Ch. 1031..1040

Chapter 1031

Armand led Genevieve to greet the old mayor before heading to the second table to greet Felix and Phineus.

"Hello, Uncle Phineus, Uncle Felix."

As he spoke, he brushed his finger against her palm, sending her a silent signal. Comprehending his meaning, Genevieve swiftly greeted Felix and Phineus the same way Armand did.

Robert was sitting at the same table with Phineus and the others, and when he saw how Armand brought Genevieve over while holding hands with her, he could immediately tell their relationship with each other.

"I thought Sally likes Armand?" He lowered his voice and asked Gerald, who was sitting beside him.

"I thought so too, but I tried probing a few times, and she expressed no interest in Armand whatsoever." Gerald had assumed it was possible between the two of them as Sally and Armand used to hang out a lot.

Armand was a shrewd man who performed well in both the business and political fields, which was why Gerald wanted, more than anything, for the young man to be his son-in-law.

As Gerald's gaze fell on Armand, he had a feeling that the latter seemed to know something.

After making rounds to greet everyone, Armand walked Genevieve to the ladies' private room next door.

Meanwhile, Felix turned to look at Gerald, who was sitting on his right. "General Loake, what were you and Mr. Zane whispering about?"

Gerald tapped his cigarette on the table and chuckled. "We were talking about how Armand addressed you and Commander Zeigler as 'Uncle.' What's with that? Did you accept him as your nephew?" Since Armand had brought Genevieve over, Felix didn't intend to hide anything from them. "Genevieve is my niece."

As soon as he finished his sentence, everyone at the table was stunned.

They were all aware that Herbert had lost his only daughter since she was young, and despite his efforts to search for her in the past decades, he still hadn't found her. Previously, another woman appeared and impersonated Herbert's granddaughter, angering the old man deeply. Therefore, everyone wondered where this supposed granddaughter of his came from.

Felix took in their silence and laughed. "This time, it's true. We had their blood tested, and the girl's mother resembles my sister when she was young."

Everyone snapped out of their trance and congratulated Felix, swiftly ending that topic of conversation.

In the meantime. Rebecca arrived at the ladies' private room.

Armand introduced Genevieve to her by saying, "This is Uncle Felix's daughter and your cousin, Rebecca Zeigler. You should talk to her."

Rebecca pitied Genevieve after learning the latter had been hypnotized.

Leading Genevieve to the table that was next to the wall, Rebecca struck up a conversation with her. The two women chatted away as Genevieve was quite fond of this cousin of hers.

Only when Genevieve lifted her glass to take a sip of water did she notice Eurydice sitting right across from her. Seated beside the latter was the woman who had gone to the hospital to visit Cooper. The woman who fought with me over my fiance and the woman who's seemingly in love with my current boyfriend are sitting at the same table with me... What a f*cking coincidence. Eurydice flashed Genevieve a faint smile when she saw her. "Hello, Ms. Rachford."

"It's nice to see you here, Ms. Gaudette." Genevieve reciprocated the smile.

The servers soon filed into the room, setting a variety of dishes on the table. Everyone gradually lowered their voices as they savored the food.

The mayor, on the other hand, took the opportunity to chat with his friends, prioritizing quality time with his acquaintances over food. After all, it had been a while since he had met most of them. As for the ladies, they finished the meal after an hour since they didn't smoke or drink.

Worried that her guests would be bored, the mayor's wife told the ladies there was a card room upstairs open for visitors to play poker as long as gambling wasn't involved.

The ladies took up the offer and headed upstairs to the card room as they thought it would indeed be boring if they only sat and chatted.

Rebecca, who didn't know if Genevieve knew how to play poker, suggested, "There's a shopping street nearby. I can take you there if you'd like."

"Oh, it's okay. Poker is fun." Genevieve curled her rosy lips as she glanced at Eurydice and Sally. "Ms. Gaudette, Ms. Loake, do you play poker?" Knowing that Genevieve was challenging her to a game, Eurydice accepted it with a gracious smile. "Of course."

Chapter 1032

Thus, Genevieve, Eurydice, Sally, and Rebecca sat down for a game of poker. There were separate cubicles in the card room, which provided the players with a quiet, enclosed environment for their game. After the four of them entered one of the cubicles, they rolled a dice to determine who would go first.

Since Genevieve had purposely challenged Eurydice earlier, the latter showed no mercy after the game started and won Genevieve in the first round in less than two minutes.

It was a direct, overwhelming victory.

Genevieve calmly placed her cards down to get ready for a second round before smiling. "You're good at this, Ms. Gaudette."

"Oh, you flatter me. I'm just lucky." Eurydice smiled amicably.

The atmosphere in the private room instantly changed for no obvious reason.

