Over in Lewis Corporation, Nolan knocked on the CEO’s door before entering. He was holding a formal-looking invitation. He approached the desk and handed it over to Aiden respectfully. “Mr. Lewis, tonight is Mr. Miller’s seventieth birthday celebration. The Miller family has sent you an invitation, and they’re hoping that you’ll attend,” he explained. “I see. Inform them that I’ll be there on time.” Aiden nodded and accepted the invitation. The Lewis family and Miller family had a longstanding relationship with many business connections between their companies. An invitation to such an important event was expected. Nolan nodded and asked, “What kind of birthday gift should we prepare?” Aiden narrowed his eyes in deep thought. “Go to Imperial Orchid Gardens and select a fine painting from my collection for Mr. Miller. Also, bring me my evening attire.” “Understood.” Nolan nodded and left to make the arrangements. After work that evening, Aiden changed into his formal attir
Amy nodded and smiled gently. “Hearing you say that makes me feel less nervous.” Aiden was momentarily captivated by her bright smile. Unfortunately, Amy did not notice this, and what he said next caught her attention instead. Since Amy had no connections with the Miller family, Aiden could not understand why Mr. Hamlin insisted on her attending the birthday celebration. His curiosity led him to ask, “Speaking of which, since you don’t know Mr. Miller, why did Mr. Hamlin invite you to his birthday celebration?” “It’s a long story. Do you remember the time we dined at that herbal restaurant?” Amy replied with a smile. Aiden nodded and recalled the occasion. “Does it have something to do with that?” “Yes. Mr. Hamlin asked me to modify an herbal recipe for him. Later, he told me that the improved recipe benefited him greatly, which led to this invitation,” Amy briefly talked about the recipe she had modified. Finally understanding the situation, Aiden chuckled. “So, Mr. Mi
As they spoke, Mr. Miller walked over as well. Rose and Edward were surprised. “Oh? Mr. Hamlin invited her?” Mr. Hamlin ignored them and looked at Aiden. “Per your instructions, I’ve brought Miss Green here,” Aiden said calmly. “Excellent.” Mr. Hamlin nodded and pulled Mr. Miller next to him. “Mr. Miller, this is Miss Green. She’s the one who prepared the alternative medicine for you,” he said with a smile. After Mr. Miller heard this, he looked at the young and beautiful Amy before him. A hint of surprise flashed in his sharp eyes. He then smiled and said, “I’ve been hearing Mr. Hamlin praise your medical skills for a long time. I thought you’d be much older. I didn’t expect you to be so young.” Amy felt a little shy following his comment. “Actually, I’m not that young. I’m already twenty-five.” “Oh, twenty-five is old? Then, people our age must be ancient fossils!” Mr. Miller joked. Hearing this, Mr. Hamlin retorted, “You’re the fossil. I’m still young!” Every
Mr. Miller looked at Mr. Hamlin’s indignant expression and calmly said, “You can only blame yourself for not being as skilled.” “That’s obvious. I practice modern alternative medicine, which has lost so much of its tradition. How can it compare to ancient medicine? If you had let me see those books earlier, maybe I would’ve become more skilled,” Mr. Hamlin retorted. He was still not convinced. Mr. Miller remained unruffled. “You’ve read plenty of ancient medical books over the years. You’re just not skilled. Don’t blame external factors.” Mr. Hamlin was at a loss for words. Seeing the two of them bicker again, Amy found it amusing although she felt a bit helpless. With that said, it showed how close they were Their conversation attracted everyone’s attention, and many people began whispering as they cast curious glances at Amy. “Who’s that woman? I’ve never seen her before.” “I don’t know her either. She seems familiar with Mr. Miller and Mr. Hamlin.” “Is it because she
After Aiden heard what Cassie said, he shot her a cold glance and spoke indifferently, “I wouldn’t want to trouble you, Cassie.” “Why not? With how close our families are, you wouldn’t be imposing on me at all.” Ignoring Aiden’s tone, Cassie decided to double down. She held her wine glass and moved closer. Looking up at the incredibly handsome Aiden, her infatuation was plain to see. Her alluring figure was also in full view. When Cassie learned that Aiden would attend the birthday banquet, she requested that her stylist dress her provocatively. Having heard that men were visual creatures, she was confident that Aiden would not remain indifferent to her charms. She blinked and gazed at his lips as she seductively said, “Besides, I like it when you give me trouble.” As she spoke, she attempted to place her other hand on Aiden’s chest. But before she could do that, he grabbed her wrist. “Cassie, I hope you’ll behave yourself.” Aiden was clearly unaffected by her advances.
