For his barrage of questions, Cynthia only had four words, "She is my friend." "So what if she's your friend?" Chyler was dismissive. "Would you think that Joshua and Yiordan are friends with you because of money? If they both hit rock bottom one day, will you stop associating with them?" Cynthia said. "I am not that kind of person," Chyler retorted. Cynthia fell silent, simply maintaining eye contact with him. She had been working hard, learning, and earning money so that she could help her friends when they encountered difficulties in the future without having to rely on her family. Now, she has achieved that goal. Ellora was a person worth helping. "Friendships without benefits tend to last longer. The disparity between your family background and Ellora's is too great. Over time, problems between the two of you will arise," Chyler continued. "None of the issues you worry about will ever occur between me and Ellora. You just need to divorce her and then leave her alone,"
What a shame that such a wonderful girl had to encounter someone like Chyler. Moe's gaze rested on Cynthia, a hint of something more lurking in his otherwise cool eyes. "I feel the same," he said. "Hmm?" "I feel bad for you." The four words were spoken with utter sincerity. His boss, Cynthia, deserved nothing but the best. A surprise flitted across Cynthia's face, quickly followed by a soft smile. Her heart warmed. "Boss," Moe intoned each time he addressed her with such gravity. "What is it?" Cynthia asked. "Although I have said it before, I would like to offer you some advice. If you ever decide to get married, please consider all aspects. Ideally, let me help you screen your prospects," Moe began. "Alright," Cynthia agreed. At her acquiescence, a subtle shift appeared in Moe's mood, yet it faded as quickly as it appeared, replaced with his usual cool demeanor. Without any further delay, they made their way to the location arranged by Kendrick. It was a leisurely ho
"Right," began Mitchell, adjusting his glasses to make himself look more sophisticated. "Moe, what made you decide to become Cyn's assistant in the first place?" Caught off guard, Moe looked somewhat stunned, as if he had never expected Mitchell to pose this question. However, he quickly regained composure and replied, "The boss was hiring." It was an impeccable answer, leaving no room for criticism. Mitchell raised his eyebrows, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, but he said nothing more. Cynthia found his reaction puzzling, unable to fathom the point he was trying to make. She chose not to probe further and continued chatting casually. As evening approached and the sky began to darken, Kendrick glanced at his watch and announced, "You all carry on. I need to prepare something." It was the main event of the evening, and he did not want anything to go wrong. Cynthia, without giving it much thought, let him proceed. Once Kendrick left, Cynthia finally asked the question she
Just as she decided to walk over, Mitchell stopped her. "Let's just stay here." Cynthia looked at him in confusion. In the next moment, Kendrick's actions clarified Mitchell's comment. Kendrick, Shirley, and Jimmy all held spark-emitting objects in their hands, approaching the square boxes. A succession of loud bangs echoed in the night, and beautiful, colorful fireworks lit up the dark sky, creating a stunning spectacle. Firework after firework lit up the night sky as if setting it ablaze. Bang! Bang! Bang! Another series of explosions filled the sky. The fireworks blossomed overhead, their multicolored sparks like a breathtaking painting. Cynthia watched in awe, the fireworks reflecting in her mesmerizing eyes. While she was captivated by the fireworks, Moe watched her. Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed, and a massive firework bloomed in the sky. Then a message appeared: Cyn, we love you! The words glowed bright as day against the night sky. After a brief pause, they disper
"Are you sure it's adorable, not scary?" "You really don’t have anything nice to say about me, do you?" "Cynthia, look at Shirley. She doesn’t allow us to speak the truth!" "Sis! Jimmy's bullying me!" Watching the two playful figures, Cynthia tousled Shirley's hair and, with a hint of a smile, said, "Whatever Shirley makes is the most adorable thing in the world." "Did you hear that, you tasteless brute?" Shirley and Jimmy were always at odds. Jimmy merely grunted. Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, everyone made their way to the dinner area. In an outdoor venue, a lavish dinner was already spread out on the table, and in the middle of the table was a cake. More precisely, a cake that was a miniature version of Cynthia's Bailey pillow. That night, Cynthia had a wonderful time. After dinner, everyone gathered to chat. Looking around at the six people surrounding her, she felt incredibly happy and suddenly said, "Tell me your wishes, and I'll make them come true." "We wish
The next day, after everyone else had returned home, Cynthia moved back to her own house with Jonathan and Shirley. With both Cynthia and Shirley off work and school respectively, the family spent some much-needed quality time together. Three days passed quickly. One sunny afternoon, as Cynthia was enjoying the sun on the backyard swing, she received a call from Ellora. With her eyes closed, basking in the comfortable sunlight, Cynthia answered, "Hello, Ellora." "Cynthia, I've made a decision," came the response. "What?" "I've decided not to keep the baby." Ellora's words left Cynthia stunned. Sitting up straight and opening her eyes, Cynthia asked, "Why?" Ellora had made it clear how much she cared about this child. Why the sudden change? "Talia called me and got me to listen to a recording. The recording was of her telling Chyler's parents about my pregnancy," Ellora explained, sounding suddenly lucid. Cynthia paused, remembering what Chyler had told her that day.