It was merely a game of poker, but it was as if the table had become a gruesome battleground with weapons clashing continuously against one another. Eurydice and Genevieve were the only ones engaged in the battle, though.

Sally and Rebecca had seemingly become the backdrop as they sat aside, watching the silent war between the two other women.

As Sally leaned back against the chair and casually placed bets, a cold glint flickered in her pretty eyes. She then discreetly turned on her phone and recorded a short video before sending it to Cooper. While the cards were being shuffled, she received a message from Cooper that read: How did Eurydice offend Genev?

Sally replied: I have no idea, but Genevieve seems to despise Eurydice. They turned a card game of four players into a one-on-one battle. Is she good at poker?

Both Sally and Eurydice were daughters of high-ranking officials. Though they weren't close, they once attended a gathering with their parents and met each other at the venue. They had played a few rounds of poker with each other.

Sally was well aware that although Genevieve and Eurydice's skills seemed on par, Eurydice hadn't even unleashed half of her true capability yet.

Genevieve was the one who challenged Eurydice to a game. If Genevieve were to lose...

Sally didn't want Genevieve to make a fool out of herself since the latter was Cooper's sister.

Cooper had a hunch about Sally's intention and responded: She doesn't need your help. Instead, I hope she'll show Eurydice some mercy.

Sally lifted her head to glance at Genevieve after reading Cooper's message.

Would Eurydice be defeated by Genevieve?

Meanwhile, as the game went on, Eurydice began chatting with Genevieve, "Ms. Rachford, I know that Mr. Sutton of Specter Corporation is your brother." Genevieve arched an eyebrow, silently waiting for the rest of her sentence.

With a faint smile, Eurydice continued, "Since you and Mr. Faulkner are a couple, you should be more careful. You know what the higher-ups feel about the collusion between government officials and entrepreneurs."

"I don't have anything I should be careful of." Genevieve stuffed a cubed pineapple into her mouth and chewed on it. "My family's business is legal and reasonable. We also never evade tax. What do you mean by the collusion between government officials and entrepreneurs? Do you think the development of a city depends solely on the government?"

Flashing a smile, she went on, "The government just provided some preferential policies to attract the attention of some big companies to establish their business in the city. Without the settlement of large corporations that bestow job opportunities to locals and the high-income positions that attract talents from other regions, the city would never be able to develop with only the help of the government. The GDP won't be as high, too. It's difficult to avoid collusion between the government and merchants when both parties are working closely together."

As Genevieve finished her sentence, she looked at Eurydice, who was sitting across from her. "Don't you think so?"

Eurydice presented her card hand without a change of expression. "You're quite knowledgeable, Ms. Rachford."

"Royal Flush." Genevieve placed her cards down and smiled. "I often go to my family's company and attend the meetings, so it's no surprise that I know all these. It goes without saying that I know what you're trying to imply, Ms. Gaudette. You're afraid that my brother will make use of my boyfriend's connections. What's the big deal about that? Do you think everyone is a fool?

Everybody knows all too well how most government employees get their positions."

After pushing her hand of cards toward the middle of the table, Genevieve speared another piece of pineapple with her fork. "No offense, but Ms. Gaudette, you're able to enjoy so many conveniences only because of your status. It's not hard to admit that you're wealthier and more privileged than the average person."

A momentary pause later, she curled her lips and continued, "On the one hand, you're enjoying your luxurious life, but on the other, you're ridiculing others for utilizing connections, thus polluting the system. Don't you think you're having double standards?"

Chapter 1033

"As expected of a businessman's daughter. You've got quite the silver tongue." Eurydice smiled and took the card.

"Ms. Gaudette, I could say the same for you. You're exactly what I imagine a daughter of a high-ranking official would be." Genevieve had won the previous round, and after rearranging her cards, she threw one out. "You're well-versed in diplomatic speech with how your words always beat around the bush."

Eurydice had a more classical look-softly arched brows and an oval-shaped face that exuded gentleness.

Still, Genevieve's words did not infuriate the other, for a small smile remained on Eurydice's face. "Ms. Rachford, can I ask something personal?"

"Go ahead," Genevieve answered.

After studying Genevieve's face for a while, Eurydice asked, "Which part of you do you think made Mr. Faulkner fall for you? Was it your looks, or was it your conversational skills?"

"I don't know." Genevieve shrugged. "But I know he certainly isn't interested in you."

As Genevieve watched Eurydice's smile stiffen, she threw another card out. "Even friends won't pay back the money for a gift right away. You spent time to get someone to buy desserts for my boyfriend, but he paid you back for it on the spot. He's drawing such a clear line between you and him that I doubt he even thinks of you as a friend."

Then, Genevieve added, "The dessert was not bad. Each and every piece of it was fed to me by my boyfriend."

