Ch. 561..570

Chapter 561 Love Affair in Their Youth

“Yes, that’s me,” Elise said. Wry-necked, she took a peek behind the plump-looking woman. It’s my house, alright. In the next second, Quentin appeared behind the woman and greeted Elise with a cheerful smile on his face, “Ellie, you’re back!”

“Papa?” Elise stayed frozen in place. “W-Why are you here?” “To come and see you, of course.” Quentin stepped forward. Then, he started introducing the woman. “Meet my wife, your Mama, Layla. Say hi.”

“M-Mama?” Elise repeated the word again, feeling uncertain.

However, Layla responded. “Hi. Why don’t you come inside first?” After saying that, she turned around and headed inside the house.

Elise looked at Layla’s plump figure. Then, she looked at the thin yet elegant-looking Quentin and whispered, “Is that Joey’s mum?”

Upon hearing that, Quentin nodded slightly. His eyes trailed after Layla, his gaze full of love and happiness. “Isn’t she pretty?”

Elise was at a loss whether to cry or to laugh. Nevertheless, she nodded her head, acknowledging Quentin’s words. “She is!”

“And here I thought you only wanted Joey and would abandon Joey’s mum,” Elise teased Quentin as she took off her shoes.

“How could you accuse me like that?” Quentin rolled his eyes. “Do I look like an irresponsible man to you?”

From top to bottom, Elise scrutinized Quentin all over again. He is still dapper in appearance and keeps his body in such good shape at this age… Papa has the prerequisite to be an irresponsible man indeed.

As smart as Elise was, she would never say her thoughts out. Instead, she answered, “Of course not.”

She paused for a while. Then, she lowered her voice again and leaned closer to Quentin’s ear. With a gossipy manner, she probed, “Tell me how you and Mama met back then.”

Slightly embarrassed, Quentin said, “Sigh! Who never once had a love story in their youth before? I may be old now, but I recall I used to have admirers that could stretch across the globe!”

“Why are you two still chit-chatting over there? Hurry up and come in!” Layla’s loud voice was suddenly heard from inside.

Elise unknowingly widened her eyes and exchanged glances with Quentin. “Wow… Mama sure has a strong vocal cord…”

Upon hearing that, Quentin smiled but did not answer anymore. Then, he patted Elise on the arm, and the two entered together.

As soon as they made their way into the living room, Elise realized that Joey was also there, wearing a pair of headphones. She was minding her business and immersing herself in her own world.

“You two sure are close, with your non-stop tête-à-tête,” Layla suddenly spurted out of the blue.

“Huh?” Elise did not understand what Layla meant. Papa and I haven’t seen each other for a long time. Of course we need to catch up with each other.

“Tsk!” At once, Quentin signaled Layla with his gaze. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“If you don’t harbor any hidden intentions, why would you care what I’m spurting out of my mouth?” Layla rolled her eyes fearlessly. Then, she turned her eyes to look at Elise again. “Your Papa told me that you’re a great cook. We haven’t eaten anything yet because we’re waiting to have a taste of your cooking. I know it’s late, but can you make us a meal, considering we came all the way here? It won’t be too troublesome, right?”

“No… Not troublesome at all,” Elise said with a good temperament. Then, she took off her coat and walked into the kitchen. “Why don’t you all rest for a moment while I cook us a few simple dishes? Since all the ingredients are ready-to-cook, I just need to stir-fry them. I’m sure I’ll be done in a jiffy.”

“Don’t go over the top, alright? To have a full belly at dinner is not good for one’s health.” Quentin advised.

All of a sudden, Layla gave Quentin a slap on the arm before he could finish speaking. “Why do you like making other people’s businesses part of your business?”

Feeling helpless, Quentin sighed. “What’s ruffling your feathers again?”

“None of your business!” Layla got up and sat on the other side.

Baffled, Quentin turned to Joey for help. “Joey, has your mother been this grumpy all these years?”

“Yup,” Joey said calmly. “Lately, she’s been grumpier than before.”

“Why? Did you anger her again?” Quentin asked in a serious demeanor.

Joey was a little speechless. She took off one earphone and turned her head. Poker-faced, she said, “Don’t put all the blame on me! She’s your wife, not mine! Who was the one who pampered her so much, resulting in her current feistiness?”

Joey’s words successfully shut Quentin up, and the atmosphere in the living room finally settled down.

The food was served about 40 minutes later, and the four of them sat around the table.

Grasping onto her seniority, Layla waited for Elise to set up the table before picking up her utensils while pulling a long face.

Layla’s sole purpose for the visit was to declare her right as Mrs. Fassbender. She had heard a lot about the scandalous rumors between Elise and Quentin. Rumor had it that Quentin was very protective of Elise. She even heard a rumor that Elise had an abortion because of Quentin before.

Layla was aware that everything that had been rumored happened when she and Quentin were separated. But now that she was back, and Quentin had acknowledged the legitimacy of both her and Joey, Layla would absolutely not turn a blind eye to anything. It’s fine if there’s nothing going on between Elise and Quentin. However, if other issues were to arise, I won’t let them happen under my watch.

After all these years, she had learned to take things easy. However, she was ready to risk everything for her daughter’s sake.

With an expressionless face, Layla picked up a piece of the roasted chicken and put it in her mouth. Originally, she intended to take advantage of this meal hour and humiliate Elise.

However, the moment Layla put the piece of chicken into her mouth, the wonderful taste spread instantly. At once, her taste buds subdued to the deliciousness of the dish, and she felt as if she was taking a walk in the clouds. The taste was remarkably enjoyable!

Refusing to believe it, Layla then picked up her utensils and tasted each dish on the table.

After having a taste of everything, she wordlessly became a hungry monster—stopping at nothing, the woman who kept talking about keeping fit actually downed two bowls of rice.

“Burp!” Layla put down her utensils and burped.

“How was it? Told you Elise is a great cook!” Quentin said proudly.

“I-I was just hungry… Burp!” Layla tried to be stubborn and denied. However, she was startled and embarrassed by the sudden burp.

“Joey…” Layla stood up with the help of the table. “Accompany me outside. I want to ease my digestion.”

“But I’m not done yet!” Joey seldom got to taste such a delicious meal before. She was indulging herself in the good taste of the food. Why would she possibly want to leave the dining table now? “Haven’t you visited this manor before? The manor’s brightly lit, so you’ll do just fine walking around by yourself. If you’re scared, you can take the dog at the entrance along with you.”

“Why are you so useless?” Layla immediately thought of slamming the utensils in Joey’s hands away. “The tiniest spec of favor could easily win you over. Answer me quickly! Are you coming or not!?”

“Fine. I’ll go! Geez, I must have owed you in my past life!” Joey drawled and reluctantly left the dining table with Layla.

After ensuring both Layla and Joey were off at a distance, Elise braved herself up and asked, “What’s wrong with Mama? Why do I have a feeling that she doesn’t seem to like me?”

“Don’t mind her.” Quentin waved his hand which was holding the utensils. “Women tend to hold grudges when they’re around this age. And, to think that she gave birth to my daughter… Oh, I can already feel that my headache will be twice as painful in the future.”

“But you still love her regardless. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have looked for her…” Elise teased.

“Why, you little mischievous girl! How dare you tease me!” Pretending as if he wanted to teach Elise a lesson, Quentin raised his hand. Nonetheless, he was reluctant to punish Elise. Then, Quentin sighed. “Can you scoop me another bowl of tomato soup? I haven’t tasted your tomato soup in a long time. I really miss its flavor!”

“Yes~”

In a kindly manner, Elise served Quentin another bowl of tomato soup. At that moment, Elise had completely forgotten about the harm inflicted on her by the Anderson Family. Quentin really filled in the void of her long-lost fatherly affections.

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 562

Chapter 562 Tendency to Hold Grudges

At the same time, in Smith Co.’s President’s office, Johnny hung up the phone. Then, he calmly shifted his gaze toward the refined-looking man, who was resting on a reclining chair.

Feeling rather uneasy, Johnny pretended to cough to draw the man’s attention. “S-Sir…” Upon hearing that, Kenneth turned his head around from his seat. A half-smirk was formed on the corners of his mouth. “What’s the matter? Is there something strange about my face? Why are you still not getting used to looking at me even after so long?”

Just as Johnny was about to answer, someone suddenly knocked on the office’s door twice. The door then opened and revealed that that someone was Melody. She walked in boldly with a pile of documents in her hand.

“All documents are here. This is the company’s development plan for the next five years, and this is a list of all the company’s loss-making projects in the past year,” Melody said. Next, she expressionlessly threw the document on the coffee table in front of Kenneth.

