368 Relationships Should Be Built on Trust.

Nick, looking bored, was flipping through the channels on the TV, but it was the same everywhere. Among the Christmas news and New Year's bustle, the faces of two people caught by the paparazzi in the most unexpected places flashed.

Each plot was overgrown with more and more absurd assumptions, and the more Nick heard this, the more he wanted to throw something heavy into this thing on the wall.

"What's up?" David came up from behind, took off his jacket and threw it over the back of the sofa.

"Welcome home," Nick raised his head to greet his father, "You are early today. Elena is not home yet," which is not surprising, judging by the news, he added to himself.

"There are top professionals in Marcus's team. I am not even surprised now how they managed to take all spheres of life under invisible control in such a short time," David sat down next to the guy and stretched out his legs.

Five days have passed since their mutual conversation, and Marcus was not joking when he said that he was transferring the management of his company into David's hands. The next morning, the representative of Marc Technologies arrived at Lenali Enterprise's headquarters to coordinate their actions in case of an emergency.

David was not surprised when he saw Simon on the doorstep, his longtime friend, who Anderson knew as Professor Brian Richards. Who would have thought that the professor would be such a dark horse? Simon did not particularly apologize for his pretentious disappearance with a faked death, on the contrary, boasted that, thanks to his good recommendations about David, Marcus did not interfere with Anderson's relationship with his daughter.

David, unknowingly, for many years was under the close supervision of two men who guarded their princess like two dragons, and tested Anderson whether he was worthy to save her. And he was still worried about getting Mr. Lee's approval?! He now had two fathers-in-law and his wife's godfather, who was obsessed about Elena's safety even more than her relatives.

"Where is Sean?" David asked, surprised by the unusual silence in the house.

"Sleeping," Nick replied with a sullen expression, flipped through a couple of channels and turned off the TV.

"Sleeping? Hmm, that doesn't sound like him. Have you noticed any strange behavior?"

Nick rolled his eyes. Not only was he obliged to be Sean's nurse for the last two days, which was already weird, but the boy also kept ignoring him, and threw ferocious glances at the guy as if Nick had broken his beloved robot. However, they were not in close contact from the very beginning.

"Whoever has obvious strangeness in behavior is your wife! Have you seen today's news?! It's a nightmare!" a guy, no worse than a husband who caught his beloved one in a moment of cheating, was indignant, "Do you know where they were today? At the amusement park!"

David nodded sympathetically and smiled, "Are you feeling offended that you were not invited?"

"Ha?! Kidding me?!" Nick turned aside and folded his arms across his chest in protest, "The journalists are already crazy trying to explain what's going on! First, Elena and Marcus were caught in a restaurant, then in a movie, and today they decided to try the roller coaster like schoolchildren on their first date!"

"So?"

"What do you mean, 'so'? Have you seen the list of couples nominated for a couple of the year title? In three days, Elena and Marcus reached the top five ratings! And the voting is not over yet! At this rate, they can even win!"

David yawned, demonstrating his frank indifference to any ratings, "Yes, so be it. We have been receiving this prize for the last five years. We can lose for a change."

Nick froze with his jaw dropped. Well, common, is that okay? Definitely, his parents are weird.

David ruffled the guy's tousled hair and snapped him on the nose, "Relationships should be built on trust, Nick. Especially when you are a public person. They can say anything about you and your partner, but if you react to these conversations, how will the other person trust you? Or show you her true self?" the man pulled his son to him and threw his hand over Nick's shoulder, "We both know what a real relationship Elena and Marcus have, right?"

Nick nodded his head.

"Now, that's enough. If you are so keen to perceive the opinion of others, you can lose the miracle that two people who trust each other are capable of creating. Whether it's friendship or love. Your girlfriend-to-be will appreciate this attitude."

Nick chuckled, "What girlfriend? You know that I-"

"Daniel studied the research by Marc Technologies scientists. If Marcus was able to bring Rick back to life, then keeping your body functioning can also work."