Without much expression, Eurydice pushed away the cards in front of her. She had won Genevieve in the card game, but she had lost miserably in their battle of words.

For that meal, Genevieve had dragged Armand to the mall to buy heels earlier that day.

Hence, she was not used to the new heels. When she found her foot hurting from the tightness of the shoes, she hunched over to take them off while the cards were being shuffled.

Eurydice glanced at her and said, "Ms. Rachford, don't force yourself to wear heels if they're not a match for your feet. Otherwise, you'll only suffer, and eventually, those uncomfortable heels will be tossed aside."

Genevieve knew, without a doubt, Eurydice was talking about Genevieve's relationship with Armand using the heels as an example.

Armand was in the political world, and Genevieve's family was in the corporate world. No matter how rich she was, she would not be able to help Armand out, for they came from different worlds. "I'm picky, and I never buy heels that don't fit me." Genevieve stood up and flashed a smile at Eurydice. "New heels have to be worn a few days or for a distance before they become comfortable." Eurydice snorted softly and said nothing else.

However, her silence irked Genevieve. "It's already late. I guess the men downstairs are done with their conversation. Ms. Gaudette, why don't we play a game before we wrap this up?" Eurydice stared at her and asked in her usual serene voice, "What game?"

"I've taken a liking to the bracelet around your wrist." Genevieve pointed at Eurydice's left wrist, where a moonstone bracelet was sitting. It was obvious from its color that it was an item of high quality. Eurydice glanced at her wrist. She was a smart woman, and she knew that Genevieve asking for the bracelet was only an excuse. What Genevieve truly wanted to do was to embarrass her in a round of poker. That bracelet was given to Eurydice by her great-grandmother, and it was a family heirloom.

Furthermore, during their card game earlier, Eurydice had figured out how well Genevieve could play in no time. She did not even need to go all out.

Still, Eurydice was not in a hurry to reply to Genevieve about that. "What will you offer then, Ms. Rachford?"

Genevieve cupped her cheek and wondered for a while. Then, she unlocked her phone and showed the screen to Eurydice. "I have a coronet, and it's worth more than your bracelet. Ms. Gaudette, what do you think of it?"

Eurydice lowered her gaze to glance at Genevieve's phone. "I prefer weddings in the style of the west."

Genevieve hummed in response before retracting her arm. "Ms. Gaudette, are you telling me that you'd like a western-styled wedding, but you're missing a groom?"

Chapter 1034

"All right, then," Genevieve easily said. "If I lose, I'll break tip with him and leave the country. I won't come back until five years later, and if I contact him again, I'll be the idiot." Eurydice smiled and took the cards. "Well, we're on our fourteenth round now."

"Three rounds. One of us just needs to win twice," Genevieve added. After Rebecca took the cards, she hunched over to take another card.

Rebecca had played poker many times before and had bet on many things. However, she was still surprised by what Genevieve was betting on. In fact, her heart began to race.

She said, "Genev, don't you think this is a little too risky?"

"Is it? Ms. Gaudette needs a groom, so I'm going to give her one." Genevieve shrugged and chuckled.

After throwing out a card, she abruptly sighed. "I mean, I am suffering a little loss. Not only is my boyfriend handsome, but he's also capable and a fantastic cook. He's the one who preps all my meals. If I lose him, no one's going to cook for me anymore."

"Are you now regretting your decision?" Rebecca was a relatively good player, and if she knew Genevieve's ability, Eurydice probably did as well.

Even if Rebecca knew how to count cards, she could not help Genevieve out with Eurydice around.

Meanwhile, Sally had been silent the entire time. She paid little attention to the game, and it was clear to everyone she was merely there for company.

Sally then sent the video of Genevieve betting with Eurydice to Cooper.

When Cooper saw it, he instantly realized that Genevieve was angry and wanted to teach Eurydice a lesson. However, he never thought she would wager Armand in the bet.

Interested in the drama, Cooper then sent the video to his old colleagues' group chat.

In the meantime, in a room downstairs, Armand, who had drunk two more glasses with Phineus, was feeling uncomfortable. When he saw his phone on the table light up, he unlocked it and saw messages in his WhatsApp.

Jerry: Oh darn, Mr. Faulkner, is your sweetheart such a wild one? Does she use you as a wager all the time, or is it just this time?

Cooper chimed in: How lucky you are, Mr. Faulkner. Ms. Gaudette wants you as her groom.

Jerry: Indeed. Your love fortune this year is amazing. Did you come across a shooting star and make a wish? When did you see one?

Armand then scrolled up and clicked on the video. After hearing the conversation between Genevieve and Eurydice, he massaged his temples.

He knew that Genevieve was a lively person, but he did not know she would be so carefree to the point she would use him as a wager. Does she really not care how I feel at all?

