Ch. 1121..1130

Chapter 1121

Cooper knew Harry had taught Lucian computer skills, but he didn't expect Lucian to be so good at it after learning for just a short period of time. Lucian can easily hack into others' computers now? He takes after Armand. Since he was little, he has been a rather independent child. That's why he can now face everything calmly. I don't even know if that's a good thing or not.

Cooper then patted Lucian's head and uttered softly, "I'm sorry. I didn't take good care of your mommy..."

"I understand." Lucian pursed his lips.

Right before Armand went abroad, he had a talk with Lucian and told him to look after Amanda. "He told me that he was Mommy's husband first before he became our daddy," Lucian said.

At that time, Lucian somehow sensed that something was amiss. He had a feeling his parents would never return.

After Cooper went back to the mansion, he received a call.

His phone call only lasted for a short while. After hanging up the phone, he carried Amanda in his arms and kissed her cheek. "There is something I need to do, so I won't be having dinner with you guys." "It's all right!" Amanda waved dismissively and said, "After all, you've already kept us company throughout the day!"

Cooper went back to the office to take some gifts Bertilla had prepared. After that, he took an hour's car ride to arrive at an area with self-built mansions.

The area was located near the suburb, and there was a resettlement area right behind it. Hence, it wouldn't cost much to have a self-built mansion there.

The car came to a halt in front of a mansion on the right side of the road.

Cooper got out of his car and took out the gifts from the trunk. Upon taking a glance at his watch, he said to Sally, "Drive around on your own and pick me up at eight."

When he was talking to Sally, a middle-aged man and a young lady came out of the mansion.

The young lady was behind the man. She was wearing a down jacket and a long skirt. She looked gentle and sensible, like a teacher.

"Hi, Mr. Yerton, Ms. Yerton," Cooper greeted.

Isaac Yerton hurriedly took the gifts from Cooper and said sheepishly, "You didn't have to bring gifts! Come on in. It's cold outside."

As Isaac was talking, he saw Sally standing by the car. Startled, he asked, "Is that your assistant? Bring her along."

"It's alright," Cooper answered.

Sally hopped into the car and looked out through the window.

Cooper walked into the house alongside Isaac while Tiffany Yerton had a shy look on her face with her head lowered. After taking a glance at the gifts Isaac was holding in his hands, Sally immediately knew what was going on.

The moment Cooper stepped into the house, he took off his jacket, and Tiffany, who was standing beside him, took it and hung it on the rack.

Everyone then sat in the living room, and Isaac quickly poured coffee for Cooper.

"You're too kind," Cooper said before taking the coffeepot from Isaac to pour Isaac and Tiffany each a cup of coffee.

"Are Lucian and Amanda behaving themselves in class?" Cooper asked Tiffany casually.

"They're good kids, and they're smart too." Tiffany smiled. "They can solve problems that other children can't solve. Also, Amanda is very likable." "That's good." Cooper flashed a faint smile.

They were chatting away, but suddenly, someone came through the door. It was a young woman, dressed in a black down jacket and a pair of high heels.

The woman was shocked when she saw Cooper sitting in the living room. "Why are you here, Mr. Sutton?"

"I'm Yasmin Leatham. I'm a member of the second operation team. You may not have met me." Yasmin introduced herself. "This is my uncle, and I'm staying here temporarily."

Cooper nodded at her and hummed in acknowledgment.

Yasmin then took a seat next to Tiffany and asked Cooper, "Why are you in Uncle Isaac's house, Mr. Sutton? Do you guys know each other?”

Isaac knew Yasmin was working for a huge listed company. When Cooper said he wanted to pay a visit, Isaac didn't expect Cooper to hold such a high, position in the company. He must have a very high socia status!

Chapter 1122

Isaac was a teacher as well, so he wasn't really sure what Yasmin was playing at. "Tiffany has a pair of twins in her class. Mr. Sutton here is their uncle. He's here to pay us a visit."

Having understood the situation, Yasmin replied with a smile, "I see. What a coincidence, Mr. Sutton. I wasn't expecting to see you in a private setting like this."

Tiffany shot Yasmin a glance when she heard that. For some reason, she sensed something off about Yasmin's response.

Yasmin showed up outside our house yesterday with her suitcases. She said her house was sold off and that she needed a place to stay while waiting for the ownership transfer of her new house. Dad couldn't say no to her because my uncle looked after him when he was little. However, the fact that Mr. Sutton is paying us a visit a day after Yasmin moved in seems a bit too coincidental...

She was snapped out of her train of thought when Isaac's wife, Jennifer, served up dinner.

While having dinner, Yasmin would interrupt Tiffany's conversation with Cooper whenever she had a chance. Yasmin even went as far as emphasizing her close relationship with Isaac, making it seem as though she was his daughter.