After a brief silence, Ellora decided to take Cynthia's advice. "Alright." "Take care of your pregnancy. Ignore everything about the Young family. You only need to think about whether you like the child and if you are ready to be a mother." Cynthia hoped she would take good care of herself. "Cynthia," Ellora sounded a little choked up. "Yes?" Cynthia always had a gentle tone with girls. "Thank you." "You're welcome," Cynthia replied, then added, "After your divorce from Chyler, I can arrange a new residence for you, switch you to a new agency, and keep you away from everything related to the Young family." "Alright," Ellora agreed. After offering some comforting words, Cynthia hung up the phone. Pregnant women need to be surrounded by love. What Chyler could not offer to Ellora, Cynthia could. Life does not have to be filled with romance to be worth living. Family, friendship, and a strong sense of self can make life wonderful. After ending the call, she continued to ba
After the call, Michelle shared the news with Mandy. Both were surprised, and Mandy asked with a light tone, "Are you sure Cynthia agreed to this?" "Yes. After she agreed, Uncle Jonathan and Shirley said they'd come too." Mandy did not say anything. Michelle stood there obediently, being generally respectful toward her mother. "From today, you must get along with Cynthia and Shirley. However, don't be overly eager. As long as Cynthia doesn't object, Mr. Yates and I can get married," Mandy advised her solemnly. "But... I've already offended Cynthia," Michelle worried. "Everyone makes mistakes. Just behave well from now on. Don't go astray this time," Mandy reasoned with her. Michelle fiddled with her sleeve. "Okay." Mandy looked at her and sighed deeply, contemplating further words, but in the end, she busied herself with preparing the lunch for five. It would indeed take some time. On Cynthia's side, they were still in the midst of breakfast. Bursting with curiosity, Sh
Isabella glared at Nick. He actually betrayed her! Caught off guard by Luther's honesty, Nick quickly explained, "Don't look at me like that. Luther forced me to do it. If I didn't agree to his request, he would've spilled my past to my current girlfriend.""Current girlfriend?" Isabella looked puzzled.Nick confessed honestly, "My new girlfriend."Isabella was at a loss for words. Nick was very handsome. His looks could rival top celebrities. Naturally, with his face and charisma, he had no shortage of admirers. That led to a habit of frequently changing girlfriends."I made my rules clear to her. No shady behavior allowed," Nick added quickly, sensing what Isabella was thinking.Hearing this, Isabella did not say much.A moment later, Luther, seeing that their conversation had wrapped up, took Isabella's hand and left. On the way back, he deliberately brought up the topic of proposals."What kind of proposal do you like?" Luther asked."Anything works," Isabella replied
There was a time when Isabella considered letting Luther propose to her. However, he had not shown any signs that he would or asked for her ring size. There was no need to overthink it; that fool probably had not even thought about it. Nonetheless, Isabella did not blame Luther. After all, she was well aware that everyone expressed love differently. Yet, that was also precisely why she wanted to propose to him, to make him understand just how much she cared."What's wrong?" Annie asked, concerned."I'm just worried," Isabella replied. The ring sizes had been a constant worry for her."Because of what you just mentioned?"Isabella nodded. "Yeah.""Why do you want to propose to him?" Annie looked toward a dark corner. "In most relationships, the boyfriend proposes to the girlfriend, right?""I want him to feel loved," Isabella answered simply.Luther was different from most people; he always suppressed his negative emotions and limited his freedom. He no longer wanted to restr
"No," Luther declined; he still wanted to be the one proposing to her."Okay," Joshua agreed readily.Luther nodded, letting his mind wander. In the following days, Isabella kept checking on the progress, each time being informed that there was no opportunity to measure Luther's finger.In the blink of an eye, three days passed.Cynthia and Matthew had a conversation with Isaiah.Due to prior preparation, Isaiah handled Cynthia and Matthew's questions smoothly. Although they knew Isaiah had not been entirely truthful, based on his attitude toward Sandra, they agreed to the marriage without excessive probing into his relationship with her.As for Isabella, she waited for a few days but had not received any news. Frustrated, she decided to go to Jiverton herself to find Luther.When Joshua heard about her plan, he asked her to give him a bit more time. He assured her he would have the sizes by next Friday at the latest."Really?" Isabella was worried about running out of time.