Armand then typed: You can have my luck. No need to thank me.

Jerry: I don't even want it. I'm an actor in showbiz. Her dear government official father won't find me a good man for his daughter.

Armand: Did I tell you I have Charlotte's WhatsApp as well?

Jerry swiftly chickened out and replied: Can you both give me a break? That girl's hard to please, so stop making my life difficult.

Then, Jerry added another message: A quick question. If Genevieve loses...

Armand: She won't.

Right as Armand replied to Jerry, Felix turned to him and said, "From what Mr. Zane said earlier, it looks like you're about to be promoted again. Why weren't you interested?" Armand's achievements were plentiful, and with the help of many parties, he had taken a big step forward in his political career. He was about to reach the top of the pyramid, in fact.

As Armand turned off his phone and put it down on the table, he muttered, "No matter how high I get, I'll still be working under someone, and the people around me will still have to get involved." Armand had only started a political career and worked under the Zane family to repay Ethan's favor.

However, since the heart in him might not be Ethan's, he did not wish to continue down the path. All he hoped was for Steven to give him the good news. He only wanted Genevieve and the children to be safe and sound for the rest of their lives.

Felix had gone through all that before, so he knew how tiring the path could be. All he did was pat Armand's shoulder.

Chapter 1035

After chatting with Felix, Armand unlocked his phone again to read what Jerry and Cooper had talked about during those few minutes.

Jerry: I remember that Genevieve has a rare blood type, right?

Cooper: What's the matter?

Jerry: I received a job recently to find someone with a rare blood type for my patron. Apparently, they'll be giving ten million in Anglanduran currency if I get any leads on that.

As there were only close friends in the group chat, Jerry sent the details of the email to the others there.

The moment Armand saw the screenshot of the email, he inhaled sharply. Then, he pushed his chair back and went out of the room. Only when he reached the restroom did he call Jerry. Armand asked, "Why are they looking for someone with this blood type?"

"I asked about it when I was replying to them via email, and they said they were from a biological research lab," Jerry answered. "There are very few individuals in this world with this blood type, and they wanted to research people with this blood type, yada yada. I didn't really understand what they were talking about."

While Jerry was replying to Armand, he sent the screenshot of the replied email to the latter.

At that, Armand drew his brows together. If they really are from a biological research lab, they'll surely use their connections to find people with this blood type through medical organizations. Why would they hire the services of an outsider like Jerry and pay ten million in Anglanduran currency for a lead?

There was no way such a good deal like this would exist.

A vague speculation manifested in both Armand's and Cooper's minds.

Right as Armand ended the call, Cooper called. "Other than the hospital, not many know about Genev's unique blood type. Call Timothy and ask him to change the details of her medical records. I'll get someone to release some news. Marilyn was previously living in Xedells, and her medical records are in Xedells Hospital."

Everyone thought that Marilyn had been imprisoned after the Wood family's downfall and Xavier's death; few knew that she was actually dead.

"All right." Cooper's efficiency saved Armand from many troubles.

Armand then called Timothy.

Back then, Armand had summoned all technicians from the security department to look into the surveillance footage before Johanna disappeared. It was then they found that someone had tampered with the footage, which proved that Johanna had been taken away at the entrance of the hospital.

After finding out that Johanna might still be alive, Timothy finally came out from his despair. Once he received Armand's instructions, he told the hospital staff to destroy all of Genevieve's hospital records. Armand exited the restroom when he was done with the call. With one glance at his watch, he discovered that it had been a while and guessed that the women should be done with their poker. Meanwhile, upstairs, ever since the fourteenth round started, Eurydice had her full attention on the game. After tossing out a few cards, she figured out what cards Genevieve had.

However, she soon noticed something amiss. Genevieve was playing in a completely different style from before.

Thus, Eurydice lost the fourteenth round to Genevieve. Finally, there was a crack in her composure. Nevertheless, she managed to tamp down her unease with a few deep breaths.

At the start of the fifteenth round, Eurydice had the upper hand. It went on for ten whole minutes, and the cards were nearly depleted.

Eurydice had gotten a four of clubs.

As she wanted all of the cards she currently had, Eurydice had no choice but to toss the four of clubs back out.

In the next second, Genevieve laid down the cards she had and gave Eurydice a polite smile. "Thank you for that four of clubs, Ms. Gaudette."

When they first came to the card room, Eurydice had gotten Genevieve's four of clubs.

Now, Genevieve had gotten her four of clubs.

When Eurydice let her eyes drift toward Genevieve's cards, she soon realized that she had stepped right into Genevieve's trap. As it turned out, Genevieve had been setting up the trap ever since she invited Eurydice to the game-she had been hiding her true capability. By losing some and winning some, she had made Eurydice think that she was but a mediocre player.

