The two men in military uniforms quickly recognized Anna's voice and gulped before one of them said, "Hello, Madam Anna, he's here but we wanted to confirm.""Let him in. How dare you stop him? Do you know who he is?" Anna's cold voice pierced through the speaker.The men nodded, slightly shaken, and handed Ambrose his phone back before they both saluted and said, "You can go on.”The driver was shocked. Although he hadn't heard the conversation, seeing Ambrose being saluted was enough to tell him that he had indeed been allowed in. Could it be that Ambrose truly had an invitation? But why would they salute him, even if it was just a normal invitation? The driver questioned himself.Ambrose opened the car door, sat down, and said to the driver, "Drive forward."The driver nodded and began driving towards the big mansion itself. He looked at Ambrose and asked, "You really did have an invitation?”Ambrose nodded. "Well, I
A white Corolla pulled up and entered the Ainsley Manor compound, coming to a stop in the driveway. Jonathan Hale stepped out of the car, dressed in a well-fitted Chinese outfit that exuded elegance and class. His attire was complemented by a sleek watch and stylish shades, adding to his polished appearance.Jonathan walked to the front door and knocked. When the door opened, he stepped inside, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Grandma Margaret and the others were visibly stunned."Oh, Jonathan, you are here," Grandma Margaret said, standing up with a delighted expression. "You didn't even inform us you were coming. Ah, you look very handsome."Jonathan nodded and smiled. "I hope you all are well. Actually, I'm here to pick Ava up for lunch."Hearing this, Elizabeth frowned. "My daughter is very busy. She was involved in something that has made her busy, so I don't think she'll agree to lunch.”"
Anna nodded. "Yes, there are a few powerful cards, but they are still below the Amex Black Card or the Centurion Card. For instance, there's the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card, which is very exclusive and highly regarded. Then there's the Citi Chairman American Express Card and the Dubai First Royale Mastercard, both prestigious but not quite at the level of the Amex Black Card.”Ambrose listened intently, absorbing the information. "I see. It's amazing to think about the level of access and privilege this card grants.”Ambrose stared at the card for a moment longer, still in disbelief, before finally looking up at his grandfather. "Thank you, grandfather. This is an incredible gift."The old master smiled warmly. "You deserve it, Ambrose. Use it wisely and live your life to the fullest.”“I will.” He respondedThe old master looked at Ambrose with a mix of pride and concern. "Are you going to stay a little longer, Ambrose?"Ambrose shook his head. "No, grandfather. I came with a cab, and i
Elder Wei hugged her tightly as she kissed his cheek deeply. "I miss you so much, Grandpa," she said, her voice filled with genuine affection.Elder Wei patted her back gently. "I've missed you too, Ameera. Welcome home.”After she was done hugging her grandfather, Ameera turned to greet her Uncle Malcolm."Uncle Malcolm," she said warmly, stepping forward to embrace him as well. "It's so good to see you."Malcolm smiled, returning her hug. "Welcome back, Ameera. You've grown even more beautiful since the last time I saw you. How was your journey?""It was long but good. I'm just glad to be home," she replied, her eyes twinkling with excitement.After greeting her Uncle Malcolm, Ameera turned to her cousin Jin Wei, a warm smile on her face."And Jin! How have you been? How's everything going?" she asked cheerfully.Jin forced a smile, hiding his underlying dislike for her. "I've been well, Ameera. Just busy with work, as always. It's good to see you back home."Ameera beamed. "It's go
Jonathan, determined to impress her, waved his hand dismissively and leaned back in his chair with a confident smile. "It's not a big deal at all, Ava. These prices are nothing. When you want the best, you have to be prepared to pay for it.”Ava raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing at her lips. "Is that so?""Absolutely," Jonathan continued, not missing a beat. "I've dined at some of the most exclusive restaurants around the country. This is just another great spot to add to the list. Besides, nothing's too expensive when you're with the right company.”Ava nodded, still smiling, and went back to perusing the menu. "Alright then, I'll have the seared scallops with truffle risotto," she decided.Jonathan nodded confidently. "Good choice. I'll go with the Wagyu beef."The waiter returned to take their orders, and Jonathan made sure to give them a flourish. "We'll have the seared scallops with truffle risotto for the lady and the wagyu beef for me," he said, handing back their
Just as emotions were reaching a boiling point, a security guard approached the tense group, eyeing them warily. "Sorry, gentlemen, but we can't have any disturbances here," he said firmly, addressing Ambrose and Jonathan.Ambrose raised his hands in a placating gesture. "No fighting here," he assured calmly, his voice steady despite the tension. He turned away from Jonathan and walked towards the table the hostess had pointed out earlier.The cab driver hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the commotion, then followed Ambrose quietly to the table. He took a seat across from Ambrose, unsure of what to make of the situation unfolding.Jonathan, still visibly agitated, watched Ambrose and the cab driver walk away. He clenched his fists for a moment longer before reluctantly sitting back down, shooting a last glare in Ambrose's direction.As Ava reluctantly sat down, she couldn't shake off the overwhelming guilt gnawing at her. Her gaze shifted between her food and Ambrose, who sat a
Immediately, Ava stood up as well and quickly walked behind him, following him outside. "Ambrose, Ambrose!" she called out.Ambrose turned around and looked at her. "What's your problem, Ava?"Ava looked at him, her expression full of frustration and confusion. "What's with this attitude? What's wrong with you, Ambrose?”Ambrose chuckled bitterly. "What's wrong with me? I made you go home to solve the problem of you hitting someone's car mistakenly only to call and you said you're out for a business meeting, meanwhile here you are with Jonathan. So what should I do again?""He asked for a lunch, so I agreed," Ava said defensively."You agreed and then lied to me that you were going for a business meeting? Anyway, I understand. You owe me no explanation after all. I'm just that useless person in your eyes.”Ava frowned slightly, then asked, "What do you mean? What are you talking about?""You know what I'm talking about. Clearly, I don't have to explain myself," Ambrose replied."Alrig
