Burning Passion

CHAPTER 69: WHERE IS THIS PLACE?

THEO'S POV

Stepping out of the hotel, Roland has been waiting for him in the front door.

Headed back to his house, he is also going to his work. Half of the building has become his operating office here in Switzerland, the sister branch office of the Li-Shang Distributor Company in China.

Roland glanced at the rearview mirror before he spoke. "Master Shang, the Reynolds Winery House has contacted us for an emergency meeting tomorrow."

"Alright. Did the main branch email the final numbers of the orders?"

"I am waiting for their response today."

Theo lifted his head and flashes dark glare outside the car window. "Let me call them."

Arriving at the building, Theo rushed to get out of the car.

"Good morning, boss." Greeted by his five employees.

"Good morning," he returned plainly.

Before he could take a seat, he picked up the receiver phone and dialed the main branch office's telephone number.

"Hello? When do you plan to forward the orders? Tomorrow, I have a meeting with the Reynolds Winery, I need to hand over all of our orders."

Theo listens to the other lines' explanation.

"I don't care. I hate every time you will blame me when deliveries got delayed. I am always working my ass to beg the wine house to make extra orders all the time!"

It was just clear that they wanted to find reasons to reproach him if there are problems with the orders.

Theo argued further with the person on the other line who none other than, Chairman Nina Shang.

"Theo, it seems you have forgotten who you talk with?" The woman asks him coldly.

He feels annoyed. "Don't you think we better make our job easy and avoid creating issues?"

The other line heaves a sigh, then answered lazily. "All right. I will check on why they haven't handed you the orders yet. And give them a warning if this occurs again in the future."

"They better hurry. If they plotted to create a problem, then don't expect me to solve this," his threats.

Although Nina is his boss, he's not afraid of talking coldly and rudely at her. He rather resigned not only working at his family company but also to become a Shang. That is why he is pushing Nina to fire him instead. But the usual, Nina won't waste her energy on him. She was still thinking of using him for her better gain to the Clan.

In which since his grandfather fell ill, the entire clan showed interest to win the leadership in the family, and he had no interest to join the conflict between families.

Feeling the stress in the morning, he occupied himself to work the entire day and wishing it was night soon.

"Master Shang, a call from France informing us that there is a Board of Investors meeting in Paris next week," Roland reported.

"Alright, arrange all my appointments in the coming days."

More work, the better for him. Every day, there is nothing else he looks forward but ends his day with work, then starts the next day with work again.

"Roland, I will visit the family alone. You can go out tonight, don't bother to come home."

Hearing pleasant news, Roland bowed happily.

Theo knew he had a girlfriend. But since he is not interested in any relationship his employees had, his butler at the same assistant is not open to his personal life.

That evening, Theo drove toward the countryside to visit the Karson family.

"Uncle Theo!"

"Hey, buddy!"

"Hi!"

"Hello, Louisa. Here, a blueberry cake."

Theo handed the box to his cousin, the only family he has.

"Wow!"

His nephew Justin jumped on top of the sofa after hearing the cake he brought over.

"Nice! Perfect for dessert. We're halfway through cooking, then dinner time."

"Need help?" Theo offers a hand.

"Nah. Phil applying his chef touch, right now." Louisa winks at him.

"I see."

"Justin, how about accompanying your uncle?"

"Sure!"

He chuckles. "That is unnecessary, but I'll try to behave."

"Eh?" Justin gives him a funny reaction from his joke.

Theo messed up Justin's hair, then sat beside him. Justin is playing on his phone, the guy immersed in his game. Since Justin was enjoying his Mine Craft game, Theo takes out his sketch pad and pencil. Later on, he let his finger draw the lines until it creates a beautiful sketch.

"Wow! That was too nice, uncle!"

Theo looks up and surprised seeing Justin leaning on him now. "Do you think so?"

Looks like it engrossed him to what he draws at the moment, he didn't notice when Justin peek at what he had drawn.

"For whom that dress you drew, Uncle Theo?"