As long as Eurydice underestimated her, Genevieve would have an easy time winning against Eurydice as the latter lowered her guard.

Right then, someone opened the door to the card room.

Chapter 1036

It was Armand, who was looking casual in a black shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a shopping bag in his left hand.

After glancing at the table, Armand walked over to Genevieve. Then, he pulled his pants higher before crouching down and taking a shoe box out of the shopping bag.

As he put on the soft slippers for Genevieve, he asked, "You're done?"

"Mhm." Genevieve finished the watermelon on the plate. "I liked Ms. Gaudette's moonstone bracelet, so I was betting on it with poker. I won."

Armand was not at all surprised by her victory. "If you like gemstone bracelets like these, I'll get someone to find a colorful one for you."

Genevieve's eyes flitted toward Eurydice's wrist. "I think the moonstone one is better."

"Don't you already have a set made with the best moonstone? One should be enough," Armand answered before picking up the heels under the table and putting them in the shoebox.

Genevieve frowned, wondering when she had gotten a moonstone bracelet and why she never saw it in her jewelry box.

She held a grudge against Eurydice because of what Eurydice said at the hotel the day before, which was why Genevieve had set her up. Now that Eurydice had lost horrendously to her, Genevieve had achieved her initial aim of humiliating her. It would not be a loss if Genevieve gave up on Eurydice's bracelet.

Furthermore, Eurydice was not a nobody; Genevieve did not want to offend Eurydice to the point of no return.

After Armand kept the shoebox back in the bag, he stood up and reached out toward Genevieve, who took his hand and rose to her feet.

Rebecca nearly rolled her eyes at them before she gloomily muttered, "Are you done yet?"

Once Genevieve stepped away from the table, Armand gently placed his arm around her waist and said to Rebecca, "Steven's going to send us to the resort later. Do you want to come along?" Rebecca had thought that Steven was keeping the two children company in Jadeborough, so when she heard Armand's offer, her eyes lit up.

Once they were gone, the small card room fell silent.

Eurydice and Sally were the only ones left in the room, and Eurydice was still on her chair, her gaze lowered and her expression dark.

When Sally stood up, she grabbed a damp towel from the table at the side and coldly said, "Your father has plenty of attractive geniuses around him, so why did you have to eye someone you shouldn't?" "Isn't it the same for you too?" Eurydice turned to look at her.

"Yes, but when I realized I wasn't a match for Genevieve, I gave up." Sally was never interested in Armand himself—it was only because her beloved's heart was in his chest.

When Armand did not hesitate in swinging the knife right at his chest, Sally found out that they were two separate beings.

Armand was Armand; Ethan was Ethan.

The heart belonged to Ethan, but the one Armand loved was Genevieve, and he was willing to give her everything.

Everything Sally had done up to that point had been meaningless.

Once Sally was done wiping her hand, she threw the towel back on the tray. "Genevieve's family runs businesses, but her maternal grandfather is Baykeep's General Zeigler, and Commander Zeigler is her uncle."

It was then Eurydice abruptly recalled Armand calling Felix "Uncle Felix" and how Genevieve had asked Rebecca to take care of Armand.

So, Genevieve's connected to the Zeigler family in this way. If Sally didn't tell me about this, I wouldn't have known.

Sally gave Eurydice another glance before uttering in the same cold voice, "Baykeep is the Zeiglers' territory, so Genevieve isn't someone you should cross for no good reason."

"That doesn't mean I'll let her do as she pleases all the time." Eurydice smiled. "I'll let Armand know that I'm the only one who's worthy of him."

Sally snorted. "That's where you're wrong. Armand's not at all interested in power."

"If he isn't interested, why is he in the political world?" Eurydice questioned.

Elumans were creatures driven by desires-lust, wealth, and power. With power, one could have everything.

No man was capable of resisting temptations like that.

Sally was not close to Eurydice, and the lesser the people who knew about the Zane family's incident, the better. Hence, she only glanced at Eurydice and picked up her phone.

Still, before she left, she turned around to give Eurydice a warning. "It's fine if you fight with her, but don't ever pull any dirty tricks on her."

Even if Eurydice was the daughter of a king, countless people would be more than happy to have her head on a silver platter if something were to happen to Genevieve and Eurydice was found involved. By then, even her father would not be able to save her.

Chapter 1037

The car soon came to a famous resort in Baykeep.

The moment Genevieve came down from the car with Armand's help, a plump middle-aged man in short sleeves hurried over and greeted them with a smile.

"Mr. Faulkner, Mrs. Faulkner."

When Genevieve turned to look at him, she quickly recognized him as Lightview Group's Martin Turner. She had seen him before when she had gone to the office to look for Cooper the other day, bumping into the two men when they were exiting the conference room.

