Ch. 1851: -1860

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1851-The woman grinned when Betty turned into a bull in the ring.

"But how do I take my revenge? My family has abandoned me. I can't even afford a plane ticket back to Solana City. Even if I get home… I bet Jasper will find out about it by the time I step foot in the airport. I can't imagine the horrible measure he'd take against me."

"Ms. Betty, I sympathize with your situation. Hence, I wish to help." The woman grasped Betty's hand and gently caressed it. "Don't worry about the plane ticket.

I can sponsor that. As for your return to Solana City, as long as you follow my orders, I can guarantee that your brother won't get hold of you."

"I-Is that true?" Betty's eyes widened in excitement.

In fact, she was skeptical about the entire deal. However, she couldn't afford to consider the offer, given that she was alone, helpless, and sick with AIDS. She did not mind using any method to get home.

"Ms. Gardner, thank you so much! How can I ever repay your kindness?"

The woman shook her head calmly. She stated, "I hate seeing the innocent bullied and abused. Take your revenge. That's the best thing you can do to repay my favor."

A white Bentley rolled to a stop at the entrance to an idyllic residence. With disgust, Sheryl disinfected her hands, which had been in contact with Betty's skin. After that, she got out of the Bentley and was immediately approached by a shrewd and aloof man.

Remy cast an emotionless look at her. "Dr. Gillis, sir would like to see you."

Looking tense, she went to meet with Justin. Clad in a dark, modern suit, he sat in front of the long table, working on a landscape painting.

"Sir, it's time for you to take your meds. I'll get them ready." Sheryl was about to prepare the pills for Justin when he calmly addressed her, "Sheryl, you made a move without my approval. You broke the rules."

Sweating profusely, she immediately apologized, "I'm sorry, sir. I-I just."

"I know you hold a grudge, but what you have done will only hurt the innocent."

Justin's brush danced skilfully on the paper. Looking serene, he added, "You're too impatient. Those who are unable to keep their calm will make mistakes.

Besides, you will hurt Lauren with your actions. She is not only Jasper's sibling; she's my sister too."

Her legs started trembling uncontrollably. Clenching her jaw, she admitted, "I didn't think it through as I was blinded by my desire to take revenge against Jasper Beckett. I shall not get involved in Betty Beckett's life anymore."

A faint smile appeared on Justin's pallid face. "What else can you do? You promised to buy her a plane ticket, didn't you? It'll look bad to go back on your words."

Her chest tightened. She realized that she couldn't keep any secret from Justin.

He was aware of what she did, who she met, and what she discussed with the others.

"I will never do this again, sir." Sheryl hung her head in fear and shame.

Her jaw fell in shock after she skimmed the content. She had to reread it in disbelief.

"Betty is a ticking time bomb. If we use her at the right time, she will cause a huge destruction.

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1852-pOrlander's act of leaking the news about Freddy and Lauren's marriage had sent shockwaves through the high society of Solana City. Everyone congratulated the Hodgsons, but they were secretly taunting the family, who had settled for a mentally ill future daughter-in-law just to social climb.

Newton caught wind of the gossip, which added to his opposition to the marriage. When he voiced out his disapproval, Javier would counter him with the way the Harpers had bullied Lauren.

"I vehemently opposed Lauren dating that brat, but you insisted on blessing the wrong match. You sent my beloved daughter to that loser and made her the laughingstock of the city!

"On top of that, you scolded me in front of Jasper and Landon, ignoring my concerns and humiliating me. Look where your love for your granddaughter led to. You made her suffer."

Newton frowned deeply and let out a frustrated sigh. "Do you think that, as your father, I can't read your mind? You never really cared for Lauren. All you care about is your ego. You couldn't get over being insulted."

Javier clenched his jaw.

"Do you know Freddy Hodgson well? I picked Landon because firstly, Lauren loves him. Secondly, he's Jasper's best friend from childhood, and we know him better.

"The Harpers might be a dumpster fire, but Landon is an excellent young man.

You've been secretly adding pressure on the Harper Group and messing with their projects.

"Despite that, Landon was able to solve the challenges and keep the company morale high as the president. I believe he is competent enough to carry out a purge in the Harper Group."

The light in Javier's eyes dimmed. He had known that Newton, despite being upset about Lauren's treatment, remained fond of Landon. Newton seemed to want Lauren and Landon back together after his anger subsided.

Now that Jasper had taken control of nearly half of the Beckett Group's projects, Javier knew it was a matter of time before the transfer of power occurred.

