The Sunset Mansion was shrouded in darkness, with moonlight spilling onto the balcony. Jack stood there alone, gazing silently at the grounds below. His phone was pressed to his ear, the voice on the other end filled with concern. “Jack, are you sure about this?” Jack nodded slightly, his tone resolute as he replied, “Yes.” A soft sigh came through the phone, followed by: “You’re the sole heir to our family fortune, yet you’ve stayed away for seven years because of a woman. Now that you’ve come to your senses, it’s not too late. When do you plan to return to South City?” Silence hung in the air as Jack seemed to steel himself for a difficult decision. Finally, he spoke: “In three days.” The voice on the phone took on a half-joking tone: “Alright then. I have a gala to attend in Zheng City in three days anyway, so I can pick you up on the way. But are you really over Zoe now? I hope you won’t cause a scene wanting to go back to her as soon as you return…” “Aunt Claire, don’t worry. I’m completely over Zoe. In three days, we’ll part ways for good.” After hanging up, Jack turned his gaze towards the mansion grounds. At the entrance, Zoe was intimately nestled against Ethan, her old flame. The two were laughing and chatting, looking every bit the picture of a couple in love. This was the seventh year of his secret marriage to Zoe, and the sixth year she had refused to let their child call her “mom”. The heart he had tried to warm for seven years remained cold in the end. Jack clenched his fists, a mix of emotions churning inside him. Suddenly, a small hand gently grasped his larger one. Jack whirled around in surprise. There stood Lily in her thin pajamas, clutching a worn Barbie doll in one arm while holding his hand with the other. She looked up at him with innocent, wide eyes. Startled and concerned, Jack quickly crouched down and said: “Lily, what are you doing out here? It’s cold outside, go back to your room.” He picked Lily up, intending to carry her back inside. Lily looked up at Jack and asked softly: “Daddy, are we really going to leave Mommy?” Jack paused mid-step, instinctively glancing back at the intimate couple below. Then he turned to Lily with a smile: “Lily, Auntie’s old love has come back. We… don’t have a reason to stay anymore.” “Daddy will take you back to our own home, okay?” Lily looked at the Barbie doll in her arms, her eyes full of reluctance. She looked back at Jack, tears glistening in her eyes: “Daddy, do we have to go? I… I still haven’t been able to call her Mommy properly…” Jack felt like his heart had been struck. He opened his mouth but found his throat too tight to speak. After a long moment, he managed to say softly: “Lily, Auntie… she doesn’t like having us around…” Lily pleaded pitifully: “Daddy, can we give Mommy three more chances? If… then we’ll leave, okay?” Jack was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said gently: “Alright! We’ll do as Lily says and give Auntie three more chances!” A bright smile immediately lit up Lily’s face. Jack carried Lily back into the mansion, about to head upstairs. Just then, Zoe walked in with a smile on her face. Lily excitedly wriggled out of Jack’s arms and ran towards Zoe, calling out happily: “Mommy, you’re back…” Zoe’s expression instantly darkened. She glared at Lily and snapped: “Who told you to call me Mommy?” Lily froze mid-run, the bright smile vanishing from her face. She stood there motionless, like a child who had done something wrong, not knowing what to do. Zoe looked up at Jack, her voice full of anger: “Jack, how many times have I told you!” “Don’t let her call me Mommy. Are you both deaf?” Lily fearfully took a step back, lowering her head and apologizing timidly: “I’m sorry, Mom… Auntie!” Jack immediately stepped forward, shielding Lily behind him as he glared coldly at Zoe: “Zoe, it’s one thing if you don’t like me, but Lily is just a child. Why are you yelling at her?” Zoe’s eyes widened in fury: “Jack, what right do you have to lecture me about the child?” Her face twisted with hatred, “You know perfectly well how that child came to be!” Zoe advanced step by step, jabbing her finger viciously at Jack’s chest: “Seven years ago, you took advantage of me when I was vulnerable and raped me!” “You’re nothing but a rapist who hurt me!” She turned her piercing gaze to Lily, her tone dripping with disgust: “And she is just the daughter of a rapist. Why