The truth was, she had still been slightly doubtful. Thankfully, the video was enough to end all her worries. He truly didn’t disappoint… Her train of thought was cut short when the housekeeper suddenly walked over and reported, “Um… Young Master Burton is here…” Delighted to hear that, Xavia handed the tablet back to Ian before smugly saying, “See? He really isn’t as bad as you’re trying to make him seem.” Watching as she ran downstairs, Ian couldn’t help but feel pissed. He was only doing all this because he cared for her. What was with that attitude! It didn’t help that Homer and Yasmin soon added, “…You should really stop trying to pick a fight with him… Your sister loves him, so just get along with him, alright…? Now let’s head downstairs…” …God damn it, was he the only one with brains in the family?! Moving back to Zivon, he was currently standing in the living room, looking as prestigious as ever. In his hands was a bouquet of fresh flowers, and with blue hydrangeas, p
Looking into his eyes, she paused for a moment before replying, “…Well, I won’t deny that I did feel slightly saddened at first… But after seeing that camcorder footage, I realized that there was nothing to worry about. I should clarify that I had a feeling that there was something off with the post, so even if you hadn’t posted that video, I would’ve still waited for your explanation. That aside… Thank you for living up to my expectations, Von.” Smiling in response, Zivon replied, “I’ll never let you down if I can help it. Not after all the injustice you’ve suffered because of Whitney and my father… I swear that they’ll never get another chance to hurt you again…!” Just thinking about what Whitney and Hershel had done was enough to irk her… but she also knew that Zivon couldn’t have anticipated any of that. He was innocent, yet Ian had still made him suffer so much… It took her a while, but she eventually muttered, “…It’s fine. Brother intervened early enough, and they weren’t a
Kissing her temple, the smiling man then said, “Be good while I’m gone, alright?” Following that, he headed downstairs to discuss the marriage with Homer and Yasmin… and shortly after, Xavia’s parents could be heard saying, “…Come again? Today’s already the third, and… You plan on marrying her next week? We’re sorry, but we’ve just reunited with our daughter… We need to at least spend more time with her to make up for all the time we’ve lost together…” Even from their tones, Zivon could tell how reluctant they sounded. With that, he took a deep breath before replying, “…While I understand your feelings, this is already my second time trying to host the wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Frankston. I don’t think it’s suitable to delay things again…” “Since the wedding keeps getting delayed, I wonder if God is trying to indirectly tell you something,” said Ian who had been listening in this entire time. “…Even if you’re dissatisfied with me, was there really a need to say that?” replied Zivon
Easier said than done, of course. After all, why else had they fallen silent earlier? After a deafening silence, Ian finally said, “Honestly, isn’t the answer clear? He just has to move in with us.” …What? Usually, only lived-in sons-in-law lived in their wives’ homes… So to ask Zivon to do that was nothing short of humiliating! It wasn’t hard to imagine people criticizing him for trying to be a bootlicker and associating himself with the royal family after he moved in! Though everyone was thinking the same thing, Xavia was first to say, “Denied.” She, for one, didn’t want Zivon to suffer even more than he already had. Homer had the same thought, and he was quick to reply, “That’s a terrible idea. There has to be some other way!” Raising a slight brow, Ian then turned to look at Zivon before saying, “What’s so terrible about it? He’s the one who wants to marry her so much, so what’s wrong with putting his dignity aside?” It was clear that he was still highly against Zivon, an
“…I’ve been calling you Mom and Dad for decades now… Why haven’t you been pleased when I say it?” grumbled Ian. “…What, are you seriously jealous of your sister?” “Your father’s right… You can’t be petty around family…” added Yasmin, leaving Ian speechless. So now that he had brought Xavia home, he had lost their favor, huh… Just looking at their interaction brought a smile to Xavia’s face. Back when she was with the Lockharts, she had never been able to experience such familial warmth… Truth be told, before they interrupted her, she had wanted to tell them not to make things too difficult for Zivon. Now that she had witnessed this interaction, however… she simply couldn’t find the will to do so anymore… Either way, she slept peacefully that night, and she only awoke at eight. Barely even a minute after she had gotten out of bed, two maids walked up to her while saying, “Good morning, Miss. Your bath will be prepared in a few minutes.” “Are you in the mood for any particula
Frowning slightly, Xavia turned to look at Ian before muttering, “…You didn’t try to make things particularly difficult for him, did you…?” “We’re only doing this for your sake,” replied Ian, leaving Xavia speechless. He had avoided answering the question, which meant that the test was probably going to be dangerous… Regardless, it was about twenty minutes later when all five of them sat in the Frankstons’ conference room. Homer and Yasmin sat in front, whereas Ian and Xavia sat on the left, leaving Zivon sitting alone on the right. It was a strictly formal atmosphere… Peeking at Zivon, Xavia couldn’t help but feel charmed. Even though she had known him for ages, he still carried that noble aura around him… and had she not known that they were here to discuss their marriage, who knows why else she’d even be sitting before this grand man… Her train of thought was cut short when Ian said, “So, after a lot of consideration, we’ve come up with three tests, and we’re also delaying t
