Bondage and Marriage - 39

After Noah married and moved to Ian Miller’s estate, Tanner spent a while in a deep state of gloom, worrying those around him. Unlike his other sons—stoic William, who resembled Tanner in personality, or fiery Benjamin, who always seemed to test his patience—Noah was Tanner’s youngest and most affectionate child. His absence left an unavoidable void in Tanner’s heart.

In Tanner’s eyes, Ian Miller was the best of the younger generation he had met. Ian exuded a natural aura of authority, a hallmark of an alpha. He was remarkably similar to his father, Adam Miller, who was once Tanner’s close friend, though their relationship had grown distant over time. Ian inherited Adam’s business acumen and boldness. Tanner had first heard of the tragic accident that claimed Adam and his wife long after it had occurred. Struck by the news, he became curious about their child. When he finally met Ian, the young man, barely in his twenties, was bravely standing up to his greedy relatives. Tanner had been deeply impressed.

Out of respect for his old friend, Tanner could have fought to reclaim Ian’s inheritance from his relatives, but he feared such actions might ultimately harm Ian. Instead, he quietly supported the young alpha, offering financial assistance and giving him room to grow. Time flew by, and what seemed like yesterday was already a decade past. In those years, Ian had grown into a business mogul surpassing his father and a formidable alpha, unmatched by anyone his age.

Having observed Ian’s growth for ten years, Tanner became determined to see Noah marry him. The thought of someone else being with such an outstanding alpha made Tanner jealous. Noah was at a prime marriageable age, and while Ian was slightly older, he too was in the perfect stage of life for marriage. They seemed like a perfect match in Tanner’s mind, though he did feel Ian might be slightly too good for Noah.

So, Tanner subtly suggested marriage to Ian. To his surprise, Ian didn’t outright reject the proposal. After some persuasive coaxing, Ian agreed to meet Noah, and everything unfolded smoothly afterward.

At the wedding, seeing Ian and Noah standing together confirmed Tanner’s hopes—they looked perfect. Tanner, who had played a part in Ian’s success and knew Noah’s lovable nature, was confident Ian would take good care of his youngest son. Overcome by a mix of emotions, Tanner even shed tears during the wedding. After the ceremony, he returned home, unusually sentimental, and tenderly gazed at a photo of his late wife. In the frame, she smiled, forever young. Unlike William or Benjamin, Noah was her spitting image. While Tanner had raised William and Benjamin with strict discipline under his philosophy that boys needed tough love, he could never bring himself to treat Noah the same way.

Unlike Tanner, who couldn’t even remember his mother, Noah had grown to resemble her more with each passing year—his golden hair, bright blue eyes, and gentle, endearing personality all reminded Tanner of his late wife. Tanner worried Noah might grow spoiled from all the love and attention lavished on him by everyone, from himself to their extended family, but those fears proved unfounded. Noah grew up kind and well-mannered, despite it all.

Now, the son Tanner had raised with such care had grown up and gotten married. The thought filled Tanner with restless unease. He tossed and turned that night, unable to sleep. It was different from when William or Benjamin married. Perhaps it was because William still lived in the estate, and Benjamin had moved nearby, whereas Noah lived far away. That distance made Tanner feel his absence even more.

As time went on, Noah’s calls became less frequent, stirring Tanner’s anxieties. He dismissed the lack of contact on the first day—after all, it was their honeymoon. When Noah called the next day to explain Ian had to leave for the estate on urgent business, Tanner was mildly uneasy but brushed it off. As a businessman, he understood the occasional priority of work over personal matters.

But when daily calls dwindled to every other day, then every three days, Tanner’s worries grew. He wanted to visit the Millers’ estate to see Noah but held back, not wanting to intrude on the newlyweds. He told himself bitterly that Noah was no longer his child to care for.

The unease turned to dread when Tanner began hearing unsavory rumors. The whispers claimed that Ian and Noah’s relationship had grown cold, that they didn’t even share a bed, or that Noah—or Ian—was having an affair. Some even said Ian had treated Noah coldly when he visited his office. Each rumor was infuriating.

At first, Tanner scoffed at the baseless gossip. But as he drove home from work one evening, those rumors replayed in his mind until he couldn’t resist calling Noah. His fingers tapped nervously as the phone rang, and relief flooded him when he heard Noah’s familiar voice.

“Father? Is something wrong?” Noah’s voice sounded hoarse, making Tanner’s heart sink. He had dismissed the rumors as nonsense, but suddenly, they seemed more credible. (Unbeknownst to Tanner, Noah’s voice was hoarse because Ian had recently worn him out, which, in part, made the rumors partially true.)

“I just wanted to check on you. You don’t sound well. Are you okay?” Tanner asked, his tone softening.

“Oh… I was just about to sleep, so my voice is a little raspy,” Noah explained.