should I be nice to her?” Jack hurriedly covered Lily’s ears, not wanting her to hear such vicious words from her own mother. But even for him, those words cut deep. He glared at Zoe through gritted teeth: “Zoe, I’ll say this one last time. Seven years ago, it was you who—” “Enough! Jack, how much longer are you going to keep up this charade? Do you think I can’t see through your little schemes?” “Schemes? Zoe, if you think this was all some scheme, why did you marry me and have Lily?” Zoe’s face was a mask of ice as she spat out: “Because… I wanted to remind you every single day what a monster you are! I wanted you to pay for what you did!” Jack’s eyes reddened, his voice trembling slightly: “So from the very beginning, you never loved me at all?” Zoe glanced at Jack’s pained expression, her own eyes reddening. She yelled in a low voice: “You dare to speak of love? Jack, from the moment you took advantage of me when I was drunk seven years ago, you became nothing but a piece of filth in my eyes!” Tears began to fall unbidden down her cheeks. Jack’s heart ached. He instinctively reached out to wipe away Zoe’s tears. Zoe reacted first, quickly wiping away her own tears. She took a deep breath and looked at Jack with contempt: “Seven years ago, you stooped to such despicable acts just to climb the social ladder and live a good life. Not only did I not hold it against you, I even gave you luxury cars, a mansion, status, position. Jack, what more do you want?” “Zoe, is this really how you’ve seen things all these years?” Jack’s eyes were red-rimmed, filled with disbelief that the woman he loved so deeply could view him this way. Zoe’s face twisted with disdain as she said: “How else am I supposed to see it? Jack, I’m warning you, don’t push your luck. Otherwise, I can take back everything I’ve given you just as easily!” With that, she strode past Jack and Lily, heading upstairs. Jack stared after Zoe, silently explaining in his heart: But… Zoe, I married you and had a child with you because — I truly loved you… I thought that after we were married, I could slowly warm your cold heart. But I forgot that a heart as cold as stone cannot be warmed… His thoughts seemed to be pulled into the past by an invisible hand, memories flooding back like a tidal wave. Seven years ago in a hotel hallway, a drunk Zoe had crashed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. He had been flustered and at a loss, yet his heart began racing uncontrollably. In that moment, his world narrowed to just the fragile woman in his arms. Then, through a series of misunderstandings, they had spent the night together. The next morning, Zoe had vanished without a trace. He thought they would never meet again, but half a month later, Zoe had shown up looking grim, saying she was pregnant. He had been shocked too, but still made his commitment responsibly. He had married Zoe in secret, concealing his true identity, and quietly used his family’s resources to help her. But her attitude remained cold and distant. It was only after investigating that he understood — that night, Ethan had gone abroad, which was why Zoe had gotten so drunk and ended up with him. Though it was an accident and Zoe didn’t like him, he believed that with time and effort, he could warm her heart. But after seven full years, that heart remained frozen, and their daughter was denied a mother’s love as well. Now Ethan had returned, and he and Lily were clearly no longer important. It was time to go back. … Jack took a deep breath, blinking hard to pull himself out of his memories. He gazed at Zoe’s retreating back, silently making a decision: Seven years of devotion, not a hint of response from you. Zoe, I’m tired… Lily looked up at Jack curiously, asking: “Daddy, why did Auntie say you’re a rapist?” Jack’s eyes reddened as he fought back tears. He crouched down, forcing a smile as he said, “Because Auntie misunderstood Daddy!” Lily reached out her small hand to gently wipe away the tears at the corner of Jack’s eye. “Don’t cry, Daddy! Auntie may misunderstand you, but Lily never will.” Jack hugged Lily tightly, deeply moved: “Lily is such a good girl.” After thinking for a moment, Lily said sadly: “Daddy, Auntie… still has two chances.” Jack paused, then looked into Lily’s eyes. His eyes reddened again as he nodded firmly: “Okay!” In Lily’s room, on the bedside table, sat a framed photo collage of the three of