That was when Tiffany realized what Yasmin's intentions were.

When Yasmin went to use the bathroom, Tiffany quickly excused herself and followed her inside. "Hey, Yasmin, did you move in with us because you knew Mr. Sutton would be coming today?"

"No, I didn't. I simply had no place to stay. Besides, you've stayed over at my place in the past," Yasmin replied with a shrug.

Tiffany pursed her lips and said, "He's here to see me."

"Pfft... He's just here to ask you how his niece and nephew are doing in school. What's so special about that? You don't think he's into you, do you?" Yasmin asked with a disdainful snort. "He wouldn't have asked me if I have a boyfriend if he wasn't," Tiffany replied.

After she was done applying her lipstick, Yasmin turned around and stared at Tiffany as she said, "All right, I'll be honest with you. I moved in with you because I'm working at Specter Corporation and know that Mr. Sutton is looking for someone to marry. You're not the only candidate, mind you. His secretary has contacted countless unmarried daughters of wealthy families. Do you really think a school teacher like you is worthy of dating Mr. Sutton? It's obvious that I'm the better choice here."

"Did he send you a message and ask you if you have a boyfriend, though?" Tiffany asked.

The look on Yasmin's face changed the moment she heard that.

That reaction was all Tiffany needed to confirm her answer. Feeling triumphant that she had outdone Yasmin, Tiffany flashed her a smile and strutted out of the bathroom. Yasmin cursed at Tiffany under her breath as she watched her go.

After taking a moment to regain her composure, Yasmin made her way back to the dining table. Upon seeing Tiffany serving Cooper, Yasmin decided to follow suit. "Here, try this, Mr. Sutton. My aunt makes really great pork belly, but my mom can do it even better. You should give her cooking a try if you have the time!"

"It isn't healthy to eat too much meat, Mr. Sutton. Here, have some vegetables instead," Tiffany said while topping his plate up with some broccoli.

Yasmin clenched her teeth in frustration. She then tried to serve Cooper some soup but ended up spilling it on his sweater instead.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sutton! My hand slipped!" Yasmin apologized as she grabbed a napkin and tried to wipe the stain off his sweater.

However, Cooper stopped her and took the napkin from her. "I'll do it myself."

"I bought my dad a new sweater, but I haven't had the time to hand it to him. Would you like to change into it instead?" Yasmin asked apologetically.

The soup formed a rather obvious stain on Cooper's light gray sweater and caused it to smell as well.

Tiffany started to panic when she saw how aggressive Yasmin was. "We have a dryer at home. How about you remove that sweater so I can wash it for you-”

"That would take too much time. Besides, I'm the one who dirtied his sweater, so I should take responsibility for it. My dad is quite tall as well, so this sweater should fit you just right," Yasmin cut her off as she fetched the shopping bag she brought with her.

Tiffany couldn't help but wonder if Yasmin had prepared the sweater for Cooper specially.

Right as the tension at the dining table had reached its peak, the doorbell rang all of a sudden.

Chapter 1123

Thinking it was another guest, Isaac got up to open the door, only to see Sally standing outside.

She had an icy-cold air about her that made her seem unapproachable.

Unsure of what her name was, Isaac said, "Please come in..."

"That won't be necessary. Please tell Mr. Sutton that someone needs to see him urgently. I'll be driving him there," Sally replied coldly.

Isaac could only do as told and delivered the message to Cooper.

Cooper blotted the soup stain dry and tossed the napkin onto the table as he said, "Mr. Yerton, Mrs. Yerton, thank you both for the meal."

"There is no need to thank us! I'm just glad the food was to your liking!" Isaac said.

"Are you leaving so soon, Mr. Sutton? Here, why don't you change into this sweater before you go?" Yasmin asked while handing him the shopping bag. "No, thanks. I have spare clothes in the car," Cooper replied.

"I'll walk you to your car, Mr. Sutton," Tiffany said as she retrieved Cooper's down jacket from the foyer.

Yasmin shot her a furious glare in response.

Cooper then put the jacket on while she held it up for him. After that, he reached into the pocket and pulled out a jewelry box. "This is a gift for you-only you." "T-Thanks," Tiffany mumbled shyly as she took it from him.

Cooper then flashed her a gentle smile as he said, "You're welcome. Your mother's cooking is amazing. I'll treat you to a meal next time."

As his behavior implied he was into her, Tiffany tried her best to maintain her composure as she nodded in response.

Cooper then got into the passenger seat of his car which sped off into the distance.

"Why didn't you reject Yasmin's advances?" Sally asked when they had gotten quite far away from the residential area.

Cooper had given her a call shortly after she left the mansion, so she was able to hear everything that happened inside the house.

Sally came back to pick him up when she heard what he said and picked up on the signs.