Since he was resting his feet on the coffee table, Kenneth almost got them slammed by those documents. Hence, he instinctively ducked and joked, “Seriously, Melody? Have you not learned how to treat your boss a little better?”

“Sure, on the precondition that you’re still aware you’re the boss.” Melody made fun of Kenneth with her precise words in an unperturbed manner. “Johnny and I have been handling most of the company’s business. Unlike someone right here, we work our a*ses off to reach our targeted KPI. Right now, that certain someone suddenly got carried away by a whim and requested us to cast aside the project that we have been working on for more than half a year. I’m pretty sure no person in their right mind would smile when being thrown into such a situation.”

“Uh…” Kenneth turned to look at Johnny for help.

Nope! There’s no way I’m participating in this fight! Count me out, bro! Johnny flung up his hands and leaned against the leather seat behind him.

Upon seeing that, Kenneth thought, How cruel!

“Alright… Alright…” Kenneth sat up and heaved a long sigh. Then, he looked at Melody, his gaze filled with sorrow. “Love is a spark from nowhere that extends to eternity. Once a person is in love, they do things out of impulse.”

“I fear that I’m not good enough. I did all these because I wanted Elise to try accepting all the different sides of me. Before this relationship fully blooms, I will spend all day and night in anxiety. You two are my right-hand men. Can’t I at least entrust my faith or rely on you two to help me?”

For a moment, Johnny and Melody could not bear to go against their consciences, considering it was rare for Kenneth to show his vulnerable side.

“Fine.” Melody placed both hands into the pockets of her high-waisted pants. “From the day I decided to work for you, I had expected there would be a day that I would go through hell or high water. Alright, we’ll continue helping you watch over Smith Co., so go ahead. Be your lover’s guardian.”

Just then, as if he was performing in a Sichuan Opera, Kenneth changed his facial expression. In an instant, he stood up excitedly and walked over to Melody. Then, he patted her shoulder solemnly. “Just as I thought! You’re the most soft-hearted person here. Oh, by the way, don’t forget to make the payment to Ellie’s show. I would like to inject monetary capital into the show’s production team!”

Once he was done speaking, Kenneth moved his feet and walked out.

Both Melody and Johnny exchanged glances, and they shook their heads silently. We must have owed him in our past lives!

…

Meanwhile, in the manor, Layla was still burping even after taking a long walk.

While burping, Layla ranted. “E-Elise… Burp! What’s she up to? She purposely made me stuff myself and suffer from burping!”

“Mom! Be reasonable, will you!? No one forced you to stuff yourself with so much food…” Joey was speechless after she heard Layla’s words.

Pausing, Layla halted in her tracks and refused to move a step further. “Joey, how could you side with an outsider? Can’t you tell that I’m actually drawing water to your mill?”

“Drawing water to my mill? What? Mom, what are you planning exactly?” Joey asked, looking puzzled.

“I don’t think the relationship between your dad and Elise is as simple as it looks. Who knows what would happen if I don’t keep an eye on her and make her suffer a little! For all I know, half of the Fassbender Family’s property could be going into her pocket in the future!” Layla said presumingly.

“W-What? Mom, that doesn’t make any sense!” Joey debunked Layla. “Those gossips have been clarified long ago. Plus, Elise has a talented, handsome, and rich fiancé. Why would Elise chase after dad? What does dad have? You actually think Elise would chase after an old guy with a wrinkled face like dad?”

“Tsk! How can you say that about your dad!?” Layla raised her meaty hand and hit Joey on the arm.

“Mom… I was just joking…” Joey pursed her lips, feeling frustrated.

“As the old saying goes, ‘a daughter is the father’s sweetheart’. From what I see, you’re probably not sweet enough. Next time, don’t come up with such jokes. It’s not funny. You know how much your dad cares about his looks. He would be devastated if he found out that his own daughter said he is old and ugly.” Upon mentioning Quentin, Layla’s voice turned soft.

With her gaze fixating on Layla, Joey felt slightly surprised. Then, she teased her. “Mom… I didn’t know you were so in love with dad.”

“Hey!” Layla gave Joey a scolding. After that, she took Joey’s arm and returned to the manor by the way which they came. “Come on. Let’s go! I can’t leave your dad for too long with Elise!”

Dumbstruck, Joey really felt that Layla was overreacting. Yeah, I don’t know Elise very well. But during the time spent with her, my judgment toward her was that she was not of an evil heart. Not to mention that she’s a friend of H’s. It’s highly unlikely for H to have misjudged Elise. I trust whoever H sees fit.

“HAHAHA! If so, then they are really stupid! You’re still so amazing, Elise!”

As soon as the mother-daughter duo arrived at the doorstep, they heard Quentin’s hearty laughter.

Enraged, Layla immediately paced into the house. Then, she deliberately showed up in front of them and snorted. After that, she went upstairs furiously.

Taking a glance at the direction Layla stormed into, Quentin immediately restrained his laughter. “I’ll go take a look. Elise, you must be exhausted from what happened today. Why don’t you hit the hay early tonight?” Then, he got up and trailed after Layla.

“Okay, Papa,” Elise said with a smile.

In truth, she could sense Layla’s ill-feeling toward her. However, it got resolved thanks to Quentin.

Quentin treats me with great care. So, I must return the favor to his family.

Elise believed that sincerity must be returned with equal sincerity. Layla is someone who Quentin loves. I’m sure the tense atmosphere between us will be resolved as long as I spend time nurturing my relationship with her.

Joey waited by the door for a while. After Quentin went upstairs, she walked in and tried to be the mediator for Layla. “I’m sorry. Mom usually doesn’t act that way. She’s like this probably because she’s approaching menopause. I hope you’re not hurt by her rude behavior.”

Joey was very strong-minded, so Elise knew that she had received great recognition from Joey, judging from the light tone in her voice when she said those words.

“It’s okay. Mama is simply straightforward in character. I like getting along with people like her. I don’t have to constantly feel as if I’m playing mind games since she wears her heart on her sleeve,” Elise said.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Joey acknowledged Elise’s words.

“Oh, and by the way…” Elise spoke. “You’ve been learning computer programming with my friends during this time. How are things going for you?”

“Nothing much.” Joey shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not as difficult as I’d imagined.”

In all honesty, she did face difficulties occasionally. However, Joey did not say anything about it because she subconsciously did not want to look weak in front of Elise.

“That’s good.” Elise squinted her eyes, and she smiled like a Cheshire cat. “You possess the talent in this field. And in time, you will definitely achieve remarkable results! I will ask Papa to lift the restrictions he had set upon you before.”

Joey was inexplicably moved by Elise’s words, and she was clueless about how to react for a moment. She merely bit her lip and silently brushed her foot against the floor.

“It’s getting late. Let’s go upstairs and get some rest. Pick a room that you like. And don’t worry. We have cleaners to clean the room every day. The sheets and quilts are very clean.” Elise naturally changed the topic.

“Oh, okay…” Joey responded vaguely. Then, she grabbed the sling bag on the sofa, hung it around her neck, and ran upstairs.

Halfway up the stairs, Joey suddenly stopped with her back facing downstairs. Feeling awkward yet sounding sincere, Joey said in a low voice, “Thanks, sis.”

Seconds after Joey finished saying that, Elise could hear the sound of shoe soles rapidly colliding with the wooden floor. And by the time she came around, Joey’s figure had disappeared from the entrance of the stairs.

This was not the first time Joey had called her ‘sis’, but it was the first time she acknowledged Elise’s status as her sister.

Feeling delighted, Elise thought, Today’s such a happy day! As for Austin, I’m just going to pretend like he never existed.

Chapter 563 This Kid Has Potential

The next day, right after Elise had finished eating breakfast, the doorbell of the villa rang. Thinking that it was Winona, she immediately got up and went to open the door.

Winona had sent her a message last night, saying that she would visit her with investors and guests that day, but she hadn’t expected her to arrive so early. However, the moment she opened the door, all she saw was Kenneth.

Elise frowned. She looked at the entitled expression on Kenneth’s face and had a bad feeling. Winona walked out from behind Kenneth and looked at Elise with a weak smile. “Hey, Elise. Hehe…”

Feeling herself on the verge of tears, Elise raised one eyebrow and asked in disbelief, “Winona, this isn’t what I’m thinking, right?”

Kenneth was definitely not an investor or a guest. She must have made a mistake, and these two just happened to run into each other.

“I’m sorry, Elise.” Winona raised her right hand to her forehead, making an apologetic gesture. “I only learned today that Mr. Bailey is the guest designated by the investor. The contract has already been signed. If you don’t cooperate, you will have to pay a large penalty for breaching the contract…”

Elise slapped a hand to her forehead. “Oh my God…”

“Do you two have to act like that?” Kenneth was completely clueless. “At any rate, I’m investing a huge amount of money. Besides, I’m rich and handsome. Do you have to dislike me so much?”