them. In the photo, Jack was holding Lily, his face beaming with happiness. Zoe’s photo, however, was cut out and pasted on the right side, stuck into the same frame. This seemingly complete picture was actually pieced together. Lily was now tucked into bed. Jack bent down carefully to tuck in the blanket. She clutched the blanket, hiding her mouth and nose underneath, only her bright eyes peeking out as she stared at Jack, wide awake. Jack affectionately pinched Lily’s nose and said softly: “Time to sleep~ Winter break is over, you start school again tomorrow~” Lily poked her head out from under the blanket, her eyes sparkling with hope: “Daddy, can you ask Auntie to come with me to the back-to-school ceremony tomorrow? The other kids all have their moms, I want a mom too…” Jack hesitated, his voice uncertain: “Lily, Auntie might… not have time tomorrow…” He sounded reluctant, afraid of shattering the child’s fantasy. “Daddy, let’s count it as our second chance for Mommy, okay?” Her eyes were pleading as she sat up in bed, hands clasped together. Jack pondered for a moment before finally nodding: “Alright, Daddy will go ask Auntie.” He tucked Lily back in before quietly leaving the room. … In the master bedroom, Zoe had just emerged from the shower, surrounded by wisps of steam. Just then, her phone chimed with a Snapchat notification. She walked over to the bed, picked up her phone, unlocked the screen and played the voice message. Ethan’s magnetic voice came through the speaker: “Zoe, I miss you already even though we just parted. I wish I could see you all the time.” Hearing this, a sweet smile spread across Zoe’s face. She quickly tapped the voice input and replied happily: “Okay okay okay, I promise you’ll see me first thing when you wake up tomorrow!” Soon after, another voice message from Ethan came through: “Really? Oh by the way, Zoe, I heard the richest man in Zheng City is hosting a gala at the Grand Hotel in three days. Even the Jiang family from South City will be there. I just got back from abroad and need to build connections. Could you introduce me around?” Zoe was about to reply when a sudden knock on the door broke the silence in the room. She frowned in annoyance, looking up towards the door. Jack gently pushed the door open and walked in. Zoe merely glanced up at Jack before lowering her head again, fingers busy tapping on her phone screen as she asked irritably: “What do you want?” Jack paused for a moment before carefully saying: “Lily has school tomorrow. She’s hoping you could attend her back-to-school ceremony…” At that moment, Zoe was completely focused on her phone screen, paying no attention to what Jack was saying. She was in the middle of typing a reply, having just typed out the word “okay”. “Okay!” Zoe reflexively responded out loud. Her verbal response coincided with sending the message. Jack’s face lit up with surprise, a glimmer of joy flashing in his eyes. He asked in disbelief: “You agreed?” Zoe looked up, frowning in confusion at Jack, her tone icy: “I’m going to sleep. Don’t bother me if it’s nothing important!” Jack was about to confirm again when Zoe shoved him out of the master bedroom. He stood outside the door as Zoe forcefully slammed it shut. He stood there dazed, a mix of emotions churning inside. Just then, Lily suddenly poked her head out of her room. Her eyes held a hint of anxiety and disappointment as she asked softly: “Daddy, did Mommy… not want to…” Jack walked over, immediately plastering on a smile as he said: “Lily, I’m not letting you sleep? Why are you out of bed again?” Lily looked at Jack nervously: “Daddy, did Auntie agree?” Jack reached out to pat Lily’s head, “Of course she agreed! Auntie said she’ll attend your back-to-school ceremony tomorrow.” Lily’s eyes instantly lit up as she bounced excitedly, hardly believing her ears: “Really, Daddy?” Jack’s mood lifted seeing Lily so happy. He nodded firmly. “That’s great! Daddy, when Mommy comes to the ceremony tomorrow, I’m going to tell her that the teacher likes me best!” Lily said excitedly, her little face beaming with happiness. “Wonderful! Our Lily is the best!” Jack said as he picked Lily up and carried her back to her room. At the bedside, he carefully laid Lily down and tucked her in. Lily looked up expectantly, her eyes shining: “Daddy, when I wake up, we’ll go to school with Mommy, right?” Jack affectionately pinched Lily’s nose: “That’s right, now go to sleep!” Lily obediently closed her eyes, a sweet smile still on her lips. Jack stood up, quietly turning off the lights and closing the door. He turned around, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards Zoe’s bedroom as he thought: Zoe, I hope you won’t disappoint Lily tomorrow… The morning sunlight streamed through the windows into the mansion’s great hall. Jack stood in the center of the hall, skillfully doing Lily’s hair. She was already dressed and wearing her little backpack. Lily kept glancing upstairs as she asked hopefully: “Daddy, why isn’t Mommy coming down yet?” Her eyes betrayed her anxiety and longing. Jack’s hands didn’t stop as he said, “Once Daddy finishes your braid, we’ll go upstairs to find Auntie together, okay?” “Okay!” Lily agreed obediently. Soon, Jack had finished Lily’s braid. He looked at the neat and pretty braid with satisfaction: “The braid is done, let’s go call Auntie!” Lily nodded happily, her eyes sparkling with joy. Jack took Lily’s hand as they headed upstairs together. They stood outside the master bedroom, knocking once, twice, but there was only silence from within. Jack’s face gradually filled with anxiety. Lily looked up, her eyes full of worry: “Daddy, could Mommy be sick? Maybe she didn’t hear us knocking?” Jack knocked more urgently, asking anxiously: “Zoe? Zoe? Are you in there? Say something!” His voice held a note of unease as he pounded on the door, but there was still no response from inside. Jack’s brows furrowed as he said sternly: “If you don’t answer, I’m coming in…” As he spoke, he looked down at the doorknob. In a moment of distraction, his mind flashed back to the day they got their marriage certificate. Inside the Pei family mansion, Zoe had led him in, one in front and one behind. Zoe had carelessly tossed the marriage certificate onto the table, then turned back to look at his joyful face, saying haughtily: “Jack, even though we’re married now, I have to lay down some ground rules.” He had smiled at Zoe, quickly agreeing: “Of course, go ahead!” Zoe had stated coldly: “One, we must keep our marriage a secret from everyone.” “Two, you are not allowed to enter my room or touch my things without my permission.” “Three, you are not allowed any intimate contact with me!” The smile had frozen on his face then, but in the end he had nodded and said softly: “Alright!” Snapping back to the present, Jack gritted his teeth and made up his mind, pressing down on the doorknob. The unlocked door swung open gently. Lily ran in excitedly, calling out loudly: “Mommy…” But her words trailed off as she saw the room was empty and tidy. Lily turned back to Jack in confusion: “Daddy, where’s Mommy?” Jack looked at the empty room, his mind going blank as fear gripped his heart. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Zoe’s number as he hurried downstairs. The cold voice prompt came through the phone: “The number you have dialed is powered off.” Jack kept redialing Zoe’s number as he rushed to the cake by the stairs. But the call still wouldn’t go through. “Jack, you really are ungrateful. I specially bought you a cake, and you play disappearing act on me!” She angrily threw her phone onto the sofa, crossing her arms and glaring. “Not answering the phone, huh! Don’t you dare come back if you have the guts!” Zoe got angrier as she spoke. She picked up the cake, about to throw it forcefully. However, when the cake was raised halfway, she suddenly stopped. “Forget it! Jack, I’m in a good mood today so I’ll let you off this once. Just wait till you get back, I’ll settle accounts with you then!” Zoe put down the cake and stomped back to her room in a huff. … Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Grand Hotel, two rows of bodyguards stood at attention, waiting respectfully. The convoy of cars slowly pulled up in front of the hotel. As soon as Jack got out of the car with Lily, the bodyguards bowed deeply in unison, calling out: “Welcome back, Young Master! Welcome, Little Miss!” Jack held Lily’s hand, no longer hiding his natural air of nobility and grace. Lily looked at the bodyguards in surprise, then up at Jack, calling out uncertainly: “Daddy…” Jack looked down at his daughter, smiling as he said: “Lily, Daddy is taking you home!” Just then, Aunt Claire emerged from behind the bodyguards. Jack and Lily immediately looked up at Aunt Claire, then walked over to