Burning Passion

CHAPTER 297: CONFLICT OF FATHER AND SON

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Nina couldn't contain her joy when they finally moved to their own home. Today, they were decorating the house, arranging the furniture with the help of their friends. 

Steven frowned when Harry arrived. But he could not throw a tantrum and confronted his brother about why he came. Harry accompanied their mother, who brought a lot of dishes. 

They were resting in the living room after a merry lunch when someone arrived.

"Jessica!" Nina screamed. "I missed you, so!" she cried, so Jessica did as well, hugging each other tightly. They were apart for months, and it took for Jessica to get her Working US Visa.

"Miss Nina! I missed you, too!" said Jessica, she whispered, "I'm so worried about you." 

Nina beamed. She replied Jessica, with a low voice. "I'm fine. Mama and Papa were here. I'm so happy that you are here as well!" 

"I do too, Miss!" Jessica dried her eyes. She suddenly realizes that there are more people in the living room. 

Later, when another person entered the main door, Nina rushed to meet the woman. 

"Hello!" 

"Aunt Annie!" Nina threw her arms around Annie, she cried. This woman is her angel. 

Annie chuckled, she patted her niece's back. She understood why Nina is crying now. It also relieved her that her cousin Nelson and wife Dona did not delay their flight and came as soon as possible. 

"Ah… Stop crying! You want your Aunt to mess up her makeup?" Nina laughs after hearing Annie's joke. "There… Do you know how lonely I've become? I missed my doll, so much! No one I dress up anymore." 

"I missed you too, Aunt Annie!" Nina wiped her tears. "Thank you for accompanying Jessica and taking care of her documents." 

"No problem, dear." Pursed a warm smile, she squeezes Nina's hand. She was glad that her niece looked fine after she left England. 

Every night, she could not sleep properly, worrying about Nina. She just felt relieved when Dona sent her a letter after they arrived in the US… 

Annie traveled her gaze to every face in that room. "Sam! Good to see you, dear." 

"Hi, Mrs. Grant!" Sam greeted the woman who helped them a lot during their stay in England.

Annie nodded, her eyes shifted to Steven, who widened his smile.

"Hello, Aunt Annie! I'm glad to see you," beaming, Steven bowed politely. 

Annie lost mood upon seeing Steven. But she doesn't want to look rude. She nodded at him, pushed a thin smile, then moved her attention to the person next to him. 

"Hello, sister Nina's Aunt!" Seth waved at the woman who tore a big smile at him. 

Annie asked, "Hi! And you are?" 

"Seth Lindsey at your service! Adopted brother of...." Seth didn't finish his words when Steven smacks his back. 

He blurted out, "Don't dare say you are our adopted brother!" 

Scratching the back of his head, Seth explained. "Ehhh? You are wrong! I will say I am sister Nina's adopted brother! I want to live here from now on!" 

Everyone laughed, including Annie. But she doesn't like what Steven did to Seth. Even though she knew it was just a normal interaction between the boys, she could not stop herself from feeling stern towards Steven. Her blood is boiling seeing this man's face. But not Harry. 

Annie glanced in Harry's direction. She gave him a friendly smile. "Hello, Harry! How are you?" she asked cheerfully.

"I am fine, Aunt Annie. Welcome to New Jersey." 

"Thank you!" 

The other boys, Lee and Ashton, and the girls, Nina introduced them to her one by one. Mely, who was with Dona upstairs, was delighted to see her. They notice that there is another voice aside from the kids downstairs. 

"Annie! Is that you?" Mely asked the woman. They went to the same Academy for girls before, and their family is good friends. But during college, Mely remained in China, and Annie went to England.

Recognizing the woman behind Dona, Annie burst out. "Oh my, sister Mely!" 

The two women hugged each other and cried. Annie wiping her face carefully after her makeup runs down her cheek. 

"It's been too long since I've seen you!" 

Annie nodded. She blew a loud sneeze behind a tissue paper. "Over two decades. My eldest Greg is twenty-three soon." 

"Oh, right! Korin mentioned your son to me! Wait… I guess that two are…" 

Annie concurred, "I think so too! My son sends letters every week!" 

"Ah. Alicia told me about it. Don't worry, Uncle Oliver is not strict about statuses in life. He gives her children and grandchildren freedom choosing who they want to love." 

"I was relieved of hearing that. I know Greg has no girlfriend or going on dates since he met Korin. My son is serious about your niece." 

"Korin is a nice girl. In her young age, she was already a responsible lady." 

The three women talked until evening. After a joyous dinner, Mely goes home with Steven while Harry is tailing them. 

"Steven, I think you and Harry do not need to have separate rooms." 

Mely took this opportunity to talk with Steven. Now that the Li family is moving out and have their own house. It's time for the twin brothers to fix their relationship and reconcile. 

"Ma, I want to have my room. It will be our room once Nina and I get married." Steven wears a long face, answering his mother. He actually doesn't enjoy talking about him and Harry. He cares less about Harry as only he wants to happen now is for Nina's father to agree with the marriage soon. "How about if Nina and I buy a house of our own? It will be our first home before I could afford to buy her a mansion." 

"Stop talking nonsense! Who is going to live in the mansion?" 

"It's not, Ma! And it's not right that after Nina and I wed, we will live with Harry." 

"But that house is too big. Even after Harry gets married, that house has too many rooms. You can have the third floor while Harry was on the second floor. We can renovate the rooms..." 

"I insist, Ma. I won't stay under the same roof as Harry, after Nina and I become husband and wife."

Mely glanced at her son. Steven sounded truly serious about it. But she could not tell him that his father doesn't support his plans. Every time she would think about it, her heart broke. 

At the moment, all Steven has as the backing is his great-grandfather. It worries her that the conflict between the twins added to a conflict of father and son. 

What will she do if that happens? She doesn't like to take sides among her family. Mely heaves a long sigh in silence.. It seems things are getting complicated.