Chapter 820

chapter820

The elderly woman hurried to open the door, only to find that it wasn't just Roseanne standing on the porch. Beside her was a young man, strikingly handsome and composed, whose presence seemed to fill the entryway.

For a moment, Geneva and her husband froze, then quickly exchanged a glance.

Geneva wasted no time. She swept her gaze over Owen Reynolds from head to toe, taking in every detail, then turned to her granddaughter with a twinkle in her eye. "Anne, and who might this be? Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Before Roseanne could respond, Owen Reynolds stepped forward with an easy confidence. "Hello, sir, ma'am. My name is Owen Reynolds-I'm a friend of Roseanne's."

He met their scrutiny with a calm, steady air that put everyone at ease.

Neely arched an eyebrow. "Reynolds? As in... the family of Ferdinand Reynolds?"

Owen nodded. "That's right. I heard you'd returned to the country recently. My father actually wanted to come pay his respects, but I managed to beat him to it." "If memory serves, the Reynolds family has three sons. Where do you fit in?"

"I'm Norris. I have two older brothers."

"The one in research?"

"Yes, that's me." A friendly smile played on Owen's lips.

Geneva's eyes lit up. "So you and our Anne are in the same field?"

Neely chuckled. "How else do you think they met?"

The moment Geneva realized Owen Reynolds was the renowned physicist, her delight was impossible to hide. Parents-and grandparents-always carried a special fondness for accomplished young people.

"Owen, it's so late already, and you went out of your way to bring Anne home. Why don't you stay for a simple dinner with us?"

Owen had only intended to escort Roseanne to the door-anything else would feel presumptuous. But now, with Geneva's unexpected invitation, he hesitated. After all, this was a family meal. "I'd hate to impose."

"Nonsense! You're not imposing at all. It's freezing out, and it gets dark so early these days-I'd worry about Anne making her way home alone. Besides, it's not every day she brings a friend over. You're the first you know! You'd make us feel like

strangers if you refused."

Listening to this, Roseanne couldn't help but feel like a little kid bringing a friend home for a playdate her grandmother's pride was palpable, as if she'd finally grown up and learned how to make friends.

She flashed Owen a warm smile. "Grandma's right. It's cold out-stay for dinner. That way, you can give me a ride home later too."

With both Roseanne and her grandparents insisting, Owen's polite refusals crumbled, and he agreed to stay.

He had barely settled in when a new sound drifted in from outside-a car engine. A moment later, Corley strode through the door, kicking off his shoes and calling out, "Grandpa, Grandma, I'm back. Has Anne arrived yet? Need me to pick her up?"

"No need, no need," Neely replied cheerfully. "Everyone's here.

Everyone?

Corley paused and glanced up-only to spot Owen Reynolds sitting comfortably on the sofa. His expression darkened instantly.

Geneva, oblivious to the tension, introduced them with undisguised excitement. "Corley, come say hello. This is Anne's friend-"

"We've met, Grandma." Corley cut her off, his voice low.

"Oh, you know each other? Even better! You young folks must have plenty to talk about. Make yourselves comfortable, I'll go check on dinner." With that, Geneva bustled off to the kitchen.

Corley sat on the far end of the couch, barely glancing at Owen before turning away. Owen seemed equally uninterested in conversation-there was a good amount of space between them.

Roseanne, meanwhile, was chatting easily about the family's impressive collection of physics books. As soon as she mentioned some rare editions, Owen's curiosity was piqued and he was all ears.

Corley, having nothing to add to this discussion, pulled out his tablet and began tending to work emails. Still his attention kept drifting back to Roseanne and Owen the way she laughed, the way he spoke so confidently.

In the kitchen, Geneva found herself with little to do. The household staff had already prepped the ingredients; all that remained was for her to stir-fry a few dishes. Only one pot of soup still simmered on the stove.