“The reason why we dislike you, don’t you know that yourself?” Elise retorted angrily.

“What should I know about? Hmm?” Kenneth took a step forward until he was almost pressing up against Elise, leaving only half an inch between them.

Elise could even clearly feel his warm breath fanning on her face. Kenneth’s roughness on the day of the trial broadcast rapidly flashed in her mind, causing her to instinctively take a step backward. This step also successfully cleared the way, and Kenneth took the opportunity to slip in from the side.

Winona knew that she had made a mistake, so she stood obediently outside the door, not daring to pass. However, her stomach started growling. She hurriedly covered it, but Elise still heard it.

“You haven’t eaten breakfast yet?” Elise asked.

“Well… this place is too far from where I live, so I didn’t have the time,” Winona replied truthfully.

“Forget it, come on in. Do you want to eat some desserts I made in the morning?”

“Yes!” I can afford to slip up at work, but the opportunity to taste Elise’s cooking? No way I’m missing out on that! Winona thought.

As soon as Kenneth entered, he saw Quentin and his family inside. He and Quentin had met in Landred City before, and they nodded at each other as a greeting.

“This must be Mrs. Fassbender.” Kenneth stepped forward and shook hands with Layla. “You really look just like what Mr. Fassbender has told me. You’re as gorgeous as ever, as though you haven’t aged a day at all.”

Layla couldn’t conceal her smile, but she still replied humbly, “You really are good at sweet talking. I’m already this old. How can I be as wonderful as you claim? So, how should I address you?”

“Mr. Bailey is the president of Smith Co. He is young and promising. At this age, he already has a few assets under his name in the country, and no one can compare with him,” Quentin introduced from the side.

Layla nodded. “So you’re Mr. Bailey. You really are an outstanding young man.”

“Of course not.” Kenneth smiled lightly and sat down on the sofa next to him.

“Mr. Bailey, are you here for my goddaughter?” Layla probed.

Quentin shook his head and continued to watch the news on his tablet.

In front of the elders, no matter how lackadaisical one usually was, they would deliberately restrain themselves. Kenneth looked peaceful and humble, and explained generously, “Today, I did come here for a reason. I’ve been wanting to grow my popularity on the internet recently, so I planned a variety show with Miss Sinclair. Today happens to be the day of the live broadcast, so I came earlier.”

“Mr. Bailey, working with my goddaughter was the right choice. She’s beautiful and cooks well—the hallmarks of a fine and virtuous woman. She’s the perfect candidate as a wife,” Layla praised meaningfully.

“Great minds think alike. It seems that you and I have a connection, Mrs. Fassbender. If there is a chance in the future, I’ll be under your care again.” This was exactly what Kenneth wanted.

Layla nodded in satisfaction. This young man’s got potential. “Don’t worry, Mr. Bailey. A talented person like you would definitely be able to achieve what you want.”

“I hope what you said will come true,” Kenneth replied with a smile.

After a few more pleasantries, Elise brought Winona over to take him away. “Kenneth, don’t forget that you’re here to work. It’s time for the live broadcast.”

She had been watching them from the kitchen for quite a while as Kenneth easily made Layla smile from ear to ear with just a few words. It feels just like that one annoying little brat during Christmas parties, but this brat just had to have a smooth tongue that made him likeable to everyone.

And Elise felt that Kenneth was just like that brat right now, torturing her with his antics but flattering the elders with a smile.

Hearing that, Kenneth rose from his seat, not forgetting to say goodbye to Layla before he left. “Well then, Mrs. Fassbender, I’ll be leaving to work with Elise first.”

“Oh, go ahead. Young people should spend more time with other young people. Don’t worry about us,” Layla said with a smile.

Elise was dumbfounded. Within just a few minutes, Kenneth already has Layla in the palm of his hand? And here I am, having cooked for her twice, but she’s still lukewarm to me. How did Kenneth succeed as soon as he came? This guy… Did he spike Mama’s drink or what?

Elise couldn’t find an answer even after racking her brains. During the livestream, she was still absentminded as they trimmed the back garden together. Therefore, the result was—every few minutes, Kenneth had to call her name.

“Miss Sinclair?”

“Elise?”

“Elise?”

And so on.

At the end of the livestream, Kenneth successfully gained the nickname of ‘Wife Simp.’

The push and pull relationship between the two had made the netizens interested instead, and they wanted to see if the famous Kenneth could successfully pursue this woman, causing the number of viewers to reach a total of nearly 20 million.

Kenneth wanted to hit the iron while it was hot and host another broadcast in the evening, but Elise found an excuse and refused. She couldn’t escape working with him daily, but she wasn’t willing to spend time with someone day and night just to deliberately give the audience an ambiguous feeling.

Because she was afraid that Alexander would see this. She couldn’t just dismiss his feelings.

In the evening, Layla walked out of the bathroom in her nightgown and uttered casually as she walked, “Will your goddaughter be fine, working on this job? That Mr. Jack and Kenneth’s fans are completely slandering her…”

“You don’t have to care what they say. Those are all paradoxical rumors. Just don’t listen or look at them. How wouldn’t I know what kind of person Elise is?” Quentin didn’t even bat an eyelash.

“You say that, but for a girl, isn’t her reputation the most important thing? If her reputation is ruined…”

Knock, knock.

“Papa, Mama, are you asleep?”

Halfway through Layla’s words, they heard Elise knocking on the door outside.

Quentin put his book down and gave Layla a look, signaling her not to spew nonsense, before shouting at the door, “Not yet. Come on in.”

Creak!

The door handle immediately turned, and Elise walked in with a basin of hot water.

“Mama, do you want to soak your feet?”

Chapter 564 Don’t You Dare Tell Your Papa!

Layla was taken aback for a moment and did not answer. Is Elise trying to get on my good side? “Huh? What are you doing?” Quentin was anxious. “We have our own hands and feet, plus there are servants in the house too. How can we let you do this kind of thing? That basin must be heavy. Put it down quickly! Don’t hurt your hands!”

While speaking, he walked over and helped Elise put the basin on the floor. Elise didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at his reaction. “You’re overexaggerating if you think I can’t even lift a basin. You’re really treating me like a princess.”

“You’re more precious than a princess,” Quentin said angrily.

Layla didn’t want to put Elise on the spot at first, but when she saw them being so close, her expression immediately darkened. She deliberately walked loudly in her slippers and sat down on the sofa, saying in a prideful voice, “Then I’ll have to trouble you.”

“You old woman, are you out of your mind?” Quentin went over to pull her. “We’re going to sleep already. Why are you soaking your feet? Get up and go to bed quickly.”

Layla shook him away and settled down again, replying impatiently, “A woman’s business has nothing to do with you. Besides, Elise wanted to do this. If I don’t appreciate her efforts, I’d be a horrible person! Stop making trouble and trying to drive a wedge between us!”

“What kind of logic is that…” Quentin finally understood how unreasonable women could be.

Of course, it was impossible to live to this age without experiencing these things. However, he didn’t need to pay attention to those women in the past, but now one of them was his wife and the other was his goddaughter. He was caught in between a rock and a hard place, and it made his head hurt.

“It’s fine, Papa. Mama is right; there are bound to be some little secrets between women. You should go to the bedroom and rest,” Elise persuaded him.

When she said that, Quentin couldn’t really stay around anymore. “All right, then. Call me if you need anything.”

After a long and thoughtful reminder, Quentin stepped back into the bedroom.

Seeing his figure disappear behind the door, Elise took out the basin again and walked to Layla, where she squatted down and put Layla’s feet in the warm water for her.

As Layla looked down from above, watching Elise calmly cup some water in her hand and pour it on her ankle before rubbing it patiently and gently, she felt her cold heart gradually soften.

Still, she was stubborn and asked vindictively, “Were you this respectful to your papa before?”

“Not particularly,” Elise said nonchalantly. “I don’t have to do that for Papa. You saw it earlier too. He wouldn’t let me wash his feet.”

“That means that you’re deliberately trying to butter me up.” Layla’s expression turned cold. “Anyway, since there are only the two of us here, and Quentin can’t hear me, I’ll just give it to you straight. I don’t like you, and I don’t like you approaching my husband’s daughter even more.”

“All right, I understand. I’ll try hard not to disturb Papa and Joey in the future,” Elise said pleasantly.

Her easygoingness made Layla look narrow-minded instead, and she suddenly couldn’t find the words to answer.

A long pause later, she finally managed to squeeze out a sentence. “That’s what you say, but in reality, you’re always making Quentin and Joey happy, and they can’t stop thinking about you.”