Cooper leaned against his seat and massaged his forehead. "I don't like jealous women, so this would be a good chance to test Tiffany out. If Tiffany gets jealous because I'm close to other women, she might take it out on the kids."

My goal is to marry a woman who can look after the kids, after all.

Sally glanced at him through the corner of her eye. "Are you satisfied with your findings?"

"What do you think?" Cooper asked.

"I don't think you are. You wouldn't have said that last sentence if you were," Sally replied calmly.

Cooper couldn't help but be impressed by Sally's intelligence. She could figure out what he wanted simply by observing his behavior.

The fact that she came rushing over shortly after getting his call was a good example.

Had he not known about Sally's experience in the military, he would've mistaken her superb observation skills for setting her eyes on him.

Since it was only the two of them in the car, Cooper decided to ask her something personal. "You have a younger brother, right?"

"We're not related by blood. Stefo is the son of my father's comrade. His parents died shortly after he was born, so my father adopted him. Everyone in the military knows about this. That's why he wasn't involved in the Loake family's affairs. Ever since my father was taken away, I sent him to another state for his studies. Stefan may not be associated with the Loake family's affairs, but he can never join the military either," Sally replied.

"Was he the one who attacked me outside the hospital a few months ago?" Cooper asked as he put his glasses back on.

Sally was surprised to hear that as she assumed Cooper didn't give it much thought.

"You're overthinking it. Besides, I have never trained him, so he doesn't even know how to use a gun."

"Even if he did, I doubt he'd tell you about it," Cooper said.

Chapter 1124

Cooper had suspected Harry of murdering Dylan when the latter died. After all, Harry was far too smart for his age and possessed a ton of skills.

In the end, Cooper was proven to be right.

Not only was Harry a computer prodigy, but he was also physically fit and agile. However, his innocent and harmless appearance often caused others to lower their guard around him.

The look in Sally's eyes grew cold as she aggressively pulled over by the side of the road.

As Cooper turned to the side, he was met by her icy-cold gaze. "He may not be related to the Loake family by blood, but I have always treated him like my own brother. I also promised my father before he went to prison that I'd take good care of Stefo."

"You didn't have to pull over just to tell me that. I'm not going to harm him while the Loake family is in shambles. I don't mind what he did. He and I are even now," Cooper said with a chuckle.

While Cooper was indeed at fault for shooting Sally a long time ago, Stefan had also tried to kill him once, so he was willing to call it even.

Sally pursed her lips and started the car again.

Cooper propped his chin with his palm and stared at the scenery outside the car window as he asked, "You and Frank are the only people who know about the cruise ship explosion, right?"

Sally didn't know that Frank was an undercover police officer until she met him again in Lostaria. "I met Frank when I was in Lostaria a few years ago. You could say we're acquainted. He wouldn't have survived working undercover for the Leonardos if he couldn't keep a tight lid on such secrets. Besides his team members, Frank told the Lostarian police about the mission to exterminate the three mafia gangs because he needed their help. I'm guessing there was a mole in the police force."

Cooper narrowed his eyes. "It was no ordinary mole, either. I bet the Gaudette family had something to do with it."

Even Timothy didn't know about the death of Armand and his wife, and yet, word somehow managed to get to Herbert and Beatrix.

Neither the Loake family nor the Zane family was willing to take a side, so the Gaudette family tried to set them up.

As the Zeigler family, which had a huge influence in Baykeep, refused to take a side as well, the Gaudette family had no choice but to cause Herbert some trouble.

Sally understood what he meant. "Now that Baykeep is in chaos, the Gaudette family has no choice but to have their own people take over. You may not know this, but the former head of the Department of Public Information was transferred back after Armand's death. Sean is now the deputy head of department."

Cooper turned to look at her as he asked, "Wasn't he an editor who got transferred over from Feston? How did he end up becoming the deputy head of department?"

As excellent as Armand may have been, he would still have to gain some impressive achievements and slowly work his way up in order to take over Robert's position.

"Apart from being an editor, Sean is also connected to the Gaudette family. His mother and Eurydice's mother are cousins, so that makes him and Eurydice cousins too," Sally replied calmly.

Cooper's lips curled into an icy-cold sneer as he finally understood the situation. "Oh, so he had the Gaudette family backing him up. Heh... Looks like the Gaudette family are quite the ambitious bunch!" So, Sean wasn't transferred over because the government in Jadeborough was short on manpower. It was the Gaudette family that arranged for his transfer. The Department of Public Information controls the news in Jadeborough. By having one of their own holds such a position, they could quickly suppress any news that would cause them problems.

It was already ten by the time the two returned to the condominium.

After hanging the sweater on the rack, Cooper was about to tell Sally something when she walked past the living room and headed straight for the guest room.

