Word that Landon Hawthorne had thrown Aria Sterling out reached the old master at the Hawthorne family estate. The old man was furious. He slammed his hand on the table. "Go and drag Landon back here for me!"
This was the first time Alexander Hawthorne had ever been so furious with Landon. The butler, however, was hesitant. "Sir, Mr. Landon… we wouldn't dare to just grab Mr. Landon…"
Landon was the jewel of the Hawthorne family. Even when his previous fiancées had either died or run off, the old master had never been this angry.
But this time, the old master had truly lost his temper.
He roared, "I'm telling you to go and get him. If he dares to resist, then tie him up! You must bring him back to me!"
The butler didn't dare hesitate and immediately went to arrange for men.
At five in the afternoon, Landon Hawthorne was brought back.
Just as the butler had suspected, Landon knew this was about Aria Sterling and had been unwilling to return, even getting into a fight with the men his father had sent.
Ultimately, remembering the old master's orders, they injected Landon with a sedative and tied him up before carrying him back.
"Lock him in the backyard. Let him cool off for a bit," Alexander Hawthorne said angrily.
But less than ten minutes after his men had thrown Landon into the storage shed in the backyard, before he had even finished a cup of tea, Alexander Hawthorne got up and went to the backyard himself.
Landon wasn't unconscious, just weak and completely at their mercy.
This was the first time in his life he'd been tied up and tossed into such a filthy, messy room. He was furious, but the moment he remembered it was his own father's order, he couldn't be bothered to shout anymore.
'My dad will come for me eventually.'
CREAK… The door to the storage shed opened, and Alexander Hawthorne walked in.
With his hands and feet bound and his body devoid of strength, Landon couldn't even be bothered to open his eyes.
It was Alexander who pointed at him, asking angrily, "Landon, do you really think that just because I spoil you, I can't bring myself to punish you?"
Landon kept his mouth shut, playing dumb.
"Landon, I'm talking to you! Are you deaf or dumb?" Alexander roared irritably. "What's so bad about Aria Sterling? Why did you have to drive her away? Do you think it's some kind of honor to be unable to find a wife and die a bachelor? Still putting on your high-and-mighty act? Was everything you promised me just a bunch of crap?"
"Think about me! Think about your mother! Your mother loved you so much. She was the only daughter in her family, and she passed away from illness not long after giving birth to you. Do you want her family line to end with you? This is a heinous sin! In ancient times, this would be called unfilial."
"And what about Aria? She's beautiful, polite, well-mannered, gentle, and obedient. Even with you being the way you are, she's still willing to bear your child. What more could you possibly want? Why did you have to drive her away?"
If he had been talking about anything else, Landon could have just stayed silent. After all, he was in the wrong.
But the moment Aria was mentioned, Landon couldn't hold it in any longer. He retorted, "That woman is the queen of the 'white lotus' act. She's a great pretender. All that 'well-behaved and obedient' stuff is completely fake."
"Nonsense!" Alexander didn't believe a word of it. "Who's met more people, you or me? Who could possibly fool my eyes? Aria is just a young woman. She does whatever we say, agrees to whatever we ask. Even your older brother said she's a good girl and that being with you would be a complete waste."
"She only came to me for the money! I look down on women like that!" Landon continued to talk tough.
Alexander was so angry he raised his hand to slap him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He finally lowered it. "Landon, are you short on money? No one in the Hawthorne family is going to fight you for the inheritance. The entire Hawthorne fortune will be yours one day. Are you worried about that little bit of money?"
Landon was speechless. "…"
He had a point, but the fact remained that he just didn't like Aria Sterling.
He could tolerate the woman pretending to be obedient and cute. But Aria had trespassed in his room, seen his unhinged side, and even watched him with a smirk on her face when she saw he'd been drugged. That feeling… it made him feel utterly defiant, filling him with an inexplicable revulsion.
There was another reason. For a girl her age to ignore proper pursuits and instead dabble in all sorts of baseless, spiritual nonsense—it was like she was deliberately stepping on all his landmines.
Landon had despised charlatans and phony mystics since he was a child. To him, Aria's entire existence was a minefield of his pet peeves.
Even with all his money, he didn't want it wasted on someone like her.
"I don't care. I've already kicked Aria Sterling out," Landon said stubbornly. "Dad, it's not that I want the Hawthorne family line to end, and it's not that I truly dislike women. I just want to find a woman whose values align with mine, a soulmate. I want my child to be born out of anticipation and love. I just can't accept you finding some random woman for me to sleep with and get pregnant just to have my child."
"It seems you still haven't faced reality!" Alexander wouldn't listen to a word of it. He said coldly, "Aligned values? A soulmate? Your fate is to die alone! You have no luck with women. Before Aria, your other halves either died or ran away. I really don't know what you're still fantasizing about!"
Roasted by his own father, Landon was defenseless. "Dad, that's just superstition."
"Superstition my ass! After your first fiancée died, I had someone read your fortune, and that's exactly what they said! Facts have proven it's true!" said Alexander Hawthorne.
"It was just a coincidence."
Alexander had lost his patience. He asked forcefully, "Let me ask you one last time. Are you going to be with Aria Sterling or not?"
"Impossible!" Landon's jaw tightened, his attitude resolute.
"Then you can stay in here and sober up," Alexander said coldly, then left.
The moment the door closed, Landon suddenly yelled, "Dad, I haven't even had lunch!"
"Skipping one meal won't kill you."
Landon was speechless. "…"
'See? See? Aria is my bad luck charm.'
'Ever since she showed up, nothing has gone right. Damn it all.'
Alexander returned to the main courtyard, growing angrier the more he thought about it. But then it suddenly occurred to him that Landon hadn't eaten lunch. He instructed the butler, "Send someone to buy some of Landon's favorite dishes and deliver them to him. Just let him eat in the storage shed."
There wasn't enough time to cook now; buying takeout was quicker and easier.
Hearing this, the butler immediately went to see to it.
Half an hour later, the food arrived and was delivered to Landon by a dedicated bodyguard.
Landon's expression darkened. His old man was really playing hardball this time.
After eating his meal in an unhurried manner, Landon regained some of his strength and planned to escape.
But the old master had anticipated this. The bodyguard immediately pinned him to the ground.
Soon, Alexander Hawthorne arrived. Seeing his younger son pinned to the ground and unable to move, he sneered, "You think I don't know what you're thinking, you brat? Do you really think your old man has gone senile?"
"Dad, forcing me like this won't end well," Landon said, utterly frustrated.
'For Aria Sterling, of all people, his own father was resorting to violence against him.'
"Tie him up," Alexander said coldly. "Keep him tied up until he gives in."
Hearing this, Landon grew frantic. "Dad, I have several meetings, a few contracts! I'm swamped!"
"Your older brother will handle them for you."
When playing hardball didn't work, Landon tried a softer approach. "My wrists are getting bruised from the ropes. I'm your own son! How can you treat your own son like this?"