Ava and Dave turned in Gordon's direction.
He approached them, smiling broadly, glad to see Ava and Dave together. "Oh, splendid. It's wonderful that the two of you are already getting along," Gordon remarked, gesturing for them to follow him into the mansion. Despite feeling uneasy about the situation, Ava and Dave remained silent, unsure of how to respond to Gordon's assumption. Ava was eager to enter the mansion to share with her grandfather that Dave wasn't a marriage prospect! Upon entering, they encountered Greg and Joyce Dexter, Ava's parents, deeply engrossed in laughter and conversation while watching a movie. "Joyce, we have a special guest. Ask the chef to prepare a nice meal for him," Gordon instructed, prompting Greg and Joyce to look up. Their gazes landed on Dave, and they exchanged puzzled glances, wondering who he was. Dave was dressed in a simple T-shirt and trousers, causing them to wonder why Gordon had introduced him as a special guest. They had expected someone more extravagantly dressed! "Greg and Joyce, meet Dave Collins, Ava's fiancé, whom I told you about," Gordon said, and then he turned to face Ava and Dave without hesitation. "I hope you both don't delay in getting your marriage certificate..." "Dad, is this some kind of joke?" Greg interrupted, giving Dave a disdainful look. "It's better for Ava to remain unmarried than to marry a low-life and loser like this!" he continued, scanning Dave from head to toe several times to make sure he hadn’t misjudged. "Yes, Dad, we won't sit back and watch Ava get married to some piece of rag. I'm sure he has no money or background. Look at his clothes," Joyce said, gesturing at Dave's attire from head to toe. "The rags he's wearing aren't even worth the price of the tissue paper we use in the restroom, so what does the pauper have to offer this family...?" Gordon interrupted sternly, “He has just arrived in Nexroh, and can earn a good income to buy himself nice clothes. Just give him some time to adjust. And, haven't I taught you not to judge a book by its cover?” "Well, Grandpa. I can't marry this man. I hardly know him. I don’t think he suits me," Ava couldn’t help but speak for herself. She couldn’t imagine herself being tied to a random nobody! "Ava is right. This man is just a shameless gold-digger who wants to marry into this family merely because of our wealth and affluence! If not, what makes a pauper like this think of marrying into a wealthy and influential family like ours?" "Well, no matter how the fool tries, he can't marry into this family. It would only bring us so much shame and disgrace that the Dexter family will become nothing but a laughingstock in the community," Greg added. However, Gordon wasn’t persuaded; instead, he spoke firmly. "Ava marries no one but Dave, except I'm no longer her grandfather! It’s decided and I don’t want to hear another ‘No’. Even though Dave just returned from the Deli mountains, he's an excellent young man. Many of the men in this city cannot compete with him." "But, Dad..." Greg tried to say something, but he was interrupted by Gordon. "Greg, you'll obey me if I'm still your father. Ava marries Dave tomorrow." Without hesitation, Gordon shifted his gaze to Dave and Ava. "I expect you both to proceed to the court tomorrow to get your marriage certificate," he spoke sternly. Greg and Joyce were irritated by the development, but they felt handicapped, not wanting to go against Gordon's instructions. Ava cursed fate for bringing her and Dave together! Dave was the last person she ever thought would be her fiancé! But since Grandpa Gordon had made the final decision, she couldn’t dare disobey. Nothwithstanding, she planned not to give up! She would make Dave realize that they belonged to different worlds. She was sure Dave would quit once he found out the huge gap between them. After all, an ugly duck couldn’t match up with an elegant swan! And even if they were going to be married tomorrow, she wouldn’t give Dave another chance to touch her. No way! The next day, Dave and Ava proceeded to the high court in Nexroh to obtain their marriage certificate. After reluctantly signing, Ava quickly walked out of the courtroom. As soon as she spotted Dave walking out of the court, she approached him. "I warn you, don't you ever try to come near my space or take advantage of this useless marriage certificate, or I'll make sure you regret it!" "Oh really?" Dave burst into laughter, amused by Ava's threat. "Of course, the person who would need this certificate is you, not me! You've just gotten the opportunity many other ladies out there are looking up to. Don't you even know how lucky you are to marry me? You couldn't have married anyone better than myself, you know?" Dave chuckled. "Lucky? Are you insane?! Don’t you have any idea of your limit?" Ava was enraged. "How could I be lucky to marry a trash can like yourself? Who do you think you are, anyway?""An expert, that's who I am. A mystic physician who has several other skills...""Cut that crap, fool. Aren't you tired of being a shameless braggart?" Ava interrupted. “There's no way I'm going to fall for you. You mark my words!”“Come on. Who knows? You might find me charming and suitable. Don’t jump to a conclusion.” Dave couldn't help but tease Ava, which made Ava even more furious.“A street rat is even better than you, so quit dreaming!”While Ava was still speaking, a white Rolls Royce vehicle pulled up in front of them, and a young, pretty lady clad in an expensive designer dress stepped out of the vehicle. “Ava!” She said, waving her hands at Ava. She was Ava's best friend, Hannah. Hannah walked up to Ava and gave her a warm hug. "Sweetheart, thanks a lot for picking me up," Ava said, and then, she gestured towards Dave. “And this is the one I told you about.” When Ava realized she couldn't avoid obeying her grandfather by marrying Dave, she decided to seek advice
As soon as Hannah, Ava, and Dave arrived at the Cents' Sports Club and made their way through the entrance, heads turned, conversations paused, and all eyes focused on Hannah and Ava. Their beauty was undeniable and captivating!Ava's dark, wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders, perfectly complementing her emerald green dress that hugged her figure in all the right places. Meanwhile, Hannah's fair complexion and delicate features were also accentuated by a flowing lavender gown that made her look like she had stepped out of a fairy tale.Dave was dressed in simple attire—a plain shirt and trousers that marked him as a commoner in the eyes of the club’s elite, so no one seemed to notice him. However, Dave wasn't perturbed. Some of the young men, dressed in their finest attire, were captivated by Hannah and Ava's ethereal beauty.One of the men, Clark, who had been pursuing Ava for some time, approached her. "Ava, you look absolutely stunning. You're simply irresistible," he remark