Javier would only suffer another round of humiliation if he couldn't have a say in Lauren's marriage.

"Most importantly, Lauren is unlike the others!" Tears welled up in Newton's eyes when he recalled Lauren's sufferings. "As her dad, you know how much she loves Landon.

"How could you force her to marry a stranger right after she broke up with Landon? Do you even care for your daughter? Are you out of your mind?"

Gritting his teeth, Javier explained, "Lauren and Freddy attended the same high school for three years. They knew each other well. Besides, she has agreed to the marriage."

Shell-struck, Newton gasped, "What did you say? Lauren… Did you force her to agree to it?

"Hah. Do I even need to force it on her?" Arching a brow, Javier snapped, "Lauren is all grown up now. She knows the importance of weighing the pros and cons. She is aware that compatibility trumps affection.

"You're the only one who treats her like a child. Stop claiming that I don't care about my daughter when you're so out of tune with your granddaughter."

"Shut the fuck up!" Glowering, Newton grabbed the teapot from the coffee table and hurled it toward Javier.

This time, Javier learned his lesson. He quickly moved away. The teapot missed him and crashed onto the ground, where it shattered into pieces.

That night, Javier accepted the invitation of the Hodgsons to the Hodgson family party. He planned to bring Lauren along.

A maid delivered the expensive evening dresses that Javier had specially selected for Lauren. Despite their opulence, Lauren didn't think they suited her.

She poured her love and longing for Landon into the portrait painting, which seemed to help with the pain of separation.

"Ms. Lauren, it's time to leave. Mr. Javier is waiting for you on the first floor,"

Barry, the butler, said to Lauren from the bedroom door.

She was reminded of the night before she and Landon left for the Schmidt Group event. Naked, she was lifted into his arms as she moaned and sobbed into his shoulder.

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1853-Lauren remembered being aroused by the bumpy ride on Landon's erection.

She scratched Landon on his back in the heat of the moment, leaving behind red marks.

"Which dress should we pick?" Landon, carrying Lauren in his arms, stood in front of the massive wardrobe. He planted moist kisses on her flushed cheeks.

"Mm. Anything is fine…" Lauren leaned against his sweaty chest and panted.

She struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Is it difficult to make a pick?"

Soon, she gasped from the dizziness as she was plunged into the wardrobe filled with expensive evening dresses. Landon quipped, "I'll help you out."

Surrounded by soft fabric, they continued making love and inching toward the climax.

"Ms. Lauren, here's your teddy bear," said the maid, who jolted Lauren out of her daze.

Face burning in embarrassment, Lauren turned her back to the maid and covered her cheeks. She replied, "I won't carry it with me tonight."

The maid looked worried, knowing that the bear was Lauren's emotional support stuffed toy. Lauren would lose sleep without the teddy bear with her.

Lauren pressed her lips. "I'm meeting some guests with Dad tonight. They'll only laugh at me if I bring the teddy bear along."

The Hodgsons hosted a private cocktail party at their residence that night. Out of consideration of the ongoing gossip about Lauren, they thoughtfully invited only family and close friends to the event. In other words, it could be described as a low-profile pre-wedding event for Freddy and Lauren.

Orlander and Minnie led Freddy to socialize with the guests, enjoying the limelight.

Joseph Lovelace, holding a champagne glass, approached them with Aidan.

Smiling, he said, "Freddy will soon be engaged to Lauren. I will definitely be there at their engagement with a huge gift for him."

Orlander merrily clinked glasses with Joseph. "You're Freddy's godfather. I'll be sure to send you the first invitation!"

Freddy smiled at Joseph. "Thanks, Joseph."

When they were chatting away happily, Lauren showed up at the event holding Javier's arm. She remained uncomfortable at social events. In the past, she had only been able to keep her composure thanks to the company of Jasper, Alyssa, and Landon.

Her heart pumped wildly when she felt the judgmental looks cast by the guests.

"Mr. Javier! Lauren!" Freddy's eyes lit up when he saw them. Putting down his wine glass, he approached them in great strides. "Welcome! It's our honor to have you here tonight."

"Indeed, Javier." Freddy immediately switched to a first-name basis with Javier.

Then, he fixed an intense look on Lauren's pale face.

She kept her head low and squirmed under his gaze. She felt uneasy.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and two majestic figures presented themselves. Their imposing air was hard to ignore.

Looking up, Lauren instantly grew emotional when she recognized the man.

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1854-"Cyrus…" Lauren stared at Cyrus. His surprise appearance instantly soothed her nervousness.

