Chapter 77

“Mr. Myers, Gideon is here,” Fagan announced, poking his head into the office where Silas was buried in a pile of paperwork.

Silas looked up briefly, raising an eyebrow. “He’s here?”

“Yes, he mentioned he has something important to discuss with you. Should I let him in?”

Silas nodded. “Let him in.”

“Right away,” Fagan turned and left the room.

A few minutes later, Gideon knocked and entered Silas’s office. The main office of the headquarters was, unsurprisingly, far more impressive than his own.

Gideon glanced around the room as he walked in. As a matter of fact, he rarely visited his uncle’s domain.

Despite their minimal age difference, Silas exuded an inherent authority that made the gap feel vast.

In the eyes of their family, Silas was more of a legend than a mere mortal. The Baker Group, while named after the family, was essentially Silas’s empire. The company wasn’t always the formidable force it was now. It was Silas’s leadership that transformed a teetering business into a powerhouse that commanded both respect and fear.

To the younger generation, Silas was untouchable. None of the Baker family members were foolish enough to challenge him directly.

Gideon included. He was intimidated by Silas, who always seemed a bit distant and unapproachable.

But today, for Calliope’s sake, he had to confront his uncle.

“Uncle Silas,” Gideon greeted softly after closing the door, stepping up to Silas’s desk.

Silas didn’t immediately respond, his attention still on his documents. This left Gideon feeling a bit anxious.

He tried again, more earnestly this time. “Uncle Silas, I wanted to talk about Callie.”

At this, Silas finally looked up. His devilishly handsome face was inscrutable, and though seated, he conveyed an air of superiority that was hard to ignore.

Gideon felt the weight of it.

“What is it?” Silas asked.

“First, I need to apologize. The situation with Callie has troubled you, and I’m truly sorry. On the day of the wedding, it was my fault. I wasn’t there, which led Callie to seek your help.

I was in the wrong, and I owe you an apology. I’ve thought it over, and I plan to bring Callie back. Uncle Silas, would you be okay with this?”

Gideon assumed that a sincere apology would smooth things over. Surely, Silas wouldn’t make things difficult for his nephew over a woman, he supposed.

Silas’s lips curled into a faint, bemused smile as he regarded Gideon. “You want to take my wife away?”

“Uncle Silas, come on, don’t joke around. I know Callie isn’t to your taste. You wouldn’t compete with your nephew over a woman!” Gideon chuckled nervously. “Besides, Callie loves me. She turned to you out of spite. I understand we’ve inconvenienced you, and that’s on us.

I won’t trouble you anymore. I’ll take Callie back and clear things up with everyone. You were just helping out, nothing more.”

Silas leaned back in his chair, his expression unchanged, the collar of his shirt open just enough to show a hint of his attractive collarbone, and his hands casually clasped together. He looked at Gideon with a hint of amusement.

“You think I’m playing house with you?”

“No,” Gideon felt the intensity of Silas’s gaze and swallowed hard.

“Do you think I care about what others say?” Silas asked again.