Chapter 1 Arriving at the Hughes Residence

A woman dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans walked out of the railway station with a suitcase in her hand at Ashvale City.

She had a delicate appearance, and her wavy hair flowed in the wind. Beneath her elegant eyebrows were a pair of bright eyes, a well-defined nose, and cherry lips. She wasn't wearing makeup. Still, her face exuded a kind of natural beauty that demanded attention upon first sight.

"Hello, you must be Ms. Stanton. I'm the driver sent by the Hughes family."

Celia Stanton nodded and followed the driver into the car. The journey had exhausted her.

The car drove away from the railway station. The driver couldn't help but glance at Celia through the rearview mirror. At present, her eyes were shut. "So, this is Mr. Hughes' fiancée, huh?" he mused.

Yardley Hughes was already the CEO of Hughes Inc. at the age of 21. He was well-known for his decisive and shrewd business tactics. He was a formidable figure in the business world whom everyone feared.

Years ago, Yardley's grandfather, Otto Hughes, arranged a marriage for Yardley. The intended bride turned out to be Celia, a girl from the countryside.

The driver took another look at Celia's innocent face and clicked his tongue. "Cinderella's going to have a hard time marrying into a wealthy family!" he imagined.

Celia opened her eyes and looked at the unfamiliar city with a calm expression.

The car arrived at the Hughes residence in no time, and the driver carried Celia's luggage for her. When they reached the entrance, they were halted by an elegant lady who looked down her nose at Celia. "Maude," she called out.

"Yes, Madam." Maude Lambert held a bottle of disinfectant and sprayed it all over Celia.

The elegant lady was Yardley's mother, Lillian Fowler. "Don't forget her shoes and her hair. Nothing should be left unsanitized," she said as she stepped aside.

Celia used her hand to shield her face from the pungent smell. "Have you lost your mind?" she inquired in an apathetic tone.

Lilian flipped out immediately. "I knew it; people from the countryside have no manners. We're worried that you might be carrying some kind of virus or bacteria. I don't want anyone in our family to get infected."

Under normal circumstances, Celia would have jumped down her throat and stormed off. But she couldn't do so at the moment. "In that case, you should also sanitize your mouth because it stinks!" she informed the older lady.

Then, she went inside.

"You …" Lilian was so angry that she trembled. Maude immediately stepped forward to console her.

There was another woman who looked about the same age as Celia inside the house. She was dressed in designer clothes and had a smug look on her face. She was Yardley's cousin, Quinn Hughes.

Seeing Celia, she asked, "Are you Celia Stanton, Yardley's fiancée?

"Tsk tsk, Grandpa sure is getting old. His taste is not up to par. I heard you took the train here. You should've told us earlier. We could've bought you a plane ticket. But I suppose there isn't an airport in the countryside, right?" Quinn sneered when she noticed that Celia was dressed like a commoner.

Celia looked at Quinn as if she had sprouted a second head. "Is everyone in the Hughes family this arrogant?" she wondered.

Her hometown might not have an airport, but her grandfather, Barnaby Stanton, had reserved an entire train to Ashvale for her. No one could have had the entire train to themselves as she did.

Besides, her grandfather could've easily arranged for a private jet to fly her here if she wanted.

Celia couldn't be bothered to waste her breath on those people, so she went upstairs.

Quinn followed her up sullenly. She wasn't used to being ignored.

"Where's my room?" Celia asked the housekeeper behind her.

"Here," Quinn said as she stepped forward before the housekeeper could answer. She pushed the door open and continued, "I bet you've never stayed in such a big and luxurious room before, have you? You'd better cherish every second in the Hughes residence. I am Yardley's cousin, Quinn Hughes, by the way. You'd better suck up to me. Otherwise—"

Celia walked into the room and slammed the door shut before Quinn could finish her sentence. That made the latter mad as a hornet. "Ugh! How can a country bumpkin be so conceited? What does Grandpa even see in her?"

The housekeeper lowered her head. "Miss, isn't this Mr. Hughes' room?"

Quinn cast a disdainful gaze at the door. "Shush! Yardley hates it when people touch his things. So, if he asks, tell him that she was the one who chose to stay in his room," she said with a glimmer in her eyes.