Within roughly 15 minutes, the car arrived at Stardust Bazaar. Vehicles were not permitted entry into the bustling marketplace, so they parked nearly a mile away and made the rest of the journey on foot. Having learned from earlier, Xander carefully parked the car before assisting Abigail out, and the two then proceeded to walk toward the bazaar.Handsome man, beautiful woman, both exuding an air of charisma. They were a sight to behold wherever they went. Passersby could not help but stare, many assuming they were a couple. Muted whispers followed them. "What a lovely couple! With genes that good, they ought to have several kids."After numerous instances of being mistaken for a couple, and seeing Xander not displaying any signs of discomfort, Abigail stopped attempting to correct the assumptions. Instead, she subconsciously tried to maintain a distance from him. She kept a few steps behind, careful not to walk alongside him, hoping that would dispel any misunderstandings. But whene
He leisurely finished his crepe, and with a show-off smirk, said to Abigail, "I'm done. What's next?"As they ventured deeper into the food street, tantalizing aromas and vivid colors greeted them on both sides. Every stall sparked her curiosity and tempted her taste buds. But what really caught Abigail's eye was an escargot stall—a delicacy that often scared off tourists. Abigail had watched countless online videos of Berrybrook locals relishing escargot, which left her drooling. Now that she was standing in front of the source of her cravings, she was not going to hold back. "Mr. Zane, do you eat escargot?" she asked.Xander grimaced slightly at the sight of the escargot, let alone the questionable sanitation of the street food vendors, who presented their food openly to the public. But seeing Abigail's excitement, he did not want to rain on her parade. "Hmm," he agreed.Escargot could be cooked in several ways, and Abigail ordered a bit of each, arranging them into one platter. "
In an instant, the man's sense of inferiority evaporated, replaced with a blind self-confidence. "You see?" he said to his wife, gesturing broadly at the world around him. "I'm not the only useless man out there—the only one who can only afford to take his wife to a place like this. Look at him." He nodded toward Xander without naming him. "Appears to be quite the gentleman, his wife so striking, and yet they're eating in the same place we are."Abigail and Xander paid them no mind. Abigail was too engrossed in the aromatic classic escargot and escargot bourguignon, her mouth too full to retort. Xander, on the other hand, had no interest in giving such individuals any more of his attention than they deserved.The man cast another glance at Abigail before he sneered at his wife, "Next time you start comparing, do me a favor and take a good, hard look at yourself. Look at your waist, your legs, and then look at hers. Do you think you deserve to dine at expensive places?"The woman loo
Xander picked up a fork, intending to taste a morsel. Abigail saw his brow furrowed in discomfort as he forced himself to take a bite and suddenly found his efforts quite endearing. "Mr. Zane, don't force yourself if you don't like it. Not everyone appreciates this kind of food. I assume your wife may not be fond of it either, so you really don't have to."Out of the blue, Xander responded, "If you like it, then I'm certain my wife would too."His statement left Abigail somewhat stumped, unsure of how to reply. Under her watchful gaze, Xander valiantly continued to sample a few more morsels of escargot bourguignon as if unfazed. The snails, drenched in an unctuous garlic and parsley sauce, left a rich, near-charred aftertaste on his tongue that challenged his palate. He could not fathom how Abigail found it so appetizing.Abigail recalled a conversation with Esther and said, "Mr. Zane, escargot is said to be rich in proteins, and it's quite beneficial for the body. It could be a fan
Xander drove in silent irritation while Abigail remained blissfully unaware, engrossed in a chat with Felix and Melody.Abigail: [I never anticipated running into my boss and being roped into work at the last minute. Otherwise, I was planning to head back to Florivera tonight and spend tomorrow with Grandma at Southcrest Residence.] Between her trip abroad before Easter and the following two weeks of non-stop work, Abigail had not seen her grandmother for almost three months. After a spell of much-needed rest, she was supposed to be staying at Southcrest Residence for a few days. But her plans were derailed when concerns about Stella's mental state prompted a last-minute decision to fly to Berrybrook.[What?!] Abigail's voice spiked. [Melody, you're dating someone? Since when? And why am I only hearing about it now? What does this guy do? How did he manage to steal my sweet little girl who I've taken care of for over twenty years?]Melody huffed: [Now you know how we felt when we fo
Dr. Sander sat by the bedside to stay with him. She continuously nagged, "Xander, you do know the condition of your stomach. Why did you repeatedly torture your body?"Xander closed his eyes and gently stroked his forehead. "She likes to eat those. And I didn't want to disappoint her."Dr. Sander responded, "Abigail isn't an unreasonable person. She'd understand you if you talked to her."Xander smiled coldly. "So, should I tell her I can't eat this, I can't eat that, and that I can't accompany her to eat many kinds of foods? Or should I make her change her eating habits to accommodate me?"Dr. Sander replied, "She's your wife. This request isn't unreasonable, right?"Xander responded, "There's no rule that says a wife must accommodate her husband after marriage. I've given her nothing after I married her. How can I request her to change for me? I want to take care of her. I want to provide her with a comfortable life rather than make her accommodate me for everything. I don't wan
After Abigail retorted to her, Dr. Sander was a lot more clear-headed. "Abigail, I didn't mean to blame you. I was just worried that if Xander continues to torture himself like this, his stomach problem might worsen. Please try your best to convince him in the future."Dr. Sander talked nicely and properly. So, Abigail was willing to listen to her. Moreover, she blamed herself a little too. She felt that Xander indeed ate so much food that he usually would not eat because she did not properly convince him not to. She responded, "I'll pay attention to that from now on."Dr. Sander replied, "Thank you!"After they both kept quiet for a while, Abigail spoke again, "Actually, I have an idea to make Mr. Zane obediently not eat carelessly."Dr. Sander asked, "How?"Abigail answered, "Ask Mrs. Zane to convince him. He cares so much about her. He'll surely listen to what she says."Dr. Sander thought, 'You're Mrs. Zane!'She then responded, "You should knock some sense into him then."
The first message was a picture.It was the jacket she bought for Nathan today.Abigail: [Nathan, I bought a jacket for you in Berrybrook today. It matches the jacket I'm wearing. Do you like it?]Xander smiled as he typed: [I like it.]Abigail: [Should I deliver it to your home or give it to you personally when we meet?]Xander pondered before replying: [I'll wait for you to give it to me personally.]Abigail: [Okay.]After a while, Abigail texted again: [Nathan...]Xander: [Yes?]Abigail: [Have you confirmed when you will be back in Florivera? My two best friends want to meet you. And I'm going to visit our grandmothers tomorrow. They'll surely ask about us again. Can I tell them that we haven't met yet?]Abigail expressed herself very politely. But Xander understood that she wanted to see him. He texted back: [Don't worry. I'll surely be back before our second wedding anniversary.]Abigail: [It's a deal then. Don't back out. Whoever backs out is a chicken.]Xander: [Okay
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