After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the massive doors of the manor finally swung open. Mr. Liu and Mr. Liang appeared, deep in conversation with serious expressions on their faces. Grace and Gerald immediately straightened up, nudging each other with their elbows.“You got this?” Gerald inquired. “I got it. Leave it to me,” Grace took a deep breath and prepared herself. “Here we go.”Wasting no time, Grace rushed toward them, eager to seize this rare opportunity.“Mr. Liu! Mr. Liu!” she called out with a firm yet polite tone.Mr. Liu glanced in her direction, his eyes widening as he recognized who the girl was, but he remained stoic. He gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment but continued talking to Liang. He was used to people vying for his attention and had long mastered the art of ignoring them.Undeterred, Grace pressed on. She wasn't going to let a cold shoulder stop her, she'd been waiting far too long to be deterred by something so petty. “It’s a pleasure to meet you

As the car glided smoothly through the city streets, Grace stared out the window, her mind replaying the evening's events. Every detail, every twist tugged at her curiosity about Gerald’s true identity. It wasn’t just that he had secured the support of the Chen and Liu families—two notoriously difficult factions to sway. It was the effortless way he had done it, as if the entire negotiation was merely a casual transaction. The sheer absurdity of it gnawed at her.She glanced at his profile, illuminated by the occasional passing streetlight. His face remained unreadable, his hands steady on the wheel, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. There was something about his quiet and unassuming demeanor that both unsettled and fascinated her. Gerald was an enigma, one she couldn’t easily unravel—and that mystery only attracted her more.“Gerald…” Grace hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know how to thank you. You’ve done more for me tonight than I could have ever imagined. I’ll

After dinner, the ambiance of the room had lightened somewhat. Grace's mother had warmed up to Gerald slightly, and the tension had eased between them. Gerald initially felt bitter about how she had treated him at first, but he was glad that everything had gone well. As they wrapped up, Grace excused herself, saying she needed to make a quick call.“I’ll be back in a bit,” she said, giving Gerald a sweet smile.Gerald nodded and turned to face her mother. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.”Grace's mother gave him a simple nod, still deep in thought. Gerald returned the nod and made his way to the room he shared with Grace. It had been one hell of a day, and now he wanted to just unwind.Once inside the room, he headed straight to the bathroom. He wanted to wash away the stress of the evening and take a moment for himself. Removing his shirt, he leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on his face. The refreshing sensation helped calm him down.He looked up, staring at his ref

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Grace’s father began, his deep voice easily carrying over the now-quiet crowd, “thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate this special occasion with us.”Every guest turned their full attention to him, their conversations halting in the moment.“Tonight, we aren’t just here to enjoy good food and fine company,” he continued, glancing lovingly at his wife, “we are here to celebrate my beautiful wife, the woman who has been my partner, my strength, and my heart for so many years.”Soft murmurs of admiration rippled through the crowd as Grace’s mother blushed, clearly touched by her husband’s words.“She has stood by me through every challenge, every joy, and every triumph. Without her, none of this would have been possible. I wouldn’t be the man I’ve become today.” He raised his glass a little higher, emotion and love evident in his eyes. “To the love of my life. May we continue to walk through this world hand in hand, for as long as we have.”The crowd e

“My name is Dr. Li. I am a leading expert in antiques, specializing in historical artifacts.” He swept his gaze over the crowd, making sure he had their full attention. “And what this young man has presented before you is not some ‘dusty old watch.’ This is a treasure.”The crowd was in disbelief, whispering amongst themselves. Zhang and Chang furrowed their brows, wondering who this man was.“What are you talking about?” Zhang demanded, the smirk on his face faltering.Dr. Li glanced at him, then ignored him, focusing his entire attention on the watch in Gerald's hands. “This timepiece,” he began, his voice growing with excitement at each word, “is none other than the first watch ever made in the world. It once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte himself, who gifted it to his mistress! This, my friends, is a piece of history.”Silence. Then a collective gasp spread through the crowd. Grace's parents, who had just moments ago been ready to send Gerald out, were left speechless, their anger