Jerry's blood continued to boil in indignation at the sight of Dave.How could someone like Ava, his dream goddess, be married to a commoner? It was a humiliation he could hardly bear!In Jerry's mind, Dave was not just unworthy of Ava; he was unworthy of being his rival. The mere thought of competing with someone like Dave filled Jerry with disdain. He decided he needed to put Dave in his place and teach him a lesson about where he truly belonged!With confidence, Jerry faced Dave with his voice dripping with condescension. "Hey, Dave. Why don't you join me in the noble sports competition today? Let's see how much of a man you are."Dave looked at Jerry expressionless, "I'm not interested, Jerry," he replied casually.Jerry's eyes narrowed. He was not accustomed to being dismissed so easily. "What’s the matter, Dave? Afraid you can’t keep up? Afraid you'll embarrass yourself?" He leaned in closer, his voice lowering to a mocking whisper. "Or maybe you just know that you're not
Upon hearing Jerry's remarks, the crowd burst into laughter. Jerry's smug smile widened as he soaked in the attention, feeling victorious, even before the competition had begun. He had every reason to believe that Dave would crumble under the pressure."Come on, Dave! Prove you’re not just a waste of space!" someone shouted from the crowd."Yeah, Dave, show us what you’ve got, if you’ve got anything at all!" another person added.Dave, however, was not someone that could be easily pushed around or manipulated. He gave Jerry a cold look."Hey, man, if you’re so eager to make a fool of yourself, then I’ll grant your wish. I’ll compete with you. And when I win, everyone will see who the real fool is."The crowd fell silent for a moment, shocked by Dave's retort. Then the laughter resumed, louder and more boisterous than before. Jerry's eyes narrowed with his smile fading into a tight-lipped grimace."How could a loser like you even talk of winning? I'm sure you've never played sport
Despite the lack of evidence, the murmurs of cheating and deceit continued to circulate among the members of the club. For many of them, it was easier to doubt Dave's character than to accept that someone from a humble background like his, could defeat Jerry so effortlessly!Jerry, who had been seething with anger and embarrassment, now found a twisted sense of relief in the crowd’s continued mockery of Dave. The accusations of cheating provided him with a convenient escape from the humiliation of his loss. As long as they continued to mock Dave, his pride remained somewhat intact!"Did you see how he played?" another club member whispered to another. "No way someone like that jerk could beat Jerry without some kind of trickery.""I know, right? It just doesn't add up," the other replied. "Jerry is one of the best. That guy must have done something sneaky."Jerry, overhearing these comments, felt a smirk tug at the corners of his mouth. Though he had no proof that Dave had cheat
Dave, however, remained unperturbed. Instead, he met Jerry's and the others' gazes with a look of indifference, which only served to unsettle Jerry further.Jerry, feeling the pressure of the crowd's scrutiny, knew he had to act quickly to shift the attention away from the competition. He forced a smile and turned to Ava with his voice smooth and composed. "Ava, there's something important I wanted to discuss with you today."Ava, who had been glaring at Dave with obvious disdain, turned her attention to Jerry. "What is it, Jerry?"Jerry's smile widened, sensing an opportunity to regain control of the situation. "I heard from my Uncle that Carl Mullen, the head of the Kevton Chamber of Commerce is hosting a banquet tonight. I know you've been working hard to help your family's business, Smithly Associates, join the chamber. This could be your chance."Ava's eyes lit up with interest. "Really? Carl Mullen is in town?""Yes," Jerry confirmed. "I thought you might want to attend t
Jerry's face froze with a flicker of disbelief crossing his features. "What are you talking about, loser? I got the information directly from my uncle.""Well, your uncle must have missed the latest update," Dave replied calmly. Jerry burst into laughter as he turned to Dave with a sneer. "You know what, fool, it's pretty bold of you to claim the banquet is cancelled. Do you even know who Carl Mullen is?" He laughed once again with a condescending tone lacing his words. "Someone like you probably doesn't even know what a banquet is, let alone anything about its status."Dave remained composed, unfazed by Jerry's mockery. He took another sip of his drink and met Jerry's gaze steadily.Jerry, feeling confident in his superior status, continued, "You shouldn't envy my connections and background, jerk. It's not something someone like you could ever understand." Jerry's tone took on a sarcastic edge, masked with a veneer of politeness. "But, if you really want to attend the banquet,
Most of the club members remained surprised at Dave's prediction. Most of them speculated involuntarily that Dave might be a big shot who was disguising as a commoner. Otherwise, it made no sense how he could assert so confidently that there was no banquet that evening.Ava, who had initially dismissed Dave's claims, now found herself in a swirl of conflicting emotions. How was Dave informed that the banquet had been cancelled?She rationalized that he must have overheard the news from somewhere.Despite her belief, the regret of missing out on the banquet gnawed at her.It was a missed opportunity for her to enter the renowned chamber of commerce which was a crucial step for her family's business, Smithly Associates.Jerry, who had been so confident in his assertions, was now filled with uncertainty as he tried to process the unexpected turn of events. His confidence was shaken, and for the first time, he felt a pang of doubt about his judgment.Just then, Hannah broke the sile