Dealing with Selma always left Jake feeling at a loss, so he could only change the subject and ask, "Is Winston here yet?""No, who knows where he's gone!" Selma replied through gritted teeth. Jake did not respond while Millie pursed her lips, looking somewhat helpless. It was clear that Selma did not favor Winston. After that, Jake clapped, and the butler behind him followed. "Mrs. Greer Senior, this is a gift from my family. Please accept it!" said Jake. The present from the Webson family was a meticulously crafted diamond-studded cross pendant. As the gift came into view, it gleamed briefly in the flicker of light, dazzlingly brightly. "Mrs. Greer Senior, wishing you good health and a long life. May God bless you!" Jake presented the pendant to Selma himself.Selma could not help but admire it. She even exclaimed that it was a wonderful present. Considering her health issues, this gift meant a lot to her. "It's a cross pendant! How nice!" someone in the crowd remarke
A guest said, "Maybe all valuable herbs have something in common. You guys said it looks like any herb, but I think it's not quite. Look at the root. It's different from the usual. This one is obviously thicker!""So, the Snowdrop doesn't have grass, huh? I thought it was a type of grass…"The crowd continued discussing the herb-looking item before them.Pursing her lips, Millie touched her chin with one hand before covering half of her face to suppress her laughter.That was not Snowdrop! It was merely a modified herb. Joanna had it colored, thickened the root, and made it look peculiar. She had arrogantly claimed she had gotten the Snowdrop. But it turned out to be a fake.Selma was someone who always wanted to maintain her dignity. With so many people at her birthday party, where did Joanna find the courage to do that?Once someone revealed the Snowdrop to be fake, it would not just tarnish the Lowells' reputation but also embarrass Selma. Of course, she would be enraged t
"Ms. Lowell, can I have your number?""Ms. Lowell, you don't have a boyfriend, right? Can we get to know each other?"In the crowd, Joanna looked toward Millie.Millie was outside the crowd, but they could still see each other in the tight space.Millie saw the sarcasm and smugness in Joanna's eyes. She was provoking her.Selma cared about her reputation, so the Lowell family would make sure she looked good that day! How pleased was Selma with Joanna? Could Millie achieve the same thing?Amidst the commotion, someone suddenly shouted, "What did Mrs. Greer give as a birthday present?"The hall fell silent for three seconds. Everyone's gaze landed on Millie."That's right!""Mr. Webson had also brought a gift. What about Mrs. Greer?""I saw her come empty-handed just now. Could it be that she didn't buy a gift for Mrs. Greer Senior?""Even if Mrs. Greer Senior dotes on her, she still shouldn't come empty-handed! If she did come empty-handed, what about the Caldwell family? Did
Millie's words caused everyone in the venue to be upset."What nonsense. The gift was given by the Caldwell family. Mrs. Greer Senior was very pleased with it. How could it be fake?""That's right! Nobody has ever seen Snowdrop before. How do you know that it's fake?""Recently, there have been rumors that you and Winston are getting a divorce. Are you embarrassed? Is that why you've come to cause trouble today?""I agree with you. She's not here to celebrate Mrs. Greer Senior's birthday but to ruin it!"Hearing the questions and insults from everyone, Millie couldn't help but clench her fists.Selma was frowning deeply. She wasn't going to allow even the slightest mishap at her birthday banquet.After all, the guests in attendance today were all famous in their circle. If something humiliating happened at her birthday banquet, wouldn't she become a laughing stock?Yet, what Selma didn't know was that the netizens were already discussing the birthday banquet fervently online.
What? Millie really had Snowdrop?Joanna could not help but straighten her back and treat this matter seriously.Jake also crossed his arms and leaned against the stage to watch the scene before him unfold. He found the matter of the authenticity of Snowdrop to be very interesting.Marvin went up to Millie and said respectfully, "Ms. Caldwell, here's the Snowdrop you wanted.""Put it down." Millie pointed to the stage.Marvin craftily placed the Snowdrop beside the fake Snowdrop.Later, when he revealed it, it would be obvious which one was real and which one was fake.Millie's face darkened and she growled in a domineering manner. "Open it!"After she said that, Marvin lifted the black velvet cloth. The Snowdrop that was dazzling to the eyes appeared in front of everyone.The audience's breath hitched in their throat, and their eyes widened.Millie had designed the packaging of the Snowdrop. The herb was on a platform that could rotate, and the cover was a glass dome.The S
Although Joanna felt anxious, she still appeared calm. She said, "Go ahead! I spent one billion dollars to buy this Snowdrop. Wouldn't I know if it was real or fake? "Moreover, this present is for Mrs. Greer Senior. I wouldn't dare to deceive her!" Joanna threw her bag onto the table before pulling out a chair and sitting down.It was as if she didn't care about what Millie was going to do to prove the authenticity of her herb."Ms. Caldwell, if it turns out that you've wrongly accused me today, I won't forgive you even if you kneel down and beg me to!" Joanna scoffed.Did Millie think she didn't have a temper? What gave Mille the right to claim that her Snowdrop was fake?"And what if I didn't wrongly accuse you?" Millie tilted her head to the side.Joanna sneered. She pointed at Millie's high heels and said through gritted teeth, "Then, I'll kneel down myself and clean your shoes!"Everyone craned their necks just to see what was going on. They were very curious about this fa
As soon as everyone heard this, they immediately nodded in agreement."She's just an ordinary woman who married at a young age." These words kept echoing in Millie's ears."I almost believed your bullshit. I thought that Ms. Lowell's Snowdrop was fake!""You should get out of here with your rose!"The crowd became restless again and mocked Millie mercilessly.Each sentence of theirs was like a boulder weighing on her chest, making her suffocate.She had backed down because she didn't want Selma to be upset, but it became grounds for the others to hurt her even more.Since that was the case, she would prove to them whose Snowdrop was the real one!Millie took the identification device from Marvin. Amidst the mockery of the crowd, she scanned the Snowdrop she had brought."Mills!" Selma called out to her, her eyes filled with worry.The crowd was still discussing among themselves when a crisp automated female voice from the device declared, "The item is identified as Snowdrop.