“I see…”

Noah’s excuse made sense, but Tanner couldn’t shake the image of his son crying alone in a corner, trying to compose himself before answering the phone. Knowing how much Noah loved sleep, Tanner still couldn’t suppress his sinking feeling. Why did he miss his youngest son so much today?

“I’m sorry I haven’t called often,” Noah continued. “We had guests at the estate two days ago and were busy until this afternoon.”

“No, if someone is busy, they might not be able to call. Don’t you think so? I could call instead.”

Hearing that the young man who grew up in luxury without lifting a finger was busy, Tanner thought Noah must be having a tough time. (In truth, Noah was living far better than before the marriage—eating whatever he wanted, sleeping as much as he pleased, and indulging in occasional playful mischief.) When Noah turned 25, Tanner hurriedly arranged his marriage, worried someone else might snatch Ian away. Looking back, he regretted not keeping them engaged for another year or two to stay closer to Noah for longer.

“Is your father doing well?” Noah asked.

“Why would anything happen to me? Are you feeling okay? Eating well?” Tanner replied.

Since Noah was raised being pampered and spoiled, he had developed quite a picky palate and had a small appetite, which worried Tanner. Being in a foreign place meant the food might not suit him, and Tanner was seriously considering sending over a chef from the estate. William, on the other hand, could eat anything without complaint.

“Oh, Father, come on! I’m doing really well here. The chef here is amazing,” Noah reassured him.

“Hmm…”

Each time Tanner spoke with Noah, he asked the same questions: was he uncomfortable, was he eating well, or was he unwell? Yet, no matter how many reassurances Noah gave, Tanner couldn’t shake his unease. That day, as Tanner sat with a worried expression, his sharp-eyed secretary handed him a note. It read Ian Miller’s birthday—and it was just three days away! Tanner’s face lit up.

“Ah, right! Ian’s birthday is in three days. Why don’t you come back to the estate? We can celebrate the birthday and see each other after a long time.”

It seemed like an excellent idea. It had been two months since Noah’s marriage—a long enough time for a honeymoon phase, at least by Tanner’s standards. (He conveniently ignored the fact that Noah had visited him two or three times during those months.) With Ian’s birthday as an excuse, he could check how the couple was doing, host a party, and even see his youngest child. A win-win-win situation. Tanner’s delighted expression crumbled at Noah’s response.

“Oh… Thank you so much for the offer, Father. But Ian’s been very busy lately, so I’m not sure if we’ll be able to make it. I’ll try talking to him, though.”

“Hmm, I see. Don’t worry about it. If he’s busy, there’s nothing we can do.”

“I’m really sorry, Father. If we can’t make it to the party, we’ll visit sometime soon.”

Tanner assured Noah not to worry and ended the call, but his face betrayed his words. Even after returning to the estate, Tanner remained deep in thought, troubling those around him. At dinner, he finally spoke up.

“No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t seem like Noah is doing well.”

His tone was grave, but Benjamin, who had returned to the estate since his wife Olivia was staying with her family in the final stages of pregnancy, muttered indifferently, “Here we go again.” Tanner’s eyebrows shot up at Benjamin’s comment, but Benjamin didn’t flinch.

“Father, do you know how many times you’ve said that since Noah got married? At least five times, and that’s just what I’ve heard.”

“Quiet, you brat. Don’t you worry about your brother?”

“Well… When I got married, you didn’t even call me once a month. Isn’t this favoritism?”

Benjamin grumbled, but Tanner dismissed it with a scoff, saying, “Are you and Noah the same?” The favoritism among siblings was clear, but while Benjamin sulked, William calmly helped his daughter spear a cherry tomato with her fork and asked Tanner thoughtfully, “Did something happen with Noah?”

“He’s too kind and reserved. Every time we talk, all he says is that everything is fine. Even if something was wrong, he wouldn’t say a word.”

“Or maybe he really is doing well,” Benjamin interjected, only to be ignored by Tanner.

“How busy can a person be to avoid visiting even once in two months?”

“It’s hard to suddenly free up a schedule three days in advance,” Benjamin countered.

“And he contacts me less and less,” Tanner added.

“Well, less contact often means things are going well,” Benjamin quipped.

That was the last straw. Tanner erupted, telling Benjamin to shut up. Embarrassed in front of his niece, Benjamin finally held his tongue, remembering the time Tanner hit him with a celery stick for talking back.

As always, it fell to the calm and rational eldest son, William, to soothe Tanner’s nerves. “The last time we saw Noah, he seemed fine. As Benjamin said, no news is good news, right, Father?”

“…Let’s hope so. Maybe I’ve been worrying too much,” Tanner admitted reluctantly.

Benjamin muttered under his breath, “I said the same thing, but no one listens to me…” However, no one paid him any attention.

Despite William’s assurances, Tanner couldn’t stop thinking about Noah. He began wondering if he had been too hasty in pushing for the marriage. Still, with Ian Miller’s birthday coming up, Tanner hoped he’d get to see Noah then. Trying to think positively, he resumed his meal.