Huh... She's able to identify the guest room even without me telling her. Something doesn't seem right here...

Cooper then packed some of his clothes in his room and drove to Swallow Garden. As Steven had headed over to Baykeep, he felt worried about leaving the kids at Swallow Garden on their own. Before going to bed, he texted Sally asking her to send the kids to school the next morning.

If she doesn't need sympathy, then I shouldn't have to worry about asking for her help.

Chapter 1125

"What do you think of Ms. Yerton, Mr. Sutton?" Bertilla asked as he followed Cooper into his office the next day.

"She's all right," Cooper replied without taking his eyes off his computer screen.

Having worked with Cooper for many years, Bertilla was all too familiar with his responses. He knew that Cooper meant he was not very keen on Tiffany. Bertilla then helped contact the woman who was scheduled to have dinner with Cooper that night.

Throughout the next few weeks, Cooper would work during the day and have dinner with different women in the evening.

He had encountered women from all walks of life, including heiresses of wealthy families, teachers, nurses, pet store owners, and even art teachers.

However, Cooper didn't find any of them to his liking as they were all gold diggers, and he assumed the kids wouldn't like them either.

On Christmas Eve, Lucian and Amanda had to go to school.

After breakfast, Cooper sent the two to school himself. Tiffany happened to be the teacher on duty at the school gate that day.

"Ms. Yerton!" Amanda greeted her with a wave.

Cooper shot Tiffany a glance while handing Amanda her schoolbag. "Mandy, do you like Ms. Yerton a lot?"

"Yes, I do! Ms. Yerton's classes are very interesting!" Amanda replied happily.

Cooper leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Although Tiffany wasn't exactly impressive, she was better than all the other women he had dinner with. On top of that, she was also Amanda's math teacher.

As Amanda made her way past Tiffany, the latter helped her adjust her red scarf.

She had noticed Cooper standing there, but didn't dare approach him as there were other teachers around.

Upon noticing her stealing glances at him, Cooper motioned at her to text him later.

Tiffany paused for a few seconds before nodding at him in response.

While Sally drove Cooper to Specter Corporation, he told her, "Park the car in the underground parking lot before five in the evening. I'll take Amanda and Lucian out for dinner tonight." Sally lowered her gaze as she asked calmly, "Do you need me to buy you flowers?"

"A bouquet of calla lilies," Cooper replied after giving it some thought.

"I thought you'd choose roses instead. Women love roses," Sally said.

"Roses are too cheesy. I don't think a teacher like Tiffany would like them," Cooper explained.

Upon noticing Sally's icy-cold expression in the rear-view mirror, Cooper leaned against his seat and kept quiet.

After finishing his work for the day, Cooper put on his coat and headed over to the underground parking lot. There was a bouquet of calla lilies placed neatly in the passenger seat. He then started the car and drove to the school. The kids had just finished school by the time he arrived at the gate.

While waiting for Lucian and Amanda, Cooper sent Tiffany a text.

After getting the kids into the car, he waited another fifteen minutes for Tiffany to come out. She was blushing slightly as she came jogging out of the school gate.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting. A student came to me with a question earlier, so I was held back."

"Don't worry about it," Cooper said as he opened the door to the passenger seat and handed her the bouquet of calla lilies.

"Thanks." Tiffany's eyes lit up with joy when she received the flowers.

After observing Cooper and Tiffany's interaction through the car window, Amanda asked Lucian, "Say, why is Uncle Cooper giving Ms. Yerton flowers?"

"If Ms. Yerton doesn't get in the car, then that means the flowers were to thank her for taking care of us at school," Lucian replied without looking up from his tablet. "And what if she gets in the car?" Amanda asked.

"Then, that means Uncle Cooper is trying to win her over."

Amanda got confused. "But why? Uncle Cooper was just asking me if I like Aunt Sally the other day. Isn't he with Aunt Sally?"

Lucian shot her a speechless look. "He only asked you if you liked Aunt Sally. He didn't say he was going to marry her."

Amanda frowned. "Is that so?"

Chapter 1126

Cooper then brought Tiffany and the kids to a Ferropenian restaurant that he booked.

The restaurant had a Christmas tree, festive decorations, and even a live band performing Christmas songs.

All of that combined made the atmosphere very romantic.

Tiffany had dined in fancy restaurants before, but it was her first time having the entire place reserved. Wow, this feels so dreamy! It's as though I'm dining in a castle!

"Do you like Ferropenian cuisine? If not, we can go for something else," Cooper asked.

Tiffany flashed him a shy smile. "It's delicious."

After dinner, Cooper brought Tiffany shopping at a mall. Because the mall was a subsidiary of Specter Corporation, she was allowed to take anything she wanted while Cooper footed all the bills. When they were done shopping, Cooper dropped the kids back at Swallow Garden before sending Tiffany home.

