Ronan said, "But there are no 'ifs' in life."Stella responded, "Exactly. From the moment I met Lucas, my life may have been destined to be this way.""What are your plans for the future? Will you go back to acting?"Stella shook her head. "I'm not sure."Ronan said, "That jerk, Lucas, followed us."Stella asked, "You're a man, can you tell me what he's thinking? Why, after our divorce, is he still clinging to me?"Ronan responded, "Maybe he truly likes you."Stella did not believe that Lucas truly loved her. "Tell me the truth."Ronan replied, "I really can't think of any other reason that'd make a man cling to you to this extent."Stella did not respond. 'If it's love, it should be like how Nathan treats Abigail. Lucas said I wasn't worthy of having his child, how could he truly love me?'Ronan added, "It might also be an obsession. The more you reject him, the more he wants to have you. It's like when you fancy a certain product; if you don't get it, you'll keep thinking a
Ronan asked, "Are you talking about Lucas coming to invest?"Stella nodded and frustratedly said, "I'm not sure if his investment here is good or bad for the locals here."Ronan responded, "We live in the big cities. When we occasionally come to places like this, everything seems good. We may even feel that the air here is better than in the city, hoping nothing here will change."But if there's no development here, the locals here can't move forward. They won't have any income other than from farming. More and more people will leave."Population loss, especially a large-scale one, isn't good for any place. Lucas's investment in tourism development here can attract tourists from other places, increasing the income of the local people. For most people, it's actually a good thing."Stella lifted her head and glanced around. "I hope so."Behind them were green mountains, and in front, there was a river. Their small village was located between the green mountains and a river.At dus
Stella said, "The water of this river comes from the melted snow of the snowy mountains. The water quality is good, and the fish in the river are wild and healthy. The fish have a mild fishy taste, and the meat is delicious. My dad said that selling them can fetch nearly a hundred dollars per pound. If you don't eat it tonight, you'll definitely regret it in the future."Ronan was born into a wealthy family and had tasted all kinds of delicacies. However, he still went along with Stella. "I'm almost drooling listening to you. I'll stay for dinner then, to anger Lucas."Speaking of Lucas, Stella glanced to the left from the corner of her eye and saw Lucas standing still like a statue.She could not understand how Lucas could endure her treating him so indifferently.She thought, 'The Lucas that I knew back then wasn't so humble. Whatever, I'm just going to ignore him.'"Ronan, can you help me up?" Stella asked.Ronan immediately reached out and helped her stand up. "Do you want to
Samson's gaze kept moving back and forth between Stella, Lucas, and Ronan. All three of them were attractive—the guys were tall and handsome, and the girl was beautiful and charming.He could not quite put his finger on it, but he felt there was something odd about the atmosphere among these three. "Stella, it's cold today with strong winds. Why did you come out? Your father told me your legs are injured. You should stay home and rest."Stella smiled awkwardly. "Being stuck at home every day is driving me crazy, so I came out for a walk."Samson asked, "And who are these two?"Lucas replied, "I'm her husband."Ronan said, "I'm her boyfriend."Samson was speechless. 'Husband and boyfriend? Did I mishear? Or is it that the terminologies among young people are changing too quickly, and I can't keep up with them?'Stella was left speechless too. 'Damn it! It's so embarrassing.'Although she did not really care about the gossip about her, having two men around her, one claiming to b
Samson said, "My son isn't serious about studying and can't solve math questions at home. Can I have him come over to your house later to have John teach him?"Everyone in the village knew that John would listen to anything Stella said. He would not dare to go against her.Stella replied, "That's up to John. I can't make decisions for him. I'll tell him when he comes back. If he agrees, I'll let him go to your place and help your son."Samson was a little disappointed for not getting a definite answer. "That's okay too."John was well known for being an academic overachiever, scoring first place in the city in the high school entrance exam. He was being sought after by multiple schools as a top student.Even if he did not do anything specific at someone's place, just having him there could bring a sense of academic achievement and good luck to other children in that household.After Samson left, Ronan suddenly chuckled. "Stella, let's go back now.""Okay." Stella then looked at
Before Mitch could figure out how to handle the situation, Lucas walked to him with a gloomy face.Mitch instinctively lowered his head to avoid eye contact as he anticipated that Lucas approaching him would not mean anything good.To his surprise, Lucas actually said, "Dad, I'll help you with the fish."Mitch, surprised, immediately waved his hand. "It's fine. You can't do such dirty work with your status."Lucas replied, "In here, my status is your son-in-law.""Uh..." Mitch awkwardly looked at Stella, hoping she would get rid of Lucas.However, Stella said nothing and just walked away with her hands behind her back, behaving like a lord.She thought, 'If Lucas wants to help, I'll just let him. He's the CEO of White Corporation who doesn't get his hands dirty. He probably doesn't even know about fish scales. I'd like to see how he handles the fish.'In the past, when they were still together, she never saw him cook even quick-cooked pasta.One time, while she was having time
