Shirley was surprised at Kendrick's audacity and pulled him back."What are you doing?""Joining them for dinner. Didn't he invite us in?" Kendrick said matter-of-factly, hiding his excitement better than Shirley."But you already ate!" Shirley hinted.She did not want to intrude on their private time, but Kendrick was not on the same page as her.Kendrick understood Shirley's message but was too curious about Matthew's identity. "When did I eat?""Kendrick!""Let's go in! We're wasting their time."Shirley was forced to go inside. Kendrick's gaze kept shifting toward Matthew from time to time. If he remembered correctly, this was the incredibly handsome man who had accompanied Cynthia home that day!Yet, Cynthia said nothing was going on between them!Why were they having dinner together if they did not have anything going on? "Cynthia..." Shirley called out a bit nervously. When they came in, she noticed Cynthia's coat on the sofa and some documents on the coffee ta
Were they officially a couple now?Shirley was excited! "A-Are you two officially together?" Kendrick finally caught up."We just confirmed our relationship yesterday," Matthew declared, glancing at Cynthia, who was eating with her head down, and continued, "We're now officially dating.""Yes! You're my brother-in-law!" Shirley blurted out, unable to contain her excitement.Cynthia looked at Shirley, confused.Brother-in-law?Was that not too soon?"Oh, so you're my future brother-in-law. How about some drinks to celebrate?" Kendrick said with a satisfied smile. Cynthia and Shirley both said at the same time, "Kendrick.""What?" Kendrick was genuinely happy. He remembered the fleeting encounter many years ago, and he was still impressed to this day. At that time, he already thought Matthew was a good man, and it would be great if he could win him over for Cynthia. Little did he know that before he even started, Cynthia had already gotten married!Fortunately, everythin
Shirley did not hold back and spilled the beans. "He doesn't want to run the company anymore. He talked to Dad and proposed to hand over the company to you starting this year. Dad and Grandpa both agreed, and he also asked the shareholders."Cynthia was surprised.Seeing that Shirley had told Cynthia, Kendrick added, "I've been helping you manage the company for so many years. Don't you think it's time to give me some freedom?""No way," Cynthia replied firmly.Jonathan's agreement was expected, but Old Man Yates…He never approved of her, thinking she was useless. So, why would he agree to hand over the Yates Group to her?"Cyn…" Kendrick appeared pitiful, different from the imposing figure in the office.He just wanted to enjoy life and not work! Cynthia purposely said, "If you don't want to manage it, hire an executive president. Let the secretary department's staff assist him with daily affairs, and you can handle major decisions.""That won't do," Kendrick rejected it wi
"Cyn is our family's gem, and she's my precious!" Kendrick slung his arm over Matthew's shoulder, clearly intoxicated. "If you mistreat her, I won't let you off easily."At this moment, Matthew was completely sober. He looked at Cynthia, watching TV with Shirley. His eyes filled with fondness and tenderness.After a while, he replied, "She's my precious too."In this lifetime, he would protect her with all his might.Matthew opened his phone's recording function, began the routine questioning, and continued, "Kendrick, do you want Cynthia to suffer?""No, I don't.""Do you want Cynthia to be exhausted all the time?""No, I don't.""If that's the case, how about continuing to manage the Yates Group?""Alright!"Matthew was satisfied with his answers. He put away his phone and did not continue drinking with Kendrick.When Cynthia noticed that they were quiet, she glanced over and walked over."Let him rest at my place. After he wakes up, he'll probably think he's Superman and
Kendrick instantly widened his eyes, fully awake.With surprising speed, he bounced off the bed and swiftly swung a punch toward Matthew, shouting, "You scoundrel! How dare you bully Cyn!"Bang!His fist landed in Matthew's palm.As Cynthia's captain, Matthew was superior in both professional knowledge and physical strength. Even if Kendrick tried to ambush him, he could easily handle it."Let me go!" Kendrick threatened, but he was still under the influence of alcohol.Cynthia sighed, knowing the situation all too well and thinking, 'Here we go again…'"I'll beat you to a pulp if you dare to lay a hand on Cyn!" Kendrick growled, but his words lacked authority due to his intoxicated state.Matthew still held Kendrick's fist and asked, "Is he... suffering from alcohol-induced memory loss?"He remembered how Kendrick was still so fond of him before, but now he suddenly called him a scoundrel. "Sort of..." Cynthia struggled to explain his condition."Cyn, come here. I'll prote
"I just checked. Shirley probably didn't want to disturb our private time, so she returned to your unit."Matthew's lips were merely a centimeter away from hers, and his seductive voice softly asked, "Are you so afraid of me kissing you?""No..." Cynthia replied with little confidence. She did not know why, but her heart was beating out of control.Matthew chuckled lightly, asking tenderly, "Then, should I kiss you?"Cynthia's composure started to crumble. He should just kiss her and stop asking so many questions!Matthew closed the distance once more, and the atmosphere between them became even more ambiguous. Matthew's fresh and enticing scent filled Cynthia's senses, causing her heart to pound uncontrollably. As she waited for the kiss to land, she felt a soft touch on her cheek.She froze. A kiss on the cheek? "I'll give you some time to prepare. Next time, it'll be a real kiss," Matthew teased, withdrawing slightly. His voice carried a hint of hoarseness."Captain..
Cynthia's heart was in turmoil, and she could not find the right words to respond to Matthew's teasing remark. She realized that lonely people could easily become entangled in desires when they were in love, unable to resist temptations.In her case, Matthew was the epitome of temptation."I'll go prepare the honey water for Kendrick. Go and watch TV," Matthew said, trying to suppress his urges."Okay," Cynthia replied softly.Matthew's deep gaze lingered on her before he mustered the willpower to turn away. He gently patted her head before taking the honey and heading to the kitchen to prepare the drink.Once the honey water was ready, he brought it to Kendrick's room. Kendrick was sitting on the bed. His eyes looked complicated as he watched Matthew approach. It seemed like he was harboring some displeasure."I saw it," Kendrick said.Matthew was not surprised. When he heard the footsteps earlier, he knew Kendrick had seen them too."You're bullying Cyn," Kendrick added."
Cynthia could understand why Matthew wanted her to change her way of addressing him, but she could not come up with a suitable alternative immediately. When she returned home, Shirley paused the variety show and asked nosily, "Cynthia, did you really become official with Matthew yesterday.""Mmhmm.""What do you feel? Are you so happy that you're bursting with joy?" Shirley was genuinely curious."It feels very comfortable and reassuring," Cynthia replied simply.Thinking that Shirley was also in a relationship now, Cynthia decided to ask her about the issue of addressing each other."How do you and Zachary call each other?""Huh?" "I mean, the names you use privately, just between the two of you."Shirley pursed her lips and hesitated to answer. While they often called each other sweetly, saying it out loud now felt a bit embarrassing."Baby or something like darling," Shirley finally confessed, feeling embarrassed.Cynthia froze as she imagined calling Matthew by those nam
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