Hearing this, Selma also looked at Joanna. Was Joanna looking down on her by giving her a fake Snowdrop?Joanna's face was ashen. She quickly shook her head and said to Selma, "Grandma, don't listen to his nonsense. The Lowell family is loyal to the Greer family, and I have great respect for you. I would never look down on you!"She was desperate to join the Greer family, so why would she look down on them?Joanna bit her lower lip and pointed at the device in Millie's hand, saying, "Mine is the real Snowdrop. It's impossible that it's fake! There must be a problem with the device Millie has brought!"That was right. There had to be a problem with the device. Even Joanna couldn't get the real Snowdrop, so how could Millie, this useless person, get it?At this thought, Joanna quickly glared at Millie and shouted, "You've tampered with the device!"She didn't believe that Millie could obtain the Snowdrop. She had been flaunting to Millie about acquiring the Snowdrop recently, but n
While in the hospital, Millie rubbed her arms to keep warm. Then, the person on the bed woke up.Millie turned her head and looked at the person on the hospital bed. Winston's eyes were dull and showed signs of exhaustion. Their eyes met, and neither of them said a word.The nurse entered and saw that Winston was awake, so she patiently asked about his condition.He just kept looking at Millie without saying anything.Millie glanced at the nurse, signaling that she could continue with her work. Winston seemed fine now."You're not allowed to drink anymore," Millie said, her voice calm and indifferent.He closed his eyes, turned his head away, and didn't look at her again.Millie frowned and asked, "What do you mean by turning your head?"Winston remained silent, unable to speak because of the tightness in his throat.Millie poured a glass of water and asked him, "Would you like some water?"He still remained silent.Millie grew impatient and said, "Then I'll call Eli to take
Other than that word, Everly couldn't hear anything else."Dad, I can't hear what you're saying at all." Everly was becoming frustrated.Thomas exclaimed, "I said, Mills!""Yes, you're talking about Mills. And then? What about her?" Everly was extremely confused.She picked up her phone to check the time—it was already 3:00 am.She was about to lose it. From New Year's Eve till now, she did nothing but take care of Thomas."Dad, why don't we just go to sleep?" Everly didn't want to listen anymore.Whatever it was, she would be nice to Millie and not go up against her.She didn't like Millie before, but that was simply because she disliked how obsessed Millie was with romantic relationships."Oh! Ah!" Thomas suddenly started grumbling as he threw back the blanket. "Why can't you understand?"He was getting agitated.Everly was also getting extremely agitated. What exactly did she need to understand?He wasn't even speaking loud enough."I mean your sister! Millie!" Thomas s
Everly, feeling exasperated, helped Thomas off the couch and took him to the bathroom.Thomas lifted his head. His face was flushed, and his eyes dazed over. "My daughter, my daughter, I didn't throw up…"Everly looked at the mess on the ground and felt a headache coming on. Thomas had already thrown up, yet he still claimed he hadn't."You're drinking so much even though you can't handle it!" Everly shouted."What are you saying? It's like you're saying, saying, saying… ugh!" Thomas immediately leaned over the toilet, unable to finish his sentence. It was like he was speaking in tongue twisters, and no one could understand him.Everly sighed. She twitched her nose and turned to go outside to wait for him.Ten minutes went by, and Everly had finished tidying up the house. There was no sound coming from the washroom where Thomas was.Everly furrowed her brows and called out, "Dad?"Fine. It seemed like he was going to end up sleeping on the toilet.Everly walked over and, as ex
"I'll go get your medicine for you. Wait a moment." Millie intended to get the medicine from the bedside table.But then, Winston grabbed her arm. His palms were sweaty, and when he held her hand, it felt so hot it was as if he might burn her.Millie looked down at him.Winston looked up at her face, worried that if he let go, she might disappear.However, he knew very well that Millie wanted to leave, and he couldn't stop her."Millie, do you really have to give up on me?" Winston asked again, seeming determined to get an answer.Millie furrowed her brows, breathing heavily."Do you have to?" He looked at her. "Hmm?"Millie felt her heart tighten, and she just couldn't bring herself to say, "I have to let you go.""Winston," she called to him.Winston had no more strength left in him, as if he couldn't wait any longer to hear those words from her.He suddenly bent over and fell to the ground.Millie paused for a moment, then she quickly crouched down. "Winston?"She immed