Everyone loves a sports car.Upon hearing Ronan's words, John excitedly repeated what he said earlier a few more times.His thrilled expression was such that if Ronan asked him to call him "Dad", he might actually do it."Ronan, don't make random promises to him. A kid this young doesn't even know what a sports car is." Stella came downstairs after changing into casual clothes. She grabbed John's ear. "If you want a sports car, earn money yourself and buy it instead of asking someone else to give it to you."John lowered his head. "He said he wanted to give it to me, not that I asked him."Ronan said, "Yes, I like what he said. I'm willing to give it to him."Stella responded, "Ronan, don't just make empty promises to kids."Ronan replied, "A promise is only an empty promise if it can't be delivered. Once he turns eighteen, I'll give him an Aston Martin, then it'll be a fulfilled promise."An Aston Martin was so expensive that ordinary people would not even dare to think about
Upon hearing what John said, Mitch felt like giving him a good beating. "John Dawson, are you trying to get me to punish you?"John calmly took out his phone and opened an application to check the price of Aston Martin's sports cars.The cheapest model of an Aston Martin sports car cost several million dollars.A private jet would cost even more than that, at least tens of millions of dollars.John said, "Dad, considering my abilities, how much do you think I can earn per month after finishing school and entering the workforce?"Mitch replied, "Are you studying just to make money in the future?"John responded, "Isn't that the purpose?"Mitch remained silent. 'I guess he has a point. Even though studying is for learning to read and developing the right values, in the end, it's still about finding a better job and living a better life.'John continued saying, "With good grades, I may get into a good university. After graduation, finding a job that pays tens of thousands of dolla
Emma turned and dashed into the bathroom. She cranked the faucet on and splashed water on her face, aiming to soothe her nerves.Although they were engaged, they were still too young, with countless uncertainties looming over their future. The possibility of actually walking down the aisle was up in the air.Decisions made in a rush of happiness could eventually become sources of regret. And Emma knew all too well that she couldn't afford any regrets.She thought that fortunately, Ron hadn't pushed things further, which gave her time to cool off.After freshening up, Emma stepped out to find Ron on the balcony, a cigarette in hand.She couldn't resist chiding him, "I've told you to cut down on smoking. Why can't you seem to remember?"This time, Ron complied, snuffing out the cigarette. "We should get some sleep. We've got to put our best foot forward when we meet your family tomorrow.""Okay, I'll sleep on the couch. You take the bed," Emma responded.Ron simply replied, "As y
Ron looked at her dawdling pace with disdain. "If you, a lady, can handle it, why can't I, a grown man, stay?"His words sounded noble, but Ron regretted them the moment they arrived at the hotel.Despite now earning a decent income, Emma was still reluctant to spend money.This place was hardly a hotel; it was clearly a budget inn charging only a few dozen bucks a night. The hygiene was questionable at best, and safety seemed like a gamble.Ron turned on his heel, dragging her suitcase behind him. "We're leaving, now.""It's too late, and we can't get a refund for the room.""Are you trying to get us killed?"Emma fell silent, her thoughts a whirlwind of frustration. 'I told him he wouldn't be used to cheap places. He insisted on coming with me, and now he won't even let me stay here alone. Why is he so annoying?'However, considering Ron had rushed over in the middle of the night to help her, Emma decided not to hold it against him.Ron picked the best hotel in the area—the
Rebekah glanced over at Ron; she exchanged a knowing look with him before saying, "I'll have someone tidy up the rooms. Why don't you two stay here tonight and keep me company?"Ron replied simply, "Sure."Emma had purchased a midnight flight back to South Florivera, necessitating a rush to the airport, which made staying over after dinner impossible.Yet, she found herself at a loss for words, struggling to decline Rebekah's kind offer.As she hesitated, Ron stepped in to clear the air. "Mom, I've got something on tonight. After dinner, I'll drive Emma back to her dorm."Rebekah raised an eyebrow. "What's so important?" she wondered aloud, thinking, 'Wasn't he the one insisting Emma stay over? What's he up to now?'Ron kept it mysterious. "Life stuff."Rebekah could not help but chide him lightly, "You, always the joker."Right after dinner, Ron insisted on leaving to take Emma back to her dormitory. But as soon as they were out of the gated community, he asked, "So, you reall
