man gave his word, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Otherwise, we might not only worry about Derek’s limbs but our entire Lancaster family."