After that, Alejandro carried Millie outside without saying another word.While they ate, Melanie casually asked, “How are things with the Larks?”Alejandro answered back just as casually, “We’re currently in the midst of discussing their acquisition. They aren’t letting up at the moment, but I think they won’t be able to continue holding on much longer.”Then, Melanie remained silent. Alejandro suddenly asked, “That’s it? I thought you would’ve said something else.”Melanie snickered. “What else can I say? It’s their own fault that things have developed up to this stage. Even if you hadn’t stepped in, Jackson probably wouldn’t have gone easy on them either. I’m not that saintly; I can’t even say what’s going to happen to me, let alone worry about them. Moreover… Even if I begged you, you wouldn’t help the Larks anyway, so what’s there for me to say when I already know the outcome? Even if you help me defend the Larks, they’re still in the wrong, so if you go up against the Wests a

Helpless, Arianne relented and accepted her mission.It was time for lunch. She declined Mark’s invitation and dragged Robin to a cozy little Chinese restaurant for the break.After taking their seats and making their orders, Arianne feigned her tone to be non-committal as she asked, “So… How come you and Sylvain haven’t tried adding members to the family yet? He’s more than old enough to be a father while you’re just the right age. You know what it’s like: better have children early while the body’s at its prime than to wait until you’re thirty-odd years old and life’s fraught with uncertainties. By then, your body’s state might not be as optimum for childbearing, too.”Robin was a little skeptical of her intention. “Hey… Wait a minute. This isn’t because Sylvain’s asking, is it?”Arianne’s mind scrambled in slight panic, but outwardly, she doubled down on her pretense of casualness. “Wha-wha-what? Oh, nooooo. Why would he make me ask you something like that? Noooo way. I was just

A certain someone stepped inside with a bouquet of flaming red roses. He placed them on the table in front of her and announced, “Someone gave this to me. Frankly, I have no love for it, so it’s yours now.”Arianne spied the bouquet with a side-eye. The flowers’ freshness was so overwhelming and evident that there was no way he did not buy it for her. Yet, the same man wanted to pretend otherwise just to save his thin skin!“Urgh, I don’t like it. Throw it away.”Mark turned exasperated. “Why you—don’t step out of line!”She scowled at him. “Hey, hey, hey! You said ‘someone’ gave you this bouquet, and you only gave it to me because you yourself don’t want it. And now I’m telling you I don’t want it either—how’s that ‘stepping out of line’, huh? If anything, you’re stepping out of your line by giving away a beautiful gift someone clearly took pains to give you! Though I have to wonder… Which young lady dares present you such bright red roses, hmm? They’re so fiery red, I can see the

Nikolai spat at the ground. “Get out of our way, or don’t blame me for extending my courtesy to you, Dad! Don’t squawk about disrespect by then!”Mr. Lark’s eyes widened in lividity. “You dare lay your hands on your old man?! I'm still your goddamn Pa! You may have your harpy of a mother cheering you on for being a paragon of jacka**es, but don’t mistake that as authority to do anything you like, you insolent brat! Christ, you’re a carbon copy of your mother! I shouldn’t be surprised though; a child takes after the parent who raises them, after all, and right now, you’re an embarrassment and I wish you were never born!”Nikolai clenched his teeth, his hateful eyes zeroing in on Melanie. In his mind, he had already equated every fault as her doing. One look at Nikolai’s face was enough to tell anyone that he wanted to tear her into pieces with his bare hands.Finally, Melanie’s second eldest brother, Miklan, yanked his big brother by his shoulder. “Nikolai, snap out of it. This is yo

Melanie’s uncles, after going through the worst of the guards’ retaliatory fisticuffs, were quick to succumb. Slowly but surely, only Mrs. Lark and Nikolai remained silent.Alejandro chuckled. “Oho, looks like we’ve got ourselves some tough cookies! Tough, and a sore to virtually everyone around them… You, Nikolai Lark! You’re the jacka** who pushed Tiffany down the stairs and made Melanie bear your blame, aren’t you? Meanwhile, your mommy supports everything her precious little baby does. Well, let me tell you, I consider everyone else involved in this fight today to be even—except the two of you. The rest of you may go after signing your names on the contract. But you two? You two get an extended stay… We have much to discuss.”Mrs. Lark was frightful at her core, but she was not about to admit that. “W-What are you gonna do to us, huh?! You think you’re above the law, huh, hotshot? I’m calling 911!”Alejandro remained unperturbed as he fiddled with the lighter in his hand. “911,