The large resort was close to one of the best tourist sites and had natural hot springs. It was also one of Lightview Group's businesses.

Genevieve was not surprised to learn that Armand knew Martin, for he used to run a business as well.

Upon entering the resort, Martin began chatting away with Armand. On the other hand, Rebecca with her bag of swimwear- went to the changing room with Genevieve.

The inside of the changing room was brightly illuminated and full of cubicles.

Genevieve entered the cubicle beside Rebecca's. While she was taking off her shirt, her hands brushed past something. When she lowered her head, she noticed a thin chain hanging by her waist.

The chain was made with even-sized moonstones which Genevieve could see with one glance was of the best quality.

Yet, she had never realized that the chain was on her the entire time.

At that, Genevieve could not help but think about how Armand told her that the best moonstone was already with her back at the restaurant.

How does Armand know about this chain around my waist? It's in such a private place.

As Genevieve fiddled with the end of the buckle, she thought, Armand should be the one who gave me this, but when did I fall asleep when he was around?

"Genev?" Rebecca's voice sounded outside. "Are you done?"

Genevieve hummed in agreement and stopped her train of thought. She then took out a black one-piece swimsuit and draped a towel around her before stepping out of the cubicle.

After the two of them placed their clothes in the locker, they headed out together.

It was the start of autumn, but Baykeep was neither too hot nor too cold. Despite that, residents of Baykeep adored their breakfast and bath. With the resort so close to a tourist site, it was no surprise that the resort saw many patrons.

The staff in charge of the hot spring area had long received news about their arrival, and they had reserved the best hot spring for Genevieve and the others.

As a matter of fact, they even kindly provided tea and fruit by the side of the hot spring.

Genevieve first put her legs into the hot spring. Only after she was used to the temperature did she slowly enter the pool. As the water enveloped her, she found herself relaxing.

Then, she filled two cups of tea, one for herself and the other for Rebecca.

In the mood for gossip, Genevieve asked, "You like Steven?"

"Is it that obvious?" Rebecca asked.

Although it was technically their first meeting, Rebecca knew about Genevieve's situation.

After sipping her tea, Genevieve said, "You went straight to the front of the car to open the door to the front passenger seat after leaving the restaurant. On your way here, you kept talking to Steven too. Although you were in the front and I couldn't see your expression, I could hear you just fine."

A pause later, she added, “I had many suitors when I was a student. Your tone was the same as what the boys had back then."

Rebecca lowered her gaze and stared at her tea. "It doesn't matter whether or not I like him. He doesn't accept my love."

Before the incident with Amanda, she had stayed in Jadeborough for a long time, finding all kinds of excuses to be by Steven's side. She even drank alcohol and confessed her feelings to him. However, Steven made no response to that, and he even began keeping his distance from her.

The other day during work, Genevieve asked Armand a little about Steven. It was then she found out that Steven was a few years older than her.

Perhaps that was why Steven was avoiding Rebecca-they had too wide of an age gap. Furthermore, their social standings were too different, for Rebecca was the daughter of the municipal secretary. All of a sudden, Genevieve said, "What if he really doesn't like you? What will you do? Are you still going to court him?"

Chapter 1038

"I swore I wouldn't go back to Jadeborough if he rejected me." A resigned smile crept upon Rebecca's face. "I didn't go to Jadeborough, but when he came to Baykeep, I couldn't help but want to look for him. Maybe I'll only give up when he gets a girlfriend.”

Right then, Genevieve took away Rebecca's cup and placed it on the small table. Then, she came out of the hot spring and said, "Let's find out."

"Huh?" Rebecca blurted out in confusion.

Meanwhile, after his chat with Armand, Martin went to greet other patrons.

Steven, who was with Armand, took a glance at his watch and muttered, "I'll go and take a look at the preparation of the fireworks."

Armand skimmed the messages on his phone before looking away. "They'll do the job well as long as they're paid. Since we're here, we might as well have a dip in the hot spring and relax."

"I'll pass," Steven said, all along having no interest in such activities.

"Let's go." Armand reached out to pat his shoulder.

At that, Steven could not reject him anymore, so both of them went to the changing room to change into swimwear before heading to the hot spring section.

It was already after nine, so the lights at the hot springs were lit. It was lively, too.

Armand could hear singing from afar. When they walked closer, they realized that the vibrant spot was at the snack stalls. Many people had gathered together, singing along with the strumming of guitars. There was a warm yellow light by the side of the road. Under the light stood a woman in a black one-piece swimwear. With her dark hair and red lips, she was stunning.

She had a guitar, and she was swiftly and skillfully strumming the strings with a pick to play a pleasant tune.

Her body was gently swaying as she sang with the crowd, "Could you give me a kiss? Leave a mark of love on my cheek..."