Upon arriving at her house, Cooper got out of the car and opened the door for her. "I think I quite enjoy your company, Ms. Yerton. What about you? What do you think of me?"

Timothy glanced at his handsome face and lowered her head as she replied, "I enjoy your company too, Mr. Sutton."

"In that case, how about we get married as soon as possible? I'll come pick you up at ten tomorrow morning, and we'll go pick out our wedding rings. What do you say?" Cooper asked with a smile. Tiffany froze for a few seconds before nodding with her face all red. "Okay."

"Good night," Cooper said as he got back into his car.

Amanda was still awake by the time Cooper returned to Swallow Garden. She ran up to him the moment he came in through the front door and asked, "Uncle Cooper, are you trying to win Ms. Yerton over?" Cooper nodded and handed the housekeeper his coat as he replied, "We'll go pick out wedding rings tomorrow."

"Whoa! That fast?" Amanda's eyes went wide with shock. "But you two have only met once, right? I thought..."

Cooper arched an eyebrow at her. "Hmm?"

"N-Never mind!" Amanda covered her mouth with one hand and waved at him with the other.

It started snowing again on Christmas.

Because they were going to pick out their wedding rings, Tiffany dolled herself up before leaving the house. "You look very beautiful," Cooper complimented her when he came to pick her up. He then drove her to a Harry Winston jewelry store located in Jadeborough.

The store manager escorted them into a VIP room and brought them dozens of beautiful diamond rings to choose from.

Cooper flashed her a gentle smile and said, "Try them all out and pick the one you like."

Tiffany blushed and nodded in response.

While waiting for her to pick out a ring, the screen of Cooper's phone lit up as he received a call from his assistant.

He then excused himself and left the VIP room to answer the phone, "What is it?"

"Ms. Loake has been arrested," Bertilla replied.

Bertilla was busy working at the office when Sally called him and told him to bail her out.

As Sally and Cooper were close, Bertilla decided to do as he was told.

However, the policemen refused to let Bertilla bail her out as he wasn't related to her in any way. That was why he had no choice but to call Cooper for help.

"What did she get arrested for?" Cooper asked with a frown.

"Ms. Loake was having a drink at a bar last night. There happened to be a drug deal going on, and one of the dealers put the drugs in her coat, which was stored in the locker. The police found the drugs in her coat and arrested her on the spot. Her prints weren't found on the bag, but the lack of surveillance cameras in the locker room made it hard for her to prove her innocence. The police are still treating her as a suspect at the moment. Should we try to help her out, Mr. Sutton?"

"The Loake family is in shambles. Someone is obviously setting Sally up to get her locked up in prison as well. How are we going to help her out? Through Specter Corporation? "Cooper asked. When the Loake family was still in power, Sally could easily cause lots of problems for Specter Corporation's branches overseas. Back then, Cooper often had his hands full because of her. It was near impossible for civilians to win against government officials, after all.

Realizing his mistake, Bertilla quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Mr. Sutton. I should've informed you the moment Ms. Loake called me."

Cooper simply hung up the phone without saying a word.

He then stood in the hallway and thought long and hard about it. By the time he returned to the VIP room, Tiffany had chosen a ring and asked him if it looked good on her. "Yeah, it looks great," Cooper replied as he whipped out a credit card and handed it to the store manager.

"Thanks for taking good care of my niece and nephew at school. This ring is a present to show my gratitude," Cooper told her while the store manager processed the payment. Sensing that something was off about his choice of words, Tiffany stared at him in confusion.

"If you look me up on the internet, you'll see that I'm not exactly a good guy. I don't think I'd make a good husband for you," Cooper added.

Tiffany wasn't sure why he changed his mind all of a sudden. "I-It's fine—”

Cooper cut her off, "No, it's not. You're a teacher, and I don't want to ruin your future. Please forget what I said last night and just accept this ring as a gift."

The store manager then returned the credit card, and Cooper left immediately after.

Chapter 1127

After ten minutes of driving, Cooper arrived at the police station.

As there had been a major change in the police force throughout the past few months, Cooper didn't recognize any of the higher-ups there. He then approached one of the police officers and said he came to bail Sally out.

The police officer eyed him from head to toe as he replied, "Sally Loake is suspected of dealing drugs. It's a serious crime, so you can't just drop by and bail her out."

"I spoke to the people at the bar before coming over. There were quite a lot of people entering and leaving the locker room at the time, and those lockers can be easily pried open. Besides, you guys didn't find her fingerprints on the bag, so you don't even have sufficient evidence to pin this on her," Cooper said calmly.

The police officer's expression turned gloomy. "Are you saying we're trying to frame her?"

