“You’ve had quite a few glasses already. This type of wine has a strong effect, and you won’t feel much until it’s too late. You’ll be drunk before you know it.”
“Duncan, I envy you,” Zachary said, as Duncan patted him on the shoulder. “I genuinely envy you and Josh; you both seem to have it better than I do.”
After a brief silence, Zachary turned to Duncan and said, “Duncan, my sister isn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with you. She’s not ready to remarry, so it’s best to let go. Continuing this way will only lead to your suffering.”
Josh added his support, saying, “Yes, I believe Sister Liberty truly has no interest in this. Your pursuit has caused her a lot of trouble, and my aunt, Mrs. Lewis, disapproves. Your closest family members don’t support it either, so it’s time to move on.”
Duncan looked at both Zachary and Josh, saying, “How long have I been pursuing Liberty? If it were ten or eight years and she still didn’t accept me, it might make sense for you to tell me to give up. But I’ve only just started, and you want me to stop? I know this path is difficult, yet I will persist. My mother will eventually come around, and I believe that with time, Liberty will accept me.”
Zachary glanced at Duncan, feeling a pang of guilt.
Duncan continued to chat with his friends until he became quite intoxicated. Josh then took him home, while Zachary prepared for an event.
After the event, Zachary returned home and lay in bed with his beloved wife in his arms, remaining silent for a long while.
“What’s wrong?” Serenity asked, her concern evident.
Zachary replied, “Is my sister’s new home settled?”
Serenity reassured him, “Yes, those you arranged to help have successfully settled everything.”
Zachary buried his face in Serenity’s neck and spoke softly:
“Seren, I always feel sorry for Duncan. I think tomorrow he will come to me and ask about this situation. What do you think I should say to him?”
“Isn’t Duncan drunk? If he is, he’ll have a headache tomorrow and probably won’t visit my sister,” Serenity said, wrapping her arms around Zachary, aware of the challenges he faced as a man.
Zachary replied, “He will reach out to me eventually. Sigh, I just don’t know when those two will find resolution, whether it will be good or bad. If there is a resolution, we won’t have to be stuck in this dilemma.”