"Okay." Isaiah already had a plan in mind.After discussing the matter, the two did not say much more. In the following two days, Cynthia and Matthew stayed home while Isabella prepared the details and processes for the proposal.However, after going through the general plan, Isabella suddenly realized a problem. She did not know Luther's ring size. How could she prepare a ring for the proposal without knowing the size?Realizing this issue, she immediately thought of flying to Jiverton to find out but hesitated due to Luther's caution. If she returned so soon after just coming back, he would surely be suspicious. After much contemplation, she came up with a solution—Joshua.When Isabella called, Joshua happened to be having a meal with Luther."I'm not busy, what's up?""I need your help with something," Isabella said, trusting Joshua's abilities, "but Luther can't know about it."Joshua instinctively glanced at Luther.Luther was confused. He glanced at Joshua's phone and
"Quit the act," Matthew said to Isabella, "It's too bad."Isabella stayed quiet. Matthew bluntly stated, "Isaiah currently oversees the company, and the annual revenue has been consistently increasing under his management. He even took a few subsidiaries public.""And?" Isabella inquired."He has a talent for this," Matthew hinted, leaving Isabella puzzled as she struggled to keep up with Matthew's pace."He's barely in his twenties, so there's no rush to get married," Matthew explained. He saw through everything, understanding Isaiah well, adding, "If there were truly such a concern, he could easily establish a company under Sandra's name in the next few years, operate it until it goes public."With Isaiah's abilities and connections, starting a company and taking it public would be a simple task. After the IPO and proper management, Sandra's value would naturally rise. This would effortlessly 'shut their mouths'. Isabella wanted to say something, realizing her dad's words
"That depends on the secret he's keeping," Matthew responded immediately, taking the opportunity to tease Isaiah, "If it's something against our moral values, it'd be hard not to form an opinion, even if we try not to.""He's not that kind of person," Isabella defended Isaiah.Matthew did not respond but just sat there. Their father-son dynamic involved banter and teasing, but when it came down to it, they genuinely cared about each other."He's just worried that you might object to Sandra's background," Isabella continued to spin her tale convincingly.Cynthia and Matthew were confused, both staring at Isabella.Isabella felt a bit uneasy. Something seemed off with her parents' expressions. "What's wrong?""Are you sure Isaiah is worried about this?" Cynthia asked.Why was their beloved daughter so bad at lying? Not catching on, Isabella nodded, "Absolutely.""Setting aside the fact that we've always taught you not to treat people differently based on their family background
"Ah, I see." Isabella breathed a sigh of relief and purposely asked, "Is it possible that Isaiah got to know Sandra through Uncle Yves and Uncle Sean?""It's unlikely," Cynthia denied. Even though they had not arranged any blind dates or rushed Isaiah into marriage, given his personality, he would not seek an introduction from anyone."Whenever you have time, ask Isaiah to bring his girlfriend home," Cynthia said, truly wishing for her children to find happiness. Isabella agreed, "Sure.""Isabella," Cynthia suddenly spoke up.Putting away her plan book, Isabella responded, "Hmm?""Do you think I look stern?" Cynthia sounded gentler than usual, lacking the usual nonchalance.Having been accustomed to being herself, Cynthia found it a bit awkward to take on the role of an elder suddenly. If she left a bad impression on Sandra during their first meeting, it could easily jeopardize Isaiah's relationship."Not at all," Isabella spoke sincerely, looking at Cynthia affectionately. "Y
Isaiah had seen through their plans. He knew that his parents' friends enjoyed watching him banter with Matthew. Every time something was like this, they would eagerly make things difficult for him.Early the next morning, Mitchell and the others began implementing the plan. Initially, Matthew did not suspect anything and thought they genuinely had urgent matters to attend to and brought Cynthia back home first.Considering Luther's upcoming proposal, they decided not to travel the world but instead explored nearby cities. After Mitchell and the others called Matthew aside, Isabella approached Cynthia. Cynthia was surprised to learn about Isabella and Isaiah's plan."Aren't you afraid of getting in trouble?" Cynthia asked."Not at all," Isabella responded very directly, her mind focused on planning her and Luther's engagement. "Isaiah said he can handle this matter, so let's discuss the proposal first. I've thought about several options, but none seem good enough.""Okay," Cynth
Isaiah was surprised."Take her to shoot wedding photos first," Isabella suggested seriously. After giving it some thought, Isaiah said, "I'll ask her during dinner.""Why bother asking?" Isabella thought Isaiah's emotional intelligence was lacking, and Sandra's expectations were too low. "Just pick a few reputable studios and let her choose one she likes."During their conversation, Isabella noticed that Sandra was slightly anticipating a wedding, although she had refused for some unknown reason. If she was not truly opposed to weddings, there should not be an issue with pre-wedding photos."If you give it directly to her, she'll probably say she doesn't need it," Isabella coined. She could see through people and was quite clever.Isaiah clearly did not consider this possibility."Take a look at these studios. My friends suggested them," Isabella had already made the selections and recommended them to him. "Weren't you against my decision before?" Isaiah, not understanding h