"I'm just saying you can't keep her detained without sufficient evidence. It'd be bad for your reputation if word got out about this," Cooper replied.

One of the police officers passing by recognized Cooper and whispered something in the police officer's ear.

As they didn't have sufficient evidence, it would indeed affect their reputation if the media wrote about it. "Only family members are allowed to bail her out."

Cooper took his gloves off and said with a faint smile, "I am her family member."

"How are you going to prove that?"

"We were actually going to get married, but her family ran into some problems a while back, so we had to delay the registration. I could bring her to City Hall right now and get our marriage certificates done." The police officer hesitated for a bit before having his colleague bring Sally over.

She had maintained a poker face the whole time she was detained at the police station, but there was a glint of surprise in her eyes when she saw Cooper. Cooper walked up to her and wrapped his scarf around her neck as he said, "I've brought the documents with me. All that's left for us to do is drop by City Hall."

Sally nodded, and the two followed the police officer out of the police station.

As it was Christmas, most of the businesses in Jadeborough were closed for the day.

Cooper was expecting a huge crowd at City Hall as he imagined most people would love to get married on Christmas. To his surprise, however, the place was almost empty.

The entire process of submitting the documents, filling up the forms, taking photos, and collecting the marriage certificates took less than five minutes.

"Here, take a look. We just got them just now," Cooper said while handing the marriage certificate over to the police officer for inspection.

The police officer then had Cooper sign the bail documents before removing Sally's handcuffs.

Cooper handed Sally her household registry, ID card, and marriage certificate before leaving City Hall with her.

"Have you ever thought you'd one day be arrested and detained by the police? You know, since you're General Loake's daughter and all," Cooper asked.

"No. I didn't think I'd get married either," Sally replied calmly.

"Those people were clearly after you. Given the current state of the Loake family, no family member would dare bail you out," Cooper said as he made his way over to the passenger side and entered the car. He then waited until Sally got in before continuing, "Take us to Swallow Garden. By the way, do you want a ring?"

"No, thanks. I don't like having accessories on my hands. Besides, you've spent quite a lot of money on that ring you bought Tiffany," Sally replied while keeping her icy-cold gaze on the road ahead. Cooper shot her a curious glance. "How did you know about that?"

"Bertilla told me you were bringing Ms. Yerton to pick out a wedding ring at a jewelry store. Also, I saw the receipt inside your wallet when you retrieved your ID card earlier," Sally explained.

"You really have a keen eye for detail." Cooper opened the glove compartment and casually chucked the marriage certificates inside.

He then took off his glasses and wiped the fog off the lenses as he asked with a smile, "Since you're so smart, how about you guess why I bailed you out?"

Chapter 1128

"Because I'm a skilled fighter who has no feelings for you, and I am also capable of looking after your niece and nephew." Sally brought the car to a halt at a red light before continuing, "The Zeigler family won't take a side, so the Gaudette family refuses to let them remain in power because they posed a threat. After taking out the Zane and the Loake families, the Gaudette family will go after the Zeigler family." Feeling her nicotine addiction kick in, Sally retrieved a box of cigarettes from the armrest storage and lighted one.

As it was Cooper's car that she was driving, the cigarette belonged to him as well.

Unable to stand the intense smell of his cigarettes, Sally rolled the windows down to allow some ventilation. Having a sudden blast of cold air on her face helped clear her head instantly.

"I'll make a quick stop for a box of cigarettes," she said while handing him the lit cigarette.

Cooper nodded as he took it over and began puffing away.

Sally pulled over by the side of the road and went to buy a pack of cigarettes with lower tar content. "Keep going," Cooper said when she returned to the car.

Sally took a puff of her cigarette and rested her left hand outside the car window to avoid stinking the car up.

"Genevieve is the biological granddaughter of Old Mr. Zeigler, so you wouldn't just sit by and watch as others tried to harm the Zeigler family. As long as the Zeigler family still stands, the Gaudette family wouldn't dare lay a finger on Specter Corporation and Genevieve's kids. I have a grudge against the Gaudette family, and you want to take them out as well," Sally continued as she operated the steering whee with one hand.

Wow... Sally really is a smart woman. The fact that she hasn't done anything rash even after what happened to the Loake family shows that she's been holding things in.

Cooper smiled as he tapped the cigarette against the ashtray. "It's a shame your father wouldn't let you get into politics."

The Gaudette family may appear to be idle at the moment, but they'll surely strike if anything happens to the Zeigler family. I have no friends in the government, so I won't be able to protect Specter Corporation if anything happens to it. That is why I bailed Sally out. I need to work with her to destroy the Gaudette family.

As the car passed by the Harry Winston jewelry store, Cooper asked Sally to pull over by the side of the road.

"Pick a ring and make sure you wear it all the time. Otherwise, it'll be hard to explain it to the kids."

