The Inescapable Celibate Heir Chapter 101: The Eccentric Old Man

The chef sighed. These days, you couldn't always trust young folks when they said they could cook. 

But he couldn't get mad at this little girl; she reminded him of his own daughter, who was about Ella's age. 

So, he kept cooking while trying to teach her. Ella nodded along but wouldn't take the knife, instead showering the chef with compliments about his skills.

Just then, Mira walked in with a few boys. She directed them to help clean the utensils and worked efficiently. 

The chef had expected her to ask for help too, but Mira knew her way around fish and managed the boys well. She was a natural in the kitchen.

In the kitchen, the students were bustling with activity, cooking up a storm. 

Meanwhile, in the activity room, the boys from the snooker club were playing basketball and watching TV with the elderly, trying to meet their needs. 

Caspian watched them interact harmoniously, a satisfied smile on his face. His happiness was short-lived, though, as a young man came running over, panic-stricken. 

"Caspian, something's wrong! I went to clean Mr. Lopez's room, and he's gone!"

Caspian asked, "How could that be? Did you search thoroughly? Maybe he went to have coffee with Mr. Loomis?"

The young man replied, "I did. Mr. Lopez is usually a loner and doesn't like to hang out with others. Mr. Loomis is his only friend here, so I checked with him first. But Mr. Loomis said he hasn't seen him all day and thought he was in his room."

Ethan and Victoria had just helped an elderly person move a lounge chair outside and overheard the conversation. 

Victoria's face turned serious as she asked, "Is the security at your nursing home strict?"

Caspian responded, "Very strict. Our residents can't leave alone; they must be accompanied by family or friends. The security guard is very responsible; there's no way an elderly person could leave without notifying me."

Ethan suggested, "Then Mr. Lopez must still be on the premises. Caspian, send us his photo, and we'll all help search." 

They enlisted ten students to help look for him. Finally, they found Jack Lopez by the pond in the backyard, having fallen. 

He was clutching a black-and-white photo of a handsome young man holding a cute little boy.

It turned out today was the anniversary of Jack's son's death. 

Feeling sorrowful and with no one to talk to, he had gone to the pond alone and accidentally fallen, spraining his ankle and unable to get up. He had called out, but no one heard him. 

When they helped him up, Jack's face was pale, and he remained silent. He was a proud man, and now, lying helplessly on the ground waiting to be discovered, he felt utterly powerless.

After treating Jack's injury, Caspian couldn't help but remark, "We have a few difficult residents here, and Mr. Lopez is the most temperamental. He's picky about food and has OCD, often arguing with others. But he's also a pitiful man; his son died serving the country in his prime."

Hearing this, Ethan looked up and asked casually, "Serving the country? Was his son in the military?"

Caspian nodded. "Yeah, he even got a Bronze Star. The government covers his stay here, so we all respect him."

Ethan's eyes darkened as he glanced at the closed door. Coming from a military family, he had several relatives who served, and he had always respected them deeply. 

Their dedication to the country and its people, even at the cost of their lives, was something he admired greatly. 

One of his favorite relatives had died on a secret mission, and he had mourned for a long time. Seeing Jack now, he felt a sense of empathy.

Victoria remained silent beside him. She hadn't had much contact with military families, but she respected them deeply. Their sacrifices allowed her to live in a peaceful and safe environment. 

She smiled and asked, "Caspian, is there anything we can do to cheer up Mr. Lopez?"

Caspian sighed. "It's tough. Our staff tries to talk to him, but he's always uncooperative and unhappy. Only Mr. Loomis, with his good temper and education, gets along with him somewhat."

So, Victoria and Ethan went to find Delbert Loomis and asked about Jack's hobbies. They learned he loved coffee and playing chess. 

Victoria looked at Ethan with wide eyes and asked, "I don't know how to play chess. Do you?"

Chess was quite niche among young people these days, so Victoria didn't really expect him to know.

To her surprise, Ethan nodded and said softly, "A little."

Victoria's eyes widened in surprise. "You really do?" She thought to herself, 'Ethan can play the harp and chess. Are all the Smith family kids this talented?'

They brewed a pot of coffee and went to visit Jack, with Delbert providing the coffee. 

Though Jack looked displeased, he still let them in. The aroma of his favorite coffee seemed to ease his pain, and he sighed comfortably. 

Victoria poured him a cup and handed it to him respectfully, saying sweetly, "Mr. Lopez, please enjoy your coffee. We heard you love playing chess. Could you give us some pointers?"

Jack took the cup, gently blowing on the hot liquid. He looked at Victoria in surprise and asked, "A little girl like you knows how to play chess?"

Victoria smiled, "Not me, him."

Ethan gave a polite but distant smile. "I'd appreciate your guidance, Mr. Lopez."

Jack pulled out a wooden chessboard and two boxes of pieces from beside his bed, his voice tinged with joy. "Great! It's been so long since anyone played with me. Even if you're not good, it's better than playing alone." 

He set up the board on the table and looked up, his cloudy eyes filled with confident pride. "Do you need me to give you a few pieces?"

Ethan smiled slightly, his voice turning sharp. "No, I prefer a fair game."

"Good! Confidence is a good thing in young people. Just don't blame me if you lose," Jack finally smiled. 

However, he insisted that Ethan take the first move, or he would get upset. Ethan didn't argue and they began their game.