Rose was taken aback by Amy’s refusal. However, she composed herself and spoke with a frown, “Since you’ve made your true colors known, I’ll be blunt too.” Amy frowned as well, but Rose’s voice rang out before she could respond. “You claim that you haven’t done anything inappropriate, but Aiden has attended your children’s parent-teacher conference, taken you to a hot spring resort, and so on. How do you explain that?” Rose fixed her sharp gaze on Amy. Amy was momentarily stunned, and she could not think of a rebuttal. However, she never had any inappropriate thoughts about Aiden. With that in mind, she said, “Mrs. Lewis, I won’t argue with what you just said. But not everyone is interested in marrying into a wealthy family. I just want to be with someone I love.” “Do you think I believe that?” Rose looked directly at her. She clearly did not believe a word Amy said. Amy merely shrugged. “If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do. But right now, Mr. Lewis isn’
Aiden noticed Amy’s mannerisms and knew that she was genuinely uncomfortable. He smiled and said, “In that case, you can go downstairs and say goodbye to Mr. Miller. He’ll understand.” “Sounds good.” Amy nodded and attempted to get up when her skirt accidentally brushed against a glass of water. As a result, the water spilled onto her dress. Aiden immediately took out a handkerchief from his suit pocket and stepped forward. “Let me help you clean that,” he said. However, as soon as he approached her, she stepped aside to avoid him. “It’s okay, Mr. Lewis. I can do it myself.” She took a few napkins from the coffee table and knelt down to blot the water from her skirt. Aiden stood there and watched her actions with a slight frown. He could not shake the feeling that Amy was avoiding him. But he brushed it off, as he could not find any reason for her to do that. Unaware of his thoughts, Amy finished cleaning her skirt and signaled for them to go downstairs. Soon, they fo
Everyone was astonished, but there was nothing they could do. They could only watch helplessly as Mr. Hamlin and Mr. Miller ignored them and left with Amy. Michael and Ellen had never been so humiliated. Right then, anger filled their faces. The Quinn family remained silent for a long time too. Amy was unaware of this as Mr. Hamlin and Mr. Miller led her to the study. There, she was forced to discuss alternative medicine. She felt overwhelmed when she saw how enthusiastic they were. “Mr. Hamlin, Mr. Miller, I actually don’t know much,” she said humbly and hoped that they would let her go. Mr. Hamlin chuckled. “No problem. We’ll teach you what you don’t know. We’re just here to discuss medicine with you.” Despite his words, the cunning Mr. Hamlin still managed to extract two more medicinal recipes from her. Watching Mr. Hamlin hold the recipes like treasures, Amy was filled with helplessness and regret. No matter how cautious she was, she was no match for his cunning. Thin
Eddie explained, “The shoot’s primary focus is to capture the essence of the wedding gown collection through couples’ portraits, interactions with the children, and scenes depicting a wedding ceremony. “This is a big project, so we’ll start with the wedding ceremony scene. Madame Coco mentioned that you aren’t a real couple or professional models, so do you have any ideas on how to handle the interactions, or should we go with the team’s plan?” Eddie asked and looked expectantly at Amy as well as Aiden. The two of them exchanged glances, and Aiden calmly said, “I’ll follow your lead.” Feeling the weight of responsibility, Amy realized that there was no turning back. She nodded. “Let’s go with your team’s plan. You’re the experts, so you know what works best.” “Alright, then. Let me explain the first sequence for the wedding ceremony series,” Eddie began detailing the scene. After a few minutes, he finished explaining and asked, “So, can you handle that?” “Yes. I think it’
Despite Grace’s reassurances, Amy still felt uneasy about the situation. However, she did not voice her concerns. After all, she had already agreed to Madame Coco’s proposal and tried on the wedding dress. It was not her style to back out at the last minute. It was nearing lunchtime as they discussed the details. Madame Coco suggested that they all dine together, so they all went to a restaurant. Once seated, Madame Coco asked Amy to order. Amy wanted to refuse since she felt that it was more appropriate to let the others decide. However, Grace passed the task to her, and she ended up selecting a few dishes. “Aiden doesn’t like cilantro, so please omit it from the fish, and let’s keep the seasoning light on these two dishes,” Amy mentioned Aiden’s preferences naturally. Aiden and the children did not react, as they were used to it, but Grace’s eyes shone with interest. Seeing how she knew Aiden’s tastes and dislikes so well, it did not seem like they were just friends. Ma
The next morning, Grace arrived at the hotel early to pick everyone up. Madame Coco had already briefed her team at Coco, so the meeting was seamless. “Due to traffic, Madame Coco is still on her way. She asked me to help you with trying on the wedding outfits first,” the lead coordinator explained and gestured for them to follow her. Amy, Aiden, and the children nodded and followed her to Madame Coco’s studio. The studio was huge, and it occupied the entire floor. It was also equipped with top-notch facilities. However, what truly stunned Amy was the wedding gown displayed at the center of the room. The pure white dress was breathtaking under the lights. The tiny pink diamonds that shimmered on the skirt added a touch of unique elegance and made it even more valuable. Next to the gown was a black tailcoat. The contrasting black and white complemented each other perfectly. The attention to detail was remarkable. While the tailcoat was all black, it was adorned with dark p
