Adam pulled away from Aria and stood up. He didn't say anything about Rosalind's message. "I'll go get ready. Meet me downstairs in 30 minutes."Aria nodded and watched as Adam left the room. She took a deep breath, feeling nervous but excited at the same time. She couldn't believe that she was actually going to meet her parents to discuss her engagement. She had always felt suffocated by her father's constant pressure to follow his wishes and expectations. She had been looking forward to breaking free from his influence.As Aria got ready, she tried to calm her nerves by focusing on the positives. She liked Adam and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. It was just the thought of facing her parents that made her nervous.Meanwhile, Adam noticed that Rosalind was pacing back and forth at the front porch with a worried look on her face. He approached her and said, "Can you make a video call to your father for me?" Rosalind stopped in her tracks, looking irritated. "Why aren'

Adam grinned. "Yep, I figured that would grab his attention. I wanted to prove I’m all in when it comes to taking care of you and making you happy."Aria’s face warmed with a gentle smile. "That's sweet, but you know, money isn't everything to me."Adam’s smile turned playful. "Well, your dad sure does. So I had to bring out the big guns."Aria shook her head in disbelief. "I know he's so obsessed with money and status. I'm sorry you had to deal with him. He can be a real pain in the butt sometimes."Adam shrugged his shoulders. "It's all good. I'm glad I got the chance to speak with him. Your parents seem pretty chill overall. And besides, we're getting married regardless. There’s nothing your dad, your mom, or anyone, can do to change that."Aria smiled, feeling a bubbling sense of happiness in her chest. She even started thinking about spending the rest of her life with Adam. From the moment she met him, she knew that he was different from the other men who had pursued her.Thinkin

Miguel's jaw dropped in shock, and Rhonda gasped. Aria almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Twenty million dollars a year for 22 years? Adam continued, not missing a beat. "This way, not only will you be, well, compensated for Aria's upbringing, but you'll also be able to retire comfortably for the rest of your lives. And Aria and I will have the peace of mind."After a moment of stunned silence, Miguel said, hesitantly, "Did you just say $20 million every year for 22 years?"Adam nodded firmly. "That's correct, Mr. Vasquez."Miguel couldn't believe it. Twenty million dollars a year. His mind raced with all the possibilities of what he could do with that much money. He could buy a mansion, a private jet, travel the world, and never have to work another day in his life. He thought about quitting his job immediately and living a life of luxury.The thought of the money consumed him, and he couldn't focus on anything else.But Aria couldn't keep quiet any longer. "No, Dad, thi

Aria felt her cheeks heat up at the mention of Ryan's name. She had tried to forget about him, but it seemed like he was still a topic of conversation among her old friends.When they walked into the party room, Aria couldn’t stop staring at how fancy everything was. It was surprising because she knew Ryan didn’t come from a rich background. The chandeliers were hanging down, shining a warm, golden light on everyone. Waiters dressed up in fancy suits were moving around the room, serving glasses of bubbly champagne.She saw a lot of people she knew from when she was in college and realized that many of them were her old classmates. She smiled as she remembered the old times.For half of the people there, it was their first time seeing Adam and Aria, so they were quite surprised to see them. But the people who had known Aria back in college were even more shocked. They remembered her differently. She had never been this breathtakingly beautiful, let alone exuding the aura that usually

Ryan excused himself from the CEO and quickly made his way to the party hall. He had to see Aria, even if it was just for a moment. As he entered the hall, he saw a group of people gathered in the corner, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Aria standing there.She was even more beautiful than the last time he had seen her. Her hair was styled differently, and she was wearing a stunning dress that brought out the color in her eyes. He couldn't help but stare at her.But as he looked closer, he noticed that Aria wasn't alone. Chad and a man he didn't recognize were also standing there, looking tense. Ryan didn't know what was going on, but he could feel the tension in the air.Ryan took a deep breath and approached them. "Hey, Aria," he said, trying to sound casual, "how are you?"As soon as the crowd saw Ryan coming, they started whispering to one another, wondering what would happen next. They were all curious about how the drama between Ryan, Aria, and her fiancé would end.Ar