her. Seeing Aunt Claire, Jack noticed the new wrinkles on her face. A lump formed in his throat, his eyes reddening. His voice choked with emotion as he called out: “Aunt Claire!” Aunt Claire saw Jack’s distress and stepped forward to give him a warm embrace, gently patting his back: “These past seven years, you’ve been holding onto a woman who could never change her mind. You’ve suffered so much.” “I’ve been unfilial, leaving all the family burdens for you to bear alone, Aunt Claire…” Aunt Claire smiled as she released Jack, reaching up to pat his shoulder, her tone teasing: “If you know I’ve had it tough, then hurry up and take over as head of the family so I can retire early and enjoy the rest of my life!” Jack nodded, feeling a long-absent warmth in his heart, a smile spreading across his face. At that moment, in a corner of the hotel lobby. Ethan had just walked out, looking up to see Jack. He immediately took a step back, quickly ducking behind a pillar. He muttered in confusion: “Jack?” He narrowed his eyes, staring viciously at Jack and Aunt Claire’s interactions, a cold smirk suddenly appearing on his face. He pulled out his phone, quickly snapping a photo. On the phone screen appeared a photo of Jack and Aunt Claire embracing. Ethan looked at the photo with a sinister smile, then glanced back at Jack and Aunt Claire before turning to leave with a smug expression. Aunt Claire looked down at Lily with affection, crouching to gently pat her head: “You must be little Lily, right?” Lily nodded shyly, then looked at Jack in confusion. “Lily, say hello to Great-Aunt!” “Hello, Great-Aunt!” Lily gave a sweet smile as she greeted Aunt Claire. Aunt Claire smiled as she gently stroked Lily’s cheek, her smile growing even brighter. “Such a good girl! Great-Aunt has prepared a welcome gift for little Lily!” Aunt Claire stood up, clapping her hands at the waiting staff. Immediately, two staff members wheeled out a rack of beautiful princess dresses. The dresses were colorful and exquisite, especially a few Frozen-themed princess dresses in various colors. Lily’s eyes widened at the sight of the dresses, her face lighting up with delight. She couldn’t help but gasp in wonder: “Wow~” “These are all for Lily. Do you like them?” Lily nodded vigorously, walking over to gently stroke the blue Elsa dress, unable to hide the love in her eyes. A memory flashed through her mind: At an amusement park, a group of little girls were playing together in beautiful Frozen princess dresses. She had stood to the side, looking at them with envy. One of the girls had given her a disdainful look, saying scornfully: “Lily, your clothes are so ugly!” She had looked down at her own clothes, unconsciously taking a few steps back, feeling dejected. … Aunt Claire walked over, taking down the blue dress Lily loved, asking gently: “Does our little Lily like this dress?” Lily nodded hard again, her eyes full of anticipation. Aunt Claire handed the princess dress to Lily. “Why don’t we have our little Lily wear it to the gala tomorrow, how about that?” Lily nodded excitedly, saying happily: “Okay!” Jack watched Lily’s joyful expression, feeling a pang of sadness. He said reproachfully: “I’ve been remiss. I overlooked that little girls all like these things.” “Lily is a girl, and girls all love pretty princess dresses and shoes. It’s normal for a rough guy like you to overlook these things!” Jack looked at Lily, momentarily speechless, his heart full of guilt towards his daughter. “By the way, tomorrow is the day our Jiang family officially enters Zheng City. I’ve already spoken to Mr. Lin, the richest man in Zheng City. From now on, all the business in Zheng City will be handed over to you.” “Aunt Claire, I haven’t returned to South City yet. For now, let’s not announce my identity publicly!” “That works too!” She then added meaningfully: “It’ll prevent certain people from getting any ideas when they hear the news! But you still need to attend the welcome gala Mr. Lin is hosting tomorrow!” Jack nodded. Aunt Claire smiled at Lily, holding out her hand: “Come on, Lily. Great-Aunt’s friend has prepared a beautiful tiara for you too. Let’s go try it on!” “Okay!” Lily agreed happily, nodding. With that, Aunt Claire took Lily’s hand as they walked into the hotel, their steps light and quick. Jack watched them walk away for a moment before following them into the hotel. … The next morning, Zoe