Everyone was watching her performance as they clapped and sang.

Steven studied her for a while and commented, "She sings well, and with her pretty looks, she would make a popular singer."

Armand shot him a look.

Instantly, Steven lifted his hand to rub his nose and fell silent.

When he raised his head again, he spotted a slender figure in the crowd. She, too, was waving and singing with the others. All of a sudden, a man in black shorts squeezed over.

"Hey, pretty lady, need a boyfriend?" As the place was loud, the man had to lean closer to Rebecca's ear to talk to her.

Instinctively, Rebecca dodged to the side.

They were standing on a pebbled path, and Rebecca never expected her ankle to twist suddenly. The pain she felt in her ankle nearly made her trip.

Without missing a beat, the man reached out to hold her. "Don't be scared, pretty lady. If you don't want a boyfriend, we can be friends first."

In the next second, Steven grabbed Rebecca's arm with one hand to stabilize her as he grabbed the unfamiliar man's hand with his other hand. With a quick twist, a loud crack came from the man's wrist. The man nearly shrieked from the pain, and when he lifted his head, he was greeted by the sight of an expressionless face.

Steven shoved him away and let go. "Get lost."

Knowing that Steven was not one to be trifled with, the man scurried off with his limp left hand.

Rebecca's heart lurched at the appearance of the unfamiliar man, and it lurched again when she saw Steven. She knew promptly that it was not a coincidence, and she could not help but recall Genevieve telling her, "Let's find out."

Now, she finally knew what Genevieve meant by that.

When Rebecca placed both of her feet firmly on the ground again, the pain from her ankle made her inhale sharply. Thinking that he had grabbed her too tightly, Steven quickly let her go.

"It's not you," Rebecca explained. "I twisted my ankle."

Steven asked, "Can you still walk?"

"No. It hurts too much." Tears of pain welled up in Rebecca's eyes. In a hoarse voice, she said, "Please carry me to the hotel. I'll get someone to treat me there."

Chapter 1039

Rebecca's hand reached out, but the hesitant Steven staggered backward.

Faced with his reluctance, she didn't force him and took two steps forward with her teeth clenched. Unfortunately, the pain had her knees buckling, sending her hurtling into Steven's arms. After helping her to regain her balance, Steven bent forward abruptly and swept her off her feet.

With Rebecca's hand threading naturally around his neck, the close proximity allowed her to see the stubble on his chin and feel the warmth underneath his shirt.

Leaning closer toward his ear, she whispered with certainty, "You're into me too."

When the man came to tease her earlier, verbal insults were the worst that could happen, for the hot spring was monitored by surveillance cameras.

Hence, Steven-who wasn't related to her in any way-could have chosen to turn a blind eye. Instead, he made the effort to come over and break the man's hand.

If he didn't care about her, he wouldn't have reacted in such a hasty fashion.

By the time Steven carried Rebecca into the hotel, Genevieve was done with her song. After returning the guitar to the staff, she was approached by the man in black swimming trunks. "Your friend is really ruthless." The man's face was still twitching from the pain. "He even broke my wrist."

Genevieve handed over a thick wad of cash. "I appreciate your help.”

At the sight of at least ten thousand, the man's grimace was quickly replaced by a smile. Upon receiving Genevieve's money, he left a satisfied man.

Subsequently, Armand walked over. "Did you ask me to bring Steven here just to show him this charade?"

Genevieve swept her sweat-drenched hair aside to reveal her sharp jaw and alluring features. "Men never like to show their feelings and are always in need of an external shock." Handing her a towel, Armand asked with a smile, "Including me?"

"Of course you're not one of them. You're always brazen with your advances," Genevieve scoffed. "If only Steven was half as audacious as you, he wouldn't have been single till now."

For the sake of her experiment, Genevieve didn't manage to spend much time soaking in the hot spring.

Thus, after following Armand to the pool beside a pavilion, she sank her body in it to give herself a proper soak.

No sooner had she entered the hot spring than Armand joined her inside. After pulling her onto his lap, he wrapped his hand behind her head and leaned in, all before she realized what was going on. With him biting her lip, Genevieve could hardly breathe at all.

Only then did he release her, causing her body to fall backward. Just when the scowling Genevieve wanted to give him an earful, she was interrupted by a loud bang, followed by giant fireworks illuminating the dark night sky.

One by one, the exploding fireworks lit up the sky as if it was day, splashing it with a beautiful array of vibrant colors.

Looking up, Genevieve was captivated by the dazzling sight.

At the end of the firework display, a stream of green lights flew into view just like a swarm of fireflies. In no time, they arranged themselves in the sky to form a sentence: You complete me. Staring at the words, Genevieve could hear the faint gasps of admiration from the other patrons nearby. They sounded as if they were discussing who it was that was showing off their affection.