Outside, the nurse walked out and met Eunice. Eunice looked at her and asked, "Is everything on point?"The nurse nodded and replied, "Yes, he's receiving treatment. His report will be out soon to know what's next."Eunice nodded in approval. "Good," she said.Nearby, the old hut belonging to Ambrose's mom and dad had been demolished by Eunice's men. In its place, a bustling construction site had emerged. Machines were in operation, and there were piles of sand, stones, blocks, and a concrete mixer all around.A group of men were diligently digging the foundation, working towards building a new house for Mei and Jian, just as Ambrose had instructed. The sound of hammers and drills filled the air. Back at the downtown garden restaurant, Ava and Jonathan got back into the car and drove off. Ambrose, sitting in the cab, just stared at Jonathan's car as it drove away. He sighed but didn't say a word.Just then, the cab driver walked over with the waitress to demand payment for the food.
Ambrose nodded and smiled, watching Ava with a mix of amusement and affection. Just as he was about to say something, Ava suddenly stood up, her movements unsteady for a moment, but then, to his surprise, she began to sway to the music.Without any hesitation, she stepped out into the open space near their table and started dancing. The soft rhythm of the music filled the room, and Ava’s body seemed to flow effortlessly with it. Her movements, though tipsy, were graceful and captivating. She twirled, her arms floating through the air, and soon enough, she was dancing with such confidence that it mesmerized everyone around her.Ambrose was stunned. He had never seen this side of her. He watched in awe, not quite sure whether to laugh or join her. He glanced around, noticing other people had turned their heads to watch her as well. A few of them even started clapping in rhythm with her steps, encouraging her.Palermo, seated a few tables away, was glaring at her, his eyes narrowing with
Ambrose nodded and smiled, watching Ava with a mix of amusement and affection. Just as he was about to say something, Ava suddenly stood up, her movements unsteady for a moment, but then, to his surprise, she began to sway to the music.Without any hesitation, she stepped out into the open space near their table and started dancing. The soft rhythm of the music filled the room, and Ava’s body seemed to flow effortlessly with it. Her movements, though tipsy, were graceful and captivating. She twirled, her arms floating through the air, and soon enough, she was dancing with such confidence that it mesmerized everyone around her.Ambrose was stunned. He had never seen this side of her. He watched in awe, not quite sure whether to laugh or join her. He glanced around, noticing other people had turned their heads to watch her as well. A few of them even started clapping in rhythm with her steps, encouraging her.Palermo, seated a few tables away, was glaring at her, his eyes narrowing with
Ambrose nodded and smiled, watching Ava with a mix of amusement and affection. Just as he was about to say something, Ava suddenly stood up, her movements unsteady for a moment, but then, to his surprise, she began to sway to the music.Without any hesitation, she stepped out into the open space near their table and started dancing. The soft rhythm of the music filled the room, and Ava’s body seemed to flow effortlessly with it. Her movements, though tipsy, were graceful and captivating. She twirled, her arms floating through the air, and soon enough, she was dancing with such confidence that it mesmerized everyone around her.Ambrose was stunned. He had never seen this side of her. He watched in awe, not quite sure whether to laugh or join her. He glanced around, noticing other people had turned their heads to watch her as well. A few of them even started clapping in rhythm with her steps, encouraging her.Palermo, seated a few tables away, was glaring at her, his eyes narrowing with
Meanwhile, at the restaurant, Ambrose and Ava were still enjoying their dinner, the atmosphere lively with soft music playing in the background. Ambrose looked at Ava, smiling warmly as he reached for his glass.“You seem to be really enjoying the food,” he said, playfully nudging her.Ava smiled, taking a sip of her drink. “Well, it’s not every day I get to enjoy something this fancy.”Ambrose chuckled. “You deserve this every day, you know.”Ava looked at him with a mix of curiosity and affection. “You’re really full of surprises tonight.”Ambrose took her hand, squeezing it gently. “I’m really proud of you, Ava.”As they continued talking and eating, Ambrose suddenly picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and held it out to Ava. She blinked, momentarily shocked by his gesture."Ambrose, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice laced with surprise and shyness."Feeding you," he said with a teasing grin. "Come on, don’t be shy."Ava’s cheeks flushed, and she glanced around th
After placing their expensive orders, both Ambrose and Ava set their phones down. Ambrose turned to her and asked, "So, how's it going?""How's what going?" Ava asked."Your work. The contract for the Wei family, I mean."Ava nodded. "It's going well. It felt like a huge weight at first, but Dera's been helping little by little, so everything's going smoothly now.”"Dera," Ambrose nodded thoughtfully. "Is she staying at the manor permanently now?"Ava shook her head. "She’s planning to rent her own place soon, once she finds something. But for now, since she's helping me out, it just makes sense for her to stay at the manor.""Alright," Ambrose nodded again. He then gently took Ava’s hand, looking into her eyes without speaking."What?" Ava asked, her voice carrying a hint of shyness.Ambrose smiled softly. "I want to apologize.”"Apologize for what?" Ava asked, slightly confused."For everything," he said. "We got married against your will. Your dreams of marrying someone wealthy or.
