“I go give the old retainer a visit tomorrow morning before I head into the office. Do you want to tag along Nadius?”

“I have to go into the city to attend some events we RSVP-ed with Sheng Mei, but we were planning to swing around before he headed back to China. Speaking of the time, I should go head to catch the last train.” With that, Nadius rose and left Henry in the wake of his dark thoughts.

Alone with his thoughts in the living room he floundered. The most realistic solution to the problem was to marry within the circle of families he had been a part of since he was young. To marry one of those daughters, have a huge society wedding, and then have some kids to carry on the legacy felt wrong to him. He didn’t want to be simply a sperm donor to some girl he didn’t care for. He didn’t aspire to be one of those husbands women mooched off for shopping money and to throw lavish parties. He wanted a woman who would be faithful solely to him. He knew he was old fashioned in that sense, but the thought of having a son and not knowing bothered him.

Despite Nadius’s distaste of her idea, to be a widower would be easier than a marriage with a woman used to wealth. The former would give him time and energy to pursue Nadia and convince her he was the man she needed in her life. But Mrs. Whitehouse, as kind as her offer had been, was definitely off the table for now. He agreed with Nadius’s assessment on this matter as he did not want to deal with her money hungry children. It would straddle him with more complications rather than the freedom he so desired from the ropes that bound him.

The arrogance he had sought to tame surged forth again as he looked about his swanky digs. He had built this with his own hands and he would be damned if he let Thomas Liu’s grubby hands even touch his property. His daughter could get married to some other suitable gentlemen. He might never get the actress’s adoration or Wong Industries, but he would not let some crazy will take away his hard earned money.

No matter what he would find a way out -- even if he lost something in the process.

=//=