“If that’s the case, I have to thank you for telling me this.” Elise suddenly smiled. “I was abandoned by my parents when I was very young. My grandparents found me later and raised me, but I rarely had the experience of getting along with my parents and sisters. Papa is good to me and treats me as his own daughter, and Joey also likes me as if I were a part of her family. I’m truly grateful for all these, and I never thought about asking for more.”

“Therefore, Mama, as long as your family is doing well, I can get out of your lives and stop disturbing you. If, and only if, you need me one day, you have to bring Papa and Joey to my place. Can you promise me that?”

Layla didn’t expect that Elise had such a past. As a mother, she really couldn’t help but feel distressed that a girl who was around the same age as her daughter had lived such a bitter life.

However, she still acted tough. Even if her concern and worry were already showing on her face, she refused to take the initiative to give in.

As though they had been talking about someone else, Elise easily diverted the topic. “I had specially prepared this bath water. It has detoxification and moisturizing effects, and it can improve blood circulation as well. When I have time later, I can give you an acupuncture massage as well. I believe it won’t be long before you’re able to lose weight without going on a diet.”

“Really?” Layla’s eyes lit up. A woman’s figure was her lifelong pursuit, and she couldn’t be bothered about keeping up her facade anymore at this moment.

“Of course.” Elise raised her head and smiled. “The other day, you said you wanted to lose weight. Besides, when I saw that your temper was a little uncontrollable, I knew that there was a problem with your body. Today, I finally got the prescription right, so I wanted to give you a soak to try out the effects.”

“No wonder. I was just wondering why I felt so comfortable just now, so it turned out to be a medicinal bath…” Layla thought for a while, and then asked, “Then, about my acne…”

“You can get rid of that too. I’ve already prepared the prescription. As long as you drink it on time, it’ll be fine. I was worried that you would think it’s too bitter, and I didn’t know how to tell you,” Elise said.

“Of course not. I managed to bring up my daughter alone. What else would I be afraid of? Just have the servants prepare it and I’ll drink it!” Layla said readily.

“All right, I’ll ask them to prepare it tomorrow.” Elise wiped Layla’s feet dry for her, and then wiped her own hands clean. “Well, I won’t disturb you and Papa anymore. I’ll go out first and come back tomorrow.”

Saying that, she carried the basin and headed out.

Layla hurriedly chased after her and grabbed her, warning in a low voice, “Don’t tell your papa about this!” She had been overweight for more than ten years, and she really wanted to return to her previous figure so that she could be more confident in front of Quentin.

Amused, Elise said in a low voice, “I won’t. This is a secret between us.”

“All right.” Layla then let go of her hand and pursed her lips in satisfaction. “You can go now.”

…

In the dim chamber, Charlene was tied to a stone stool. There was a window on the ceiling where the moon and the night sky were visible.

However, all she could see was the bucket hanging above her head, dripping water at a uniform speed.

Every drop of water hit her brow accurately.

Charlene was about to break down. Her eyes were hollow, her mouth ajar. She couldn’t even remember when was the last time she had slept.

Creak—

The door of the chamber opened, and Alexander walked in. When he smelled the stench of decay inside, he subconsciously raised his hand to cover his nose.

Cameron greeted him and reported respectfully, “The water dripping punishment is already on the tenth day, but she hasn’t given in yet. Do you want to try another way?”

Alexander waved his hand, motioning for him to stand down. He then raised his feet and walked to the stone stool, looking at Charlene condescendingly. “You still don’t remember what happened back then, do you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Charlene’s cheeks trembled and her teeth clattered, making a faint chattering sound.

Chapter 565 I’ll Pay For Everything Tonight

Alexander looked at her blankly for a few seconds, then raised his hand and accelerated the speed of the dripping water without hesitation.

Drip, drip, drip— The water flowed down, splashing all over her face. Charlene’s breathing turned panicked, and she was about to lose her breath.

“Help, help!”

Charlene closed her mouth, trying to force out the water flowing into her nose, but the water was flowing too fast, and she couldn’t get rid of it at all.

“Please, save me…”

Alexander stood expressionlessly in place, completely indifferent. He had no sympathy for those who hurt Elise.

Charlene tried to resist until the last second, but when a lot of water was inhaled into her lungs, her nose, eyes, and ears began to ring, and she felt that her life was in danger. She finally panicked.

“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything! Let me live! I don’t want to die!”

…

The next day, Elise got up early and went downstairs to make breakfast, but when she went to the kitchen, she saw Layla inside.

She stood by the door, at a loss of whether she should enter or not.

Layla turned off the stove hood before spotting her. After a moment of astonishment, she said lightly, “Go get your papa and Joey.”

“Oh, all right.” Elise responded blankly, and then turned back upstairs.

When she went downstairs again, breakfast was already on the table.

“Oh, aren’t these the breakfast we only have at our hometown? I haven’t eaten these for many years…” Quentin looked at the grand breakfast on the table and dug in.

Layla smiled inexplicably. She put a bowl of soup in front of him, then turned her head to look at Elise and stretched out her hand.

“What do you need?” Elise asked fearfully.

“I’m getting you soup.” Layla’s voice suddenly became several decibels louder. After speaking, she realized that she had unconsciously lost her temper again. She hurriedly lowered her voice and pointed to Elise’s left hand. “Give me your bowl.”

Elise smiled brightly and handed over her bowl obediently. “Thanks, Mama!”

For women, just a simple word or a sentence was enough for them to make up with each other.

They had their breakfast in silence. After Quentin put down his fork, he still felt a little greedy and reached out for the slice of bread on the plate.

Just as he was about to touch the bread, a fork suddenly stretched out and knocked his hand off.

“You still wanna eat? You don’t think your blood sugar is high enough, do you? This is for Elise. She works hard for her live broadcasts every day, and all you do is sit at home and do nothing, but you still want to take her food? I’m ashamed of you!” Layla said protectively.

“Fine, fine. I won’t eat anymore, all right?”

Quentin stood up and walked to the living room while deliberately saying bitterly, “When I eat with my two daughters from now on, I guess I won’t be full anymore!”

Though he said that, his face was full of smiles.

As expected, no one could resist Elise’s charms. Now he could finally rest easy.

“You old man, what nonsense are you saying…” Layla muttered. She turned her head and placed the bread on Elise’s plate. “Your papa just likes to fool around. Ignore him. Here, you should try this. It’s my specialty.”

“Thanks, Mama.” Elise took a bite and quickly gave a thumbs up. “It’s not sweet nor greasy, and the taste is just right. Mama, you’re amazing!”

“Hehe, of course. My grandmother was a gourmet, so I learned a lot from her,” Layla said with a smile.

“Mom, I can see your double chin…” Joey suddenly pulled the rug under her feet.

“Go away.” Layla rolled her eyes. When she looked at Elise, there was a smile on her face again as she asked hesitatingly, “Elise, the thing that we talked about letting the servants prepare, how’s it going?”

Elise immediately realized that she was talking about the medicine for weight loss and acne. “Don’t worry; it’s ready. I’ll bring it to you when we finish eating.”

“That’s great!” Layla was so happy that she quickly filled Elise’s plate again.

After eating too much breakfast, Elise went out for a run to get rid of the excess calories. When she stopped to rest after a ten-kilometer run, she received a text message from Jacob.

‘It’s completed.’

Elise lowered the brim of her hat, threw half of the mineral water she had drunk into a nearby trash can, and took a taxi to pick up her custom made prosthetic mask.

…

At nightfall, in the VIP room of Sierra Hotel, a table of guests in the room were chatting exuberantly. Faye was late.

As soon as she sat down, she even drank three glasses of wine to make amends.

This amount of wine was nothing to Faye. She wouldn’t get drunk even if she drank ten more glasses.

However, after toasting with a second person, Faye’s vision began to blur.

She blinked, trying to clear her eyes, but she saw that all the people at the same table suddenly fell on the table and lost consciousness.

In the next second, Faye couldn’t keep her heavy eyelids open. Her vision turned black, and she collapsed.

A few minutes later, the door of the private room was pushed open from the outside again. Elise walked in with a safe, walked straight to Faye, and put the safe on the table in front of her.

“Since you like to cause trouble for me so much, I’ll let you experience a day in my life.”

An hour later, Faye gradually regained consciousness. She raised her hand and rubbed her drowsy head. Opening her eyes, she found herself in the guest room of the hotel where she had just eaten.

When Faye first came out to socialize, she was bad at holding her alcohol and often got drunk. Hence, she was familiar with the guest rooms in this hotel.

However, she had no idea why she got drunk so quickly today.

Who helped her up?

She couldn’t remember.

