The room slowly faded into darkness.
After what felt like forever, Stephen lowered his head and stared blankly at the watch on his wrist.
After a long pause, he took it off and placed it carefully into the watch box.
The moment he shut the lid, his eyes brimmed with tears.
Crying was unfamiliar to him. The feeling hit him so suddenly that he had no idea how to handle it.
Tears rolled down his face, landing softly on the box.
The darkness hid the redness in his eyes, while the moonlight cast a glow over his lonely figure.
…
On Saturday, the Webb family visited the Jacobson residence.
As one of the most prestigious families in Rivertown, the Webbs had a rich history in education and literature.
Thomas Webb was a professor of literature at Rivertown University. His wife, Aria Clark, was a well-known contemporary essayist.
Their only son, Owen Webb, worked for the government. He was married to Ella Lewis, a respected novelist and a member of the National Writers' Association.
Owen and Ella had a daughter together, named Jocelyn Webb. She graduated from Jordanville University, the nation's top institution, with both a bachelor's and a master's degree.
Aria and Rowena had known each other for years. On top of that, the Webb family and the Jacobson family often crossed paths because of Owen's work.
Last year, Aria invited Rowena to a banquet to enjoy the blooming of spring blossoms. That was when Rowena met Jocelyn, and the former immediately took a liking to Jocelyn's poise and elegance.
After returning home, she couldn't stop thinking about setting Stephen up with Jocelyn.
The Jacobsons weren't lacking in wealth. So, Rowena preferred intellectual families like the Webbs over the wealthy Yates family.
When Rowena shared her idea with Aria, they were on the same page.
It clicked instantly. This wasn't just a casual family dinner. Rowena had set him up on a date.
As they spoke, Jacqueline had already spotted him.
She walked over with an anxious expression. "Stephen, Ms. Webb is here. Grandma is trying to set you up on a date. You should come up with an excuse and get out of here."
Just then, Rowena's voice rang out. "Stephen, you're back?"
Jacqueline stiffened instantly.
With Jocelyn supporting her, Rowena made her way over with a smile. "Stephen, you're finally home. We've been waiting for you."
Stephen glanced at Jocelyn before casually turning to Rowena. "Grandma, what a coincidence. There's an urgent project at the company that needs my attention. I won't be staying for dinner. I just dropped by to grab a document from Dad's study."
Rowena's sharp gaze locked onto him. She spoke calmly, "It's only Saturday. The company isn't even open today. I'm a board director and a shareholder. Any urgent projects would need board approval. How come I haven't heard a word about this?"
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The readers' comments on the novel: His Unveiled Passion
Are the chapters messed up? I mean, I think the recent chapters were posted twice?...