The Underdog Son-in-law

004

"Stop being an insensitive child Caelen. I wanted us to end on a good note but you're making matters difficult!" Over the years, working at the boss lady had turned her commanding and domineering, especially for people that she felt were way below the food chain.

 "It's not for, it's for grandpa. He's fragile and sick and the doctor warned about any emotional shocks. 

He cannot know about the divorce yet. You know how he rooted for our marriage so well and he called for a banquet yesterday. You have to act like couples tomorrow."

Caelen listened without interrupting.

The thoughts ran through his mind, Grandpa was the only one that had treated him with respect while he stayed in the Halwen's.

He could not afford for something to happen to the old man because of him.

"Fine. Only because of Grandpa!" With that, he ended the call.

---

The Halwen estate looked the same as it always had.

Warm lights glowed behind tall windows. The driveway was lined with expensive cars parked with deliberate symmetry. Everything about the place suggested stability, permanence, the quiet confidence of people who had never worried about being displaced.

As soon as Caelen stepped inside, he felt it.

The shift.

Conversation did not stop, but it bent. Voices dipped, then rose again, louder than before, snickers filling the air.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” a man said openly. “Make way for the king of trash." Laughters echoed throughout the hall, stale and cold.

"Daring to appear here looking like the gutters coughed, what audacity."

Another laughed. “Of course he did. This place is the closest thing he’s ever had to relevance.”

"That's enough!" Grandpa Halwen stopped them.

"I'm most happy that Caelen is here. He should sit together with his wife!" He hinted with a warm smile.

Edrin, who was seated beside Lyra, frowned deeply as he had to stand up for Caelen to sit. He has come around in the disguise of being a close friend and business associate to Lyra so that Grandpa Halwen would not suspect anything that was going on.

Caelen removed his coat and handed it to a servant, who hesitated for a fraction of a second before accepting it, disdain arched in her face. He thanked her politely and moved forward, his posture straight, his pace unhurried.

"Lyra, why don't you tell grandpa about your latest contract? I'm sure he would be elated to hear it!"

Lyra shrugged a little bit. "It wasn't just my efforts, Edrin had a lot to do with it!" She said with a smile tugging her face.

“It was good timing,” he said. “Opportunities don’t wait for people who hesitate.”

Someone leaned forward eagerly. “We heard you helped make it happen.”

"Edrin is such a nice soul, helping out friends while people who called themselves husbands know nothing other than to leech off the people they are supposed to support!" Lady Halwen hinted with disdain.

Edrin lifted a hand slightly. “I only offered guidance. Lyra did the work."

The compliment landed neatly.

Eyes shifted, and praises danced on the lips of everyone.

"Edrin is so modest!" Lyra's cousin said.

"Compared to some people who do nothing and still make a lot of noise!"

"If you ask me, Edrin is the one that falls under the category of a real man. While others should be classified as domestic animals!"

"He calls himself a member of the family and didn't even bother to bring anything for Grandpa's banquet. How unreasonable!" Someone in the hall hissed with some much disdain.

Benjamin, Lyra's brother, quickly sprang.

"No he did! He's just frightened to bring them out!" He had sighted the bottles under the table and quickly brought them out.

Everyone immediately gasps at the sight, clutching to their hearts as though they were about to have a cardiac arrest.

Lyra's grip tightened as the humiliation bites down on her skin, covering every single layer of it.

The label was old. The glass dark.

It didn’t take long for someone to notice.

“What’s that?” a man asked, peering closer.

Another laughed. “That looks ancient, did you go for a treasure hunt to get them!"

A woman leaned in, squinting. “Expired, more like. Does he really have no shame?"

Caelen didn’t answer.

Someone picked up the bottle, turning it in their hands. “Maybe he intends to kill all of us, even poison Grandpa because he's still angry!" Everyone instantly hused the words from seeing the lights of the day.

Another voice chimed in, more serious. “You know, wine like that can be dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” someone echoed.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “I can bet a million that drinking it could actually kill someone.”

The laughter softened, replaced by disapproval.

Lady Halwen’s gaze sharpened. “This is exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about,” she said. “Reckless and inconsiderate."

She turned to a servant. “Take that away before I punk at the sight."

The servant hesitated, glancing between Caelen and Lady Halwen.

“Give it to the dogs,” someone suggested with a grin.

Another shook his head. “Careful. Might poison them.”

Laughter broke out again, louder this time.

Lyra said nothing.

She sat straight, her expression composed, her attention fixed on her plate as though what was happening beside her was beneath comment. When she did glance up, it was only to meet Edrin’s eyes briefly, a silent alignment that did not need explanation.

The servant reached for the bottle.

Caelen finally spoke.

His voice was calm, unraised and steady.

“The wine,” he said, “is worth more than everything on this table combined.”

Silence fell.

Then disbelief followed.