Millie tightened her grip on the doorknob and turned to look at Winston.He stood next to the coffee table, his hands dangling awkwardly at his sides. The expression on his face seemed profoundly sorrowful. Although they were close, it felt as if a huge ocean stood between them when he looked at her, making it impossible for him to bridge the gap.Winston made a slight groaning sound, licking his lips and breathing heavily. His body was also swaying a bit. His stomach felt extremely uncomfortable, churning violently as if he might throw up at any moment.What bothered him even more was the comment Millie had just made.She said, "Let's end this."End it? But how would they just end it? Then were her seven years over just like that? Did his guilt and regret count for anything?She could move on from him, love someone else, and marry them. But what about him? He could never forgive himself for the rest of his life…Could they just end it?"Millie. Tell me, how are we supposed to
"Listen." Millie bit her lip but finally mustered up the courage to speak. "Let's end this between us."During those years with him, she caused her family a lot of worry and concern. She no longer wanted her family to worry about her.Or perhaps, she had become scared. She didn't want to gamble with her feelings anymore."Winston, I admit defeat. I don't have the courage to go through this with you again." Millie's voice was choked with emotion as she struggled to hold back her sadness while saying this.Winston instinctively reached for her hand."Millie, you promised me. You said you'd give me a chance. Why?" His eyes suddenly turned bloodshot, and his voice was so hoarse it seemed like he could barely speak."There's no reason. The new year has begun, and I hope you get better. Don't come looking for me anymore." Millie pulled away from Winston's hand, turned around, and got ready to leave.He suddenly hugged Millie tightly and said, "Don't…"Winston's voice seemed to pierce
Millie opened the car door and pushed Winston inside the car.Winston fastened his seatbelt in the dark by himself.Millie got into the car and saw him sitting there quietly, which made her smile and sigh.Millie drove at a moderate speed. The road was busy, with many people out to watch fireworks, while others were heading home.Winston looked to the driver's side, his gaze fixed on Millie.Millie could sense that he was watching her, but she kept avoiding eye contact. Her mind was preoccupied with the messages her dad had sent.Let him go… The question was, could she give up on him?Millie furrowed her brow and rested her hand on her forehead, deep in thought."Did I make you hate me…?" Winston's raspy voice suddenly sounded next to her ear.Millie looked over at him with confusion."Does my drinking make you hate me?" he asked again, just like a child afraid of upsetting Millie."No." Millie shook her head.Despite having drunk too much, he still made an effort to pay at
After the video call ended, Millie placed her phone on the table.Thomas said to Millie, "Hahaha! Mills, look, he can't handle his drink!"Having been the son-in-law of the Caldwell family for three years, I only just found out that he can't hold his liquor."Millie gave a wry smile. This statement seemed to be a double-edged sword. For three years, he hadn't visited the Caldwell family even once. Winston was truly ruthless at that time.Winston quickly explained to Millie, "Millie, I haven't had too much. I can still drink, honestly."His face was completely flushed, and it was clear that his speech was slurred.The two of them had already finished a bottle of vodka.Thomas was even ready to switch to a different type of alcohol.Thomas had spent many years away from home and was quite a heavy drinker. His drinking ability was different from that of Winston.Winston could ask Eli to drink on his behalf if he didn't want to, but if Thomas was trying to win resources for Rach
At the dining table, Thomas and Winston started drinking vodka.The TV was showing this year's New Year Gala while Millie was quietly eating pierogi.She hadn't had homemade pierogi for three years, and they tasted so good. It felt like being back in her childhood, celebrating the New Year with her family. That was what made the festival truly special.Millie looked at her grandparents with a constant smile on her face. She felt happier than she had ever been before.She wished her parents were here too. Oh, those two…Just as she was thinking about this, her phone rang. It was Terrence calling.Millie answered the call without saying a word and pointed the camera toward Thomas.This year, Thomas had no one to drink with, so he turned to Winston for company.Terrence was lounging in the sun when he caught sight of Winston. His eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately set down his juice."Who is that? Am I seeing this right?" Terrence sat up straight, his voice filled with