Dinner continued, the room filled with strained silence. Grace's father sensed the tension and got up, deciding to excuse himself. “I'll leave you to it,” he said, nodding politely before heading towards his study. His departure left just Grace, her mother, and Gerald.Grace's mother continued picking at her food, clearly still processing the revelations from earlier. She glanced at Gerald, and inwardly, she admired how calm and collected he had been, not uttering a word and just eating his meal. After a few moments of silence, she decided to speak up.“Gerald,” she began with a cautious tone. “I must admit, I’m still struggling to understand how you managed to gain the support of the Chen and Liu families. It seems almost too effortless.”Gerald, who had been eating quietly, set his fork down and calmly met her gaze. “It’s not as effortless as it sounds.” He shrugged, as if what he had done wasn't anything spectacular. “It requires understanding people’s motivations and leveraging th
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
“Oh?” Grace folded her hands on her chest, raising an eyebrow at him. “And what could be the solution, Doctor Gerald?”Gerald grinned, like a schoolboy who had just been offered candy. He leaned in, whispering into her ear, “You know, according to some rather *convincing* medical research, having sex can be incredibly beneficial for relieving stress and tension.”“Huh?” Grace's eyes widened, and then she burst into laughter. “Seriously? Is that your expert opinion, Dr. Gerald?”“Absolutely. I personally carried out this research.” Gerald nodded, keeping a straight face, which made Grace laugh even harder. “It’s a proven method. Just think of it as a… therapeutic experience.”“You're insane.” Grace shook her head, her wild laughter reducing to giggles. “I can’t believe you're serious about this. Do you hear yourself?”“Of course.” Gerald grinned. “And I must say the benefits are quite impressive with absolutely no downsides. Reduced stress, improved mood, and a general sense of ‘pleasu
“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
“No, no,” Zhang interrupted smoothly, making her hand pause in its tracks. “Please, open it now. I insist.” The crowd went silent, and Grace’s mother furrowed her eyebrows. She looked up to her husband, who gave her the go-ahead to open it with a nod. She hesitated before carefully undoing the elegant wrapping. As she lifted the lid of the box, a gasp escaped the lips of everyone in the hall. Inside the box lay a dazzling deep red ruby, perfectly cut and gleaming under the chandelier light. It was clearly an antique, worth a fortune, with a beauty that could rival diamonds. “Wow,” Grace's mother’s lips formed an ‘o’ shape as she stared at the ruby in wonder. “Yes, wow.” Zhang’s voice boomed once again. “This, dear sister-in-law, is a rare ruby from the Ming dynasty, a family heirloom passed down through generations until they all died out. Its worth exceeds millions of dollars.” At this point, he cast a mocking side glance at Gerald before adding with a cruel smile, “Certainly
“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
Gerald nodded at Mr. Li with a respectful smile before turning towards Grace’s mother. The crowd was still buzzing with excitement and disbelief at the turn of events. When Gerald began to walk to the podium, they parted, giving him space as he made his way, walking with slow, confident strides.Grace’s mother stood still as she watched the man she had underestimated countless times. She began to wonder where Grace had found such a mysterious man, trying to wrap her head around who Gerald actually was.As Gerald approached, he gave her a respectful nod and carefully retrieved the timepiece. The bronze of the watch shone under the light of the chandeliers as he held it out to her.“This,” Gerald began, his voice calm, as if he hadn’t been the one ridiculed moments ago, “is for you, as a token of respect and appreciation. I hope it finds a worthy place in your collection.”Grace’s mother, still taken aback by the man before her, hesitated for a moment.“Take it, mother-in-law. This is a
"Do it, son." Zhang nodded at Chang, who smirked and stepped forward to face the crowd. The room went still, eager for another dose of chaos on this already eventful night.“Ladies and gentlemen,” Chang began with a calm voice, as if he wasn't the one embarrassed alongside his father just minutes ago. “There are things you need to know about the man my cousin has chosen as her fiancé.”Gerald's eyes narrowed. What were they up to now? What had they dug up about him? He glanced at Grace, who looked back at him with an equally confused expression, wondering what tricks they had up their sleeves this time.“You see…” Chang paced slowly, letting the tension build. “My cousin Grace has been deceived and lied to. She has allowed love to cloud her sense of judgment. She is unable to see the truth about the man she's chosen to spend her life with.”Murmurs rippled through the crowd, their attention fixed on Chang's every word. Chang paused, basking in the power he held over the room, before t