Faye hated this feeling of memory loss, because it was very likely that a trivial matter would ruin her future.

She sat up and sobered up for a while before putting on her shoes and walking out of the room with her bag.

When she exited the elevator, she bumped into Celina, one of her friends that she often had afternoon tea with.

Celina looked at “Elise’s” face and got angry, saying through gritted teeth, “We meet again!”

Faye wanted to open her mouth and explain why they left on bad terms the previous time, but she was feeling too uncomfortable, so she gave up and let Celina run her temper.

Celina quickly realized that “Elise” was in a strange state and said thoughtfully, “Are you drunk?”

“Look, she’s drunk!” Celina looked at her friends with certainty. “This b*tch caused me to be locked up by my dad and made me a laughing stock. Girls, catch her for me. I’ll pay for everything tonight!”

After the birthday party, Celina became notorious, and those with a slightly powerful family background stopped paying attention to her. Now those around her were all trying to suck up to the Saunders Family and were just waiting for the opportunity to show their loyalty.

As soon as she finished speaking, several people hastily grabbed “Elise” and dragged her to the staff room.

“What are you doing? Celina, are you crazy?!” Faye struggled weakly. Is this crazy woman treating me as an enemy just because of a fight at the manor entrance last time?!

Chapter 566 Getting What You Deserve

Hustled by the several people, Faye was soon locked up in the staff room. “Celina! Let me out!” Thud! Thud! Thud! Faye slapped at the door with all her might. Some of the hotel staff who came for a change of clothes gathered outside the room, but they dared not offend Celina’s two female friends who were standing guard outside.

Pulling her cap down, Elise sneaked up behind the staff, quietly enjoying the exciting show. “…Is anyone outside?!” Faye got tired from slapping at the door, but there was no answer from the outside. Dejected, she exhaled and turned around to sit down and have a rest.

However, right after she walked a few steps, the door behind her swung open. The instant she turned her face around, she had a bucket of ice-cold water splashed onto her right away. In an instant, she was soaked to the skin from head to toe like a drowned rat.

“Gosh!” Faye growled between clenched teeth while shivering with cold. “Shopping”

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Celina threw the bucket onto the floor arrogantly. She threatened, “This is just the beginning. I’m telling you, as long as I’m still alive, I’m gonna f*ck you over until the very end of my life! Come on, girls, let’s go shopping!” With that, she swaggered off with her best friends.

It wasn’t until the group of ladies had disappeared out of sight that some staff members sneaked into the room and asked Faye if she was fine. “Miss, are you alright?”

Faye had to close her eyes and exhale deeply to refrain from losing her temper. Still, she couldn’t help but say sarcastically, “Do you think I look like I’m fine?”

“Well, uh…” The staff members were too frightened to speak. In reality, they indeed had to take responsibility for this. However, since both Faye and Celina and her circle of friends were very well-dressed, they dared not offend either of them.

Unable to stand the sight of how stupid these people were, Faye urged, “What are you waiting for? Hurry and get me a change of clothes for me to change into!”

“There are clothes in the locker behind you, only that I’m afraid you need to bear with them. They’re all clean uniforms that have never been worn by anyone.”

Faye rolled her eyes. Despite her reluctance, she had no choice but to accept their offer. “Got it. Get out first, all of you.”

“Okay. We’ll be outside, so call us if you need anything,” the staff members said respectfully. With that, they left the room and closed the door.

20 minutes later, Faye left the hotel through the back door. As she stood at the entrance and waited for the chauffeur to pick her up, she couldn’t help feeling that her body smelled of cheap fabric. She sniffed at herself every now and then, looking uncomfortable all over.

Just then, a voice approached her from behind. “How do you feel today?”

Upon hearing the voice, Faye turned around to see a woman wearing sportswear and a baseball cap who walked toward her before coming to a stop a meter away from her. “Who are you?” Faye warily picked up her handbag and searched for the taser inside.

As soon as she said that, the baseball cap rose slowly, revealing Elise’s pretty and delicate features. She curled her lips slightly with a hint of ridicule in her eyes, saying, “How does it feel to become me for a day and experience the trouble you’ve caused me?”

Faye was confused upon hearing her words. “What nonsense are you talking about? Are you nuts as well?”

“Ah… Seems like there was no mirror in the staff room. What a pity,” Elise said with regret.

Mirror? Become her for a day? Instantly figuring out what had happened, Faye took out the small makeup mirror in her bag and aimed it at her face.

“This can’t be possible!” Faye looked at “Elise’s” facial features in the mirror; every inch of Elise’s skin was on her face. Frightened, she threw the mirror away and slapped her cheeks with both hands. She could feel the pain when her cheeks were slapped, only that it didn’t hurt as much as she imagined.

Faye’s expression froze. Then, she recalled with hindsight that ever since the moment she woke up in the guest room, she had been feeling that her face was somewhat stuffy. “What have you done to me?!” She looked at Elise across from her in horror. “You wanna turn me into you? You want to use such a mean trick to make me lose the opportunity to get all of the Anderson Family’s fortune? Ha ha! Elise, you pretend like you don’t care about the worldly things, but you’ve got a scheming mind!”

Elise let out a sneer of ridicule. “Look at you. It’s only been half a day, and you can’t stand it anymore? Did you forget why this face of mine was disadvantaged in the fight you cared about? It’s you who have built a reputation for me step by step! Now that I’ve let you understand deeply how I felt, aren’t you supposed to thank me for that?”

“You were the one who asked for it!” Faye yelled hysterically as though she were insane. “Since you don’t want the Anderson Family’s stuff, why come back and show up in front of me?! My life was plain sailing without you. It was all because of you; it was you who ruined all of this!”

“Plain sailing, you say?” Elise let out a contemptuous scoff. “By ‘plain sailing,’ you mean to clear away everything in your path, including my family, who taught you and brought you up. You bite the hand that feeds you and are devoid of humanity. You’re the one who’ll be getting what you deserve, not me!”

“I didn’t! You’re talking nonsense! They were the ones who forced me to do all this! They brought me out of the impoverished and awful orphanage, showing me the rich’s extravagance and telling me that it was my home. I really thought that I was part of the family… But before my coming-of-age party, they insisted on searching for you and even willed half of the family’s fortune to you. Did they ever think of me as a member of the Anderson Family?! I could’ve been content with my lot at the orphanage, but they showed me the glamor of money and planted a demon inside me! They only have themselves to blame! What the hell does that have to do with me?!”

Faye was so infuriated and panic-stricken today that she spoke her mind without caring about whether this was Elise’s trick. That was right; she never thought it was wrong to fight or rob anyone. To her, Austin and Jeanie were to blame for bringing her back to this home. Wanting to find their biological daughter while having an adoptive daughter as a substitute, huh? How could such a good thing possibly exist in the world? There’s always a price to pay for that!

“Your mind’s twisted.” Elise shook her head. “If what you said is true, then should everyone who does good be regarded as a villain? The Andersons made you the outstanding career woman you are today by bringing you up and giving you such a comfortable life in childhood. Would you have enjoyed all these if you had stayed in the orphanage?”

“I would!” Faye replied stubbornly. “I’m no less clever than you are. If they hadn’t taken me away, I could have joined a childless family. That way, my parents would’ve at least loved me with all their hearts instead of treating me as a substitute!”

“You’re simply beyond redemption.” Elise finally realized that she shouldn’t have had expectations for Faye. Once a person gets greedy, they’ll never be satisfied. When they’re well-off, they’ll crave for something better; when they’re badly-off, they’ll put the blame on their surroundings without ever trying to find fault with themselves. Letting out a sigh, she went past Faye and crossed the road before walking away.

However, as soon as she reached the intersection, she suddenly heard the vroom of a car engine, which was followed by the sound of something getting hit violently. Realizing what had probably happened, she looked back to see Faye being knocked flying in the hotel staff uniform. Landing a few dozen meters away, the lady died on the spot.

Chapter 567 Kenneth’s Voice?

The incident happened so unexpectedly that Elise didn’t come to her senses until a dozen seconds later. She quickly ran to Faye’s side in an attempt to give her first aid, but the instant she touched Faye’s wrist, she immediately gave up trying to rescue her. She has no pulse anymore, she thought.

While Elise was distracted, the car that had knocked Faye dead swiftly made a U-turn and disappeared from the nearest intersection. Elise looked at Faye, who died with her eyes open. Wait a minute. Technically, it’s “me” who died with my eyes open. At the thought of this, she suddenly realized that the perpetrator was coming at her. Holding Faye in her arms, she quickly scanned her surroundings with her eyes before quickly focusing her gaze on the surveillance camera on the other side of the street. With the surveillance camera, everything would be easy, she thought.

