Almond was left dumbfounded on his sit, he didn't know which expression to have, he remembered Nicholas reporting her to be a calm and reserved lady although he also made mention of her not agreeing to this marriage, Almond was beyond shocked towards her attitude he didn't expect her to have this much detest for marriage.
He kept thinking whether he's the problem or she generally doesn't want to get marry, he felt it should be the latter cause why would he be the problem, he's not poor neither is he terminally ill she doesn't even look like someone who would fall in love because of wealth, she doesn't seems like someone easily swayed by material things or is it visual ? Does he look ugly to her? No it must not be or she wouldn't have that stunned look when he entered or has he been too preoccupied with work that he forgot his body and health while wondering he could only bring out his phone and did what he hasn't done in years, he took a picture!
Although, Almond find doing that as very awkward but he won't be able to rest until he confirm that he's not the problem to her aversion, he decide to send the picture to chat group open by his buddies and that's when he realized that he hasn't replied any of their messages over the last few days, he felt a headache coming in as they'll surely nag again, he also agreed that he is someone who doesn't know the concept of time as soon as he got busy, he decide to send it anyway, he need to get to the bottom of the matter.
He calmly held the phone and awkwardly send the picture to the group chat with the caption " Am I Ugly ?" typing the caption felt too cringe for him, he hurriedly type and dropped the phone as if he's holding on to a hot potato.
Almond looked embarrassedly around as if to erase how uncomfortable he felt towards the whole picture saga; he clumsily stood up, adjusted his suit and tie, self-consciously, before walking out of the restaurant in a calm and collected manner, a sharp contrast to the bothered he felt some moments ago; his driver already drove the car to the entrance so as not to waste time and get on his nerves.
Almond sat in the owner's corner of the car, thinking of heading to his personal apartment, but he knew information would have already reached his grandfather by now, and it is only a matter of time before he starts calling for him to report to him. He sighed, thinking his grandfather is even more anxious than him, who is getting married, but he could understand the old man's plight of suddenly losing both his son and daughter-in-law in the space of a day; an unexpected event has been a huge blow to him.
Even though he always tries to show off as the hero who's unbothered, Almond knows how much the wound of the past is still fresh and never healed in the old man's heart even after more than two decades of enduring the pain silently; Almond clenched his hands tightly, vowing to avenge his parent no matter the cost.
After calming himself, he told the driver to head toward the old mansion, to let the old man know the situation and not hold his hope too high after all he already told him how outdated an arrangement it is, but he seems too eager to see him settling down that he overlooks the challenges and obstacles he might face, owing to the marriage being a loveless one, Almond sighed. Even if he tries to make the marriage work, it'll still take two hands to clap, and there are two sides to a coin; either the marriage works out or not. Anyway, they had to find a way for the lady to agree.