Ameera asked, “What’s the budget for the renovation, Grandpa?”Elder Wei replied, “A million dollars.”Ameera’s eyes widened in surprise. “A million dollars for what exactly?” she asked, clearly taken aback by the large amount.Jin frowned and asked, "Why are you behaving as if a million dollars for renovation is a big thing?"Ameera looked at him sharply, "What do you know about money management? Just because our family is wealthy doesn't mean we should pour out money without consideration."Malcolm cleared his throat, interjecting, "Ameera, things are costly, and we're aiming for a very luxurious renovation. It's an investment that will add value.""Which renovation company got the contract, then?" Ameera asked, turning to Chen, the family business manager.Chen, catching her expectant gaze, smiled politely. "Madam, the contract was awarded to the Ainsley family's business, led by Ava Ainsley."Ameera's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Is it a big company? How many significant projects h
Ambrose nodded and said, "Cool, that's nice too."Aurora tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "So, what made you get married early? You're young, you know."Ambrose smiled, a touch of nostalgia in his expression. "Well, certain conditions put people in certain situations, you know.""What do you mean by that?" Aurora asked with a slight frown.Ambrose sighed and then revealed, "Actually, I'm a live-in son-in-law." He smiled lightly.Aurora, already aware of this, acted surprised. "You mean you stay with your wife's family?""Yes, I do," Ambrose replied shortly."And why is it so?" Aurora pressed.Ambrose looked around, then sat down. "What would make a man stay with his wife's family and be fed by them? Isn't it because he's poor?" he asked."You're poor?" Aurora feigned surprise, intrigued by how much he would reveal.Ambrose nodded. "Life hasn't been fair. I wasn't doing well, and amidst these problems, I got married. But despite everything, I've loved my wife throughout our marriage,
An hour later, Ambrose arrived at the gate of the manor. He opened it and entered, drawing the attention of Ava and Dera, who were seated outside having a lighthearted conversation. Ava's eyes widened in surprise and a mix of emotions as she saw Ambrose, who looked different—well-dressed and handsome, unlike the Ambrose she remembered. The noticeable absence of his luggage puzzled her further.Ambrose, seeing Ava, paused briefly before walking towards her. Dera, noticing the exchange, pieced things together. "He's Ambrose, right? That husband you mentioned?" she asked Ava, who nodded in response."Look at how nicely he's dressed, yet he's poor, deceiving people. Tch," Dera scoffed as she stood up and approached Ambrose. "Hello, what do you want here?" she asked sharply.Ambrose, taken aback by her confrontational tone, frowned and asked, "Who are you to ask me that? Anyway, I'm not here for you." He looked at Ava and continued, "I'm here...""I knew you'd come back. Where's your lugga
After a tense wait of half an hour, Lucas finally drove into the manor with the electric bike. Ambrose, seeing him, walked briskly over to where he parked."What gives you the right to take my bike?" Ambrose demanded, his voice cold and controlled. "Who gave you the authority?"Lucas, visibly annoyed, stepped off the bike and shot back, "What authority? I'm doing you a favor by using this piece of junk. You should be grateful someone's even willing to touch your stupid bike.”Ambrose's eyes narrowed. He could feel the anger rising but kept his composure. "A favor?" he repeated incredulously. "Using someone else's property without permission isn't a favor; it's theft."The tension between them escalated quickly. Lucas, feeling disrespected and embarrassed, took a step forward, trying to push Ambrose. "You're nothing but a parasite, living off my family. You think you're better than me?”Before Lucas could land a hit, Ambrose caught his arm and swiftly pushed him back, causing Lucas to
The woman who had hit Ambrose turned out to be none other than Ameera Wei, the young mistress of the influential Wei family. She was dressed impeccably in a designer outfit, exuding elegance and sophistication. Her beauty was striking, with a calm and graceful demeanor that drew attention.Ambrose, momentarily captivated by her appearance, quickly regained his composure. "I'm fine, really," he said, brushing off his clothes. "It was my fault; I wasn't concentrating.”Ameera shook her head, clearly concerned. "No, it's my fault. I should have been more careful." She looked around at the small crowd that had gathered, and with a gentle but firm voice, she addressed them, "Thank you for your concern, but everything is under control. You can leave now."As the onlookers slowly dispersed, Ameera turned back to Ambrose, her expression still one of genuine concern. "Are you sure you're okay?Ambrose reassured Ameera, "I'm fine, really, don't worry about it."Ameera studied him for a moment b
Ambrose entered his room, settled on the couch, and turned on the TV to watch some movies. As he was getting into a film, his phone started ringing. Checking the caller ID, he saw it was Anna. Without hesitation, he answered."Hello, Master Li, happy Sunday," Anna's voice came through warmly."Hello," Ambrose responded, then asked, "How are you doing?""I'm fine, thank you," Anna replied. "Master, I wanted to ask if you'll be free tomorrow.""Is there any problem?" Ambrose inquired."Yes, please. You'll need to be at the office tomorrow for a quick business discussion. Your input is needed," she explained."Alright then, I'll be there tomorrow. Don't worry," Ambrose assured her. He then asked, "So, how is my grandfather?""He's doing well, though not as strong as before. But rest assured, he's being well taken care of," Anna answered."Alright," Ambrose sighed in relief. "See you at the company tomorrow then." He ended the call, placing his phone down.His gaze lingered on the phone f
When Ambrose reached his car, the sales lady carefully placed his purchases in the trunk. As he was about to open the driver's door to sit down, she cleared her throat nervously. "Sir, can you snap a picture of me beside your car?" she asked shyly. Ambrose nodded with a smile. "That's not a problem, give me your phone." Overjoyed, the lady quickly handed him her phone, already set to the camera app. Ambrose closed the car door and positioned himself in front of the car, snapping a few pictures of her beside the sleek Mercedes. "Do you want to sit inside and have a snap?" he asked. "Really? Can I, sir?" she replied, her eyes wide with excitement. Ambrose nodded and opened the car door, inviting her to sit. "Wow!" She couldn't believe it was happening. She looked around the luxurious interior, gulping in awe. She quickly switched her phone to video mode, recording herself and taking a few more pictures. She even posted them to her Snapchat with captions like, "A customer gave
As Ambrose and Aurora walked through the lobby, they could feel the eyes on them. Some people stared openly, while others whispered among themselves. One person even said, "You two make a perfect couple." Aurora blushed slightly, but Ambrose responded with a polite smile. "Thanks, but we aren't a couple," he clarified. The receptionist from the previous night noticed them and thought to herself, Hnnn, I can see a love story transpiring soon. Boss and this guy... I thought he was married? Ignoring the whispers and curious glances, Ambrose and Aurora continued outside, where Aurora's car was waiting for them. Getting outside, Aurora noticed the white AMG still parked in the lot. "This car is still here? The owner is still in this hotel?" she frowned, puzzled. Ambrose glanced at the car and quickly brushed it off. "Yeah, probably. It's a big hotel; a lot of guests stay here for extended periods," he said casually, not wanting to reveal that he was the owner. Aurora nodded, still a b
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