Seeing that he was persistent about it, Sally had no choice but to follow him into the store.

The store manager had just seen Cooper with Tiffany an hour ago, so he was a little surprised to see him bringing a different woman over.

However, he knew that such things were rather common among the upper class, so he didn't ask any questions.

Sally couldn't be bothered to enter the VIP room, so she decided to just pick one from the glass display cases. The one she chose had a princess-cut diamond on top of a platinum ring.

It looked delicate and pretty, yet wouldn't draw too much attention.

After taking her finger measurement, the manager had someone alter the ring's size while Cooper got himself the male version of it.

As it would take some time for the store to alter the rings, Cooper decided to get some work done while waiting.

Sally was taking a break in the lounge when a young couple walked into the store. The manager quickly stepped forward to greet them.

As the guy wasn't a VIP customer, the couple could only pick from the main display in the store.

The young woman's eyes lit up with surprise when she noticed Sally sitting in the lounge. She then walked up to Sally and asked, "Sally? What a coincidence! What are you doing here?" Sally glared coldly at the young woman as she replied, "What else could I be doing in a place like this?"

The look on the young woman's face changed slightly upon hearing that.

What the... The Loake family is destroyed, her mother is dead, and yet, she's acting like nothing ever happened.

With that in mind, Josephine asked with a mocking grin, "Hey, Sally! Practically all of Jadeborough knows your father got arrested for violating a minor! Who would possibly dare to marry you?" Sally ignored her insults and leaned back against the couch as she continued reading a jewelry magazine.

"You're a heartless b*tch, you know that? Your father is in prison, your mother is dead, and you're here getting married? Just how cold-blooded can you get?" Josephine continued.

Sally looked up and shot her an icy-cold glare as she asked, "Who are you to lecture me?"

Chapter 1129

Josephine said, "I'm saying this as a friend, of course. My father is on good terms with you, and he's in big trouble now because of this mess. Yet, you sit here and do nothing about it."

"Oh, really? What sort of trouble?" Sally retorted, "I don't see your father getting sacked or ostracized by others."

For one moment, Josephine was at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, Sally got up from the couch, approached Josephine, and stared at her coldly. "Tell your father that he does have a choice, but he should know what he's done. As long as I'm still alive, I'll clear my father and Mr. Zane's names."

At the same time, Cooper came out of the restroom. He headed for the lounge when he saw Sally speaking to another woman.

He asked, "Has the ring been resized?"

"Not yet." As soon as Sally had finished speaking, the store manager came over with a tray. The resized ring was placed on a piece of velvet.

Sally eyed the ring without making a move.

After stealing a glance at her, Cooper immediately understood what she was getting at. He picked up the ring and slid it onto her right ring finger.

Sally held up her hand and waved it at Josephine. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but someone actually decides to marry me. You should thank your lucky stars that I'm not a petty person. Otherwise, your future husband won't be able to buy a ring from this store, no matter how rich he is."

Cooper grabbed the handbag and scarf from the couch and left the jewelry store with Sally.

At once, Josephine recognized Cooper.

The Loake family is no longer the same as before. Cooper won't get any benefits by marrying Sally. Plus, his reputation will go down the drain. Why does he still want to marry her?

Josephine watched as the couple walked away. She felt annoyed as she recalled what Sally said to her earlier.

She could not believe that she had just been embarrassed by the destitute Sally.

Once they were in the car, Cooper said, "I'm just a VIP member at that jewelry store. I'm not a shareholder, so I can't stop them from entertaining that customer."

Sally, who did not seem bothered by the confrontation, relaxed her shoulders. "Scaring her will do the trick."

Cooper was amused. "It's like you've fallen from grace. Now that the Loake family is a shadow of its former self, everyone starts to bully you."

"They only know how to attack me verbally," Sally replied. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

Cooper quipped, "It's not like they can get the better of you anyway."

Sally understood the meaning behind his words and felt a lot better. A wan smile appeared on her face.

On the way home, Sally told Cooper. "The woman at the jewelry store is Josephine Carter. Her father is Edward Carter, the chief secretary of the state legislature. Edward and Mr. Zane used to attend the same military academy. They were very close, and the fact that Edward is currently the chief secretary has something to do with Mr. Zane."

There was a slight change in her tone as she spoke.

Cooper noticed that and asked, "Is Robert's imprisonment related to him?"

"Yes." Sally's gaze darkened. "I asked my father about it before he got arrested. He and Edward are the only ones who are aware that Mr. Zane had pulled some strings for someone. The man who joined the army had also admitted that it was Mr. Zane who had let him in. Apparently, Edward seemed to be in on it."

"Looks like the Gaudette family has benefited Edward greatly," Cooper remarked. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken such a risk."

