After breakfast, as Justin was preparing to leave, Andrew spoke up. "Albert, I should head out too. Julia’s in the city, and I need to meet her."
Albert sighed, visibly reluctant to see his friend go. "Hmm, well, I can’t argue when it’s about your sister."
Natalie quickly jumped in, sensing the mood. "Grandpa, you need to return to the hospital anyway. How about I take you there while Aiden takes Grandpa Andrew with him?"
She wanted to create and opportunity for Justin and Andrew to talk and clear things.
"That seems like a good idea," and looked at Justin, "You won’t be late for work, will you, Aiden?"
"It’s no trouble," Justin replied, only to see Albert to grin with pride and say to his friend, "See? Such a respectful, dutiful young man my grandson-in-law is. Always considerate of us elders."
Andrew offered a genuine nod to it as he knew Justin in fact was a well mannered young man. The way he took care of Julia, and loved her, he had seen it in person when he visited Justin along with Julia in the other country where Justin was studying and staying. freёwebnovel.com
As Justin and Andrew stepped outside together, Andrew broke the silence. "I have a car downstairs, but I think you owe me an explanation before we get there."
"How about we go to a nearby coffee house and talk, Grandpa?" Justin suggested as they entered the elevator.
Andrew glanced at him, narrowing his eyes. "Grandpa? You remember I’m your grandfather, do you?"
"I’m sorry, Grandpa," Justin replied with a polite smile. "I had to call you Mr. Andrew in front of Natalie’s grandfather."
The older man let out a deep sigh. "You’d better have a good explanation for all this. Otherwise, I’ll bring Julia here and let her see how her ’precious’ grandson has gotten himself ’married’ to an innocent girl under a fake identity."
"It’s not what it looks like, Grandpa," Justin said, keeping his voice steady. "I promise I’ll explain everything."
At the nearby coffee house, Justin explained everything to Andrew, except for one key detail—that Natalie was actually his stepsister. He wasn’t sure if Julia wanted that information revealed yet.
Instead, he recounted how Natalie had shown up with a marriage certificate bearing the name of a man who looked exactly like him. He explained how he had agreed to help her solve the mystery of this look-alike, and how they had ended up playing the role of husband and wife for the sake of her ailing grandfather, Albert.
"...Once Mr. Ford’s health improves, Natalie plans to come clean and explain everything to him," Justin finished.
Andrew thought about it, he himself felt shocked at the course of these events.
"I won’t say anything to Albert," Andrew said after a pause, "but you need to tell him soon. The longer this goes on, the harder it will be for him to accept the truth. Can’t you see how happy he is? He thinks you’re really Natalie’s husband."
"I know," Justin replied, sighing. "But I’ll leave it to Natalie. She understands her grandfather best."
As Justin walked away, Andrew sat in silence for a moment, musing to himself. Justin and Natalie really do look good together, he thought, recalling the way they’d exchanged glances earlier—like two people genuinely in love. He sighed. Only if she wasn’t already married to that other man.
-----
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother