Burning Passion

CHAPTER 342: HEART TO HEART TALK WITH HER GRANDFATHER 

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Lunchtime… 

Sonny Li kept glancing at Nina and Harry who were seated on his left side. Annie, who was watching her uncle, noticed how the old man would open his mouth then closed and continued stuffing his mouth. Once again, he would lift his gaze and look at his left side. 

Irritated by how her uncle behaves, Annie could not take it anymore not to make a comment.

"Just spill out whatever you wanted to say to the kids, Uncle Sonny." 

Sonny, who was a little shocked, glared at Annie. Frowning, he cursed his niece inwardly for being nosy. True that he wanted to talk to his granddaughter. But he decided to do it in private, so that Annie could not hear it nor his wife, Nera. 

The people he shared the table looked in his direction, waiting for him to speak up. Pressured at the moment, Sonny Li coughs to clear his throat. 

He doesn't want to make a speech yet, but since Annie was here, his life has become harder. Annie always contradicts his decisions and complains if he does the opposite things. 

"I just wanted to talk to Nina alone in private," Sonny Li uttered afterward. 

However, Annie is the type of person who is persistent but in a good way. Annie rolled her eyes as she knew that her uncle was just making excuses. 

Of course, what she is doing is encouraging him to speak. But yes, she also wanted to listen to whatever he's going to tell Nina. She doesn't want to die in curiosity anyway.

One thing also, she will object if her uncle said unnecessary and worthless words. She still has no trust in how the old man thinks. 

"What's the difference uncle? I would still bug Nina about your conversation." 

Sonny Li widened his eyes. He already discerned that it would be the case, but he doesn't want to say it in front of Harry. 

Twitching his mouth, Sonny uttered, "I just wanted to talk to Nina before we left for Hawaii tomorrow." 

"Fine then." Annie gave up. She could not really force her uncle.

Later after lunch, Nina joins her grandfather in the garden. 

"Grandpa? Do you want to speak to me?" 

"Ah. Yes. Come sit next to me." Sonny Li gestured to space on his right side.

Nina put down the tray she carried. While she would listen to whatever her grandfather said to her, she was preparing green tea for the old man. 

"Nina, we are leaving tomorrow. Are you going to be okay with only Jessica here?" Sonny Li somehow worried about his granddaughter. Of course, he realized his shortcomings.

Nina replied, "A chef and a housemaid are here to take care of me, grandpa. Besides, Jessica also makes my favorite dishes and attends to my needs." 

"Hm. Great then." Sonny Li nothing to say further. But now that he has the opportunity to talk to his granddaughter. He should swallow his pride. 

It came to his realization that his heir is Nina. He was supposed to cherish his granddaughter and pampered her. Above all, to protect here. 

"Are you certain that you are okay here?" he asked one more time.

Nina laughs inwardly. Her grandfather is acting cute now. 

"You have nothing to worry grandpa," she assures him. She added, "Harry would not let anything happen to me." 

"Hm... Are you happy?" 

Nina nodded with a pretty smile on her face. If only she could tell her grandfather how happy she was now and the reason is Harry.

"Is it because of Harry?" Sonny Li doesn't have to guess. He witnessed how Harry and Nina look at each other. That is how two people look at someone he or she cherishes dearly.

Nina blushed. She nodded as a response as she had nothing to deny now. 

"Hm. Is he treating you right?" 

A little surprised by her grandpa's question, this actually made her smile. "Yes, grandpa. Harry is good to me ever since we're still kids." 

"But I'm asking now. Anyway, I'm glad to see you happy. Nina, can you forgive your grandfather?" 

Nina thought at first that her ears were playing in her. But looking at her blushing grandfather, she was hearing just fine. 

It was real that Sonny Li is apologizing to his granddaughter. 

"Grandpa, what are you saying now?" 

"I made a mistake. I could see that now. I thought things would go the same way. Nera, your grandmother. The truth is, she married me without love." 

She indeed was surprised. But Nina admires how her grandfather opens up to her now. So then, she listens keenly. It intrigues her to know the love story of her grandparents. 

"Before your grandmother was born. Master He, your great-grandfather from The family, will offer Nera as my wife. And because I'm also a kid by then. It excites me and thrilled that I already have a wife even before she was born. But then, Nera grows up hating me. She doesn't love me. But because she doesn't want to disappoint her family, she obediently married me and became my obedient wife." 

Nina tried to picture the scene in her head. Her grandparents got married without love. No. It seems that her grandfather Sonny is in love with her grandmother. 

"What did you do when you found out that grandma doesn't love you, grandpa?" 

"Honestly, I was rude by then. I told your grandmother Nera, that before she was born, she was already my wife. Her parents already promised that I will be her husband. So then, she could not escape from me. Whether she likes it or not. She is bound to me." 

Nina was astounded hearing her grandfather confessing to her. She was thinking about whether to be amazed. 

The marriage between her grandparents is only one side. But it amazed her that they last until now. 

"Grandpa, can I ask you something?" 

"Of course. What is it?" 

"Even after you knew that grandma doesn't love you. Did you force her to..." Nina bites her lower lip. She was shy to ask about this sensitive matter. But maybe her grandfather completely understood why she was really afraid to be married to Steven. 

Guilt struck Sonny hearing his granddaughter bravely open up with him. It seems that Steven is truly a bastard scumbag. And as a grandfather, he is stupid to believe him. Even Nera didn't love him, but he didn't force Nera to submit herself to him. 

"I waited for the right time that your grandma would accept me as her husband. I thought your relationship with Steven would be going well after you got married. Like what happen to me and your grandmother. But your father is right. You should marry the person you truly love. It's a mistake that I would force you on someone who could actually hurt you physically by forcing you to do things you don't like." 

"Grandpa, you said that you waited for grandma to accept you. It means you don't touch her as she doesn't like it. But Steven is forcing me, grandpa, and he never accepts that I don't want us to be intimate." 

"I am rude and bastard in some way. But I don't force a girl to be intimate with me." 

"I think that's what makes grandma like you." 

"Really? Do you think she likes me?" 

Nina would like to giggle that her grandfather is somewhat dense. It looks like he didn't see that he is special to his wife. 

Her grandfather respects her grandmother. Sonny Li is outrageous, but he is a gentleman to his wife. Maybe Nera loves Sonny Li. But the two are not showy to their feelings? 

Nina was contemplating when Nera showed up. Sonny was shocked that his wife was listening to their conversation. 

"Ne-- Nera... Did you hear what..." 

"You foolish old man!" Nera yelled. 

Sonny Li is confused. He could not discern what part his wife got angry at him. He pondered if Nera maybe got angry at him because he told Nina their secret love story. 

Of course, they keep a secret that Nera doesn't love him. On the surface, everyone could see that he and Nera had a good relationship. 

But when they are alone, Nera is cold to him. 

Seeing that Sonny remained silent, Nera continued. "Until now couldn't you see? What is the reason I stay in this marriage? Why haven't I divorced you after our children are older?" 

As usual, Sonny Li could not figure out the answer. Nera already knew how cunning a businessman her husband was but how slow he is when it comes to love. 

He said he loves her. But Sonny Li would not show it. He is not a sweet person. Be doesn't like displaying his affection to anyone, but he will be respectful to her. But of course. She wants Sonny to pamper her. To shower her with attention.. Not just the thought that she was his wife.