When the car reached Swallow Garden, the couple kept quiet and ceased their discussion.

Amanda was wearing a red skirt and a red beret. Her cheeks were ruddy, and she looked like a princess from a fairytale.

She was decorating the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room with Lucian.

When she noticed Cooper's return, Amanda ran toward him to hug him. After getting picked up by him, she saw Sally and asked, "Huh? Why isn't she Ms. Yerton?"

Didn't Uncle Cooper say that he would pick a wedding ring with Ms. Yerton?

Chapter 1130

"I'm not the right person for Ms. Yerton, so I didn't buy the wedding ring." Cooper chuckled. "Ms. Loake will be your aunt, okay?"

Amanda looked at him with a frown. "You like so many women. Why can't you make up your mind, Uncle Cooper?"

Cooper was rendered speechless. He turned around to look at Sally.

Sally remembered how Cooper had helped her at the jewelry store earlier. So, she told Amanda. "I was the one who thought your uncle wasn't the right person for Ms. Yerton."

A wide-eyed Amanda stared at Sally. "Is it because you like Uncle Cooper?"

Sally hesitated for a few seconds before answering, "Um, kind of."

Following that, Amanda saw the ring on Sally's finger. Next, she glanced at Cooper's finger. Both of their rings had a similar style.

She leaped out of Cooper's arms immediately and ran toward Lucian. Although she spoke softly, she sounded proud. "I told you that Uncle Cooper always hangs out with Ms. Loake, and she definitely likes him. Don't you agree, Lucian? See, Uncle Cooper and Ms. Loake are wearing rings!"

Amanda pointed at the two adults and regarded Lucian again. "You've lost, Lucian. You must build that Lego princess castle for me."

Lucian turned around to glance at the couple's rings. He did not know what to say.

How could Uncle Cooper change his mind so quickly?

Although Sally seemed unapproachable, she was an excellent fighter. Moreover, she was gentle and soft-spoken in Amanda's presence. Amanda liked her as well, so she changed her opinion of Sally very quickly.

Amanda stood still obediently and allowed Sally to tie her scarf. She said, "Uncle Cooper, it's Christmas, and I want to play with Asel. I haven't seen Uncle Tim, Aunt Jojo, and Asel for a long time." "Your godmother has just returned from abroad. She misses Asel, too," Cooper replied tenderly. "We'll visit them later. Sally and I will spend time with you this Christmas.”

Amanda felt disappointed. With a little pout, she asked, "Then, can I call Daddy?"

Cooper fell silent for a while.

After tying Amanda's scarf, Sally whispered, "There's this exciting ski castle. Want to go there?"

"Really?" Amanda was distracted at once.

Sally leaned closer and whispered something in her ear again. Amanda's eyes lit up with excitement, and she tugged at the woman's hand. "Let's go, Aunt Sally! I want to go there!"

"Going there by car is too slow." As she spoke, Sally stole a glance at Cooper. "It all depends on your uncle now."

Amanda rushed toward Cooper, wrapped her arms around his legs, and said in her piping voice, "Please, Uncle Cooper..."

Cooper asked Sally, "Where do you want to go?"

"Baxrich," Sally answered.

"Indeed, going by car is too slow." Cooper got out his phone. "I'll get Bertilla to book the tickets..."

"It's faster to travel there by helicopter," Sally interrupted him. Then, she continued, "You don't need a pilot. After all, I've flown two jets before. Just get the helicopter ready." She added again, "I've checked the weather in Baxrich. There's light snow today."

Cooper was rendered speechless.

After that, he phoned Bertilla. Everything was ready in less than an hour, and the helicopter landed on the helipad within the compound of Swallow Garden.

Once the helicopter had taken off, Amanda admired the scenery outside.

A moment later, she asked Sally eagerly, "Aunt Sally, is a jet a plane that can shoot bullets?"

Sally grunted in acknowledgment.

"Wow! You're so cool, Aunt Sally! You're pretty, and you can also fight and fly a jet!" Amanda began to admire Sally. "I like you a lot.”

Sally listened and smiled silently.

She was not particularly fond of children, and she did not want to spend time coaxing them. Nevertheless, Amanda was adorable, energetic, and persuasive. Even Sally could not help but fall for the little girl's charms.

Amanda scrunched her nose. Suddenly, she remarked, "I think Uncle Cooper isn't the right person for you." "Have you forgotten that I'm still here?" A flabbergasted Cooper turned around to eye Amanda. "Tell me, then. Why do you think so?"

Amanda replied, "What can you do, Uncle Cooper?"

"I can make money," he answered.

"Making money is a basic skill." Amanda waved her little hands. "Although I'm five years old, I can earn money, too. I can play the violin and dance."

Cooper was dumbfounded and did not know how to respond.