Ron chuckled. "I didn't know you were aware that even a cornered rat will fight."Emma shot him a glare. "Are we going or not?"Ron quickly said, "Of course. When Miss Blue commands, how can I dare not obey?"Fearing another of his notorious driving escapades, Emma hastily buckled her seatbelt as she settled into the car.Thankfully, this time Ron kept it smooth, driving steadily.As they neared their destination, Ron finally spoke up, "You know, that Tucker guy is a married man. Don't let his kindness fool you into being the other woman."Emma's gaze on Ron was fiery, seething with anger. "Do you even hear yourself? Is that what you think of me? For the last time: Tucker and I share nothing more than a mentor-mentee relationship. There's nothing else between us.""I'm just looking out for you, worried you might get deceived," Ron said, witnessing Emma's fury for the first time. Yet, he could not help but find her anger not at all intimidating, but rather endearingly foolish.R
The two sisters had a pact: no cell phones at home to keep their secrets from the prying eyes of the Blue family. Thus, Emma could call only at prearranged times, the sole window for Rihanna to catch up.Rihanna's voice bubbled with excitement over the phone, as she chattered away about her life's minutiae.Knowing Rihanna was doing well eased Emma's mind.Just as Emma was about to end the call, she heard Rihanna's voice, soft and wistful. "You're really not coming home for the holidays? If you don't, I'll be all alone."Emma's heart clenched at those words, and she made up her mind in an instant. "I'll come back the day before New Year's Eve."The Blue family had their hands full with festivities that day, too busy to notice Rihanna's absence. Emma figured slipping back unnoticed then would be her best shot.After hanging up, Emma immediately booked a flight from Valtara to South Florivera. With her ticket secured and her last bit of work finished, Emma prepared to leave her off
Emma had no interest in romance, let alone the audacity to dream that Ron might fancy her.This time, she did not pick up the thread of conversation.After dinner, Ron, as usual, drove Emma back to the university.Before parting, Ron said, "Winter break is almost upon us, and the dorms might be off-limits. Are you sure you don't want to stay at my place for a couple of months?"Emma offered a smile in response. "Thanks for the offer. I've spoken with the dorm supervisor and submitted an application in advance. I'll be able to stay over the holiday period."Ron paused before saying, "Well, if you need anything, just let me know. I'll text you my number in a bit; make sure you save it."Emma nodded. "Sure."Without further ado, Ron drove off.Upon returning to her dorm, Emma saw Evelyn and Cassie, busy packing their bags, surrounded by gifts for their parents bought from Valtara.Evelyn asked Emma, "Are you really not going home for the winter break?"Emma replied, "No, I won't
Emma did not have the guts to risk failure because she did not have a safe haven to fall back on.Lucas kicked Ron in the shin. "Come on, if you fancy her, out with it. No Hagrid heir dithers like this."Ron glared at him. "Mind your own business." In his head, Emma was already his. The thought of losing her was unimaginable.Lucas said, "Without my meddling, she'd never be yours."Ron changed the subject. "I called you here for a serious discussion."Lucas replied, "No matter how serious, it can't outweigh the matter of your lifetime happiness."Ron was exasperated. "Lucas!"Lucas relented. "Alright, alright, you talk, I'm all ears."Ron spelled out Emma's music venture with Tucker. After hearing it all, Lucas could not help but see Emma in a new light."Never pegged Emma as such a dark horse," Lucas said.Silently listening to their conversation, Emma was thrilled to have her work recognized.Lucas said, "But, getting back to it, whether a song makes money, and how much, d
Ron barked, "Lucas!"With a chuckle, Lucas responded, "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing Emma. I'm starving. Let's grab some food and talk business while we eat."Ron snapped, "Get lost!"Lucas could not help but revel in Ron's frustration. "Ron, have you fallen so quickly? Who was it that told me they would never accept an arranged marriage?"Emma was increasingly confused by their banter. "If it's inconvenient for me to be here, I can just take a cab and leave."Ron said, "Call you dumb and you won't admit it!"Emma thought to herself, 'I didn't want to be a third wheel, cramping their style. Was that really so wrong? No good deed goes unpunished, apparently.'Suddenly, Ron grabbed Emma's hand and led her inside. "It's cold out; let's go inside."Emma had to quicken her pace, practically being dragged along.Seeing them together, Lucas laughed heartily from behind. "Ron, oh Ron, never thought I'd see the day.""Don't laugh too soon. Your day is coming," Ron shot back.Th
Emma said, "Okay."Ron asked, "Have you won over your crush?"Lucas responded, "Secret."Ron replied, "Looks like you haven't won her over."Lucas said, "As long as I make a move, there's no girl I can't win over. But I haven't made a move yet because the timing isn't right."Ron asked, "Is it because of the Sandow family?"Lucas answered, "The Sandow family wants to marry their daughter to me, and my family wants me to marry her too. But I've told them long ago that I'm not willing to do that. Nobody can make me marry a girl I don't like."Emma remained silent. 'I didn't expect that Lucas would also have the same problem as me and Ron.'It seems like the wealthier the family, the more they'll arrange marriages based on social status without considering personal preferences.'Lucas seemed to sense Emma's thoughts. "Emma, my situation with the Sandow girl is different from yours and Ron's. Don't lump us together."Ron looked at Emma and suddenly said, "There isn't any other gi