Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 128
Of course, Roman didn't forget to greet his two cousins, Rodrigo and Sebastian, both upright and serious men who represented the better image of the Alejandro bloodline.
At the table, all seven members of the Alejandro family were present, gathered formally and consisting of two generations. There was no daughter in the family. The absence of women gave the atmosphere a certain sharpness.
The family members started talking about various topics, mainly business and politics as their core interests. Voices overlapped with words like "shares" and "governor." Tonto yawned once again as he found the meeting boring.
However, he knew the importance of this gathering. His grandfather was a dictator within the family and controlled everything. If Tonto dared to skip the meeting, even his father wouldn't be able to protect him from his grandfather's terror and authority.
Tonto had no intention of offending his grandfather, especially when inheritance was involved. He also had a trust fund from his grandfather that brought him millions every month.
As someone who only wanted to play around and didn't want to work, Tonto understood how important that inheritance and trust fund truly were, it was his lifeline to feeling alive and financially secure.
Even though attending this meeting went against his will, he was determined to stay and endure it. His eyes were unfocused as he silently prayed for the meeting to end. He just hoped that today's meeting would finish quickly, as his friend had invited him to a casino.
As if his prayer was answered, the main characters finally arrived.
Their grandfather, Caesar Alejandro, was carefully pushing the wheelchair of his wife, Lourdes Alejandro. The old couple approached the table, followed by maids and a nurse, ensuring they were well attended to.
Immediately, every man at the table stood up respectfully.
"Dad, let me help Mom," Almirante offered, knowing his parents were old. Even the other men expressed their concern.
However, Lourdes smiled at her eldest son. "Let your father push me."
With that, the men complied. Caesar was the patriarch of the family and commanded respect, but Lourdes was the heart of the family, and they loved her deeply. She was affectionate and a good mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She spoiled her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren without fail. Despite that, she was fair to everyone and never played favorites.
One important thing about Lourdes was that she was deeply in love with her husband, to the point of obsession. She enjoyed every moment of her wheelchair being pushed by Caesar.
Within the family, they were simply called Dad and Mom, or Grandpa and Grandma. However, outsiders usually referred to them as Don Caesar and Doña Lourdes, as they were a wealthy couple who were practically nobles by modern standards. Moreover, they owned vast lands, the Alejandro family was a dominant real estate giant.
Caesar nodded after confirming that everyone was present.
"Bring the tea and coffee," Caesar ordered, and the maids quickly moved to serve the beverages.
If this had been a decade ago, Caesar might have asked for alcohol, but he stopped drinking after being hospitalized a few years back. Since then, he had started taking better care of his health.
Lourdes smiled warmly as she asked her sons and grandsons about their lives while Caesar listened quietly. She also inquired about her great-grandchildren, who were still too young to attend the family meeting.
The men reassured her that they were all doing well and that the old couple didn't need to worry. The Alejandro conglomerate was on the right track, and their business empire continued to expand.
Once Lourdes was satisfied that her sons and grandsons were doing well, it was time for the patriarch to speak.
"Roman, I heard that you made a partnership with the Araneto family and even secured a huge share in the development project of Una Town."
"That's right, Grandpa. It's a massive project, and the government gave us incentives and tax refunds. On top of that, Una Town has great potential. I've been there many times, and the town has strong economic growth."
"Hm, you're doing well. I'm proud of you."
"Yes, Grandpa." Roman smiled sincerely. These were the words he had longed to hear. He once thought his father and grandfather had abandoned him in the province, but he slowly realized that they had given him a chance to expand the family business in the Timog-Kanluran province and help the family prosper further. It was an opportunity to prove himself.
"However, I must remind you, stay away from political conflicts. I know what's happening in Timog-Kanluran. The Araneto and Patong families are killing each other, and the situation is getting bloodier by the week."
It wasn't even a secret. Almost anyone who understood politics had an idea of what was happening between the two families.
"Don't ever do anything illegal that could land you in jail." Caesar's voice was low and heavy as his sharp gaze locked onto his grandson.
"I'll keep that in mind, Grandpa. I promise."
Caesar then questioned the men one by one about their lives and business matters. It appeared that the entire family business was doing well, as each of them proudly presented their achievements, eager for approval.
Caesar was satisfied.
Until his eyes landed on Tonto, who was trying to keep a low profile.
"Tonto, when are you going to start living seriously and stop wasting your years?"
"Grandpa, I am living seriously. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine… really."
"Do I look like I'm joking right now?" Caesar's tone was sharp, his brows deeply furrowed.
"Grandpa, I—"
"Don't even try to fool me. Your parents and grandmother may tolerate you, but I don't. I don't like what you're doing."
Caesar scrutinized his youngest grandson. Tonto had black hair, just like everyone else in the family. However, he didn't inherit his mother's blue eyes. Instead, Tonto had pink eyes. At first, the family was confused about where his eye color came from, but Caesar's father also had pink eyes. Because of that, Caesar didn't find it strange. Tonto had likely inherited it from his great-grandfather, a recessive trait finally expressing itself.
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[Thank you for reading this novel.]