Felix smiled, choosing not to expose him, and engaged in a casual conversation. "Since you took over the Neal Group, I haven't seen you sitting in this courtyard much. What brings you here?""Finding inner peace," Joshua responded naturally."Is your mind a mess?""It's manageable.""You're not being entirely truthful with me, are you?""Did Grandpa send you?" Joshua changed the subject."Yes. He's quite concerned about you. When he noticed you were not feeling yourself, he asked me to talk to you. He even scolded me about it." Felix crossed his legs, toying with his teacup. Joshua was in low spirits, only replying, "Oh.""Just an 'oh'?""Do you need comforting?" Joshua retorted.Felix sipped his tea and spoke frankly, "No, I don't need comforting. The one who needs it is you.""I don't need it.""Your state doesn't quite reflect that.""I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired. I want to pause and reflect on the wrong paths I've taken. Once I've sorted things out, I'll move forwar
During this time, Old Man Neal had the butler send Joshua some fruits and snacks. Joshua remained consistently calm, which was strange to Felix, Old Man Neal, and even the butler.In fact, after the butler brought him a cup of hot tea, Old Man Neal inquired about the situation, "How's Joshua doing?""He's just sitting in the courtyard, soaking up the sun. He's not reading or playing on his phone. Although his mood seems about the same, something feels slightly off," the butler reported truthfully, as he had a good rapport with Old Man Neal. "What's off?" Old Man Neal asked."It's his demeanor. While he used to be polite and courteous with me, there's a noticeable difference from before," the butler explained.Old Man Neal sighed. As expected, Joshua was still struggling to overcome his emotional setback. "Mr. Neal Senior is out with Mrs. Neal Senior. Before leaving, he told me to relay a message to you if you asked about him," the butler informed, aware of the family's whereab
"Do you need me to show your schedule to Mom and Dad?" Joshua continued to expose Moses playfully. Moses was a bit overwhelmed, wondering what was happening with Joshua as he used to cover for him. Yet now, he was ruthlessly exposing him! Moses desperately tried to signal Joshua, hoping he would come to his rescue. Unfortunately, Joshua had no intention of helping him out."I really do have a girlfriend," Moses emphasized again. To make his words more convincing, he added, "We met online and confirmed our relationship last week. We haven't had a chance to meet in person yet."Everyone gave him a skeptical look, clearly not believing him.After dinner, Moses went to have a chat with Joshua. Felix and Daphne did not interrupt; they both wanted to find the right time to talk to Joshua together, but they knew now was not the time.Moses walked alongside Joshua in the backyard, recounting his strange behavior throughout the day. Joshua listened attentively. At first, they discusse
Joshua's skeptical gaze fell upon Moses, asking, "Really?"Over the years, Moses had not been in many relationships, nor had he heard him express interest in any girls. Could it be... he really liked men?Moses suddenly felt guilty. He wanted to quickly and firmly affirm that it was indeed true, but he also feared that once word got out, there would be no taking them back. Joshua's expression clearly showed he had taken Moses's words seriously."When did you realize it?" Joshua's voice was somewhat deeper, carrying a hint of seriousness."Huh?" Moses was struggling to keep up.Joshua's gaze remained focused on him, inquiring, "When did you discover you liked men?""Well..." Moses was at a loss for how to respond. After stumbling over his words for a while, he managed to blurt out a vague answer. "I'm not entirely sure.""Do you have a boyfriend?" Joshua asked calmly.Moses was stunned, and he quickly denied it, "No."He could not have one. After all, he was a normal guy and
Joshua wondered who influenced Moses…That same evening, Joshua went to find his parents after talking to Moses. Both of them thought he was there to tell them about Moses's blind date arrangement, but they did not expect him to be there to stop it. When Joshua asked them not to introduce Moses to anyone, Daphne was puzzled and even thought she might have misheard."Are you sure?""Well, he's not in a good state right now. If we force him into a blind date, it wouldn't be fair to those girls," Joshua confessed directly, without hiding anything."Just because they go on a blind date doesn't mean they have to end up together. It could just be a way to make new friends," Daphne explained.After all, Daphne was aware that many of those who went on a blind date ended up being friends and hung out after."Still, let's not do it," Joshua persisted.Daphne exchanged a glance with Felix, and a question slipped out, "Are you hiding something from me?"Joshua remained silent, unsure how
It was just a pity that Joshua did not know how to cherish Cynthia, a wonderful girl, and ended up losing her."Moses's situation isn't confirmed yet, and even if it is, Joshua will handle it. He can handle anything apart from his own emotions," Felix reassured, not wanting his beloved wife to worry.With that, Daphne became sadder. Despite several months passing, she still felt like Cynthia's separation from Joshua was just a few days ago. Felix understood her feelings and gently embraced her.After returning to his room, Joshua messaged Yoel, asking him to investigate Moses's whereabouts and social circle over the past year. Yoel complied.At midnight, Joshua was still lying in bed, unable to sleep. Since recovering his memories, he had not had a good night's rest except for the night he had been drinking.Over the next few days, his insomnia showed no signs of improvement. Worried that Old Man Neal and the others would notice and become concerned, Joshua moved out after two
Yoel chimed in, "Mr. Neal, you should go for a check-up. Only when you're in good health can you see how Ms. Yates is doing for yourself.""I'm fine… I just have insomnia. It'll go away soon," Joshua replied, his tone less assertive than before.Neither Sean nor Yoel spoke. Both of them knew the real reason behind Joshua's condition. Ultimately, he had not fully moved on from his previous relationship. Coupled with guilt and regret, it intensified his mental burden."If you don't want the check-up, I can give you a hypnotic treatment later. If you disagree, you won't be leaving the hospital today," Sean suggested, noticing Joshua's state and bloodshot eyes."Alright," Joshua replied, walking past and heading outside.Yoel followed closely behind.After calming his emotions, Sean caught up to them.At Sovereign Heights, Sean induced Joshua into a deep sleep using hypnosis.Yoel had not witnessed hypnosis before, so he could not help but be concerned. "Is this safe?" Sean, co
"Dr. Carter said your health will be affected if you don't sleep well," Yoel reminded."That's his concern, not mine. You should head back and rest. I can handle things on my own," Joshua replied, resisting the idea of medication."Are you really not going to take it?""I'm not.""In that case, at least drink this glass of water." Yoel retrieved the medication and offered the water.Thankfully, he had planned ahead and placed a pill in the glass."If I'm not mistaken, you've put a pill in the glass as well," Joshua said as he glanced at the glass.Yoel was surprised, and he tried to lie, "No, I didn't.""Take it away.""Mr. Neal.""I'm not thirsty right now, and I don't need a drink. Leave it there, and I'll get it when I need to," Joshua rejected. Yoel sighed quietly, accepting defeat, and placed the glass down. Sometimes, Joshua was too smart for his own good.Setting the glass aside, Yoel sent a message to Sean, [Mr. Neal refuses to take the medication. He even noticed
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