“But I just can’t shake this feeling.” Lydia murmured, anxiety gnawing at her.“Unfortunately, you can’t reach Mr. Quincy right now unless you have someone who can get in touch with him,” her secretary suggested.Lydia’s eyes lit up. Why hadn’t she thought of that? She could call her father!Without wasting another moment, she dialed her father’s number, heart pounding with worry for both Quincy and her dad. As the phone rang, each second felt like an eternity, and she silently prayed that nothing had happened.Finally, the call connected.“Hello… signal’s bad here…” came Mr. Fay’s voice, crackling with interference.The signal was awful, and Lydia’s heart leapt back into her throat. Raising her voice, she tried to make herself heard. “Dad, where are you? I saw a video saying there might be an earthquake in Salt City!”“What? I can’t… hear you clearly,” Mr. Fay’s voice came in and out, making it hard to communicate.“I said there might be an earthquake where you are! Don’t go o
Mr. Fay lay under the blanket, listening to Mrs. Fay’s conversation with the doctor outside. From the sound of it, Lydia could tell her father had injured his leg, but she didn’t dare pull back the blanket to see for herself.Unconsciously, tears welled up in her eyes and began to soak the edge of the blanket. Lydia leaned against the hospital bed, overcome with guilt for her past stubbornness, for always defying her father. “Dad, I was wrong. I’ve really been so wrong.”“Why are you crying? I’m not dead or crippled,” came a strong voice from above her.Surprised, Lydia looked up to see her father, his face flushed with color. He was still as stern as ever, his thick brows knitted together, looking as if he could find fault with her at any moment. But this time, Lydia felt no defiance. Her eyes red from crying, she hugged her father tightly. “Dad, I’m so sorry I got here late.”“It’s just a little earthquake,” Mr. Fay said, clearly flustered by her display of affection, unsure
Lydia immediately toned down her excitement, unsure whether to let go of Quincy’s hand or not, worried her father might catch on. Feeling nervous, she shot a pleading look toward Quincy for help.Luckily, Quincy understood.With Mrs. Fay staying at the hospital to care for Mr. Fay, the two didn’t linger and left soon after. Since the biggest hurdle had been Mr. Fay’s disapproval of their relationship, Lydia wanted to secure everything while things were still in their favor. She had brought all the necessary documents with her just in case, so they decided to head to the courthouse and get their marriage license right away.A short while later, holding their official marriage license in her hands, Lydia’s face lit up with a radiant smile.She extended her hand toward Quincy and playfully said, “Hello, Mr. Quincy. From today onwards, let’s take care of each other.”Quincy’s charming smile, warm and intoxicating like the finest wine, softened his features. Seeing that no one was
Lydia instinctively wanted to decline, but Mrs. Ford seemed to anticipate her response. "It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other," she said. "I still remember when you were just a little girl, and now look at you. You’re not going to get distant with me, are you?"With Mrs. Ford putting it that way, Lydia couldn’t refuse without seeming ungrateful, so she reluctantly agreed.After hanging up, she realized she hadn’t asked if Eugene would be attending the charity gala, and a wave of regret washed over her. She wasn’t eager to see him again. But now that she had accepted, calling back would feel too deliberate.Sighing, Lydia murmured to herself, "I guess it’s better to just clear the air when I see him."Meanwhile, at the Ford family’s living room, Mrs. Ford set down the phone and looked over to the side. "I’ve made the call for you. The rest is up to you."Next to her sat a man dressed in a dark gray outfit, his silver-framed glasses and casual clothing giving him an approac
Waitstaff moved gracefully through the crowd, balancing trays of drinks as they wove between guests. When Lydia and Quincy stepped aboard the yacht, they immediately drew attention. It wasn’t hard to see why. Lydia looked stunning.She wore a deep blue gown adorned with tiny crystals that sparkled like stars, creating the illusion of a shimmering ocean under the moonlight. Her curled hair added the perfect finishing touch, and as she walked with grace, she looked almost otherworldly, like a mythical sea siren.The yacht was filled with a wide variety of people. There were new business elites, overseas investors, and those who were simply there to admire the beautiful women attending the event. Many eyes scanned the female guests, with some men immediately approaching any woman who caught their interest. Lydia, with her striking beauty, quickly became a prime target for attention.“She’s a real knockout,” one man whispered to his friend. “Do you think I could get her number?”“H
Lydia knew exactly what Quincy was worried about, so she offered him a reassuring smile. "I’ll be fine. I’ll go and be right back. If you’re still chatting with Mr. William and I’m not back, come find me. Does that put your mind at ease?"Only then did Quincy reluctantly let her go.The yacht was enormous, and Lydia wandered for a bit before finally finding the restroom. The interior was lavish with golden walls and ornate mirrors with intricate designs on the edges. Everything exuded luxury. After washing her hands, she was ready to head back, but as soon as she stepped outside, she froze."Lydia, what a coincidence to run into you here."The man standing in front of her was none other than Eugene."What are you doing here?" she blurted, immediately regretting the question. Mrs. Ford was attending the gala, so of course her son would be there too. She mentally chastised herself for asking something so obvious.Eugene smiled, his eyes dark and intense as he stared at her. The d
Lydia quickly muttered an apology and tried to slip past the man.“Where do you think you’re going? You bump into me and think a simple ‘sorry’ is enough? There’s no way it’s that easy!” The man grabbed her arm forcefully, pulling her back.With a yelp, Lydia stumbled into the wall.That seemed to jolt the man’s alcohol-fogged brain into some clarity, and when he got a good look at her, his eyes lit up.“Well, aren’t you something,” he sneered. “How much for the night? I’ll take good care of you.”The man was sporting a beer belly and a sleazy grin. He looked Lydia up and down as if she were one of the many women on the yacht hoping to land a rich guy for the night. But Lydia wasn’t one of them.“Get lost! Take a good look at yourself. Do you think I’m someone you can mess with?” Lydia snapped, stomping her heel down on his foot.The man howled in pain, and Lydia took the chance to gather her dress and run.But the man’s furious roar followed her down the hallway. “You filthy b
Eugene's gaze briefly lingered on Lydia, though his words were addressed to the crowd around him. "The auction is about to begin. If you don’t want to miss out, you’d better get ready."His tone made it clear he wasn’t interested in further conversation. The people around them were quick to pick up on social cues and nodded in agreement.“Mr. Ford is right, we can’t miss this one!”“It’s time to head in,” someone else chimed in.As soon as the words were spoken, the lights in the room dimmed. Amid the collective gasps of the crowd, a spotlight shone on the stage where the host stepped into view. After the usual pleasantries, the auction officially began.People quickly found their seats, and Lydia followed Quincy to a spot with a good view of the stage. As they settled in, Eugene passed by, leaning slightly toward her as he said, “I’ll see you after the auction.”Lydia glanced at him but didn’t respond, keeping her focus on Quincy. Once seated, she reached for Quincy’s hand and