“…I fail to see what I did wrong. Remember, had I not stepped in that night, she’d very likely be dead by now! And you! Can’t you see how much she’s putting herself down for your sake? You’re keeping her soft-hearted, and this will ultimately result in her getting bullied even more!” …What? He had already said that he didn’t mind the test! In fact, even if Ian hadn’t brought it up, he’d have still found a way to get his folks to apologize to her! Alas, the fact that she was defending his family caused Ian to misunderstand him again… Understandably irked, Zivon got to his feet before saying, “…For the record, I’ve already agreed. That aside, even I hope that she gets stronger. Regardless, I’ll go out and have a talk with her. Alone.” With that said, he headed out… and shortly after, he saw her squatting by the lake in the garden… Watching as she tossed a stone into the water, he couldn’t help but ask, “…Are you really that mad…?” “Why shouldn’t I be? Mining there in this weather i
It took him a while, but Zivon eventually replied, “…You won’t mind even if I ask for the front or back?” Not even daring to imagine what he was trying to ask, she simply nodded, instantly bringing a sparkle to Zivon’s eyes. Now brimming with anticipation and desire, Zivon replied, “…I see. That’s your reward, so… what’s mine for being so patient? Hmm…?” “…You’re pushing your luck…” grumbled Xavia. “Even if I am, I think that it’s only fair for me to do so,” replied Zivon in a serious tone, leaving Xavia speechless. Not wanting the others to see them like this, Xavia grumbled, “F-fine… I’ll meet up with you before you head off…” With that said, the blushing woman then ran off, leaving the smiling man behind… God, he loved that woman… Regardless, after they returned to the conference room, Zivon took a seat before saying, “Alright, again, I have no issues with the first test. You can expect to see a .99 karat diamond in about a week. With that said, let’s proceed to the next
Staring in shock at the kneeling man, Yulia mustered her remaining sanity as she replied, “B-but you’re younger-” “Even if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean that I’m much more ‘capable’ than your older pursuers…?” …Why were his words so suggestive all of a sudden?! Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath before saying, “…Elliot, I’m not sure what spurred this decision, but… I’m not the one for you. Please find someone your age. I’m sorry.” After saying that, she strode straight for the car… but before she could start the engine, she couldn’t help but notice how desolate he looked standing under the pouring rain… Clenching her fists, it took her a while to finally sigh and walk back to him… “…Are you really sure about this?” asked Yulia, much to Elliot’s delight. “I am! Please! Give me a chance! You won’t regret it!” …When he put it that way, all Yulia could do was help him up before finally deciding to return his kiss… Sure, things had taken a sudden, unex
She stared in horror as he removed his shirt right there and then! “W-what are you doing?!” yelped the startled woman as she quickly looked the other way. “…Huh? I mean, I’m drenched, so…” “E-even so, you shouldn’t change right in front of me!” “…Yulia, we bathed together as children… It’s not like you haven’t seen everything already…” “Y-you can’t compare that to this situation…!” “Fine, fine, I… Um… Go cook, I guess… I’ll go get a change upstairs first…” muttered Elliot as he headed upstairs. Yulia herself had to try her best to calm down! After all, Elliot had been plaguing her mind in the past few days, and… she even had dreams where he had… …No! She couldn’t be thinking about such things! She needed to cook! Maybe that would help get her mind out of the gutter! Once that was done, she’d leave and finally start devising a plan to get rid of him…! As Yulia scurried off, Elliot himself was currently staring at an old photo that showed him eating some candy in Yulia’
Just as she had arrived at her car, the president of the Halls Group suddenly walked up to her, a bouquet in hand! The Halls Group had collaborated several times with the Burtons before, and because of that, she was well acquainted with the man. Sadly, he had also proposed to her on multiple occasions… and though she kept rejecting him, he never seemed to get the hint! “There you are, Miss Burton… Since you’re off work, I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight…” asked the charming man. Feeling awkward, she was just about to come up with an excuse when Elliot suddenly grabbed her by the waist and said, “Oh? Another one of your admirers, Yulia…? Sorry, but she already has a boyfriend, my man. If that doesn’t deter you enough, then you should know that she prefers her partners younger. Now please leave.” Startled to hear that, the man glanced at Yulia, his eyes begging for an explanation… Yulia herself was eager to just escape this embarrassing situation, but before s
