His parents had originally been very fond of her, but because her family had harmed them to force their breakup, they now held a grudge against her and her entire family.
Cheryl's appearance alone was probably enough of a shock for his parents. If she showed up too, he was afraid they wouldn't be able to handle it all at once. They had said some harsh things to him back then, telling him to forget her completely and never contact her again. He was, after all, the sole heir of the Joyce Family. How could he throw his life away for a woman?
However, he also believed his parents weren't harsh or unreasonable people. Once the issues on her end were resolved, he would take her to see them properly. He was sure they would accept her again.
So he just kept his head down and ate. "If you've got nothing to do, go hang out with Naomi Shaw to kill some time."
She snapped back, "You think I'm as idle as her, sitting at home every day as a full-time housewife!"