woke up groggily, checking her phone to see it was 7am. She rubbed her eyes and got out of bed with her phone, calling out: “Jack? Jack!” But the mansion was silent, with no response to her calls. Furious, she stormed to the guest room, thinking Jack was inside. She barged in, talking as she entered. “Jack, you…” Her voice cut off abruptly as she found the room empty. Zoe’s expression froze, then twisted with anger as she clenched her fists and shouted: “Jack!” Enraged, she opened her phone and immediately called Jack, but the call wouldn’t go through. Zoe frowned, opening Snapchat to send Jack a message full of threats: “Jack, I don’t care where you are. Get back here in half an hour, or face the consequences!” After sending the message, there was no response. Her anger growing, she sent a voice message: “If you’re not back in half an hour, don’t bother coming back at all!” Zoe angrily went downstairs, clutching her phone with her arms crossed as she sat fuming on the sofa, waiting fiercely for Jack to return. Time ticked by minute by minute. She glanced at the time, “One minute left!” She stared at the door, starting to count down: “Thirty seconds… ten seconds…” As she counted lower, Zoe’s voice grew heavier, “Three, two, one!” Just as she reached one, the doorbell rang. Zoe let out a relieved sigh, a smug smile spreading across her face as she scoffed: “I knew you couldn’t stay away from me!” She got up leisurely and went to open the door. But when she opened it, the smile froze on her face. Outside stood Ethan and his son Aiden. Aiden saw Zoe and immediately called out excitedly: “Auntie Zoe!” Ethan also smiled and said: “Zoe!” Before Zoe could speak, Aiden darted inside, looking around as he called out loudly: “Auntie Zoe! I’m hungry, can you make me something to eat?” Ethan followed him in. Zoe closed the door in a daze, asking in confusion: “Why are you… here?!” “Isn’t there that gala at Mr. Lin’s tonight? I thought I’d come over with Aiden first to meet up with you.” He glanced at Aiden, smiling as he said, “Aiden’s hungry. Why don’t you cook him something?” Zoe looked at Aiden, then down at her own hands, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. A scene flashed through her mind: In the kitchen, she was about to cook some noodles when Jack walked over, smiling as he took the pot from her hands, saying softly: “Your hands are too beautiful for cooking. From now on, just tell me what you want to eat and I’ll make it.” Zoe lowered her hands and nodded, her voice a bit hoarse as she said: “Alright… okay!” She walked into the kitchen while Ethan and Aiden made themselves comfortable on the sofa. Ethan glanced at Zoe in the kitchen, a calculating look crossing his face as a barely perceptible sly smile appeared. He casually said: “Oh, by the way, Zoe, guess who I saw at the hotel yesterday?” Zoe asked absently: “Who?” Ethan paused deliberately, then said: “Jack!” At first Zoe didn’t react, responding indifferently: “Jack…” But suddenly realizing something was off, she jerked her head up, shock written across her face: “Who did you say?” Ethan’s mouth curved into a malicious smile as he said pointedly: “You know, that Jack who’s been pursuing you! Zoe, it’s a good thing you didn’t accept him. Yesterday, I saw him at the hotel with a child, going to a room with some rich older woman!” Zoe was stunned, nearly dropping the pot in her hands. Her eyes filled with disbelief as she mumbled: “How… how is that possible? You must have seen wrong…” Ethan put on an exaggerated look of indignation, shaking his head and clicking his tongue: “I saw it with my own eyes, how could I be wrong!” “Such a morally bankrupt, shameless person.” He narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression growing more contemptuous. He glanced at Zoe meaningfully, saying in a serious tone: “Zoe, you should really stay away from these unsavory characters in the future!” Zoe’s hand gripped the pot tightly, her knuckles turning white. Her mind was in chaos, images of Jack’s usual gentle demeanor clashing with the scene Ethan described. The scales in her heart tipped towards believing Ethan, and a surge of anger welled up inside her. Zoe gritted her teeth and muttered lowly: “Jack! Just wait till you get back, I’ll teach you a lesson!” Her hand gripping the pot had turned red from the force, her body trembling slightly with anger. Ethan watched Zoe’s angry reaction