“You and your friend have the exact looks, presence, and figures that I’ve envisioned for my models,” Madame Coco continued to enthuse. “Your interactions are so loving, and with your two angelic children, you embody my idea of a perfect family.” Amy felt overwhelmed and glanced at Aiden for help. “I’m not particularly interested, but if you want to do it, I’ll support you,” he said calmly. “I don’t really want to.” Amy shook her head. Their relationship was already complicated, and posing in wedding attire seemed even more awkward. The children, however, were excited. They saw this as a perfect opportunity to bring Amy and Aiden closer. Sharing a glance, they silently agreed on their plan. “Mommy, I want to do it.” Star clung to Amy’s arm as she pleaded sweetly. Night joined in and looked up with wide, hopeful eyes. “You know, Mommy, we’ve never taken formal photos together,” he added softly. Amy fell silent, and a wave of guilt washed over her. It was true that she had no
Aiden fell silent for a second and spoke evasively, “You’ll find out in time.” This meant that he did not want to discuss it at the moment. Grace was exasperated but amused. She already had an idea of what was going on. “Fine. If you won’t tell me, I’ll just have fun with my niece and nephew.” With that, she quickly caught up with the rest and chatted happily with them. Aiden felt regretful as he watched them. He wondered if he might have spoiled things by bringing Amy and the children to his meeting with Grace. Unaware of Aiden’s thoughts, Grace took great care of Amy and the children during mealtime. Her enthusiasm overwhelmed Amy a bit, but she did not think much of it. Grace had been friendly since the moment they met. As they chatted, the conversation naturally turned to their following plans. “Where are you planning to go this afternoon?” Grace asked Amy. Amy instinctively glanced at Aiden. Seeing this, Grace raised an eyebrow in curiosity and looked over at him as we
After they wandered around for a while longer, Aiden received a call from Grace. It was time to pick her up. “I’ll be there soon,” Aiden said and ended the call. He put away his phone and said to Amy, “Let’s go. Aunt Grace is ready.” However, Amy felt a bit anxious. “Should I buy her a gift?” Seeing how nervous she was, Aiden teased, “Do you know what it means for you to bring a gift?” “What does it mean?” Amy asked without thinking too deeply about it. Night and Star were speechless when they saw her naive response. They felt like there was still much to do. Unaware of their expressions, Aiden continued to playfully provoke Amy. “It means that you’re my girlfriend.” Amy choked on her own saliva. After recovering, she quickly clarified, “That’s not what I meant, Mr. Lewis. Don’t misunderstand.” “I know,” Aiden replied and nodded calmly, with mischief in his eyes. Amy understood what he was implying and felt amused as well as annoyed. But a strange feeling also spread
The Picasso Church was one of the most famous attractions in the bustling city. It was a busy place with a large flow of people and many vendors. As Aiden and Amy arrived with Night and Star, their striking looks drew attention. However, they did not mind it and began browsing through the stalls, which sold handmade accessories, souvenirs, and clothes. The children found everything fascinating, while Amy was attracted to some culturally rich items. “Mommy, look how pretty those dolls are,” Star suddenly said as she pointed at some dolls on a vendor’s table. The dolls were painted in bright colors, and they had cute expressions. They came in various sizes, and each looked more charming than the last. Amy approached the vendor and asked, “How much for one of these?” “The big ones are five hundred, and it’s a hundred for the smaller ones,” the vendor replied. There was a cunning glint in his eyes as he sized them up as foreigners. “That expensive?” Amy was startled by the pric
Amy knew better than to tell Aiden about the social media posts. So, she glanced at the children with a calm smile. “It’s nothing serious. We were just playing around.” Aiden was skeptical, but since Amy did not want to discuss it further, he refrained from pressing her. He gently patted the children on their backs and reassured them, “She’s just messing with you. Go on over to her.” Night and Star hesitated as they looked back at Amy, whose smile they found suspiciously sinister. A shiver ran down their spine, and they sensed that things might not end well for them when they got back. So, they clung to Aiden and began to wheedle him. “Mr. Lewis, I want to sit next to you.” “Um, can I sleep with you tonight?” Night and Star spoke at the same time, with Night adding the question about sleeping. He had more foresight. He knew that with Aiden around, Amy might not say much. However, she would not let them off the hook once they were back at the hotel. Realizing this, Sta
Right after Aiden shared a photo on social media, his phone started to blow up. It looked like he was making an announcement when he posted the beautiful snapshot by Night. [Wow. Are you making it official?] [Are you guys dating? She’s really beautiful.] [Aiden, when will you bring her to meet us?] Aiden glanced at the messages but chose not to respond. The children also saw the photos that Aiden had shared, including the one of him and Amy. They were overjoyed and more convinced than ever that Aiden had feelings for her. However, not everyone was happy. When Cassie saw the public photo on Aiden’s social media page, she was both shocked and angry. Was Aiden announcing their relationship? Her jealousy was uncontrollable. Aiden’s parents also saw the photo and became furious. Rose could not hold back her anger. “What is he trying to do, slap us in the face? We just released news about finding him a wife, and he’s posting photos with this woman?” Edward kept quiet, but h