Chapter 57: Stand-In for a Blind Date

“How come I’ve never seen him before?”

Jonathan spoke up. “Mr. Sven is a very mysterious man. He only appears when Mom is in danger.”

“No wonder,” Vivian mused, eating her cake. “When you were abroad, I only heard about your bodyguards, but never actually saw them.” She, too, had bodyguards, but they usually remained within ten meters of her, easily visible. Calvin’s unique status abroad necessitated a team to protect Cecilia and her family.

Ten minutes later, Sven entered, impeccably dressed in a sharp suit. His aura was forbidding. Vivian's eyes widened.

“Handsome…” she breathed.

Jonathan handed her a tissue. “Wipe your mouth.”

Vivian swallowed nervously. Cecilia knew her friend well. Vivian might seem flighty, but she harbored deep feelings for only one man. For him, at twenty-seven, she remained unmarried and unattached.

“Come in,” Cecilia said to Sven. “This is my friend, Vivian. There’s no one else here.”

Sven glanced around the room.

Jonathan said politely, “Mr. Sven, Easter is tomorrow; let's celebrate together and have some cake.”

Sven’s stern features softened slightly.

“No need, thank you.”

Cecilia, knowing his preference for solitude, didn't press. She packed some cake for him. “Then let me wish you a happy Easter in advance.”

“Right, thank you.”

Sven took the cake and left.

After he departed, Vivian remarked casually, “He doesn’t seem like a bodyguard at all.”

“What do you mean?” Cecilia asked.

“It’s just a feeling, hard to articulate…” Cecilia agreed; Sven's demeanor differed from typical bodyguards. Their interactions, spanning several years, had been minimal, mostly functional communication, except for the incident with the drug.

Just then, Vivian's phone rang. It was her father.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“You’re not getting any younger,” Roland said sternly. “I’ve arranged a blind date for you tomorrow morning at nine at the Imperial Garden.”

Vivian’s face fell. “I’m not going!”

“Do you think I’m asking for your opinion?” Roland’s voice was sharp. “Don’t forget, everything you have, I gave you! If you don’t want to be part of the Kennedy family, you can leave. This time, regardless of whether you like them or not, you absolutely cannot stand them up. You can only do so if they don’t like you! Don’t disappoint me!”

Vivian gripped her phone tightly. She often felt powerless. She'd put the call on speakerphone, and Cecilia had overheard.

Vivian sighed. “But I have plans tomorrow…” She'd planned to meet someone early.

Jonathan interjected. “Mom, why don’t you go in Vivian’s place tomorrow?”

Vivian was startled.

Cecilia asked hesitantly, “Can I… do that?” Vivian seemed relieved.

“Of course you can,” Vivian said. “I’ve spent years abroad and rarely returned. Those ‘silver-spoon’ kids barely know me…”

Cecilia hesitated. A blind date implied exchanging information. Vivian quickly reassured her.

“Don’t worry,” Vivian said. “I’ve been through this before. We’re all just pawns in our parents’ matchmaking games. My dad didn’t even mention who the other party is; you get what I mean? The other party won't know either. It's all for show, to appease our parents.”

Jonathan looked at Cecilia. “Mommy, opportunities like this are rare. If we’re lucky, Eli and I might just get a dad.”