A message popped up on the phone screen. René Alejandro read it without any change in his impassive expression. The message was short and his reply was equally short. After checking that the new phone was working perfectly fine, he placed it on top of his office desk almost carelessly, not bothering about it anymore.
Then there was the sound of a ringing phone. This time, it was from his personal local number that he had been using since arriving in the country. The phone was also new, something he had to buy a few days ago because the previous one was no longer usable.
He answered the phone.
“Hello, René Alejandro? How have yooooouuuu been? Are you okaaaaay? Are you still awaaaaaake? Am I booooooothering you?”
“Mamá, my thanks for your kindness, and no, you are not bothering me,” René Alejandro replied to his step-mother, Wei Lan, in a gentle and respectful voice. “I’m not asleep yet. I’m doing very well. This country has so many excellent places to visit that my brothers and I have been enjoying ourselves travelling to different attractions. The people are also friendly and very welcoming to us. We already feel at home. Mamá is also doing well, yes?”
“That’s good to hear that you and your friends have been enjooooooying yourselves! And oh yes, of cooooouuuurse! I’m still faaaaaabulous like always! Raaaaaandy doll and I have been shopping all week and we bought some niiiiiiiiiice things for you! I’m suuuuuuuure that they’ll look gooooooood on you because you’re sooooo handsome and charming and manly just like your faaaaather! When are you freeeeeeee?”
“Anytime is good, Mamá.”
“Excellent! By the waaaaaay, I’m calling you this late because Raaaaaandy doll and I have been soooooooo busy planning a charity dinner to raise money for my daughter’s Iris of Hope foundaaaaaaation next weekend. We’re hosting the event on short notice because I just thought about it laaaaast night with Raaaaaandy doll!” Wei Lan laughed as if it was the funniest thing in the world.
René Alejandro didn’t understand what was so funny but he didn’t say anything and just waited for the woman to finish what she was talking about. He was already used to her long drivels anyway. His father’s wife could be irritating most of the time but she was actually a very harmless creature, even adorable sometimes.
Also despite her infamy as a greedy and materialistic social climber who changed wealthy lovers like she was changing her clothes, she was surprisingly well-connected to several high society circles. Her connections might not be considered tight but just knowing so many important and influential people was enough merit for a woman who started off as a struggling model in her youth.
When viewed in a positive light, Wei Lan was definitely a success story. She was someone who used all of her assets—beauty and seductive charms—to achieve all of her dreams and live the high life.
Wei Lan continued chattering, not at all bothered that her step-son was remaining silent. To her, this meant that he was a great listener just like his father, her vizconde husband. The father and son might not be blood-related as René Alejandro was an adopted child but the two were actually very similar to each other.
They gave off the same aura that made Wei Lan always feel amazed by the two of them. It was a similar feeling to how she felt whenever facing her son-in-law, Jin Liwei, one of the most impressive men that she had ever met in her life. However, Jin Liwei was quite intimidating while her husband and step-son were very warm and affectionate people.
“René Alejandro, I hoooooope that you can attend my charity dinner! I’ll send you an invitation. You can also briiiiiiiing your friends. The more, the merrier, riiiiiiiiight? I’ll introduce you to some people. Everyone has been soooooooooo curious about you ever since they learned that you’re here in the country! I’ve been telling others sooooooo much about yoooooou and your faaaaather!”
He smiled, making his two dimples appear on both cheeks, while his eyes flashed with something unreadable. “Of course, I’ll attend. Mamá has invited me so enthusiastically that it would be rude of me not to come, no? This is also for charity, something that our family has always been very passionate about. It is only right that I join you to help raise money for my sister’s foundation. Will Iris and Liam attend the charity dinner as well? I should be meeting them soon, no?”
Wei Lan released a long, dramatic sigh. “I already called the two of them, but they decliiiiiiiiiined to personally attend the charity dinner on such shoooooort notice! They say that they’ll just send someooooone else to represent them. I was soooooooo upset but Raaaaaaandy doll comforted me and said that my daughter and son-in-law are currently embroiled in a stuuuupid drama with that…I forgot her name. Oh Raaaaaandy doll, what’s the name of that horny slut again who wants to steal dear Liwei from Xiulan? Is it Daisy Yoon? Lily Yum? I knooooow it’s something flower.”
There was a muffled voice on the other end of the line. It was Randy answering her.
“Oh, so it’s Rose Young. What an unoriginal naaaaaame! Soooooo common, just like her looks! No wonder I caaaaan’t remember her name! Whooooo does she thiiiiiink she is? She can’t even compare to my daughter’s beauty who is soooooooo goooooorgeous just like meeeeeee, her mother! Thank gooooooodness that dear Liwei wasn’t dumb to fall for that slut’s brainless trap!
“Anyway, my deeeeaaaar René Alejandro. You won’t be able to meet Xiulan and dear Liwei at the charity dinner but I’ll make suuuuuuure that you’ll meet them another time. Sooooooon, I promise. We’ll visit them at their Dragon Palace maaaaansion and have dinner with them. Oh, they have the most stunniiiiiiiiiing home that I’ve ever seeeeeeeen in this country! I can’t wait for yooooouuuu to see it! I wanted to buuuuy our house at Dragon Palace too but the current owners don’t want to sell. One reluctantly gave me a price but does he think I’m stuuuupid to pay that much money for just one property?! Ugh!”
René Alejandro drummed his fingers on his desk. “It’s fine, Mamá. Speaking of our house, when is our place going to be ready?”