The woman who showed up with Cyrus was no stranger to Lauren—she was Cyrus' mom, Mandy Lovelace.

The next moment, Lauren's heart leaped into her throat. Orlander was a diplomatic and shrewd politician, according to Sophia's description of him.

Orlander wouldn't have invited the Taylors if he had already invited the Becketts, as he was smart enough not to make the two archenemies meet.

As expected, the Hodgsons looked shocked. Javier's expression clouded as well.

Orlander explained in awkwardness, "Mr. Javier, this is certainly surprising. We did not invite the Taylors. What do you—"

Javier waved at Orlander with a faint smile. "It's fine. You're the host, anyway.

You don't have to explain every minor detail of your event to me."

Despite Javier's assurance, Orlander and Minnie felt fearful. Anyone could tell that Javier was upset at the Taylors' arrival.

At the same time, the guests started gossiping among themselves.

"Gosh! Who's that young man standing beside Mandy Lovelace? He's so handsome."

"What a lively and proud young man. I would have offered him my daughter's hand in marriage—if only I had one!"

"Don't be delusional. I know that guy, even if you don't. He's Cyrus Taylor, but he rarely shows up in the public eye. He's Mandy Lovelace's only living son after Damien Taylor lost his life in a plane crash. I bet she would be very discerning when it comes to his marriage because she dotes on him a lot."

"Cyrus Taylor?" The guests gasped.

The knowledge of his family background made him appear more attractive than before.

"Comparison is really the thief of joy. I thought Freddy Hodgson was great until I saw Cyrus Taylor. He beat Freddy in every aspect!"

"Of course! He's the son of Winston Taylor and Mandy Lovelace. The Hodgsons are a family of local politicians. They are no match for the family of a business tycoon."

Freddy's smile froze when he overheard parts of the gossip. He silently clenched his fist.

On the other hand, Cyrus felt restricted because he had put on a formal suit— which he rarely wore— upon Mandy's request. Feeling uncomfortable, he couldn't stop himself from adjusting his tie occasionally.

"Can you please stop wriggling around like a monkey?" Mandy, while maintaining her composure, quietly pinched Cyrus in the waist. "Is there a bug in your collar or what?"

Cyrus furrowed his brows from the pain. At the same time, he casually directed a glance in Lauren's direction.

When their eyes met, Lauren happily beamed and waved at him as a greeting.

His world immediately lit up as his heart fluttered.

"Mandy, what brings you here?" Joseph walked over to Mandy and Cyrus.

Mandy maintained a calm and gracious smile. "And how is that your business? I show up because I feel like it."

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1855-Just as Cyrus was about to speak with an icy gaze in his eyes, Mandy went ahead with a smile. "Really? I shall ask Mayor Hodgson about this. Does he not see me as a Lovelace, or do you not take me as a Lovelace?"

Orlander, who was mentioned without warning, coughed after choking on his wine.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter whether or not I'm a Lovelace." Mandy cast an unreadable look at Orlander. "After all, I'm here with my son, representing the Taylor family. Mayor Hodgson, Minnie, you'll welcome us, won't you?"

"Ah! It's our mistake." Minnie hurriedly approached them with an apologetic smile to break the tension. "We thought you'd attend the event with Joseph since you are family. We did not think it through. We'll be more careful next time!"

Mandy replied coldly, "I'm no longer a Lovelace after I married Winston Taylor. If you are sending out invitations, please address them to the Taylor family of Belbanks."

"Mandy, that's enough." Joseph took a step toward her. He lowered his voice.

"Are you trying to argue with me in front of everyone here?"

"You don't deserve my time." Looking away, she snickered. "I wouldn't have wasted time talking to you or even taking a look at you had you not come up to irk me.

"Joseph Lovelace, do you understand that the person I hate the most in the family isn't Dad, who kicked me out? I hate you the most because you keep badmouthing Winston in front of Dad!"

Lips twitching, Joseph struggled to catch a breath. His face seemed to sting in pain from the memory of being slapped by Mandy the last time.

Under his leadership, the Lovelaces' business had grown and expanded.

Despite his efforts and his attempt at perfecting his image, Mandy refused to take one more look at him. All she cared about was Winston Taylor, who had never treated her wrong.

After the minor hiccup, the social dancing kicked off in the Hodgson's living room. The dance was an opportunity Orlander and Minnie had created for Freddy and Lauren to mingle.

When the music filled the air, the guests found their dance partners and started waltzing in the middle of the spacious dance floor.