Having called the ambulance, Elise hurriedly left the scene. Before leaving, she took off the mask on Faye’s face. Half an hour later, photos of a car accident at the back alley of Sierra Hotel quickly went viral on the internet. Elise purposely edited the surveillance video, removing the second half of it so that the video received by reporters only showed Faye lying in a pool of blood while sporting her face. As a result, the victim of the car accident became “Elise.”

…

Meanwhile, Kenneth was leisurely sitting on the couch in his villa while chatting with Layla.

Engrossed in the conversation, Layla produced photos of herself when she was younger, asking Kenneth to comment on them.

Taking the cell phone from her, Kenneth pretended to take a look at the photo before giving her a look of amazement. “This is clearly an angel that came down from heaven!”

“Hehe!” Pleased, Layla giggled with a double chin while not forgetting to take a dig at Quentin. “Aw, you speak so sweetly as if your lips have been coated with honey! Some people simply wouldn’t learn from this.”

Quentin was dismayed by Layla’s sudden criticism as he sat across from them. He smacked his lips, but he dared not interrupt Layla in the end.

After a brief pause, Layla let out a sigh and started lamenting, “Sigh, what’s the use of being good-looking in the past? Now I’m just a fat and old woman who’s despised by everyone…”

“Don’t accuse me of that! I’ve never despised you.” Quentin weakly defended himself. “And besides, what’s so bad about being chubby? Chubby people bring good fortune; a family will only prosper if the lady of the house is chubby!”

“Shut up!” Layla rolled her eyes. “You know nothing about women!”

“Can’t I even compliment you?” Quentin looked depressed. Isn’t Kenneth a man as well? Why doesn’t she say the same thing about him? What’s so good about him except that he’s younger, more handsome, and more muscular? Women are all creatures who judge men based on their looks! After patting his butt, he put aside the iPad he had used to read the news and stood up. Walking up to the French window, he had a stretch to let the sun make his helplessness go away.

Kenneth unconsciously compressed his lips into a faint smile as he watched the couple argue. They squabble sometimes and care about each other, but they’ve never let each other go. I guess this is what it means to be together until the very end of their lives. After a moment of silence, he crept to Layla’s side and whispered, “I have a female assistant who looked about as chubby as you are when she was at her fattest. In just two years, she’s become a lovable stunner. I’ll have her compile the process into a detailed plan and bring it to you personally later.”

Layla’s eyes crinkled in a smile. “Haha! That’d be great! You and Elise really have the same idea, huh? With her conditioning my body and you helping me search for ways to lose weight, I’m definitely gonna be able to slim down!”

Just then, Joey, who had been playing with her phone the whole time, suddenly whispered in a grave voice, “Oh, no! Sis had an accident.”

Upon hearing her words, Kenneth, who had been talking cheerfully just now, instantly became expressionless. He stood up and walked up to Joey in a big stride before reaching out his hand to her with a stony expression. “Give it to me.”

Joey was startled with fright when she looked up and met the man’s stern gaze. After coming to her senses, she slowly put her phone in his hand.

Lowering his head in silence, Kenneth quietly read the news reports of the car accident. The instant he saw the side of Elise’s face in the photo, he held his breath at once. Clenching his teeth, he gulped a mouthful of saliva before shoving the phone back in Joey’s hand. Then, he swiftly took out his cell phone and pressed the speed dial button.

Thomas answered the phone immediately. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t care where you are. Text me your location now; I’ll have someone pick you up right away!” Kenneth said before hanging up.

After a brief deliberation, the man finally turned to look at the Fassbenders, who had no idea what was going on. “Please stay here and don’t make Elise worried. I’ll bring her back safe and sound,” he said before leaving in a hurry without even realizing he had been speaking in Alexander’s original voice.

It wasn’t until the door was banged shut that everyone gradually came to their senses.

Layla sensed that something was amiss. “Kenneth’s voice…”

Quentin had always been a little displeased with Alexander, so he didn’t think much about it either. Taking the phone from Joey, he said with a sigh, “Let’s wish that the victim only resembled her…”

…

When Elise finished dealing with the surveillance video and arrived at the hospital, the doctor had issued the death certificate. Holding the thin sheet of paper between her fingers, she sat in the car and hesitated for a long time, wondering if she should tell Austin about it. After all, he had doted on Faye so much. Actually, now that I think about it with a calm mind, Faye died because of me. I’d say she got her just deserts, but if I hadn’t put the mask on her face today, she would probably have been able to live a few days longer. In that sense, I’m really sorry for what happened to her. Now that she’s dead, let’s write off all the old scores between us.

Just as she was about to leave, an ostentatious sports car suddenly charged through the entrance before coming to a stop in front of the steps leading to the hospital. When the car door swung open, she saw Kenneth’s familiar figure running into the building like crazy.

Could Kenneth have something to do with this? No, it wouldn’t be his doing. He had countless opportunities to kill me, so he didn’t have to wait until now. Before Elise realized it, she had unfastened her seat belt and gotten out of the car to follow the man.

From a distance, she saw Kenneth asking the medical staff some questions in a fluster before running all the way to the morgue. The morgue’s door was locked. As the man couldn’t wait for someone to unlock the door, he smashed the door open right away.

Covered with white cloth, Faye’s body was placed right opposite the door.

The instant Kenneth entered the morgue, he fell to his knees, looking as though he had lost his soul. For some reason, Elise’s heart clenched and ached terribly as she watched the scene. She slowly walked up to the man and called out to him in a soft voice. “Kenneth?”

The voice seemed to connect Kenneth’s world to reality. His dark eyes shone instantly, and his listless body straightened up all of a sudden as if he was alive again. The instant he looked back and met Elise’s eyes, he quickly got up, ran out of the morgue, and clasped her in his arms, holding her so tightly as though he wanted to blend her into his life.

This was the first time she was being hugged in such a rough and domineering way by someone other than Alexander. Elise’s heart thumped wildly and was somewhat out of control. Her reason tried to remind her to keep her distance from Kenneth, only to vanish without a trace after crossing her mind for only a second.

Chapter 568 Every Day Is a Good Day

Kenneth dared not open his eyes, fearing that all of this was only his imagination. If the one lying in the morgue is really Elise, if she really died, what should I do? He regretted not having made her his wife sooner and stayed by her side all the time, and he regretted having wasted his time dealing with the enemy… He regretted everything that had failed to prevent her death, and he even regretted that the person who died wasn’t him. At this very moment, he finally realized that he was so faint-hearted, he couldn’t bear the slightest possibility of losing Elise.

“Do you have to be so scared upon Faye’s death?” Just then, Elise’s voice sounded in his ear. In an instant, his eyes took on a sober and calm expression. As he confirmed that she was still alive, his tense nerves relaxed at last. Letting go of Elise, he stared at her bright and clear eyes for a few seconds before walking out of the hospital without saying a word.

Even after the man’s figure disappeared completely from the corridor, Elise didn’t understand his purpose in coming here. However, she couldn’t get the embrace just now out of her mind. In the beginning, she had resisted him, but as time went on, she came to get along peacefully with him. And now, she no longer resisted or warned him when he got too familiar with her repeatedly. Where on earth has the devoted and affectionate Elise gone?

…

In order not to worry Robin and Laura, Elise made a special trip back to the courtyard house, only to bump right into Alexander as soon as she reached the entrance.

Elise froze; the first thing that came to her mind was how Kenneth had embraced her just now. Her head buzzed, and she lost her ability to think. The only thing she was certain about was that she didn’t know how to face Alexander.

However, Alexander seemed to have a lot on his mind as well. Seeing Elise standing dazedly in place for a few seconds, he strode up to her, took her hand, and led her out of the house.

“Alexander?” Elise called out to the man while walking behind him. “Alexander, what’s wrong with you?”

Alexander wore a somber face without saying a word. After the couple got into the car by the side of the road, he suddenly produced an exquisitely designed box from his pocket. Then, he opened the box, revealing a pair of rings that rested quietly inside it.

Elise was stunned on the spot. For a moment, she was at a loss for words.

Alexander didn’t seem to be joking as he said earnestly in all sincerity, “This is Dring, the ring that I proposed to you with for the first time. It represents my determined and everlasting love for you. This ring is called The Blue Feather. There’s a myth in the diamond producing areas in South America that when the groom puts a blue diamond ring on the bride’s finger, they’ll find true love and be together for life. This is the most beautiful blue diamond that I found while inspecting the diamond mine in South America, and now I’m using it to propose to you again. Marry me, Ellie. I don’t care how apprehensive you are or how reluctant you are, but please allow me to be selfish for once by becoming my wife and letting me live and die with you.”

