"All that’s left is to get my parents' approval, and then we can get married. You’ll give us your blessing, won’t you?" Lydia asked with a sweet smile.Eugene’s eyes darkened, his fists clenching tightly beneath the table.Lydia was a smart and perceptive woman. She was using polite small talk to indirectly push him away. She had seen through his intentions from the start, but she wasn’t interested. In her heart, she had already chosen someone better.The burning jealousy within him threatened to tear apart his composure. Eugene could no longer maintain his calm demeanor. He forced a smile, his tone strained. "If your parents haven’t approved, it means he’s not the right one for you."You’ve always been this way. You’re stubborn, only going after what you want. But what you want isn’t always what’s best for you."Before Lydia could respond, Eugene stood up and left, ending their meeting on a bitter note.On the way back, Lydia explained her history with Eugene to Quincy. Even
Nash had proposed several solutions for Quincy to consider, leaving the final decision to him. Shortly after, the meeting ended, and Quincy returned to his office, reflecting on everything that had happened. He massaged his temples, feeling the weight of exhaustion on his shoulders.“Quincy! I heard something serious happened with the company. Are you okay?” Lydia burst into the office, clearly worried.“What are you doing here?” Quincy instinctively tried to hide his fatigue, not wanting her to see how worn out he was. “Didn’t I tell you there’s no need to come to the office every day? It’s no good if you tire yourself out.”Seeing him forcing a smile despite his exhaustion, Lydia’s frustration flared up. “Stop pretending with me!”“I heard everything on the way here,” Lydia continued, her voice tinged with anger and concern. “They’re saying that many of our partners have backed out, and the company might face a financial crisis. Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”Her frustra
Lydia was about to leave when Mr. Fay, who had remained silent until now, spoke up, his tone carrying an undeniable authority. "You’re not going anywhere.“There’s a banquet tonight, hosted by the Ford family, to welcome back their son who just returned from studying abroad. He’s your childhood friend, Eugene Ford. You’re going, and that’s final.”There was no room for refusal in his voice.The frustration Lydia had been holding in finally boiled over. “I’m not going.”Mr. Fay’s expression darkened immediately. He was a man who rarely spoke, but when he did, he didn’t like to be challenged. Lydia’s defiance was testing his patience, and the only reason he wasn’t already furious was because she was his daughter.“Lydia, don’t talk to your father like that,” Mrs. Fay interjected, trying to calm the situation. “The Ford family has been close to us for generations, and Eugene is your childhood friend. It’s only proper for you to show up and give them some respect.”Lydia let out a co
Lydia met Eugene's gaze, and when she saw the hint of a smile in his eyes, her heart sank. She had no idea what he was truly after. Mrs. Fay’s intentions, however, were crystal clear. She was trying to push the two of them together. “It’s been so long since you’ve seen each other, I’m sure you have plenty to talk about,” Mrs. Fay said, clearly pleased. “We older folks won’t get in the way of your catch-up,” she added, pulling Mrs. Ford aside for a private conversation.With no one else around, it was just Lydia and Eugene left standing there. Lydia didn’t waste any time. “What exactly do you want?”Eugene’s expression shifted, the warmth he had shown before disappearing. His tone turned sharp. “Isn’t it obvious what I want? When we were kids, you said you’d marry me.“Even after all these years, I’ve held onto that promise.”But the truth was, only he had taken it seriously. To Lydia, those childhood words were nothing more than childish banter.The more Eugene thought about i
Lydia nestled in Quincy’s embrace, drawing warmth from him. She sniffled and muttered, “I don’t believe it. You always make things sound so easy.”Quincy didn’t respond with words, just gently brushed her hair back. There was no need for them to say anything. Everything was understood in the silence between them.Lydia stayed in his arms for a while longer, and Quincy, sensing her unsettled emotions, didn’t rush her. They simply remained like that, in quiet comfort. Once she felt a bit better, they both got into the car, and Lydia began explaining everything that had happened.When she told him that Eugene was behind it all, Quincy wasn’t surprised at all. His expression remained calm. "I had already figured out it was the Ford Corporation. I’ve been planning to take action against them."Hearing that Quincy had a solution already in place, Lydia finally felt at ease.Just a few days later, Nash took action against the Ford Corporation. First, he blocked a major project they had
Lydia was so shocked she didn’t even know how to react. The news was completely unexpected. The doctor quickly prescribed folic acid, and neither of them said a word until they got into the car. Once seated, Quincy finally glanced at Lydia, clearly trying to contain his emotions."You…" he began, but Lydia cut him off, her voice betraying her nervousness. “I had no idea either. My period didn’t come for a month, but my cycle has always been irregular, so I didn’t think much of it.”Lydia truly didn’t know what to do about the little life growing inside her. Her parents still hadn’t approved of her relationship with Quincy, and just days ago, they were trying to set her up with Eugene. The thought of what her parents would do if they found out she was pregnant was terrifying.But despite all that, Lydia never considered not having the baby. This was her and Quincy’s child. The thought filled her with warmth, and she couldn’t help but start imagining their future together.Quincy n
Both Lydia and Quincy decided to keep the pregnancy a secret for now, especially from her parents. Lydia was particularly anxious. She feared that if her mother found out, she might cause a scene at Quincy’s company. But Lydia’s frequent absences from home, along with her early departure from the Ford family banquet, had made her mother increasingly worried.One evening, her parents had a discussion and decided to call her back home.In the Fay family living room, Mr. Fay sat on the sofa, glasses perched on his nose, pretending to read a newspaper. In reality, he was glancing toward the door, tapping his fingers as if waiting for someone.“Now, Hubby, remember what we talked about. You can’t lose your temper this time! You promised to speak kindly to our daughter, no yelling. We don’t want another argument,” Mrs. Fay reminded him.“I know, I know. Let’s wait until she’s back,” he responded, somewhat dismissively. After so many years together, Mrs. Fay was used to her husband’s
Quincy let out a sigh, gently helping Lydia sit down. "You don’t need to talk to me like that. If your dad wants to meet, I’ll go."Although Mr. Fay hadn’t formally acknowledged him, Quincy had already started seeing him as his future father-in-law. And in his mind, a father-in-law was like a second father. How could he refuse?Quincy planned to visit Fay Corporation at noon to meet her father. Lydia, worried, wanted to go with him, but he refused, insisting she stay at the company. After a bit of back and forth, Lydia finally agreed.As Quincy stepped out of the car in front of the towering Fay Corporation building, a wave of unexpected nerves hit him. He had been in plenty of meetings with high-profile companies and CEOs, especially when working alongside Nash, and by comparison, the Fay Corporation wasn’t even that big.Yet, the tension remained.Adjusting his tie, he took a deep breath and walked inside.The receptionist greeted him with a polite smile. “Good afternoon, sir