"Somehow our almighty Mr. Taubert is in no hurry to save Rick this time."

David sighed, "Because this time, Rick's cells were mutated. They do not react to external influences. And if not for your blood, then most likely he would already be dead. We don't know what Rick will be like when he wakes up. Your body is in perfect order, though. If we stabilize its energetic state, then you can live on. Nick, I do not wish and will not accept the fact that in a few days you will be gone. Nobody accepts it."

Nick lowered his head and stared at the lines on his palms, "This is how my life turned out, I don't understand why I should fight it. This is not my place, I don't belong here. Ashley, who lives in this world, belongs to another Sean. What am I going to do when another five, ten, fifteen years pass?"

David smiled, but the smile came out sad. He didn't know how to answer this question. At least for now. "Let's think about it in five years. Technology does not stand still. Who knows what else we will be able to do?"

"Hmm, with the wild experiments of Marc Technologies, I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with something," Nick chuckled. At that moment, the front door slammed and a loud "We're home!" flew to the living room. "Damn, talk of the devil and he's right there."

"David! You're home too! I'm so glad!" Elena flew into the room like a small tornado, filling the entire space with her positive. The woman clung to her husband's lips. Nick wrinkled his nose and moved aside so that he would not be accidentally caught in a wave of passion. But he did it later than it was necessary, and Elena managed to intercept the guy and kiss him on the cheek.

"You won't believe where we have been!" she exclaimed. Marcus followed in and looked very pleased.

"Yes, the whole country already knows where you have been," Nick muttered and looked in the opposite direction as his and Marcus's gazes crossed, and Taubert nodded in greeting.

"Oh, really? These journalists are so nimble! And how do they manage to do that?" admired Elena, which made Nick even more bewildered. No, who reacts like that to paparazzi stalkers?

"Darling, can you help me take my dress off? There is such an uncomfortable zipper. I invited dad to dine with us, the order from the restaurant should be delivered soon. Nick, when the delivery guy calls, you'll have to open the door."

Elena grabbed David's arm and dragged him upstairs. Nick was left alone in the living room with... Damn, I had to sit in my room, the guy realized with regret, but did not move from his spot. Also, this is his house. So why should he feel uncomfortable? If someone is confused by something, the door is open.

Marcus walked over to the chair and sat down opposite the guy. The man looked content, relaxed and confident to the core. As always. Marcus unbuttoned his jacket, took his phone out of his pocket, crossed his legs and stared at the screen.

Nick gave Taubert a sidelong glance but continued to play in a silence game. He looked at the man's palms, there were no jewelry or any marks on his fingers, reminiscent of when people wear a ring.

This obsessive thought was eating his brain like a worm is eating an apple. And now was a great time to say it out loud.

"If you have something to say or ask, go ahead," Marcus said, not taking his eyes off the display.

Does he read thoughts? Nick pressed his lips together in a thin line. He didn't want to look weak or insecure in the eyes of this man, but being able to confirm his hypothesis was more important.

"Do you know the phrase 'Love you beyond time'?"

"W-what?" Marcus raised his head and stared at the guy. There was surprise in the man's eyes.

"There are... more precisely, there were two wedding rings with an internal engraving 'Love you beyond time'. Do you know whose rings they are?" Nick stared back at Marcus, and the guy noticed the change in the man's expression.

"How do you know about the rings?"

"I was first to ask."

Marcus put the phone aside and put his hands behind his neck. Nick noticed the ends of a gold chain, which the man began to pull out from behind the collar of his shirt. When he pulled it out completely, there were two gold rings on the chain, like pendants.

Taubert put them on the table. On the side facing him, Nick saw inside one of the rings the inscription 'Love you beyond time'.

"These wedding rings belong to me and Amelia. These are my rings. Now tell me, dear Nick, how do you know about them?"

Damn, Nick mentally swore to himself. It would be better if he was wrong. Now he didn't understand exactly what had happened on the day his parents died.