Elise instinctively did some mental calculations, and it had only been less than a week since her 18th birthday according to the date written on her ID. Perhaps he had wanted to take this ring out a few days ago, only to put it off until now for my sake. But can I really accept him just like this, with danger being present everywhere and a man who seems to be more than friends with me? Alexander’s such a kind person, and I don’t want to hurt him at all. But lying is itself hurtful.

Seeing that Elise didn’t answer him for a long time, Alexander lowered his voice with a somewhat hurt expression. “You don’t want to marry me?”

“Of course not!” Elise retorted, but she hummed and hawed without being able to say a complete sentence. “I-I just feel that this isn’t a good time to get married.”

“Does that mean you have no feelings for me anymore?” Alexander asked stubbornly.

“No, that’s not it!” Elise didn’t know how to explain it. “I love you, Alexander. I really do. But—”

“I’m only asking you if you’re willing to marry me. Just put all your apprehensions aside. Do you want to spend your life with me?” Alexander sounded determined. “I want to marry you. I’ve wanted to marry you in the past, and I want all the more to marry you now. If I have to wait until the future, I’ll think about it many times every single day. To me, no matter which day it is, it’s a good day as long as I get married to you on that day. This is what I think. What about you?”

Alexander could no longer comply with Elise’s wishes when it came to the subject of getting married and participating in each other’s lives. Only by getting married could it be justifiable for him to do everything in his power to stay by her side night and day. The photo on the news report had now been confirmed to be fake news, but he still had a lingering fear as he thought of it. I’d never allow such a thing to happen for real.

Elise noticed the resoluteness and determination in the man’s eyes. Seeing how determined he was, she felt as though his strength had flowed through the air into her heart. With that, the anxiety and hesitation within her slowly dissipated.

He’s right; why should I be worried or scared? It’s worth it as long as it’s Alexander that I’m gonna marry. Even if I’m worried that someone else’s presence will hurt our relationship, as long as I get married to Alexander, the dust will settle on everything. Naturally, I’ll be able to chase that guy away. I must’ve been too inexperienced in romance, which was why my heart fluttered for someone other than Alexander. As long as I get married and settle down, I’ll be able to get rid of everything. After all, Alexander’s my beloved.

“Alright. Let’s get married.” She wrapped her arms around Alexander’s neck. “Alexander, marry me today and make me your woman.”

Alexander hugged her back. “Thank you, Ellie. I’ll definitely keep you safe.”

“You fool.” Elise’s eyes moistened with tears. “You’re supposed to say that you’ll make me happy at this moment.”

However, Alexander merely hugged her even tighter without answering her. Her happiness might be incomplete without me, but as long as I can keep her safe all her life, it doesn’t matter even if I’m no longer present one day.

…

The next day, Elise had a surreal feeling as she walked out of the city hall and stared at the marriage license in her hand. I’ve become Alexander’s wife just like this. It feels like a dream.

“Hmm? Honey, where’s your handbag? Honey?”

It wasn’t until Alexander called her “honey” twice that Elise realized he was calling her. “Hmm? What is it?”

Leaning closer to her, Alexander planted a kiss on her forehead. “They say that only a pregnant woman would have baby brain, but your mind’s confused as soon as we get married. Wait a minute while I get your bag for you.”

After the man left, Elise’s scalp was still tingling, and her cheeks burned. All of a sudden, she felt somewhat shy. Honey? Is that the difference between getting married to him and being unmarried?

Just then, Celina’s shrewish voice snapped Elise out of her romantic mood. “Elise? Why are you here?”

Elise looked up to see Celina and Edwin being marched toward her by a bunch of bodyguards. Judging from the way they looked, it was obvious that they were here to get married. Elise purposely mocked with a half-smile, “Congratulations on getting married, Miss Saunders.”

Such words instantly made Celina lose her temper, and she tried to lunge at Elise like a lunatic. “You b*tch! I’m gonna kill you! I’ll kill you!”

Chapter 569 Alexander’s Warning

The bodyguards behind Celina caught hold of her. “Miss Celina, Master David has said that you’re not allowed to make trouble. Please don’t make things difficult for us.” “It’s none of your business! I’ll take responsibility for what I do. Let go of me! I’m gonna kill her no matter what!”

Elise’s bright eyes darkened all of a sudden. To think that she’s still unrepentant even to this day! She just has to learn her lesson the hard way, doesn’t she? Ignoring Celina completely, she turned to look at Edwin, who seemed somewhat absentminded.

Then, she said, “Mr. Haymond, be sure to stick with Celina through thick and thin for the rest of your life!” As she spoke, she deliberately stressed the words “for the rest of your life.”

Her words succeeded in driving Celina further into madness. “You b*tch!”

Edwin frowned, but he couldn’t say a word in reply. It was true that his lifelong dream was to make Celina his wife, and he wanted to tell everyone that his dream had come true. However, ever since David announced Celina’s engagement to him, she had been wailing and whining all day, as though marrying him was a great humiliation. As time went on, he finally realized that their passionate lovemaking the other day was a delusion, for Celina had no feelings for him at all. Naturally, it should’ve been worth rejoicing that he managed to become the son-in-law of the Saunders Family, but after learning about how Celina really felt, he couldn’t bring himself to smile at all.

Gnashing his teeth, Edwin replied testily, “Quit being a busybody by poking your nose into somebody else’s business!”

“If I’m a busybody, then what are you?” Elise shot back with a smirk.

“How dare you say that!” Celina screamed again. “You’re here to tick me off on purpose, you b*tch! I hope you’ll never find happiness in life just like me!”

Seeing how agitated Celina was, Edwin reached out his hand in an attempt to comfort her. However, before he could touch her, she dodged him heartlessly, causing all the tenderness and affection he had for her to come to nothing. His outstretched hand froze in midair for a while before he retracted it with embarrassment. Taking a deep breath, he vented all his resentment and rage on Elise, threatening sinisterly, “Now that you’ve had a good gloat, I’d advise you to leave before I do anything. Otherwise, you’re gonna suffer the consequences!”

Elise let out a sneer of ridicule. “I’m not that silly as to come all the way here to laugh at two unimportant people. It’s quite the opposite, actually. I’m here on business.”

On business? What else could she do at the city hall other than get married? Just as Celina was wondering why Elise was here, she saw the latter raising her hand to show off the piece of paper she was holding. When she saw the paper, her pupils dilated in shock. That’s… a marriage license! She looked at Elise in disbelief. “W-Who did you marry?! How could anyone be willing to marry you?!”

Elise put away her marriage license while deliberately keeping Celina in suspense. “Take a guess.”

Celina was in a daze for a moment before she burst into a guffaw. “Haha! I got it! You’ve gotten your comeuppance! Mr. Anderson must have learned about how you had framed Faye on purpose, as well as what kind of a b*tch you are. He couldn’t wait to banish you from the Anderson Family at once, so he found an old rich man and sold you to him!”

Edwin also thought this was possible, and for a moment, he looked at Elise with a hint of disgust in his eyes. “I thought you were so pure and unsullied; turns out that you’re but a merchandise used for a business alliance. What right do you have to laugh at us?!”

At the thought of this, Celina felt much more relaxed all of a sudden. Compared to marrying a fat and bulky old man, marrying Edwin didn’t seem so bad to her anymore. Edwin’s ugly and penniless, but he loves me now. Even if I fool around outside after we get married, he won’t dare to say anything. Not only that, but he might even cover up for me in front of Dad.

In an instant, Celina’s glum expression cleared; she felt as though she had seen a silver lining in a seemingly hopeless situation. She even imagined how Elise would be living a life of misery after marrying an old geezer, the thought of which inspired a feeling of pity in her. However, that feeling only lasted for a second before being overtaken soon afterward by her gloating over Elise’s misfortune. So what if she’s hot and has brains? Even if she could save people’s lives, she couldn’t change her destiny. In the end, she could only be a plaything for men! Well, a country-born girl is doomed to be trampled underfoot by upper-class people like us! She sneered with disdain, saying, “Elise, you’re gonna live the rest of your life in agony!”

However, as soon as she finished her sentence, a clear, magnetic voice sounded beside her. “It’s not up to you whether or not she’ll suffer for the rest of her life.”

Celina was startled. This voice is so familiar, she thought. Slowly, she turned her head around, only to see Alexander, whose eyes were gleaming with malice as though he wanted to eat her alive.

Good thing that it isn’t Kenneth. But Alexander is also a great candidate for a husband. He’s not as rich as Kenneth, but he’ll be sooner or later! thought Celina. She had even thought she wouldn’t mind stealing Alexander from Elise if she couldn’t get Kenneth to marry her. But why would Alexander and Elise show up here at the same time? They’re just engaged, right?

