Part 8

Manhattan

Antony entered his father's study and saw the elderly man sitting in his chair, looking serious about his reading.

"What did you call me here for?" He asked as he sat down on the plush leather sofa opposite his father's desk.

"There's no reason. I just want to see my son's face, is that not allowed?" Arthur asked back as he closed the book he was reading and looked at his son's face intently behind his glasses.

Antony did not answer his father. Since his first marriage failed, Antony rarely visited his parents' home even though they were in the same city. Shame made him keep his distance from his own children and parents.

"Is there something serious you want to talk about?" Antony asked curiously. "That's usually what happens when you 'intentionally' call me here." Antony said with a flat expression to which Arthur responded with a mocking grin.

"Things are 'serious' to me, but maybe not that serious to you." Arthur said as he leaned his back against the back of the chair. "Honestly, I want to know. How long are you going to live like this?" Arthur asked straight to the point.

The man in his early sixties finally left his chair and walked over to his only son.

"You're obviously not young anymore and your daughter, Flavia, is about to become an adult. Although she has never spoken her mind, I know that your daughter needs a mother figure. My presence and your mother's are not enough for her."

Antony could guess where this was going. But he was reluctant to respond and chose to remain silent.

"Aren't you planning to get married again?" Arthur asked curiously.

Antony was silent with his gaze fixed on Arthur and the man answered his father's question with a shake of his head.

"I haven't thought about it." Antony replied flatly.

"Then when are you going to think about it? Are you only going to give me and your mother one grandchild? Aren't you going to give us a grandson to carry on our family name? Your family name?" Asked his father again. Still in his gentle voice. "Your daughter Flavia will eventually marry and take her husband's family name. Then, when I am gone. When you are gone, our family name will no longer be recognized in the business world. It will all sink, disappear and be forgotten." His father continued.

Antony was silent. However, his father was right. The good name that had been built by his family-especially by his father-must not end with him. Everything had to continue. There had to be descendants of Arthur Quirino who would continue the decades-old business.

"Actually, I don't want to make a big deal out of this. Whether you have a boy or a girl is the destiny God has given you. It's just that I'm thinking of Flavia.

"You never know how much that child needs her parents' love. It's enough that you feel hurt because of what 'that woman' did. But that doesn't mean you should punish your innocent child for the sin her mother committed.

"I could still accept your attitude in the early years of your separation. But this has gone on too long, Antony. You have no idea how much your daughter misses you. Every time she's sick, she thinks of you. Not once did she cry in your mother's arms because she missed your embrace.

"She never told us or you. But no matter how much love we give her, it won't be enough and won't be able to replace yours. All she wants is you."

"I love her." Antony replied firmly.

"Yes, I know. But what she needs is not what you're doing right now. If it's just giving her what she wants financially, even we can do that without her having to ask you. She just wants you to pay attention to her. Love her. Hug her. How hard can it be, Antony?"

"Pa..."

"If you can't give her your presence and affection, at least give her a mother figure who can love her. Or a sister or brother who can accept her outbursts of affection and longing." Arthur replied in a rather pleading tone.

A name suddenly occurred to Arthur. A name that his granddaughter had been mentioning a lot lately. The girl Arthur believed was the person not only his granddaughter needed, but also his only son.

Claire.

Arthur had never met Claire Hampton, who had recently become the love interest of his granddaughter. But he knew the girl's surname for a long time because the girl's late father turned out to be his business partner. And in the end, his curiosity made Arthur finally ask for data related to Claire Hampton.

Arthur Quirino's only hope as a father is to see his son love someone again and end up having a happy life. One failure doesn't mean he will fail forever. There is always a next step that will lead to success, right?

"There is no such thing as a stepmother who will truly love her stepdaughter, Pa. Don't forget the story of Cinderella and Snow White." Antony said harshly. His body stiffened, as stiff as his hardened jaw.

Arthur Quirino massaged his temples slowly. "It's just a fairy tale, Antony. Not every stepmother in the world is evil." He said weakly.

Arthur Quirino was feeling restless. At his age, he should be enjoying his old age with his beloved wife. But in fact, he is still worried about the future of his only son and the fate of his granddaughter.

After all, what parent wouldn't want to see their child happy. Arthur knew the wounds from Antony's past were still unhealed. He knew that being betrayed hurt more than being left for dead. But that doesn't mean his son has to stay alone until the man dies, right?

Arthur let out another long sigh. His head was spinning as he searched for a way to make his beloved granddaughter happy. Flavia was clearly in desperate need of a mother, and Antony didn't look like he was going to give her one.

What kind of wife should he look for? Antony was right, no stepmother would love a stepdaughter wholeheartedly-maybe only one in ten-especially if the stepmother was not loved by her own husband. No clear-minded woman would willingly marry a man just to love a stepdaugther, let alone a teenager on the verge of adulthood who some might think would be a source of trouble because of the mischief she would create.

And obviously, no woman would suddenly be willing to take care of a teenager like her own daughter without a companion. Except maybe a woman who can't give birth.

So how is that different from finding a baby sitter? And it's not a baby sitter that Flavia needs. She needed a mother. She needs mom's love. She needs the love of her parents as a whole.

"How is your relationship with that model?" Arthur voiced his thoughts again.

"Anastasia?" Antony asked back, frowning. His father nodded his head slowly. "She has nothing to do with me. Our dealings are purely business. One of the marketing strategies to raise the name of our company." He said flatly.

"Then, you should stop seeing her before she makes trouble. You never know what a woman will do when she's obsessed with something."

"You just calm down. I never did anything to her. So the possibility of her doing something out of the ordinary doesn't exist."

"Be careful, Antony. You never know what a woman has in mind." Arthur Quirino warned. Antony just looked at his father in silence.

Arthur Quirino was still looking at his son. Even if Antony did love the woman named Anastasia and married her, Arthur wouldn't have refused. But he clearly knew that a woman like Anastasia was not a woman who could be the mother his granddaughter needed.

A woman like Anastasia is a woman who cares about wealth and social status. She is a woman who always wants to be adored. She wants attention, not care, let alone affection.

She is just the type of woman who is more concerned about herself. Loving herself. As for Flavia, the girl needed a mother figure who could fully care for her and love her.