As they were about to head inside, a sleek car rolled up, stopping right next to Celena and Liam. The door swung open, and Cheryl and Wasyl stepped out, their arms laden with ornate, expensive boxes.Not far behind, more cars pulled up. Out came Yafe and Walter, each holding their own set of elegant gift boxes.Cheryl's eyes locked onto Celena, and she said sarcastically, "Well, well, what do we have here? If it isn't my dear sister, so desperate to come back home." She gave them a once-over, her gaze lingering on their empty hands. "Thinking of meeting Mr. Lynch, are you? Are you here with that stench of poverty on you, not even a decent gift to your name? How utterly disgraceful.""I..." Celena's voice faltered. Cheryl's taunts had snuffed out the last ember of her courage, leaving her feeling utterly defeated.She had had nothing, not even a presentable gift. Why would Mr. Lynch ever consider her for the project cooperation unless he had lost his mind?Cheryl stepped closer, lo
The ruckus drew the crowd's attention, and soon, all eyes were on Liam and Celena, who had arrived without a gift in hand. The whispers turned into outright jeers."Liam and Celena actually showed up! Who would've thought? Where'd they find the guts?""They've got some nerve, alright, showing up empty-handed like that!""Do they even have the money for a decent gift? Everyone here's toting around something pricey. If they can't even spring for a proper present, who in their right mind would partner up with them?""Ha! Maybe they brought along some magic cream for sore legs!"That last jab sent the room into fits of laughter.The debacle from Reginald's birthday party the day before was the talk of the town. Liam and Celena had made quite the spectacle, with Liam insisting that Celena be taken back to the Stone family.Under the weight of so many sneering glances, Celena's skin crawled with discomfort. She turned stiff, her body quivering ever so slightly.Holding back the impul
The once-bustling crowd hushed instantly, all eyes on the newcomer."I'm Luis Garrie, the coordinator for the Walker family's estate cooperation project. First off, I'd like to thank everyone who's come to vie for this partnership. Your presence is much appreciated! However, let me make one thing clear. If you've brought a gift, consider yourself out of the running. No entry for you! Those who came empty-handed, step on up!" Luis's voice boomed with authority.His announcement sent a shockwave through the gift-bearers at the door, their smugness replaced by sheer panic. They exchanged frantic glances, completely thrown off by the turn of events.No one had anticipated that bringing a gift would bar them from entry, instantly stripping them of their chance to compete.A man in a gray suit, looking anxious, stepped forward and pleaded, "Mr. Garrie, what's going on? We came in good faith. Isn't there anything we can do?"Luis cut the man off impatiently with a wave of his hand. "Yeah
Luis gave Wasyl a once-over before his gaze landed on the ornate brocade box. His eyes flashed with disdain and anger as he snapped, "Abbott family, Butler family, Lewis family, do you think Mr. Lynch is someone you can manipulate with your little schemes? Guards, take him away and look into his background!"Before Wasyl could react, a bodyguard lunged forward, landing a punch that sent him sprawling to the ground. The gift box tumbled out of his hands, coming to rest by Cheryl's trembling feet."Ahh! I didn't... I was just..." Wasyl tried to scramble up to explain, but another punch slammed him back down, pinning him to the floor.Wasyl did not dare to fight back. Tears streamed down his face as he begged, "Please, no more! I won't go in... Just let me go. I won't ever try something like this again... I'm begging you, have mercy!"Cheryl stood frozen in shock, her legs shaking so much she could barely stand. Yafe and his companions stood frozen, their minds racing. Meanwhile, Luis
Malcolm was not just turning down gifts. He was cutting out all the gift-bearing family and businesses. It was only Celena who had come empty-handed. That was the Stone family's big break, and they were determined to grab it with both hands. Suddenly, Liam cut in, "Oh? She's with the Stone family? Funny, that's not what you said yesterday!" Liam's brow furrowed as he glared icy at them. "What's this? Now you're acknowledging her as your daughter again?" "Liam! Keep your mouth shut; this is our family matter, and it's none of your business!" Yafe panicked that Liam might spill more."Seriously, Liam, who do you think you are? Our family hasn't even accepted you as the Stone family's son-in-law! Who gave you the right to boss everyone around?" Walter's face contorted with rage as he barked. He was desperate to prevent Liam from blurting out anything inappropriate that might jeopardize their chance to partner with the Max Group.Luis noticed something was off with the group's deme
Liam let out a weary sigh after listening to Celena, his voice tinged with resignation. "Celena, do you trust me?""Yes!"With a firm nod, Celena stepped closer and clasped Liam's hand. "I trust you completely!""Will you let me handle this, then?"Their hands locked together.He then turned, his gaze as sharp as a blade slicing through the air as he faced the onlookers. His voice cut through the tension. "We're not affiliated with Stone Group. They're nothing to us! They disowned my wife Celena seven years ago, and that was the end of it."His declaration sent shockwaves through the crowd, leaving Yafe and his group reeling.Cheryl's face was a mask of confusion as she looked at Celena, but inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was for Celena to acknowledge her past and return to the Stone family. She would rather lose the deal than have Celena reclaim her place.However, the green-eyed monster whispered in her ear, reminding her how Celena had dazzl
As soon as Liam finished, Cheryl burst out, "Me, apologize to that tramp, Celena? As if! Why should I? There's no way I'm agreeing to that!"Liam ignored Cheryl's raging tantrum and gave Luis a knowing look. With Celena in tow, they made their way through the crowd and out of there.Cheryl glared after them, seething, then spun to face Luis and demanded, "Why her, Mr. Garrie? Celena's got nothing, no company, no clout! Why pick someone so clueless?"Luis turned to Cheryl with a frosty stare, clearly annoyed, and retorted, "The choice belongs to Max Group and Mr. Lynch. Who are you to question it?"With that, he turned to the onlookers and declared, "The open audition for this partnership is settled. Celena's the one."After finishing his piece, Luis, followed by his bodyguards, spun on his heel and strode away.The elite crowd of tycoons and business moguls at the entrance could only stand by, watching Luis leave, their hands reluctantly clutching the ungiven gifts. As they left,
Liam kept those details from Celena. She did not need to shoulder such burdens.He was determined to restore Celena's confidence, piece by piece."However, what if Grandpa does come to me, pleading? He's not young anymore. It breaks my heart to think of him straining himself at his age. I'm really worried about his health… "That was Celena for him, always too kind for her own good. Even after all the hurt Reginald had caused her, she was still caring for him, fretting over his well-being."However, Celena, do you really want to spend your life under the scornful looks of others? Don't you want to go back to being a Stone? Isn't that what you've dreamed about for the last seven years?" Liam pressed."I do!" Celena's reply came swift and determined, but then her face fell, tangled in doubt. "It's just...""There is no way about it. Trust me, I've got this!" Liam cut in, knowing her tendency to overthink.Celena took a deep breath, calmed herself, and nodded. "Alright, I'll trust