with secret delight, a look of smug satisfaction spreading across his face. Meanwhile, in a private room at the hotel, Lily had already changed into the beautiful Elsa princess dress. Aunt Claire took out a diamond tiara from an exquisite box. The tiara sparkled brilliantly under the lights. The moment Lily saw the tiara, her eyes widened in awe: “Wow! It’s so pretty!” Aunt Claire smiled, her eyes full of affection, “This was specially chosen for you by Mr. Lin himself. Come try it on.” Aunt Claire gently placed the tiara on Lily’s head. After putting it on, she stepped back to admire Lily, her smile growing even brighter: “With this tiara on, our Lily is the most beautiful little princess in the world!” Lily twirled in her dress, then turned to look at Jack expectantly: “Really, Daddy?” Jack nodded with a doting smile: “It’s true, our Lily is the most beautiful little princess.” Lily spun around happily in her dress, her joyful laughter filling the room. Jack watched Lily’s blissful smile, his heart full of contentment. His gaze slowly fell on the tiara on Lily’s head as he mused thoughtfully: “This tiara is the final work of the master jeweler Mr. Ou. I imagine Mr. Lin went to great lengths to obtain it.” Jack sighed softly, a look of appreciation on his face, “It’s clear he put a lot of thought into this.” Aunt Claire looked at the happy Lily and explained: “Of course he had to put thought into it. With our Jiang family entering Zheng City and partnering with him, even a hundred tiaras would be worth it to him.” Jack nodded in agreement. Aunt Claire glanced at the time and said: “The gala is about to start. Shall we go?” “Mm, let’s go.” The two each took one of Lily’s hands as they walked out of the hotel room. Their silhouettes in the light looked especially warm and happy. The luxurious and dazzling banquet hall was brightly lit, crystal chandeliers casting a soft yet brilliant glow that illuminated the neatly arranged cakes and wine glasses. The cakes were exquisitely crafted, adorned with fresh fruit and delicate sugar flowers. The wine glasses sparkled alluringly in the light. Amidst the perfumed air and elegant attire, people chatted softly, their champagne flutes occasionally clinking together with aclear tinkling sound. The entire hall exuded an atmosphere of luxury and elegance. Zoe entered the hall gracefully in a haute couture gown, accompanied by Ethan and Aiden. Ethan looked around at the opulent and grand hall, his eyes widening in awe as he remarked: “So this is what a gala thrown by the richest man looks like! It really is high-class!” A smug smile tugged at Zoe’s lips. Ethan turned to Zoe with a calculating gleam in his eyes: “I heard the heir to the Jiang family from South City will be making an appearance today!” “The Jiang family is the business powerhouse of the entire southern region. Zoe, I’m at a critical point in my career after returning home. You’ll have to help introduce me around later!” Zoe smiled and replied: “I’m fairly well acquainted with Mr. Lin. It shouldn’t be a problem to have him introduce us to the Jiang family representatives and get familiar.” Ethan’s smile grew even brighter at her words. “That’s wonderful! Don’t worry Zoe, once my company takes off, I’ll be sure to repay you handsomely!” “No need to talk about repayment between us. Come, all the movers and shakers of Zheng City are here today. Let me introduce you around first!” With that, Zoe led Ethan towards the crowd. Just then, Aiden suddenly spotted some exquisite pastries on a nearby table. He pointed excitedly and said: “Daddy, I want to go eat those!” Ethan frowned slightly, a hint of annoyance crossing his face: “Aiden, didn’t you just eat at Auntie Zoe’s house? How can you…” “Let him go eat, it’s fine!” Zoe smiled indulgently at Aiden, her eyes full of affection. “Aiden, Auntie Zoe and Daddy have some things to take care of. Can you go eat by yourself?” Aiden nodded happily, “Okay!” With that, he let go of Ethan’s hand and eagerly ran off to eat the pastries. Zoe looked up and spotted two CEOs chatting nearby. Her eyes lit up and she immediately led Ethan over to greet them. “Mr. Liu, Mr. Zhang, it’s been a while…” The two men turned around, smiling as they responded: “Oh! Ms. Pei, you’re here!” Their gazes fell on Ethan, confusion flashing across their faces as they asked: “And this is…?”
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