Meanwhile, inside, Palermo was growing bolder by the second, leaning closer to Ava as he tried to charm her.Palermo reached out, attempting to lightly brush her arm. “Come on, why don’t we just enjoy the evening together, huh?”Before his hand could make contact, Ava snapped back, her voice strong and unyielding, “Touch me, and you’ll regret it.”Palermo paused, taken aback by her intensity but still trying to play it cool. “Whoa, calm down. I’m just being friendly.”“Friendly or not,” Ava shot back, her eyes narrowing, “I’m not interested, and I’m warning you—don’t try anything again.”At that moment, Ambrose re-entered the restaurant, his eyes immediately locking onto Palermo leaning too close to Ava. His face hardened as he quickened his pace. Without hesitation, Ambrose strode up to them and forcefully pushed Palermo back, making him stumble away from Ava.“Don’t touch my wife!” Ambrose’s voice was cold, his eyes burning with intensity as he squared up to Palermo, his frame tense
Immediately Ambrose reached the table and Ava saw him, she smiled warmly and said, "You're here."Ambrose nodded, his gaze briefly flicking to Palermo with a slight frown before turning back to Ava. He handed her a single rose he had been holding. "This is yours."Ava was pleasantly surprised as she took the flower, admiring how beautiful it was. "Thank you," she said, smiling.Ambrose nodded, his expression still a bit serious as he looked at Palermo and then back to Ava. "Who's he?" he asked.Ava glanced at Palermo and replied, "This man here is Palermo. He offered to pay for my drink, and I refused. But guess what? He doesn't believe I have a husband and thinks he can give me some sort of 'great treatment.'"Ambrose’s frown deepened at her words. He turned fully towards Palermo, his voice calm but firm. "Hello, she told you she has a husband, so why are you still trying to force things?"Palermo looked Ambrose up and down with a smirk. "Where's your ring? Did you just manage to get
The staff member hesitated slightly, then leaned closer to Ava. "Madam, I understand your wish to pay, but that man is a big deal around here. It would be wise to give him face. A gesture like this—"Ava cut him off, her tone calm but firm. "I said no thanks. It's $500, right? I'll pay it myself. It's simple." She handed the staff member her card and calmly gave him the password.The staff member gave her a cold look, clearly understanding that Ava wasn’t going to be swayed. He took the card and walked back to the man in the suit. "She refused your payment and offered to pay herself," he said quietly.The man smirked, his gaze trailing back toward Ava. "Alright, don't worry about it," he replied, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. He glanced toward Ava one more time.Ava, feeling the weight of his gaze, briefly locked eyes with him before she deliberately looked away and focused on her phone. She checked the time—7:00 PM. Ambrose hadn’t arrived yet, which
Ambrose walked out to the cab which was parked outside and then sat inside. Sitting inside, the driver greeted him coolly. Ambrose responded then asked him to drive quickly. Ava had just finished changing back into the outfit she wore earlier that morning, a stylish yet practical look that blended well with her professional demeanor. She glanced at her reflection in the rearview mirror, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Satisfied with her appearance, she took a deep breath and started the car.The engine roared to life, and she quickly punched the location Ambrose had given her—Le Jardin Gourmet—into the GPS. As the directions appeared on the screen, she shifted into gear and pulled out of the lot.The drive wasn’t too long, but Ava found herself thinking about the upcoming dinner, her thoughts drifting to Ambrose. She wasn't used to such gestures from him, and the fact that he had planned the evening left her with mixed emotions. Half an hour later, Ava pulled up near