As Orlander and Javier chatted away, Mandy approached them in steady footsteps. She smiled and asked, "Mayor Hodgson, sorry to interrupt. I need to have a private talk with you. Are you free now?"

Javier tightened his grasp on the wine glass after Mandy completely disregarded him.

Knowing how difficult Mandy could be, Orlander immediately rose from his seat as he couldn't afford to snub her. "Sure. Mrs. Taylor, please come with me to the guest lounge."

 

 

She sipped on the tea gracefully. "I heard that Freddy is about to get engaged to Lauren."

 

"Yeah. That sounds like a good date. Sadly, your son is not destined to be with Lauren."

Orlander was caught off guard. "Mrs. Taylor, what do you mean?"

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1856-"My son has his eyes on Lauren. For that, he's argued with me many times. He even swears that he won't marry anyone else except for Lauren. He wants to make her his woman no matter what it takes." Letting out a soft sigh, Lauren added, "Cyrus takes after his dad in his stubbornness. Since he's my only son now, whatever he wants, I'll make it happen at any cost.

"So, Mayor Hodgson, do you think you could show some grace and kindness?

Can you give Cyrus and Lauren your blessing?"

Mayor Hodgson's jaw fell. He was confounded by Mandy's proposal, which was no different than daylight robbery.

"A-Are you kidding me? The news of the marriage has spread through Solana City. We've started ironing out the details. Ms. Lauren is our family now. Why would you meddle in their marriage at this time?"

Mandy lowered her gaze as she blew away the loose leaf on the surface of the tea. Looking nonchalant, she quipped, "But they aren't engaged yet, are they?

You aren't hosting a grand ceremony for them anyway. Even if they are engaged, they aren't legally married as long as they haven't registered their marriage. Cyrus would still stand a chance.

"To be honest with you, Winston approves of Lauren as well. He would have been the one talking to you if he were in Solana City."

"No! This won't do!" Orlander tried to hold his temper. Cheeks flushed, he growled, "If I call off the engagement, I will upset Mr. Javier and turn our family into a laughingstock!

"Mrs. Taylor, Freddy must marry Lauren. Too bad you are one step slower.

Cyrus and Lauren are not meant to be."

Mandy remarked casually, "The upcoming election falls in spring next year."

Orlander's body jolted in shock when he heard the comment.

She continued. "Your approval rate has dipped another five percent. If the trend continues, your rival, Marco Santiago, will overtake you."

She gently placed the teacup on the table. "Let's strike a deal. If you agree to call off the engagement, the KS Group shall lend you our full support in next year's election.

"Otherwise, we have no choice but to support Mr. Santiago. If that happens, your victory might not be guaranteed."

The social dance carried on in the living room. Lauren hid in a corner, fiddling with her fingers nervously.

Lauren." Freddy's voice boomed, causing her heart to sink.

She clutched the hem of her dress and dodged his gaze. He extended a hand to her eye level. "May I invite you to a dance?"

Staring at his hand, she felt sick in the stomach and flinched. He looked upset at her overt display of aversion.

He said to her, "Lauren, let's dance."

Holding her small, slender hand that was as white as snow, Cyrus felt his heart racing wildly.

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1857-The guests blinked in disbelief. Those invited to the party understood that the event was set up for Freddy and Lauren. To be frank, the guests were merely there as supporting characters.

They could not believe their eyes when Cyrus openly invited Freddy's fiancée to a dance. More surprisingly, she chose Cyrus over Freddy without hesitation.

It made sense that a woman would prefer Cyrus, given his wealth, family background, and good looks. However, the Hodgsons and the Becketts were in the stage of discussing marriage. Lauren's action had only humiliated the Hodgsons in public.

Under the lights from the opulent crystal chandelier, Cyrus stared right into Lauren's eyes. The people around them danced around with ease. They were the only couple who stood stiffly like two logs. If this went on, Cyrus knew he'd soon be a standing joke.

"Um, Cyrus, aren't we going to dance?" Lauren asked him softly as she blinked.

Cyrus, the police chief, sweated profusely. Gulping, he admitted, "I… I don't know how to dance."

He had been running on love and passion, giving no thought to anything else except to keep Freddy away from Lauren. Alas, he had forgotten that he sucked at dancing, no matter how well he performed in his job.

Taken aback, Lauren soon grinned. "It's fine. I can teach you."

"Let's just muddle through."

"We can't. We need to dance well." Lauren straightened her face, looking like a stern instructor. "I. I don't want you to be laughed at."

