Daisy was immersed in the conversation with the rich ladies."I heard last year that a mysterious rich man spent 200 million dollars on his wife and bought a necklace called Astre Eternel, which signified eternal love. I was wondering who that generous man was. Never in my mind did I expect it to be Mr. Guzman," one of the women said.Another continued, "Everyone in Florivera knows Mr. Guzman loves his wife. It's not surprising he would spend that kind of money on her.""Do you know the main reason he's so generous?" the third person in the group asked."What?" The rest wanted to know.The wealthy lady who asked the question continued, "Because his wife is gorgeous. Come closer and take a good look, girls. Not only is she good-looking, but her face is also flawless. There's literally no sign of aging."Daisy was in her forties and took care of herself very well. Though, there was no resisting the laws of nature; she still had a few wrinkles here and there.The women started prai
"What's up?" Daisy asked."Someone at this event is wearing a fake of the same necklace you're wearing right now," Max replied."Who?""Xander's assistant, Abigail."Daisy gritted her teeth in anger at the sound of that name. "Her again? She's everywhere!""What are you going to do about this?" Max asked."She's the one wearing a fake, and she's the one who'll be humiliated if people find out. What does it have to do with me?""Well, if that's what you say...""That woman won't be around in a few more days. I'll make sure she leaves Florivera and never comes back into our lives again," Daisy sneered."Dad said that it's either us or her. So, play your cards right.""Got it," Daisy responded.In order to have a secure position as Mrs. Guzman in Florivera, Daisy had seen and done all kinds of stuff in the past twenty years. Taking her down would not be easy.The Guzman family was the star of the night, while the others were there to support them. It was hard to be noticed in
Max handed Xander a glass of wine and said, "Let's drink?"Before Xander could reply, Abigail immediately stepped forward and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Guzman. Mr. Zane is unwell and can't drink for the time being."Max frowned, and there was a fierce look in his eyes. 'I was talking to Xander, not you,' he thought. However, he did not dare to say it out loud. He knew how much Xander cared for her.Max forced a smile and said, "I don't know if it's appropriate to say this, Ms. Renee. But...""If that's the case, maybe you shouldn't say anything, Mr. Guzman," Abigail voiced out.Max was taken aback by her response. It took him a long time before saying, "I just wanted to remind you something. Don't you think you're a little out of line here? The person who should be worrying about whether Mr. Zane drinks or not is his wife, not his assistant.""I don't think so. It seems like you're the one who's out of line," Xander said as he gave Max a displeased look. "My wife doesn't like it when
"I'll wait for you here. I'm sure Daisy will definitely agree to let Mallory come over," said Xander."Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Zane," Abigail said before quickly running away toward Daisy and Mallory. "Mrs. Guzman, Ms. Guzman. Mr. Zane had requested for Ms. Guzman's presence. May I know if—""He rejected my offer earlier, and now he's looking to talk to Mallory?" Daisy was suspicious.Abigail smiled and said politely, "Are you saying I'm lying, Mrs. Guzman? Or do you not want to hand Ms. Guzman over to Mr. Zane?"Abigail was very good at persuading people at a young age. Anyone who was not careful would likely fall for her tricks.Daisy had no time to think. She would rather be wrong about trusting someone than risk missing the opportunity to hand her daughter off to Xander."Mallory..." Daisy reached out and pulled down the shoulder straps of Mallory's dress. "Men say they like cute and innocent girls, but in reality, no man can resist the temptation of a mature woman.
Abigail's heart ached after hearing those words. "Mallory, you shouldn't be living your life for someone else. You should live for yourself. Do you understand?"To understand the concept was one thing, but to execute it was not an easy task, especially for someone like Mallory. She had the blood of the Guzman family in her. Everything she ate, used, and wore was given to her by the Guzmans. Max often told her that a useless person like her would not have the things she had without the generosity of their family.In the beginning, Mallory stood up for herself because she felt she was not useless. But as time went by, she began to agree with Max. 'There's no way I could live alone without the Guzmans. I probably wouldn't even survive for a month.'Mallory tilted her head and held back the tears in her eyes. "It's not that I don't want to, Abigail. I just can't do it.""Who says you can't?" Abigail could not stand Mallory's negativity. "Tell me, Mallory, which university did you gradu
Abigail did not give up on Mallory. "I have a friend who owns a comic studio. Tell me if you ever want a job, and I'll introduce them to you.""Sorry, Abigail!" Mallory said as she opened the door. Unexpectedly, a man was standing at the doorway. "M-Mr. Hagrid..." Mallory stepped back in fright."Ms. Guzman, you look like you saw a ghost." Ron laughed.Mallory did not say a word. 'You're not a ghost; you're worse than that!'Abigail stepped forward to shield Mallory and said, "Mr. Hagrid, what brings you here?"Ron looked at Abigail and Mallory with a sly smile on his face. "Guess," he said.Mallory hid behind Abigail and held onto her clothes tightly. "Abigail..."Abigail patted the back of Mallory's hand to calm her down. She then looked at Ron and continued, "Mr. Zane is right over there, Mr. Hagrid."Ron glanced at the two and walked toward Xander. "Xander, what are you doing here? Aren't you going to greet me?""Abigail, does Mr. Hagrid know?" Mallory asked."Don't worry
"Who should I trust if not him? You?" Abigail responded.Xander said nothing. His mesmerizing eyes narrowed slightly beneath the rims of his glasses, quietly looking at Abigail.Ron laughed. "Would a trustworthy man pretend to be loyal yet sleeps around with other women?"Abigail frowned in displeasure. "You know best what happened that day, Mr. Hagrid. Don't try to accuse Mr. Zane of things he hasn't done."Xander was not surprised that Abigail defended him. What surprised him was that she had seen him "cheat" on her with Mallory but chose to believe him after he explained himself. She also did not have any doubts despite what everyone was saying. It was great to be trusted by someone. A warm feeling rushed into Xander's heart, and he could feel the butterflies.He slowly walked up to Abigail with elegance and held her hand. "Ron, may I formally introduce you to my wife—Abigail," he said as he emphasized the last three words.Xander no longer wanted to wait any longer. He wanted
Xander dodged Ron's attack just by slightly turning sideways. "You're no match for me. Stop wasting your energy."Ron withdrew his fist and straightened his shirt. "You've always wanted to know who was secretly contacting me and trying to pull you down from your current position, right? I'll tell you now. That person's last name is Zane too... Hahaha..."Actually, Xander had already figured that out before Ron told him. He was not surprised at all.And Xander believed that the person did not just contact Ron alone. He believed that the person would contact everyone that the person could to come after him.After all, he was the one who personally took that person down and sent him to jail to be locked up for ten years. It was a full ten years without a day missing.Ten years was enough to change many people's destinies.Ten years ago, Xander was still a young man.Ten years ago, he had only taken over the Zane Corporation for less than two years. At that time, he was at the mercy
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