Fate

Valeria cast a glance at him, then shifted her gaze to Shane, who had shielded her from the teacup with his body.

If, for a moment, she had entertained the idea of divorcing Shane to salvage the Everhart family's financial crisis, that notion dissipated when he shielded her from the teacup.

Shane was the one she had chosen, the one she had proposed to, and the one she wouldn't let go.

She clasped Shane's hand and took the marriage certificate. "Dad, whether you agree or not, I won't divorce. I initiated this marriage, and I won't betray him."

After making this decision, she suddenly felt much lighter.

"Sister, what about the family's financial situation?" Vanya inquired with a blank expression. From childhood to adulthood, Valeria had never dared to defy her father's words, but unexpectedly, in this crucial moment, she stood resolute.

"Are you saying you'd prefer this poor guy over me as your father?" Ed's voice boomed, as if making a significant decision.

"Dad, I—"

"That's enough!" Ed coldly interrupted her. "From today, get out of the Everhart family. I, Ed Everhart, no longer have a daughter like you!"

Valeria was stunned. Her father was actually severing their father-daughter relationship!

"Dad, you can blame me, and I'm not afraid! But I will solve the company's issues; I will find the money!" Valeria declared, kneeling down to Ed.

"Valeria, what are you doing? Speak properly. Get up; your father will forgive you!" Mila rushed forward to help her up, but Valeria remained resolute.

"Dad, I'm leaving!" Valeria stood up, holding Shane's hand, and left the Everhart family without looking back. She walked briskly, dragging Shane behind her, seemingly without a specific destination.

Leaving the Everhart family, where could she go?

"Are we eloping? Elopement with a marriage certificate?" Shane, perhaps to lighten the mood, spoke first. However, this caused Valeria to stop abruptly. Shane hadn't expected her to halt, but with her footsteps arrested, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her.

Her body's faint fragrance reached his nose, a natural and pleasant scent.

"I actually ran away from home!" Valeria muttered, as if she couldn't believe it. From childhood to adulthood, she understood her father's hardships.

When they were poor, her father worked during the day and cooked delicious meals for her at night. Sometimes, he deliberately grabbed an extra piece of meat at the construction site so that he could add extra dishes for her at night, making her happy. Father and daughter were happiest during those times, free from any worries.

As she grew older, her father earned money and had business partners. They started a joint venture, and no matter where he went, he would take her with him. She deeply understood her father's hardships, so she never let her father worry.

Until that year, when her father met her stepmother, and they had their child. A lot of years had passed since then. She didn't know when she and her father had last been so close. When did it start? Probably when her half-sister was born? All her father's attention was focused on Vanya.

From selecting her major in college, deliberately going against her father's wishes, to working as an editor after graduation, were her own choices. Just as her father said, maybe she was expecting something. Perhaps she was hoping that if 'she' came back, her father would pay more attention to her.

If 'she' were still here, would everything be different? However, there were no 'ifs' in the world. Like today's events, there really weren't any 'ifs.'

"I'm sorry. The first time I brought you home, you had to endure this." Valeria apologized to Shane, genuinely surprised at the turn of events.

Shane, from behind, added more strength to his embrace. "Fool, I should apologize. It's my fault that you're in this situation. If I had introduced myself properly from the beginning, maybe you wouldn't have been kicked out. So, it's my fault!"

Valeria turned around, looking into his sincere eyes.

"Perhaps, this is fate?" She believed that fate would always bring the right person into your life at the right time and place, even if it was a bit hasty.

"Who says it's not? Maybe meeting you is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me!" Shane's warmth and signature smile made people feel like they were basking in spring sunshine. His words were always so soothing, melting hearts effortlessly.

"Shane, I don't regret marrying you, but I'm afraid it will take me some time to fully accept you." After thinking for a moment, she decided to share her feelings with him, hoping he would give her the time she needed.

Actually, she didn't know how she got so lucky. She met him once, and in her absent-mindedness, she proposed marriage. Surprisingly, he agreed.

"Sure, I'll give you all the time you need."

"Shane, why did you agree to marry me?" She suddenly became curious. Would any man accept a marriage proposal from a stranger?

Shane rubbed her nose, still red from holding back tears, and said, "Fate told me it had to be you!"

Okay, she admitted it; she also liked sweet talk. Her heart felt like a deer ramming around in it.

Just then, an unpleasant sound interrupted them.

Valeria awkwardly looked at her stomach. How could it be so unreliable? Her face turned a bit red.

Gurgle, gurgle!

Perhaps the more you cared, the louder the noise.

Shane laughed. "Let's go, my dear wife. To celebrate our first day of marriage, we should go eat!"

Valeria touched her stomach and allowed him to lead her. As she looked back at the path they had walked, she hadn't realized they had gone so far. Now, they had to walk back to get the car.

It must be said that Shane and she had quite similar tastes in food. They opted for The Ivy, a renowned restaurant in London known for its exquisite cuisine. While she typically preferred lighter fare, this marked her first time dining at this iconic establishment.

"Mr. Hunter, you're here?" The waiter courteously opened the door for them, exuding a distinctly British politeness.

Valeria turned her head to glance at him, realizing she knew so little about the man in front of her. What did he do?

"Shane, what do you do?" Valeria asked, biting her fork. She regretted her impulsive question immediately.

Shane smiled, "Of course, I'm a gigolo!"

"Uh...?"

"Just kidding. I'm a doctor."

A doctor? Was he really a doctor?

During the meal at The Ivy, the two of them got to know each other a bit more. Shane's revelations surprised Valeria quite a lot.

After the meal, Shane looked at her as if he had something to say.

"Tonight, will you stay at my place?"

***