Unbothered, he smiled. "I'm not active in business or politics anyway. I might never even meet these people again after leaving this place. I don't care if they laugh at me."

She stared at her feet and shook her head. Misty-eyed, she said, "Cyrus, I know you're here to lend me a hand. I've caused you enough trouble, and I don't want to do that anymore."

"Well, if you're the type of trouble I encounter daily, I will smile even in my dreams," Cyrus blurted out his real thoughts with a passionate look.

Lauren held her breath upon hearing his confession. Pressing her lips, she said to him, "Cyrus, let's dance. P-Put your right hand on my back."

"Okay." He obediently carried out her command. When he touched her soft and thin shoulder, his mind went blank, and his heart pumped wildly.

At that moment, she placed her left hand on his muscular right arm. Something clicked in him. He took her hand, opened his hand, and wrapped his calloused thumb around her fingers.

She looked surprised. "Cyrus, you said you didn't know how to dance."

"I've watched people dance, though." With that, he started dancing and guiding her into making twirls.

They looked good together. Therefore, their subpar dancing skills did not seem to matter as much.

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1858-"How could she dance with another man in public? What does she take me as?"

Freddy grumbled.

Javier frowned in displeasure. "Stop spewing nonsense. It was Cyrus who forced her to dance. How could you blame it on her?

"You should blame yourself instead for dawdling. By not claiming your place by her side from the start, you gave a chance to the other guys."

"What are you saying? I was the first to approach her!" Feeling anxious and furious, Freddy shook from head to toe. "Your daughter took Cyrus' hand right before me! You might not have seen it, but I saw it clearly with my own two eyes!"

Freddy attracted the attention of the guests around him after he raised his voice at Javier. Fortunately, the blaring music drowned out his speech.

After being confronted, Javier's expression crumpled. He fixed a piercing gaze at Freddy, whose heart sank.

At that moment, Freddy finally came to understand how frightening and intimidating the chairman of the Beckett Group could be. Even Jasper was intimidating enough, not to mention his father.

When Freddy froze on the spot, Orlander hurried over to intervene. "Freddy, Mr.

Javier is a VIP and your elder. You shouldn't have spoken to him with that attitude!"

"Dad, I…" Freddy was about to defend himself when something struck him. After their families agreed on the marriage, Orlander had been privately referring to Javier as his "in-law" to foster a closer bond. However, this time, Orlander had oddly asked him to refer to Javier as his "elder", which sounded like an attempt to distance himself from the Becketts.

"Mayor Hodgson, your son has opened my eyes today." Javier looked away from the pale Freddy and slowly rose from his seat. "This is the first time I've come across a young man who spoke to his future father-in-law in a rude tone. I should perhaps thank Cyrus one day for revealing this side of Freddy."

"M-Mr. Javier, it was a misunderstanding! Freddy didn't mean it. Mr. Javier!"

Javier left in the middle of Orlander speaking, showing no respect to the Hodgsons.

"Just wait and see!" Glaring at Freddy, Orlander ran after Javier without thinking.

Freddy was left frozen on the spot, his expression contorting in resentment.

After the cocktail party ended, the guests gradually left the Hodgsons' residence. Similarly, Lauren headed to the Becketts' luxury car with Rory.

Rory gently addressed Lauren, "Ms. Lauren, Mr. Javier had to head home early as something came up. I'm here to pick you up."

Is Dad angry because… I danced with Cyrus?" Lauren seemed troubled and hesitant.

Rory, who had witnessed the events that evening, merely comforted her, "Absolutely not. Please don't worry about it."

The contempt in Minnie's eyes was evident. She accepted Lauren purely out of greed for the Becketts' wealth.

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1859-"Thank you for the compliment, Mrs. Taylor." Lauren shyly blushed.

Cyrus stood in silence behind Mandy. He fixed an intense gaze on Lauren without once looking away.

Meanwhile, Mandy, with a friendly smile, removed the emerald bracelet from her wrist and put it on Lauren's without warning. She remarked, "I showed up in haste and didn't have time to prepare a gift for you. I hope you don't mind this gift."

Rory gasped in shock at Mandy's generosity. Did she just casually gift Lauren the emerald bracelet worth tens of millions?

Rory was moved by Mandy's magnanimity.

"No, Mrs. Taylor. I can't accept the gift. It's too expensive." Lauren proceeded to remove the bracelet, but Mandy stopped her. "Hey, do not decline gifts from your elders.

"Besides, the Taylors never take back what we gifted. I'll be upset if you refuse to accept my gift."

