Xander said panickedly, "Grandma, I've never thought of that.""It doesn't matter if you have this thought or not. What matters is what Abigail thinks." Margaret continued, "Since you missed the best time to reveal your identity, you don't have to bring it up specifically. Just be good to Abigail, even better than before. She'll understand your good intentions."Margaret suddenly thought of something before she finished speaking. "Wait a minute. You two slept together, and Abigail even bought you shoes. How could she not know that you're her husband?"Xander knew they had misunderstood. He had no choice but to cause the misunderstanding that night. He said, "We didn't sleep together. Abigail and I were on a business trip in Valtara at that time. Abigail fainted at the sight of blood, and I asked Grandma Cassandra about her condition. Grandma Cassandra was worried about Abigail, and she video called her. I answered the call for Abigail because I didn't want Grandma Cassandra to worry
Abigail said, "Grandma, I've received the apartment I bought. Once I finish renovating it, I'll pick you up and we'll live together in Florivera, okay?""Okay," said Cassandra."Grandma, I've been thinking about something for a while and decided to talk to you about it.""Go ahead.""I've decided to give Nathan and me a chance to see how things go between us.""Why did you suddenly change your mind?" Cassandra glanced at Xander sitting across from her. He usually appeared calm and reserved, but now he seemed so nervous that he did not know what to do with his hands."Because I feel he's a trustworthy man, and he might be a good mate with stable emotions. Grandma, would you agree to us continuing?" Although whether to be with Nathan was ultimately up to Abigail, she still wanted to know her grandmother's opinion.Under Xander's gaze, Cassandra said slowly, "What if your feelings are wrong? Don't forget that he wanted a divorce before."Margaret threw a punch at Xander in front o
Felix had already cooked the other two dishes when Abigail ended the call. Abigail served the soup, and Melody served the rice. The three of them split the work and worked together efficiently. Soon, the dishes were on the table.Felix said mysteriously, "Before we eat, let me share some good news."Abigail played along. "What good news?"Felix said, "Stella will star as Chloe. You should already know about it, right?"Abigail replied, "Yeah."Felix continued, "Caterpie, you mentioned before that you liked Stella to play the female lead. Why are you so calm when you know it?"Abigail responded, "I was excited about it last night already."Felix rolled his eyes at her. "Caterpie, did you register the account 'Fat Caterpie'?"Abigail admitted, "Yes."Felix said, "I'm relieved that it was you who registered it. I was worried that someone else registered the account and pretended to be the original author. Do you know that Stella has followed that account? Do you know how many new
Abigail said, "I'm worried about not being able to celebrate Easter with Grandma this year. I wanted to take her out for some fun, but her health condition isn't suitable for outings."Felix comforted her, "Let Grandma Cassandra focus on recovering for now. We can take her out to have fun once she's better.""I'm just afraid it might be too late," said Abigail. She secretly consulted the doctor before. Although Cassandra was actively cooperating with the treatment, her age made the situation not promising. Abigail felt particularly sad whenever she thought about Cassandra working hard her whole life without getting a chance to enjoy her life before falling ill.Melody suggested, "How about bringing Grandma Cassandra to live with us? We can share a room, and Grandma Cassandra can stay in my room."Abigail shook her head. "Grandma decided to go to Southcrest Residence with Nathan's grandma because she doesn't want to trouble me. She hopes that I can focus on my work. So she definitel
Melody did not force Abigail to buy since she did not want to. Melody said, "Alright, then accompany me to buy. I want to buy two slightly expensive outfits to wear at home for Easter. This year, I must steal the show from Yulia Scott, that bitch."Abigail smiled. "You still remember that."Melody said, "It hasn't even been a year. How could I forget? So what if she married a nouveau riche husband? So what if she carries a bag worth a few hundred dollars? During our class reunion, she boasted about it at least ten times. She said her husband owns several storefronts in our city and has hundreds of thousands of savings.""I could care less about her boasting as it didn't affect me in any way, but who knew she would insult us while doing so? She knows very well why you didn't return to North Florivera, yet she deliberately asked if you hadn't made any money or couldn't find a boyfriend, so you didn't go back for Easter. I shouldn't dwell on it, but it infuriates me every time I think
"We don't want your service anymore, call your manager." The dismissive, incredibly impatient attitude had even Abigail, usually a patient customer, at her wit's end. Some luxury goods salespeople act as if they own the store, looking down on customers at the drop of a hat.The saleswoman gave Abigail a once-over, from head to toe, failing to see how they fit into their high-spending clientele. Naturally, they did not qualify for the manager's personal attention. "I'm sorry, our manager is attending to VIPs."Abigail's voice took on a frosty edge. "Get your manager here, now."Seeing Abigail's assertive attitude, the saleswoman grew even more arrogant, resorting to shifting blame. "We welcome customers who want to shop. If you're here to cause trouble, don't blame us for being rude."Melody almost laughed in disbelief. "Are all the salespeople at these luxury brands so full of themselves now?""There are two troublemakers here, can you please escort them out?" The saleswoman shot
"Even the biggest of brands can't last with such salespeople," Melody said."Surely, not all of them are like this," Abigail replied. "Today, we just got unlucky. We stumbled upon a rotten one. Come on, let's switch stores and continue our shopping spree. We can't let one bad apple spoil our day."With that, they ventured into another designer handbag store. Wiser from their previous encounter, Abigail promptly displayed her VIP card. The duo was immediately escorted into an exclusive lounge, where an array of handbags, unavailable to ordinary customers, awaited their discerning eyes. After a detailed perusal, Melody selected a bag worth around ten grand. The salesperson did not exhibit any displeasure; instead, he offered them impeccable service throughout.Next, they visited a clothing store. Melody fell for a knit sweater and bought two without batting an eyelid. Money did not seem to concern her much. As the only child in her family, with well-to-do parents, she rarely had to wo
Once home, Abigail opted for an early night after a soothing bath, planning to rise early the next morning to visit her grandmother at the Southcrest Residence. Before falling asleep, she habitually checked her phone and found a slew of unread messages from Stella.[Abigail, guess what? The author of Chloe Bay messaged me with lots of encouraging words. I'm suddenly feeling more confident.] Stella's message read.Abigail responded with a comforting note: [Who knows? Maybe in the author's mind, you're the ideal person to play Chloe Bay.]Stella replied: [Your perspectives are so similar to the author's. I'm sure she must be as insightful as you. If she wasn't so reserved, I'd definitely want to be her friend.]Abigail playfully hinted: [Maybe you're already friends and you just don't realize it.]Stella's next message chimed in: [Always the comforting voice. Alright, it's getting late. I need to review my script. You should rest, too.][Goodnight.]Abigail reciprocated the farewe
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