"Ah, this?" How he will explain this to this guy? "For my future girlfriend," he jokes. "Do you have a girlfriend?" he asked out of the blue.

"Eh? No! Girls are annoying." Justin is frowning now.

He chuckles. But it seems Justin only saying the opposite. Surely he has a crush at his school.

"Oh, well. I guess not all girls are annoying. Like your mama."

"Nope. Dad always complains mama is annoying, so we better keep a secret."

"Huh? A secret like what?"

"We're eating ice cream in the middle of the night which mama scolded us once she found us."

"Ah, it will destroy your tooth or hurt your stomach. Maybe that's why your mama got angry," he smiled. In his part, he has no memories of having a mother.

Even if they say that Nina Shang raised him like her actual son, but he remembered nothing. So, he can't relate to any as a child or having a complete family.

"What are you guys discussing?"

"Nothing, mama!" Justin gesturing at him not to tell what they talk about.

"All right, food is almost ready. Both of you can go to the dining hall soon."

"Then I will go get a bottle of wine."

"Sounds great!"

Theo gets out of the living room and heads to the Cellar, just next to the main house. He helps Phil built this Cellar that also stands as a guest room when he stays overnight or in a few days for holidays.

He could find peacefulness when he stays in the countryside rather than in the city.

Theo scanned the shelves. He must choose the low alcohol when the week just began for him. After choosing a fine wine, he brought it to the dining hall.

He is working for Nina Shang, which she owns, inherited from her family and his father invested at it as a matrimony gift after their wedding. Nina works hard until she turns it into her very own empire. Nina not only relying on the Shang fortune, but she is making her own.

"Here, I got a 5-year-old one."

"Great!"

After finishing his food, Justin left the adults to continue having their wine and talking business on the table.

"Hey, Theo. When do you plan to get a girlfriend?"

"What do you mean, Phil?" Theo doesn't like this kind of topic.

"How old are you now? Maybe you should look for someone you can live with?"

He laughs. "Are you suggesting for me to find someone even I don't love to have a company and a woman to my side?"

Now Louisa throwing daggers at her husband. "What are you trying to imply, Phil?"

"I— ah, that's not really what I meant. I am not saying that even he doesn't love that girl. Maybe he could find someone he would love, you know... That was my point here."

"Just ignore him, can you? If you don't want to marry someone you don't love, then that is no difference in don't go into a relationship when you have no deep feelings with the other party."

"And as for you, put yourself to what you were saying? How if I just marry you for my convenience that you can give me wealth and comfortable life?" Louisa scolded her husband.

"Forget what I said, Theo. I'm sorry if I mention that to you," Phil apologizes. He's truly sincere about it.

It's not because Luisa keeps kicking him under the table, but he realizes he made a mistake bringing up this kind of topic with the wife's presence. Maybe a one-on-one guy's talk.

Although the topic ended well, Theo did not forget about it yet. Maybe his life is lonely, but he can't come up to that idea of wasting his energy courting a woman when in the end, he wanted to get out in that relationship after he realizes he just made a mistake since in the beginning.

He agreed with Louisa. Also, the primary reason was his life is messed. He has big issues with his own family, and then he doesn't know what is his life like 20 years ago.

How can he start a family when everything is empty? How if after he cannot continue further, leaving is the option?

He doesn't want to be like his father. A big coward to face the supposed to be his responsibility as a father, setting an example to him to man up. Instead, he thought, his wealth is the answer to everything and will resolve the issues between them.

Theo parked his car, lazily got off from the vehicle. He glances at his house in which was dark, looks lonely like him.

Roland spends time with his girlfriend tonight, and so, he would be alone. That's good anyway. His assistant won't bother him in the morning.

Theo went straight to his bedroom and took a quick shower. Wearing just sweatpants, he strode to his secret room, then pick up the paintbrush. He hasn't finished yet.

He tries to remember carefully the details of her clothes.

She was wearing an off-shoulder blue dress, standing under a pink magnolia tree, and so he wonders.

Where is this place?