The family turned to Robert, their reactions ranging from disbelief to outright scorn. Lily’s father was the first to speak, his voice dripping with contempt. “You again? What the hell are you doing here, Robert?” His eyes narrowed with anger, clearly tired of seeing the man he considered to be beneath his family.Robert remained calm, standing his ground despite the hostility. “I’m here to help secure the contract with the Glidson Group of Companies,” he said, his voice steady.Lily’s father scoffed, glaring daggers at Robert. “You, this poverty-stricken guy? How in the world could you possibly make that happen? What makes you think you have anything to offer?”Before Robert could respond, Lily’s half-brother, Derek, erupted in laughter. His mockery filled the room, his voice laced with arrogance. “You? Help with a contract like that? Robert, you’re a joke! You’re out here playing knight in shining armor, but you’re nothing but a broke nobody. "He continued "Please, don’t embarrass

Her father’s expression hardened. “So you’re saying you’ve actually made this deal? Even if you have, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re just an opportunist trying to insert yourself into our lives. You may have done something for the deal, but it doesn’t change who you are in our eyes.”Lily’s mother, now visibly agitated, added, “We’re not impressed by your grandstanding. If anything, you’ve only proven that you’re a sham who’s trying to buy his way into our family. We don’t need your false pretenses.”Her half-brother shook his head in disbelief. “You’ve made a fool of yourself, and by extension, you’ve made a fool of Lily. You’re no match for Jonathan, and you never will be.”Lily’s heart sank as she watched her family continue to belittle Robert. She could see the impact of their scorn on him, and it only fueled her resolve to stand by him. Despite their harsh judgments, she knew that Robert’s genuine efforts were worth more than the superficial judgments her family placed on

His thoughts spun uncontrollably, replaying the scene—Lily’s father, her mother, even her half-brother—all mocking him, calling him a liar, pretending as though they knew everything. How dare they? His foot pressed harder on the accelerator, the car zipping through the streets faster than usual. He was distracted, his vision clouded by his anger, the lights of the city flashing by like mere flickers in his peripheral.When he finally arrived at his office, it was late, the sky outside a blanket of darkness. The security guard, sitting at his post, raised an eyebrow in surprise at seeing Robert at such an odd hour. He hadn’t expected anyone, much less Robert, and the tension on Robert’s face made him stand a little straighter, concern etching across his features."Sir, everything okay?" the guard asked hesitantly.Robert didn’t answer, his thoughts still swirling like a tornado. His only response was a curt nod as he stormed past the guard, his pace quick, his eyes straight ahead, foc

Her father stepped forward, his voice rising with anger. “You seriously think that pauper has the power to cancel a multi-million-dollar deal? Stop this nonsense, Lily! It’s Jonathan. He’s probably playing some game, but he’ll come around. He has to.”Lily shook her head, trying to get them to understand. "No, it’s not Jonathan. It’s Robert. You don’t know him like I do—"Her mother cut her off, her voice shrill with fury. “Shut up! If you don’t fix this, Lily, we’ll deal with you ourselves. I won’t have you bringing shame to this family because of your foolish choices!"Her half-brother chimed in, his voice dripping with contempt. “You better get that deal back, or you’ll regret ever standing up for that pauper. You’re either with this family or against us.”Lily felt a cold wave of panic wash over her. The pressure, the anger, the threats—it was all too much. Unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer, she spun on her heel and stormed up the stairs, tears streaming down he

Robert’s patience had already worn thin, and as he left the Hartley house, a faint smile tugged at his lips. If only they knew, he thought to himself, if only they understood that I could secure the deal with a single call, they wouldn’t be so flippant. But instead of revealing his hand, he simply nodded, keeping his cool. Walking back to his car, he agreed to the deal on the surface and left the house without looking back.Five days passed, and the atmosphere in the Hartley household grew tense. Lily had had enough of watching her parents treat her life like a game of ping pong. Her frustration had reached its peak, and she realized she couldn’t just sit around any longer. Taking matters into her own hands, she made a bold decision — she would go to the Glidson Group of Companies herself and try to salvage the deal.Determined, but nervous, she picked up her phone and called Robert. As the phone rang, her heart raced. She wasn’t sure how he would react to her sudden decision, but sh