Joshua stood outside the police station for quite a while without moving. Yoel and Sean were waiting nearby, and after more than ten minutes had passed with no sign of him leaving, Sean could not hold back any longer and said, "Are you planning to stand here until nightfall?"Joshua remained silent, having already done what he needed to do."Book three tickets for an early flight back to Jiverton the day after tomorrow," Joshua finally announced with a complex mix of emotions."Three tickets?" Yoel asked.Joshua nodded in confirmation and then started walking toward the car.Sean hurriedly went over to block him. "Are you suggesting that I go back to Jiverton with you as well?""Any objections?""What do you think?"Although Sean's home was not in Nexuria, Yves was here. If he went to Jiverton for three years, what was the point of leaving the family in the first place? Moreover, Yves might have completely forgotten about him during these three years.This was absolutely
"It's a secret."Hearing his response, Cynthia started to let her imagination run wild…Matthew had changed into a more sophisticated outfit after work today. Could it be...?"Are you planning to propose to me?" Cynthia boldly asked.Matthew had not expected her to jump to this conclusion. Then, he teased, "Are you hinting that I should propose to you?"Cynthia was taken aback. Was he not proposing? "Don't worry. I'll start preparing for the proposal tomorrow, and I promise it'll be to your satisfaction," Matthew added.Cynthia tried to explain, "That's not what I meant.""I understand.""You don't.""Mmhmm." Cynthia fell silent. She wanted to explain further but realized it might be useless. After all, Matthew was clearly up to something, and she decided to discuss the proposal plans with Riley and Gaby as soon as possible. That way, she could propose before Matthew did.While the two were each harboring their own thoughts, Matthew had already driven the car to t
"I'm really happy to celebrate your birthday with you this year. I hope that in the coming years, the person standing by your side will always be me," Matthew said."Captain..." Cynthia was moved."Do you like it?" "Yes, I do," Cynthia replied truthfully. She truly enjoyed the fireworks. Even though fireworks were short-lived, they gave their all to create the most beautiful display."Look behind you." Matthew made way for her and directed her gaze toward the building. "Your birthday gift."Curiously, Cynthia turned around, wondering why he mentioned another gift when the ongoing fireworks already enchanted her. However, as soon as she saw the building before her, she froze.It was a galaxy-themed structure, with lights outside that made it appear as though it was floating in a vast starry sea, twinkling and shining like stars.Matthew took her hand and urged, "Let's go inside and take a look."Following him inside, Cynthia could not help but wonder when Matthew had prepa
When Cynthia looked through the telescope and saw an exquisitely beautiful star, she was shocked."I have bought this star and named it after you at the astronomical observatory. From now on, it's yours," Matthew said seriously, having taken care of all the necessary procedures beforehand. Cynthia was at a loss for words. She knew she could buy a star if she wanted to, but she disliked complicated procedures.Purchasing a star involved many formalities and processes, most of which had to be done in person. Considering all the hassle, Cynthia never went ahead with it.Yet, Matthew had given her one as a gift."Captain, thank you," Cynthia said, smiling.Matthew was happy.Amidst the sparkling stars and blossoming fireworks, the two of them embraced and laughed together.That night, after Matthew and Cynthia prepared their clothes for the next day in the second-floor bedroom, they rested there.The following day, Cynthia realized that when Matthew wished her a happy birthday,
Cynthia was taken aback. After recalling their past, her response was similar to before, "Because you deserve it.""That's right," Matthew said in his magnetizing voice.Cynthia glanced at him."If we compare it to an investment, then you are the project I'm willing to give my all for, regardless of success or failure. In other words, you're my dream," Matthew continued, being even more straightforward this time.Cynthia was stunned. The weight behind those two words was immense."Don't feel burdened because I treat you well," Matthew said while driving. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and added, "As your boyfriend, if I can't even do the basic things of treating you well, then there's no point in being together.""Captain..." Cynthia was at a loss for words. Matthew drove steadily. "As long as you're happy, I'm content."He wanted to shower Cynthia with only the best, and wanted her to know that someone who truly loved her would act on it, not just with words.
Matthew should be happy about it, right?"For men, proposing is a significant event in their lives. He would prefer to be the one to initiate it," Moe earnestly told her.Cynthia pondered for a moment and glanced at Moe.Finally, she just said she would consider it.In reality, there was nothing to consider. She had already made up her mind about the proposal. After Moe left, she shared the two proposal plans she had written with Riley and Gaby in their group chat. She also mentioned that she was still thinking about other ideas.Both Riley and Gaby took the time to read the plans carefully and pointed out some shortcomings.[Riley: Did you forget the most important thing?][Cynthia: What?][Gaby: The ring! How are you going to propose to Captain without a ring?]Upon reading this, Cynthia instantly realized her carelessness.Oh, right. The ring... However, she did not know Matthew's ring size. While she could confidently and discreetly measure the ring size for someon
During Cynthia's birthday dinner that evening, Mitchell and Jimmy lived up to Cynthia's trust in them. Midway through the meal, they began to offer Cynthia toast, wishing her a happy birthday.Of course, they never intended for Cynthia to drink. "Cynthia, happy birthday!" Jimmy and Mitchell cheered.Cynthia clinked glasses with Jimmy.Mitchell asked Matthew, "Aren't you helping Cyn with the drinks?""It's her birthday today. A couple of drinks won't hurt. Even if she gets tipsy, I'll make sure she gets back safely," Matthew replied without realizing or suspecting Mitchell's intentions. Mitchell skillfully responded, "It's not just a couple of drinks. After Jimmy, Riley, and the others, they'll take turns toasting her too. Considering Cyn's poor alcohol tolerance, aren't you supposed to do something as her boyfriend?"Matthew pondered for a moment. As a boyfriend, it did seem reasonable to help his girlfriend with the drinks.When it was Linus and Alex's turn to offer Cynthia
Cynthia, seeing Matthew gazing at her, decided to pour herself a glass of wine. Till then, she had only had one drink, which was no big deal, but Matthew quickly caught on to her intention. After clinking glasses with Jimmy and finishing his drink, he refilled his glass on his own.When he clinked glasses with Cynthia, he deliberately moved a bit closer, whispering, "Why do I feel like they're trying to get me drunk?""What?" Cynthia looked puzzled, maintaining a calm exterior while feeling slightly uneasy. Was Matthew really that sharp?Matthew did not detect anything unusual from her expression and continued to tease her, "Wasn't it you who asked Mitchell and Jimmy to get me drunk?""No." Cynthia shook her head, glancing over at Mitchell and Jimmy, who were acting quite naturally.Seeing her reaction, Matthew started to doubt if he was overthinking it."If you don't want to drink anymore, then don't," Cynthia earnestly advised.Thirty minutes later, everyone had almost fin
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