"This..." "Cynthia." Both father and daughter were caught off guard. They had not expected Cynthia to say something like this. "Are you still not over your relationship with Joshua?" Jonathan was more concerned about this. He speculated that this might be the case. There was a significant difference between a divorce and a breakup. Even though Cynthia's self-adjustment abilities were impressive, it was still challenging, given it was only a few months. "It's not about that. I don't want to marry for the sake of marrying, and I refuse to compromise in my life. Marriage should be sacred and joyful," Cynthia replied indifferently. As for Joshua, she had moved on. She began adjusting her mindset the moment he brought up that issue. When they officially divorced, she had already made significant adjustments, even though it felt sudden and painful. However, now, she has let go of everything. "Cynthia… I'm reconsidering this whole idea of getting married. Why don't we, as sisters
"Have you visited his house?" Cynthia asked, giving Shirley an earnest look. It was a matter of concern to her. If Zachary had invited Shirley to his house without seeking their parents' consent, it was something to be considered. Shirley let out a confused 'ah'. "No, I haven't." Jonathan and Cynthia exchanged a glance, their expressions and actions in sync for the first time. "He didn't go home last summer. His parents and sister came to visit. They are a wonderful family," Shirley quickly realized their misunderstanding and hastily clarified. Cynthia exhaled in relief, and so did Shirley, but only slightly. She cast a glance at their father. Although Cynthia's approval usually meant their father's, his silence still made her a bit anxious. "As long as your sister sees no issue, you can continue dating," Jonathan finally broke his silence. "Since your sister doesn't see any issue, you can continue dating him. When you find time, bring him home for me to meet. I want to vet
Cynthia looked at Ellora's now clearly pregnant belly, her eyes softening. "How have you been feeling lately?" "I'm fine. I can eat and sleep well, and there's nothing uncomfortable," Ellora responded. She felt that knowing Cynthia was one of the luckiest things in her life. "What about you? What have you been busy with lately?" "Busy dealing with a kid," Cynthia said casually, thinking about Joshua's behavior. Ellora, confused, asked, "A kid?" "Joshua." "Do you...still keep in touch with him?" "It's a long story and a complicated one. However, he has now returned to Jiverton with Uncle Neal." Cynthia glossed over the details with a simple statement. Ellora looked at Cynthia, seemingly torn about whether or not to say something. "What's the matter?" Cynthia noticed. "There's something I'm not sure if I should tell you." "It's fine, whatever it is, you can say it." "Something's been going around in our circle recently. They're saying that Joshua, the president of N
The post from the blogger spanned hundreds of words and made no specific reference to the Neal Group or Joshua. However, to the discerning eye, it was clear who the blogger referred to. There were even pictures. They were not actual images of Joshua, but the stylized, chibi-style character, complete with clothing and minute details, resembled Joshua uncannily. Cynthia now understood why her previous blocking efforts had not taken effect. These people had found a new way to inform the public. "Do we need to take any action?" Ellora ventured to ask, noticing Cynthia's expression slightly clouding over. "Not for now. It should not create much of a stir or trend on social media," Cynthia replied after a brief glance at the screen. "Are you sure?" "Yes." After taking special measures and notifying the relevant people, no one would dare report Joshua's matters without the Neal Group's permission, especially sensitive ones like this. Meanwhile, the blog post rapidly accumulated comm
The hot topic page was teeming with a torrent of real-time debates and discussions. [Surely this is bogus? If something major had truly happened, the news would be sealed tight, not leaked and trending like this,] one commenter remarked. [Even daring to fabricate rumors about Neal Group's boss? Better brace yourself for a lawyer's notice,] another warned. [Is he actually dead?] [I'm not concerned about anything else, but Joshua does not have a successor, right? If he has really passed away, what happens to his money and shares? I suppose I could reluctantly take over,] a user humorously suggested. This topic had barely heated up before it was abruptly pulled down. The Neal Group's official account quickly issued a statement in response. The majority of netizens thought the rumor was too far-fetched. However, there was still a subset of people delving deeper. Initially, they were investigating the authenticity of the blogger's gossip. They began by sifting through various su
She unlocked her phone once again and clicked on the trending topic #200MillionDivorce. The discussions inside were diverse, filled with jokes, serious comments, and even resentment toward the rich. [Holy cow, a 200 million divorce payout! Didn't this dude set up a prenuptial agreement before getting married? Seems like he just handed over a fortune.] [What do you mean 'handed over'? Marital assets are jointly owned, what's wrong with dividing it?] [I just want to know, how much of that 'jointly owned' wealth did Cynthia actually earn? None, I bet!] [200 million!! I'd happily take that. I could even find you a new spouse myself, forget about the divorce!] [Why did they get divorced?] [That's none of my business as a person making a 1500 monthly salary.] [Cynthia is the real winner here. Married, then divorced, with 200 million in her pocket. Sweet deal!] [I suddenly see a path to riches. Marry once, divorce once, and we get 200 million. If I did it a few more times, wou
"He asked me if I ever had thoughts about holding hands, kissing, or hugging you. If I did, that would mean I like you. But I don't. Unless you are drunk, or have fallen or injured, I wouldn't hold you." Cynthia found herself at a loss for words. This man was just too honest. "Boss, would you be willing to be my sister?" Moe said seriously. "Do I have to call you 'brother'?" Cynthia blurted out. The thought of calling him 'Brother Momo' felt weird. "No need. You can keep calling me Momo as you always have." Moe's only concern was maintaining a long-term relationship with Cynthia. "You don't need to worry about me firing you or anything like that. You are, and always will be, an integral part of Arch International. And you are a good partner to me." Cynthia felt he was worrying too much. "That's not enough." Moe was sincere, to the point of being naive. Cynthia found herself amused by this. She was suddenly curious. When Momo eventually starts dating, will he also speak t
"But are we just going to let them slander you online?" Jimmy was still frustrated. "The trending topic has been taken down. Even if they continue discussing, they won't get far. Something new will replace it in a while, and today's discussions will be forgotten," Cynthia replied, maintaining her cool. Jimmy wanted to say more, but Cynthia decided to end the call. She asked him not to worry too much. Given her father's interest in social media, he would not know about this short-lived trend. However, just because he did not know did not mean no one would tell him, like her cousin, Kendrick. "President, this is a trending topic from today. Would you like to take a look?" Lionel Tom held a tablet and handed it to Kendrick. "What's there to see about a trending topic?" Kendrick was busy with work. Once he cleared his workload, he could finally take a break. During the holiday, he needed to discuss with Cynthia about taking over the Yates Group next year. He had been managing it fo
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