A few moments later, Nathan glared because his room was full. Not everyone was there, but his five brothers were, and it was enough to make his eardrums hurt.
"Just put it here!"
"Wait a minute, I will help!"
"Bring the chairs over there."
"This is an emergency, no need for table covers. Just prepare the food!"
"Nathan, you will like this," said Malvin, helping the waiters place the plates in their spots.
Nathan just stood there watching the commotion. The waiters and several men were setting up a table in the middle of the room. He did not think such a large table could fit in his room. That was enough to show how big his room was.
"Sit down," said Alexander, pulling out a chair next to Malvin.
Nathan did not move. "I already said I do not want to eat."
He walked back to his bed. He did not want to be forced or ordered around. The room fell silent.
Alexander was still standing straight, his face expressionless, but his eyes clearly showed that he would not accept no for an answer. Nathan lay back on the bed with his back to them all. He just wanted to sleep. He tried not to pay attention to them.
"We have prepared everything here. Eat a little," Alexander tried to persuade him.
Nathan still did not move.
All his siblings were there except Leo. They stared at him without speaking.
"Alexander, he really does not want to eat. We should not force him," Malvin said softly, as if worried that pushing him too hard would make Nathan hate them even more.
"I know he is hungry and he is too proud," Alexander replied in a flat tone. "And I will not let him starve to death here. It is better if he dies in the snow."
Nathan scowled at Alexander's words. He held back from snorting. But he still did not move.
Footsteps approached. Nathan closed his eyes.
"Wake up," Alexander said softly.
Nathan did not move. He pretended to be asleep, even though his breathing was too fast to be convincing.
"Nathan." His tone changed, becoming firm and demanding.
Reluctantly, Nathan turned his body a little, just enough to see Alexander from the corner of his eye. "What now?" he grumbled.
Alexander sighed deeply, then asked Huan, the bodyguard standing nearby, to come closer. A white box was handed to him.
Nathan stared at the box, frowning in confusion.
Alexander held the box in front of him. "If you eat with us, you can have this."
Nathan looked closer at the elegant and expensive-looking box. Clearly, it was not an ordinary item. "That, what is it?"
"Open it and see."
Nathan slowly sat up and took the box. When he opened it, his eyes widened.
It was the latest cell phone, the version that had been released only a few weeks ago. He knew because Vale had talked about it. Usually he would just listen. But now the phone was right in front of his eyes. It was the latest model that even many rich people had to wait in line to get.
"Are you kidding?" Nathan's voice sounded choked with disbelief. He touched the phone carefully.
"No," Alexander replied calmly. "I bought it for you."
Nathan stayed silent. He did not know how to respond. The man really liked making offers. He traded the phone just so Nathan would eat with them.
"Are you serious?" Nathan asked again. He was too happy to be angry at the moment.
"Yes. If you like it, sit at the table and eat with us," Alexander said.
Nathan looked at his brother, then at everyone waiting at the table. Was he going to give up his pride, accept the phone, and eat with them?
No. He did not want to give in because of that thing. He was used to living without a phone. It would not kill him.
"No. Thank you. I am not hungry." Nathan put the phone back in the box and handed it roughly to Alexander.
Alexander took it back. "So you will not accept it, and you would rather go hungry?"
"I am not hungry!" Nathan insisted. But then his stomach growled.
He frowned and looked away.
Alexander smirked. "If you do not want the phone, I will give it to Nael."
Nathan pouted and stayed silent.
Nael had been watching the whole thing. He already had a phone and could buy a new one anytime. But for some reason, he still wanted the phone in Alexander's hand. He wanted it too.
Nathan glanced at Nael, who was staring at the phone with longing. Nathan quickly looked at the phone again, not sure what he was thinking, but he took it back.
Without saying anything, he put the phone on the bed. He was not going to give it to Nael. Then, before Alexander could say anything, he walked to the chair next to Malvin, still frowning.
It was just a meal. What was the big deal? He forgot that he was the one who had caused the drama today.
Alexander held back a smile and walked to the chair at the end, asking everyone to get ready in their seats.
Roger looked at Nathan, then at Nael, and shook his head. Nathan hated them all, but it seemed that he hated Nael more.
Nael sat silently with a gloomy face. Roger noticed it. Malvin noticed it too.
"You want that cell phone too, right?" Lucas teased loudly, making Nael glare at him.
"What for? I can buy it myself!" Nael replied, glaring at his brother.
Lucas chuckled. "You are like a baby, look, you are about to cry!"
Before Nael could reply, Malvin pinched Lucas's arm hard, making him groan in pain. "Shit, that hurts!"
"Can you stop bothering Nael for one day?" Malvin said, glaring, but his gentle face made it not scary at all.
Alexander stopped the argument and led a prayer before asking them to calm down and eat. No one dared to argue.
"Nathan is back, so this year we can put up a Christmas tree, right? I want a big one, outside the house too!" Lucas said, looking at Alexander.
For a moment, he seemed to forget something. Christmas was coming soon, and next week they would be on vacation from school and university. They would return next year after the new year. But Alexander had already prepared for Nathan's transfer to a new school.
"Nathan, I think you will start going to your new school after the new year," Alexander said.
Nathan stayed silent. He did not mind starting anytime. But it would be awkward to be there with nothing to do. What would he do?
Alexander then looked at Lucas. "I have prepared a Christmas tree. They will deliver it tomorrow. You can start decorating it," he said.
Lucas looked excited. Nael immediately looked cheerful.
Nathan just watched them talk. He wondered why they had not prepared a Christmas tree yet. At the orphanage, they put it up a month earlier. The children could not wait that long.
Alexander looked at Nathan. "Thank God you are back. Now we can put up the first Christmas tree this year, after seventeen years. You do not know how much it means to us."
Nathan looked at Alexander, then at everyone else. "What does that have to do with me?"
Lucas clicked his tongue impatiently, annoyed by Nathan's question. "Because Christmas has always been about remembering your disappearance. And we did not want to celebrate it when you were not here. But this year you are with us."
Nathan did not know why he should care. They were the ones who had abandoned him, and now they were pretending to understand his suffering.
He chose to stay silent while they talked. He also did not respond when they tried to talk to him. He just enjoyed the food in front of him. It was delicious, better than the restaurant where Vale had once taken him.