"Well… Thank you, then." Lauren blushed again as she carefully held the bracelet. Mandy was tickled by her adorable action. At that moment, she understood the reason Cyrus fell for Lauren.

Lauren was a simple, genuine, and cute young lady.

Before leaving, Cyrus blurted out in a raspy voice, "Lauren."

She stared at him quietly with sparkling eyes.

"I didn't show up tonight to lend you a hand." Cyrus' heart raced. Speaking at a fast speed, he confessed to her, "I just wanted to see you."

Before she could wrap her head around his words, he sneaked into his car and fled the scene.

Normally serious-faced, Rory couldn't help but chuckle.

"Mr. Rory, what's wrong?" Lauren looked confused.

Stifling his laugh, he mused, "Cyrus Taylor is an interesting young man."

On Mandy and Cyrus' way home, Cyrus remained blushing.

Cyrus struggled to come up with a reply. Instead, he quietly texted Alyssa, "Lyse, I think I'm not just interested in Lauren."

Taking a deep breath, he wrote another text, "Would you believe me if I say that I'm in love with Lauren?"

Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 1860-Late at night, Orlander summoned Freddy to the study, where Minnie was present as well.

"What? Calling off the engagement?" Minnie exclaimed in dismay. "Orlander Hodgson, are you joking? The engagement news is made public now. The wives of the local officials have been buttering me up and showering me with gifts when they learned about the engagement!

"We're so close to the marriage, and now you're telling me the engagement is canceled? How could I show my face in front of my friends?"

"Dad, what happened? Why are we calling off the engagement?" The memory of the humiliating night made Freddy seethe. "Lauren humiliated me enough by taking Cyrus' hand to my face and dancing with him. Now, they're calling off the engagement? It's a disgrace!"

Didn't Zoe claim that Lauren was a fool? Lauren was anything but that—she had flirted with another man under her fiance's watch.

Freddy thought, "I should have married that slut and tortured her daily for cheating on me!"

"Your feelings are not as important as my career," Orlander suddenly blurted out an outrageous remark with a look of impatience.

Shocked, Minnie and Freddy gasped, "What the heck did you just say?"

"Couldn't you tell from tonight that Cyrus was crushing on that idiot?" Orlander sipped his tea slowly. He was giddy with pride for making the strategic decision.

"Mrs. Taylor had a private talk with me. She requested that I give up on the engagement.

"She pledged her support to my electoral campaign next year if I ceded Lauren.

Mr. Winston is aware of this matter as well. If I declined, the KS Group would support my political rival instead. If you were me, you'd agree to her conditions too."

Freddy clenched his jaw indignantly while Minnie was at a loss for words.

"Minnie, Freddy, this is the best arrangement for us!" Orlander slumped on the couch and dangled his legs leisurely. It didn't take the elected official long to turn into a thug. "For one, my son doesn't need to settle for a dimwit.

"I can get what I want without being subjected to Javier Beckett's whims since I'm not asking any favor from him. Secondly, I have secured my campaign funding by agreeing to the deal. Am I not killing two birds with one stone?"

Freddy worriedly warned, "Dad, aren't you oversimplifying things? The Taylors are uber-rich. In my opinion, Winston Taylor is more difficult than Javier Beckett!" "Everyone knows that Winston Taylor is sick. He's living abroad for his medical treatment. I bet he won't last more than two years. I have nothing to fear," Orlander said in an unbothered tone.

"But his daughter, Alyssa Taylor, is the president of KS Group! That woman is bad news—worse than her dad!" Freddy, under Zoe's influence, saw red whenever Alyssa was mentioned. "You might be able to handle Javier Beckett, but what about Alyssa Taylor, the de facto leader of the KS Group? Also, don't forget she has the support of Jasper Beckett."

Enraged, Orlander jumped up from the couch and pointed a finger at Freddy.

"Do you really think your marriage is a done deal, even if Mrs. Taylor did not meet me today?

"Just look at your impatient behavior tonight. Did you forget what I taught you?

You have to fake it till you make it. But you lost your temper in front of Javier.

Your dad isn't powerful enough to go up against Javier Beckett, you know?"

Oddly, he felt terribly upset at the sight of Lauren dancing with Cyrus, like a husband who was publicly humiliated by his wife's infidelity.

Javier, on his way home from an event the next day, asked Rory for updates from last night.

Frowning, Javier argued, "Did the Taylors win you over with just a bracelet? It is worth nothing to them. I bet Winston Taylor has a cart of those jewelry."