With that tale done, it was now time to return to Yulia’s story… Ever since she was a child, she had undergone countless hardships with her mother… and even after she was able to reunite with her father, things didn’t go much easier from there. To make matters worse, Fabiola ended up getting kidnapped for the longest time, resulting in Frank ending up the way he was today… Because of all that, it only made sense that she’d mature much sooner than others her age, and unlike the naïve girl she used to be, she was an extremely competent woman today. Alas, because of how used she became with working, she soon lost the urge to find herself a romantic interest… Things continued that way until… Well, that time that Elliot… …Wait, what was she thinking?! He was younger than her, for heaven’s sake! Quickly shaking her head, she attempted to force herself to concentrate on work again… But before long, a knock was heard on the door. After being allowed in, the department manager entered t
Knowing that there was no point in keeping things a secret anymore, Rea took a deep breath before saying, “…Alright, so… The truth is, I’ve always been highly competent, but… I’ve been pretending to be useless just so that you’d eventually marry me… The trip my parents are taking… That was my suggestion too…” Feeling speechless, it took Frank a long while to reply, “…So you weren’t really drunk when you did all that last night?” Pursing her lips, Rea awkwardly muttered, “…I wasn’t… Luna suggested it, and since it sounded like a good idea to accelerate things…” …Fucking hell, to think that he had fallen straight into her trap without even putting up a fight! Watching as he glowered at her, Rea gulped before adding, “A-anyway, now that we’re married and there’s potentially a baby in my belly, you won’t divorce me, right…?” “…Oh, believe me when I say that divorce is the easy way out! From today onward, I’m making you pay for your actions for the rest of your life!” Fast forwa
Fast forward to the next morning, Rea awoke with a yawn… What a nice sleep… Wait. Why was she naked? And why was Frank…?! Her following scream immediately woke the icy man up… and upon looking at her, he was immediately reminded of what had transpired last night! Essentially, Rea ended up clinging to him, and though he initially wanted to just carry her to bed to let her rest… Damn it! Had she really been that sensual?! How had he lost control so easily?! His train of thought was cut short when he realized that Rea was bawling her eyes out… and after rubbing his temples, he was prompted to say, “…Why are you crying when you’re the one who initiated this? I’ll have you know that I never forced you-” “I-I know, but…! I’ve just…! This is my first time…!” whimpered the quivering woman, prompting Frank to purse his lips. As if he wasn’t in the same situation… “…You’re not alone there.” “It’s not the same! Men are free to sleep with whoever they want but when it comes to women, I’l
“Say, wouldn’t you agree that the food smells delicious…? Why don’t I teach you how to grill, Rea…? Oh, but make sure to take your clothes off first before we start! Wouldn’t want them to get dirty…” With how drunk Rea was, she wasn’t able to fully register his words… and just as he was about to touch her clothes, an icy voice roared, “Stop right there…!” Instantly feeling a shiver run down his spine, the man turned around… and to his horror, it was Frank! Young Master Burton’s perpetually icy son…! Why the hell was he here?! Before the frightened intern could think of how to even react, Frank walked up to him and growled, “Leave now before I chop your hands off…! Don’t make me repeat myself!” Nodding in terror, the man frantically bolted off… and once he was out of sight, Frank glared at the tipsy Rea before adding, “This is what you meant by learning how to be more responsible…?!” “Huh…? But the food really did smell super good… I want to learn…” mumbled the drunk woman.
After leaving his office, he headed off to look for Rea. She had said that she wanted to use the bathroom, but… It had already been half an hour since she disappeared. What trouble had that idiot gotten herself into this time? Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he found her laughing along with some of his interns… When the interns saw him, they were quick to bow and say, “Good morning, Mr. Burton.” Barely even glancing at them, Frank looked at Rea and said, “It’s time to head home.” “I… Won’t be following you back…” “…And why is that? Are your parents back?” “No, it’s just… These are my good friends back from school, and they’ve been staying together to learn to be more independent… With that said… I think that staying with them will be a good start for me to learn more about how the world works. Thank you for taking care of me up till this point, Frank… I won’t bother you anymore.” Raising a slight brow, Frank then looked at the interns for a while before saying, “…Are you
Regardless, after leaving her in the room, Frank returned to the shower to cool himself off… but no matter what he did, he simply remained irked. It got to the point where he couldn’t relax at all, and after wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed his phone to send his father a text. ‘Was there really nobody else who could’ve taken care of Rea?’ ‘What? Can’t even care for a woman properly.’ ‘I’m a busy man.’ ‘I trust in your time management skills.’ …Though he really wanted to tell Zivon that he had misplaced his trust in him, he didn’t want to disappoint his father either. With that, all he could do was clench his fists before giving Rea’s parents a call… “Hello? Frank? Why are you calling at this time of night?” “…When are you and Uncle Saltman returning, Aunt?” asked Frank who wanted them to take back their idiot already! “…Huh? What was that? Sorry, the line isn’t very good… I hope Rea isn’t giving you too hard a time! Don’t worry, we’ll be back after about a