Celina’s mind was in a daze for a while. After a momentary befuddlement, she noticed the glaring piece of paper in Alexander’s hand. Marriage license. Elise. Celina opened her mouth, but she was only able to breathe in; she couldn’t exhale at all. After a long time, she finally came to her senses. Clutching her chest, she stared at the couple in disbelief. So, instead of being sold by Austin to a fat and bulky guy, Elise got married to Alexander? That doesn’t make sense. How could this possibly happen?! Faye told me that Alexander had only agreed to get engaged to Elise because he had gotten temporarily bewitched by her. She said Alexander didn’t want to marry Elise at all, or else their wedding wouldn’t have been put off till this day. But now… Somebody tell me what the f*ck is going on?!

As Celina watched in surprise, Alexander came straight to Elise’s side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder intimately in a natural manner. The couple’s bodies were pressed closely against each other, a fact that spoke for itself at this very moment.

The words “you’re gonna live the rest of your life in agony” were still ringing in Celina’s ears, but the reality made her feel like she had been slapped hard across the face. Her head buzzed; she even forgot to breathe. How could she… No way! A dirty, germ-carrying country bumpkin like Elise got married to Alexander, the dream lover of everyone in the city, whereas I, the daughter of the Saunders Family, am going to spend the rest of my life with an ugly man like Edwin? Her hands clenched into fists so tightly that the nails almost dug into her flesh, and she ground her teeth audibly.

Noticing how cold Elise’s bare shoulders were, Alexander took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Then, he warned, “Elise is my wife now, and whoever bullies her will be setting themselves up against me. Today’s our big day, so I’m gonna let this slide, but I won’t be so good-tempered next time!” Thanks to his expressionless face and the inherently regal air he had about him, he naturally projected a commanding presence that created a powerful sense of oppression.

Chapter 570 Wedding Gift

Edwin and Celina were so frightened that they dared not say a word. However, the instant Alexander turned toward Elise, his demeanor became gentle and amiable. The stark contrast in his attitude toward the two women made Celina so resentful that her temples throbbed, and she nearly passed out in a fit of rage.

Alexander lowered his voice as though he was afraid of startling Elise, saying, “It’s cold in the evening, and you’re gonna catch a cold if you stay outside for too long. Wait for me in the car.”

“Alright.” Elise nodded obediently. Then, without looking at Celina or Edwin, she turned and walked toward Alexander’s car parked by the roadside.

It wasn’t until Elise was out of sight that Alexander slowly turned to stare at the couple with a hostile gaze. “Stay away from Elise if you don’t want to get driven out of Cittadel. She’s my wife. Whoever makes her unhappy will be my enemy, and I’ll devote my lifetime to making sure that they spend the rest of their lives in agony.” With that, he shot a surly and murderous look at Celina before heading toward the car expressionlessly.

Celina involuntarily gulped a mouthful of saliva and watched in a daze as the couple got into the car one after another.

The instant the car door was closed with a thud, Celina suddenly shuddered as a thought flashed across her mind. It’s not just the car door that closes; what’s also being closed is a door that separates my world from Elise’s! From now on, Elise and I will belong to two different social classes, with me being of the lower class and Elise being far superior to me. There’ll be an insurmountable gap between us!

Feeling dizzy, she slumped to the ground like a clay doll that had lost its support.

Panicked at the sight of the scene, Edwin hurriedly stepped forward and supported Celina to prevent her from falling.

To Edwin’s surprise, Celina didn’t resist him at all. For a moment, he was secretly delighted, but when he lowered his head, he realized that something was wrong. Celina looked totally absentminded as though she had lost her soul. Not only was she completely unaware of him approaching her, but she could no longer sense everything around her. “Nana! Nana!” Panic-stricken, he shook her body vigorously. Please, anyone, save my beloved!

However, the bodyguards were even more panic-stricken than he was, so none of them could decide what to do.

…

Meanwhile, as soon as Alexander got into the car, he started the engine and began driving, looking calm and relaxed.

On the other hand, Elise felt somewhat ill at ease, and she dared not look at the man. Now that we’re husband and wife, how are we supposed to get along with each other? Should I call him “darling” instead of his first name? At the thought of the word “darling,” her cheeks burned again, and she secretly chided herself for being a wimp.

Just as she was lost in thought, Alexander suddenly placed his warm palm on her forehead. “You seem to have been feeling out of sorts since just now. Are you alright?” he asked in a soft voice.

Elise took a deep breath. Well, getting married is indeed different. In the past, he would’ve asked for my consent before holding my hand or hugging me; now he does all of this without the slightest hesitation. We’re less reserved with each other, and we become more intimate. This feels pretty good. “I’m fine. Maybe it’s just that I’ve been sitting in the car for too long, so it feels a little stuffy.” The city hall was far from their home, and it took a long time for them to get there, so she wasn’t really lying about it.

As soon as Elise said that, the car window next to her slowly wound down until only one-third of it was left. “It was my fault for getting so excited that I forgot about it. Let’s roll down the window for some fresh air. Still, you can’t get in a draft, or you’re gonna have a headache. I’m taking you to a place, which will take about an hour. Take a nap first if you’re tired.”

“Uh-huh.” Elise enjoyed the feeling of having everything arranged by the man. Leaning back in her seat, she fell asleep.

When Elise woke up, it was dark outside. Seeing the familiar bar sign outside the car, she stretched herself a little. Then, when she turned her head and saw that Alexander was also taking a nap, she was involuntarily lost in thought. This guy is now my husband, the person closest to me. Seeing a few bristles on his chin, she involuntarily put out her forefinger and poked his chin.

Suddenly, Alexander opened his eyes and woke up. “Awake already?” he asked her.

“Mm-hm.” Elise smiled with secret delight. It feels kinda fun, she thought. “I had a good sleep.”

“Well then, let’s go in and have something to eat,” Alexander said as he unfastened his seat belt and got out of the car. After walking around to Elise’s side of the car, he opened the car door for her, holding her hand naturally as they entered the bar.

Nightlife had just begun in the city at this hour, so even a sober bar would have some music playing to liven things up. To Elise’s surprise, however, Julius’ place was very quiet, with no sign of any customers. Not only that, but she was also surprised to see the people sitting at the bar counter.

“Hey there, Boss.”

“You’re here at last.”

Noel and Arthur greeted her simultaneously, whereas Julius gave her an impassive nod.

“Boss! I missed you!” Just then, Jamie came out of the restroom. At the sight of Elise, he threw away the paper towel he had wiped his hand with and threw himself at her.

“Stop!” Elise stopped him while making fun of him on purpose. “Stay away from me. You smell like a toilet.”

Jamie looked hurt. “Hey, it hurts me when you say that.”

“You look just like those scheming bottoms right now,” Elise teased mercilessly. She asked, “Honestly, have you had a change of taste since I last saw you such a long time ago?”

“Jeez, I’m a 100-percent straight guy, okay?!” Jamie loosened his tie and deliberately threw back his shoulders to show off the pecs that he had just built.

Elise rolled her eyes before turning to look at Julius and the others. “What’s going on today? What brings you all here?”

“It was me who had Julius call them over,” Alexander explained in a gentle voice.

“You?” Elise was even more puzzled. She didn’t think she had mentioned too much about anyone or anything related to Dragonweiss in front of Alexander.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to delve too much into your past. I just want to give you a wedding gift.” Alexander sounded sincere, though his voice carried a hint of worry as he feared that Elise might get disappointed with him.

Elise’s eyes widened; she still didn’t quite understand what Alexander meant.

Alexander lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment. Instead of explaining the situation right away, he took her hand and led her to the bar counter before pulling out the chair for her to sit down. Then, he turned around and walked to the TV. Picking up the remote control, he turned on the TV hanging next to the stage.

After Alexander switched channels twice, Charlene’s face appeared on TV. Compared to her previously radiant face, she now looked haggard, as though she had taken too many drugs. Not even her heavy makeup could conceal her sunken eyes and cheeks.

The instant Elise saw Charlene, she recalled the scariest scene in the vampire movie ‘Twilight.’

At the sight of the scene, Noel, who had been silent the whole time, smashed his glass down on the bar table and stood up to rush outside.

Just as the man was about to reach the door, Alexander suddenly stood in his path. “Stay here and listen to the truth before you leave.”

The atmosphere between the two men was incredibly tense. However, Noel didn’t want to come to blows with Elise’s man, after all, so he gritted his teeth and restrained himself.

Just then, Charlene spoke on TV. “H and I were a team back then, but there’s no room for two kings in one castle. As long as she was there, I’d never have a chance to stand out, so I had to drive her away.”

A reporter interrupted her, saying, “So you stole H’s song and published it as your own, which we already knew. What else do you want to say?”