Getting into the manor compound, Ambrose parked his electric bike right beside Ava's car and then walked towards the door and opened it.Immediately he stepped inside, the first person he saw was Ava, with her bag hanging around her shoulder. His mother-in-law seemed to be the only person missing; the rest of the family—Grandma Margaret, his father-in-law, and Ava's two cousins—were all present.Ambrose was about to speak when, suddenly, Lucas, who had been glaring at him angrily, lunged at him. Lucas grabbed Ambrose's collar with one hand and his neck with the other.Everyone was shocked."I'll kill you," Lucas said angrily, squeezing Ambrose's neck.Ambrose was stunned, unable to comprehend what was happening, so he didn't attack or defend himself."Lucas! Lucas!" Ava yelled, but Lucas kept attacking Ambrose, landing a punch in his stomach.Ambrose was seething with anger but refrained from retaliating, primarily because of Ava's presence and his respect for her.As Lucas continued
"Ambrose? No," Ava replied, shaking her head. Elizabeth nodded, a look of understanding crossing her face. She gazed at Ava thoughtfully before speaking again. "I know sometimes you must hate me because I'm the one who got you into this marriage with Ambrose. I'm sorry for hurting you, Ava." Ava took her mother's hand, squeezing it gently. "I've never hated you, Mom. You're my mother, and nothing can change that." Elizabeth smiled, her eyes softening with relief and gratitude. "Let me tell you something, Ava. Over twenty years ago, Ambrose's mom and I were best friends. We sat at the same desk in school. Do you know what? She always defended me like I was her sister. After all, we were both orphans. So many times, she would take the blame and get me scot-free while she got punished." Ava was stunned, her eyes widening in surprise. She knew her mother and Ambrose's mom had been classmates, but she had no idea they had shared such a tight bond. "There was this scholarship progr
About thirty minutes later, Ambrose turned over, his eyes adjusting to the dim light of the room. He glanced at Ava, noticing the gentle rise and fall of her breathing, indicating she was asleep. For a moment, he just lay there, feeling a mix of gratitude and contentment. He couldn't help but stare at her, admiring her features in the soft glow of the night. Her face, relaxed in sleep, seemed so peaceful. Ambrose felt a rush of affection and appreciation for her. Despite the tension and the arranged nature of their marriage, Ava had shown him a kindness and fairness tonight that warmed his heart. He smiled softly, feeling a sense of happiness he hadn't experienced in a long time. Knowing that she had defended him and offered him this small comfort made him feel closer to her than ever before. "Ava," he whispered softly, careful not to wake her, "I promise to support you and give you all the best things you deserve in life. I'll make sure you never have to struggle or worry. I’ll sho
Ambrose entered the dinning Hall too. Elizabeth immediately picked up a bowl and served him a generous portion. "Here, Ambrose," she said warmly, handing him the bowl.Grandma Margaret frowned, her displeasure evident. "Why are you serving this lazy guy so much?""He's not lazy, Mother-in-law," Elizabeth replied firmly. "He's the one who has been helping and doing most of the work here.""Thank you," Ambrose said, turning to leave with his bowl."Ambrose, sit down and join us and eat," Ava said suddenly."Huh?" Everyone raised an eyebrow, looking at Ava in surprise, including Elizabeth.Ambrose looked at Ava, a bit taken aback. "Excuse me?""Sit down and eat. No need to go and sit separately," Ava repeated, her tone leaving no room for argument.Ambrose hesitated for a moment, then nodded and took a seat beside Ava. The room was filled with a mixture of shock and curiosity, but Ava's firm stance left no room for further objections. As Ambrose settled into his seat, Grandma Margaret c
Soon after they were done eating, Elizabeth began clearing the table. Ambrose stood up to help, but she gently placed a hand on his arm, stopping him."Ambrose, it's alright. I'll take care of it," she said with a kind smile."But I can help," Ambrose insisted, not wanting to be seen as a burden.Elizabeth shook her head. "No, you've done enough. Go and relax.”Ambrose nodded reluctantly, appreciating Elizabeth's kindness. As they settled in the living room, Ava turned to Ambrose with a curious look. "So, Ambrose, you have a job now?"Ambrose nodded. "Yes, I got a job now. I'm doing different jobs to gather money.""Different jobs?" Ava frowned. "Which jobs?""Actually..." Ambrose gulped, struggling to fabricate a plausible story. "Last time I came by a construction site where I helped and got some money. That was yesterday. And there's also this bar where, if there's a time shift available, I quickly run there to help.”Lily, who had been listening, chimed in with disdain, "He's use
Ambrose pretended, shaking his head. "I really don't know who that could be." Ava pondered for a moment, her mind racing with possibilities. "Whoever it is, they must be quite wealthy," she mused aloud. She started the car and gently maneuvered away from the Mercedes Benz AMG "Do you believe one day I can own this car?" Ambrose asked softly, his gaze fixed on the road ahead as they drove along the bustling streets. Ava remained silent for a while, her focus on navigating through the traffic. Finally, she glanced at him with a slight furrow in her brow. "Why do you ask?" Ambrose shook his head gently. "It's nothing. I just... sometimes I think about the future. I believe one day I'll be rich, so rich that I can take care of you well. I want to give you the life I couldn't before, make you proud, and live the best life together.” Ava's heart warmed at his words, touched by his sincerity. She kept her eyes on the road, processing his aspirations and the complexities of the
Mei's eyes widened in shock. "A new house?" she repeated, barely able to believe what she was hearing. "Yes, Auntie Mei," Eunice confirmed. "It's all part of the plan." Mei raised her hands in a gesture to halt them, her suspicion still evident. "Wait, wait. Which charity organization are you people from?" Eunice smiled warmly and replied, "Actually, we're from Gemstar Platinum." "Gemstar? Hmm, which company is that?" Mei asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. Eunice chuckled softly, "Auntie, Gemstar is a company in Sandalwood. It's actually the leading company there.” "Sandalwood?" Mei's face lit up with a smile. "My son stays in Sandalwood. He must know the company then." Eunice nodded but didn't elaborate further. Even she didn't know that Mei's son, Ambrose, was the chairman of Gemstar. "That's great, Auntie Mei. We're here to help, and we'll make sure everything is taken care of.” Eunice looked at Mei with a reassuring smile. "Auntie Mei, you shouldn't worry abo
Ava, feeling embarrassed and flustered as bystanders began to gather around, nodded nervously. "I'm sorry, very sorry. It was a mistake, my fault, I understand.” The lady scoffed, unrelenting. "Your apologies mean nothing. You're a careless driver, endangering others on the road. I could have you reported and your license revoked. Do you understand the consequences of your actions?” "I didn't mean to," Ava stammered, trying to diffuse the situation. "I'll take care of the repairs, I promise.” The lady turned back abruptly, her expression firm and unwavering. "I'm not interested in repairs. I just bought this car early this morning, and now look at it!" She gestured angrily at the damaged front light. "You're going to buy me a new one." Ava's heart sank as she realized the magnitude of the request. The type of Audi the lady owned would cost nothing less than $100,000, far beyond what she could afford. Panic began to set in, her mind racing for a solution. "I-I don't have that kind