The seafood restaurant was a reservation-only establishment with traditional décor, offering little soundproofing.Soon, a manager approached Christian and his group, who were a bit too loud. "Sir, please lower your voice to avoid disturbing the other patrons."Timmy turned beet red from embarrassment. "They have many rules here, don't they?""Of course. It's a public place, after all. If it weren't for Christian, we wouldn't even be here. Let's show some respect," someone retorted.Humiliated, Timmy was about to retaliate, but Christian intervened to calm things down. "Let's drop it, guys. We can continue this over drinks. Don't worry about the bill. It's my treat."He added, "Lily will be here soon. Take the opportunity to find yourselves a girlfriend. Her roommates are coming too. Don't say I didn't give you a heads-up."His male classmates glanced around. "What chance do we have with you around? Half the school has a crush on you."They weren't exaggerating. Christian was ha
"Lily, I think you'd better not bother with that disgusting fake heiress," Myrtle suggested.Lily thought Aria was involved in a scandal. She could barely suppress her joy as she feigned a scowl and said, "Myrtle, don't be so mean.""Lily, don't blame Myrtle. Aria's the one being secretive about her new relationship. I wonder what's there to hide?" Timmy pursed his lips.Was Aria in a relationship?Lily pretended to worry about Aria, "Do you think Aria might have been deceived? Grandma never mentioned anything about a boyfriend."In truth, Lily hadn't been in touch with Georgina lately. Cameron was the one who had informed her that Aria was single."She wouldn't dare. Your grandmother would have informed you if Aria's boyfriend were even remotely as impressive as Christian. But no, Aria settled for a gigolo! How embarrassing."Lily was secretly delighted. She hadn't forgotten the humiliation Aria inflicted on her. At the time, Aria had seemed so superior.Lily could barely hold
After witnessing Lily's behavior today, Christian began to question whether he might be overthinking things.With an arm around Lily, he decided to seek out Aria once the gathering concluded. He hadn't forgotten his father's advice—winning over Aria could potentially open doors to connections with Lucas, the Secretary-General of City Hall. Additionally, Christian had to admit Aria was as stunning as he remembered. He refused to believe she had moved on. If she had, she wouldn't have chosen a gigolo as a boyfriend instead of pursuing a normal relationship.With this in mind, Christian devised a plan. "It's nothing much but why don't I send over a bottle of wine to preserve your dignity, Lily?"Christian's intentions were clear. He wanted Aria to realize how much more generous he was than her boyfriend. Most importantly, he wanted her to know he was in the restaurant.Lily was taken aback. "You want to send wine over?""If you're against it, we can forget it. It's entirely up to y
Landon supported Leon, valuing his business worth and the fact that he was a Carver."Aria, I need to get back to work." Leon continued with a hint of something else in his tone, "We celebrities are at the mercy of our bosses. They have countless ways to make money but choose to exploit us."Realizing the remark was aimed at him, Landon smiled. "Leon, work hard. I'll take care of Aria."Leon might have flipped the table right then if Landon weren't his boss.Listening to their exchange, Aria asked, "Leon, what job did you take on?"She sensed that this was just the beginning of the chaos surrounding "Survival of the Fittest.""My job?" Leon was caught off guard by her question and hesitated before replying, "I'll probably be on another variety show. It hasn't been officially announced yet. I'm still waiting for my manager's arrangements."Aria toyed with her amethyst pendant. "Okay. Let me know once it's confirmed.""Sure!" Leon flashed a triumphant glance at Landon, implying A
Bound by the restaurant's century-old traditions, the owner himself brought the wine to Landon's room. Although unfamiliar with the York family personally, Oliver Richton knew enough about their customs to realize Landon's future brother-in-law should be aware of Landon's limited tolerance for alcohol.Therefore, it was questionable why he would send a bottle of alcohol over to Landon's room.Yet, it was a rare opportunity for Oliver to meet Landon, who was known for avoiding dining out due to health concerns. Accustomed to interacting with the Wagner and Layne families, Oliver knew they would never send alcohol to Landon. Instead, they would respectfully greet him. Given Landon's prestigious background, the other wealthy young men never dared to pressure him to drink when he declined due to health concerns. Holding the bottle of red wine, Oliver couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. However, Christian seemed confident in his intentions.Oliver knew that refusing
The head chef turned to Oliver in surprise, astonished by the sight of a child with such a voracious appetite.Aria smiled. "Go ahead and roast one for him. He's a big eater."Landon fiddled with his rosary bracelet. "One leg might not be enough. If Mrs. Carver heads to Ludwiten alone, Aria will be worried. Let Sam accompany her. He can bring a leg of lamb to eat on the way."Sam studied Landon as if trying to understand him, but he eventually gave up. Landon still seemed dangerous to him.Upon seeing this, Oliver instructed the head chef to prepare the leg. Sam wasn't a picky eater. After gathering the meat from the table, he approached Fiona happily. They were bound to get hungry during the walk, so he might as well bring some food.Fiona found his innocence endearing and led him away with a smile.Now that Fiona was gone, Landon changed his demeanor. He tugged on his collar with one hand and tousled Aria's hair with another.Then, he whispered in her ear, "I have too many r
"They want to flaunt their wealth?" Aria couldn't understand the logic behind using wine to show off their riches. Seeing her disgusted expression, Landon leaned on her shoulder with a smile.Aria didn't understand why he was so amused. She tilted his chin to meet her gaze, her eyes filled with confusion. "Could you explain how sending a bottle of wine shows off their wealth?"Oliver wished he could disappear. Even though Aria was a Carver, Oliver doubted anyone would dare to treat Landon like this. In fact, it felt like Landon was a handsome gigolo Aria kept around.Oliver shook his head to dismiss his absurd thoughts.As a man, Landon understood Christian's intentions. That's why he'd reacted so strongly."They sent the wine to taunt us for not opening a bottle. Hence, as your brother-in-law, he gave one to us as a gesture." Although Landon's tone carried a touch of amusement, his gaze was cold. Aria raised an eyebrow. "That's all?""That's all." Landon chuckled, twirling h
Oliver's choice of wine was intentional. "Ms. Carver, this bottle of red wine symbolizes luck. It has a smooth finish and isn't too astringent.""I selected this specific bottle since this is Mr. York's first time bringing you here. I didn't want it to seem like a gift from someone else, nor did I wish to accept your money. I simply want to share in your joy as you embark on this new chapter."Aria knew he was merely trying to ingratiate himself with Landon. Oliver was undeniably skilled at business.Landon rose and admired the bottle. "You're too kind, Mr. Richton. I will accept the wine. Please attend Aria's and my engagement party.""Of course!" Oliver replied excitedly.Landon smiled and continued, "However, my fiancée would also like to receive a bottle from the other party. Could you select another one?""The quality isn't crucial, and it's acceptable if you double or triple the price. After all, you are in business, and we are your customers. We won't be drinking the wine,