Chapter 42. Secret Wine Room

The walk up the staircase to his grandfather’s dimly lit office was stressful enough but he wasn’t a fool to refuse his grandfather’s call.

Melvin stepped into his grandfather’s office, which was on the highest floor of the Swernbach mansion and overlooked their extraordinarily large front yard. The room was big enough to host three football teams.

The dark blue color scheme of the room was highlighted by occasionally layered brown furniture. A thousand plaques sat on the huge shelf behind his grandfather’s chair.

“You called.” Melvin fell into the couch, a few feet away from the desk.

“You’re precisely 1 minute 57 seconds late.”

Melvin crossed his leg and cast a dire long look at his grandfather. He couldn’t think of a single reason why the man wanted him here. “Can we just get on with this?”

His grandfather’s eyes hardened. “You haven’t left the house in five days.”

“You keep saying I stay out too much. Now, I’m home. Is that also a proble