After all, confessing one's feelings with a massive fireworks display and hundreds of drones was extremely romantic.

Meanwhile, when Armand noticed that Genevieve's bun was about to come loose, he pulled off her hair tie and straightened her hair before retying it.

While doing so, he asked, "Do you like it?"

"I'm surprised to see that underneath that conservative demeanor of yours, you can be just as romantic as a young man." Breaking into a coy smile, Genevieve suddenly recalled a quote from the movies. She then lifted Armand's chin with her finger. "How many other surprises are you hiding from me?"

"Plenty." Armand, with a warm exhale, pulled her hand up to his lips for a peck. "I'll give you everything slowly, including myself."

Genevieve's knees buckled at his seduction.

All of a sudden, she felt a cold sensation on her finger. Only then did she realize a ring had been put on it. A closer look revealed that it was made of pure silver with rose motifs engraved on its surface.

Chapter 1040

Genevieve raised her head to look up at him. "Even though I said that I'm not difficult to pursue, a ring still isn't enough."

"I know, but I still feel more secure with you wearing it." Upon his reply, Armand swiftly changed the topic. "Do you want to have some barbeque?"

As food in Baykeep tended to be lightly seasoned and sweeter, Genevieve barely touched any during dinner. Instead, she kept herself going on the fruits she ate when she was inside the card room. Leaving Genevieve to soak in the hot spring, Armand went out for a while. In less than ten minutes, he returned with two staff who carried a bunch of barbeque equipment into the small pavilion.

While waiting for the fire to build up, Armand marinated the meat and vegetables.

Genevieve, sprawled inside the hot spring, was sipping a cup of coffee while observing the busy man in front of the barbeque pit.

By then, Armand had taken off his shirt due to the heat, revealing the bronze tan on his skin and the chiseled lines of his muscular arms.

Even though he didn't have a six-pack, he didn't carry any visceral fat around his belly either. Coupled with his broad shoulders, his body exuded masculinity wherever he went.

Brazenly admiring the sight, Genevieve thought to herself that Armand was truly a rare specimen among government officials.

Most of the men his age would have their heads covered in grey hair from the pressures of work. Even if their faces were glowing, their bodies would have gone to the dogs. However, Armand still managed to maintain a V-shaped figure and wouldn't look out of place standing among a group of male models.

If one didn't know his age, one couldn't tell from his appearance that he was already in his thirties.

Suddenly, Armand caught her gaze when he looked up without warning.

Pausing briefly, he remarked in a deep voice, "Darling, can you stop stripping me with your eyes?"

Taking advantage of the fact that he was occupied, Genevieve flashed a provocative smile at him. "Is it against the law?"

"It's not." Armand stared at her with his black obsidian eyes. "But I prefer you to use your hands."

Rendered speechless by his words, Genevieve blushed instantly.

Soon, the fragrant aroma of grilled meat filled her nostrils. Given that she was famished and had soaked enough, Genevieve threw a towel around herself before settling down in the pavilion.

Served in front of her were mutton skewers covered with red sauce. Onions were threaded together to reduce their greasiness. Upon taking a bite, the tenderness of the meat filled her mouth with a delicious gamey taste.

Since she wasn't a fan of onions, the smiling Genevieve handed the skewer over to Armand after biting off the meat. "Sir, after all the work you have done, why don't you have a bite?"

Seeing through her, Armand asked, "Isn't the taste of mutton alone overbearing?"

"I can always wash it down with soda." Genevieve waved the skewer at him. "Come, allow your girlfriend to feed you with her hands."

Breaking into a smile, Armand lowered his head to bite off the piece of onion.

Just like that, Genevieve had five mutton skewers consecutively, feeding the onion to Armand every single time. Thereafter, she gobbled down two chicken wings and a small fish before she was finally satisfied.

By the time they finished the food, it was already eleven at night. The hot spring had long been empty of patrons.

Feeling guilty after the meal, Genevieve insisted on soaking in the hot spring for a while longer. After that, she forced Armand to walk with her around the area twice just to burn off more calories. Rubbing her bloated belly, Genevieve knitted her brows. "Why did you have to tempt me with food?"

"I was worried that you were hungry from not having anything in the restaurant." As the night was becoming chilly, Armand wrapped his own towel around her waist, worried that her legs would feel cold. Upon getting to his feet, he chuckled beside her ear. "There's a kind of exercise that burns a lot of calories. Shall we try it?"

When she heard the words roll off his tongue, Genevieve felt as if she was about to lose her mind. Nonetheless, she couldn't stop herself from being intoxicated by his physical attractiveness and alluring aura. At the sight of his bare muscular chest, Genevieve reached out her finger to give it a poke, pushing him backward. "In your dreams!"