Chapter 199 Admission! Benjamin is Very Satisfied
Everyone present was startled by Gloria's action!
Even Caspian,who knew her most intimately or her own husband, couldn't figure out what Gloria was thinking.
Benjamin had been hesitant and deeply resentful—after all, last time Gloria had made him lose face in front of everyone.
Today, she didn't hesitate to kneel. Seeing her like this, Benjamin burst into laughter.
"Fine, you said it yourself."
Gloria felt a cold touch against her skin.. She opened her eyes only to find a bracelet where she had expected a whip.Her eyes darted from the bracelet to Caspian, wide with disbelief.
Rather than pulling her to her feet, Caspian sank to his knees beside her.
With a smile on his lips, he said, "Why are you still kneeling there? Aren’t you going to thank my grandfather?"
Gloria was completely confused. What just happened?
It wasn't a trap?
To Gloria, Benjamin’s acceptance felt even more surreal than Caspian’s had.. She had braced herself for the absolute worst..
Gloria swallowed. "Thank you."
Benjamin stared at her with wide eyes,"What happened to that fire you had the other day?" Why are you stuttering now?"
Gloria finally accepted that Caspian had emerged victorious.
It had all been far easier than she ever dared to imagine.
Was marrying rich really that simple?
Pregnancy alone was no guarantee the entertainment industry was full of examples of female celebrities who had given birth to several children for men andyet remained without any official standing.
She had no way of knowing that for this marriage to happen, every star had to align perfectly.
Seeing her confused expression, Benjamin finally understood that the the true driving force behind this marriage wasn't Gloria, but Caspian himself.
He could condemn his grandson as weak for falling for a divorcee, but things had come to this point, and he was helpless.
If nothing else, at least Caspian would no longer be a bachelor.
Besides, this girl was indeed interesting—no wonder Caspian liked her.
"Since my grandson has made his choice, I have no desire to be the villain who tears you two apart.". "Decide on a date to make your marriage official." Since you're pregnant, don't kneel anymore. Get up."
Caspian gently pulled a dazed Gloria to her feet. "Grandfather, does this mean you agree to our marriage?"
"Is this real? Pinch me to make sure I’m not dreaming."
Caspian cupped her face. "Silly Gloria, the Rivers family heirloom is already in your hand. What are you still doubting?"
Gloria looked at the precious bracelet on her hand. She could sense its antiquity, a treasure passed down through countless generations.
"But shouldn't this belong to your mother?"
Caspian smiled awkwardly."It ought to be, but circumstances have changed." With this bracelet, no one will dare question your status. Gloria, he's accepted you."
Caspian's grandfather had cast aside social expectations simply to ensure his grandson's happiness.
She found herself growing fond of this "fierce" old man, catching glimpses of Vivienne in his stubborn nature.
With eyes rimmed red from emotion, Gloria looked at Benjamin and offered a heartfelt, "Thank you."
Her voice, thick with emotion, only added to her endearing sincerity.
Ultimately, sincerity proved to be her winning hand.. From when she came to the Rivers manor and confronted Benjamin, to this moment when she called out sincerely, Benjamin, who seemed fierce to others, waved his hand. "What’s with the tears? If you intend to be the matriarch of the Rivers family, you’ll need more backbone than this. Constant weeping simply won’t do."
He seemed to be scolding her, but he had actually acknowledged her position.
Benjamin himself couldn't quite explain it, but ever since their last encounter setting aside the stigma of her divorce he found that he didn't truly dislike her as a person.. He even felt a strange sense of kinship with her.
Gloria also understood why Caspian wasn't afraid—because he knew that beneath his stern exterior, Benjamin was simply an old man whose bark was worse than his bite someone who deeply loved his family.
Having grown up without the guidance of elders, she could sense a rare form of recognition and protection behind Benjamin's gruff words.
She raised her hand and roughly wiped away her tears, giving Benjamin a bright smile:"I will. I'll study hard. Thank you for being so kind, Grandfather."
"Nothing but sweet talk it’s no wonder my grandson is so smitten with you."
The butler nearby glanced at the smiling Benjamin.
Caspian’s temperament mirrored his own, and Gloria’s personality bore a striking resemblance to that of Caspian's grandmother. It seemed that both grandfather and grandson were destined to fall for the same kind of woman.
Gloria traced the heirloom on her wrist, her heart swelling with a newfound happiness.
It wasn't that the bracelet was merely costly; after all, James had gifted her countless pieces of jewelry over the years, some adorned with the rarest of gems.
While her assets couldn't rival the vast fortune of the Rivers family, she had already attained a level of financial independence that far surpassed most, even among the well-to-do.
She was happy because she had gained the recognition of an elder.
During her time with James, Hannah had always viewed her kindness as something to be exploited, while Mabel’s actions were constantly shadowed by ulterior motives.
James's relatives had been nothing but a constant source of exasperation.. From this moment forward, Gloria resolved to sever all ties with them completely.
Benjamin was a man of contradictions.. While he appeared stern and fierce on the surface, his actions betrayed a deep-seated care for his family, a protective warmth he had finally extended to Gloria, accepting her as one of his own.
Caspian spoke up, outlining his proposal: "Grandfather, since Gloria isn't showing yet, I suggest we host an engagement party first.We can celebrate the formal wedding ceremony once the baby is born."
It wasn't a lack of desire to wed; rather, it was his greatest ambition to provide Gloria with a truly magnificent wedding.
From venue preparation to every small detail, it involved so much. Take the wedding dress, for example—these custom-made gowns usually took a long time, with several fittings along the way, and her belly would grow in the middle and late stages of pregnancy.
If the dress could be ready in three to six months, that would be considered fast. Beyond the question of a proper fit, she would be nearing her due date by the time the gown was complete. The physical strain of a wedding in the late stages of pregnancy would simply be too taxing for her.
The engagement ceremony was kept relatively simple, primarily serving as a formal recognition of her new status within the family.
Benjamin understood what he was thinking and frowned as he scolded him: "You have always been reliable and steady, but you handled this entire affair far too carelessly."
Gloria was seized by panic, but Caspian, sensing her guilt, took the initiative to lace his fingers with hers, explaining to Benjamin, "It's my fault. I finally got what I wished for, so I did something reckless."
""Fine, fine. The child is already on the way, so further lecturing is pointless. She is under your care now; do not give her cause for sorrow. Leave the arrangements for the engagement party to your brother, and you remain by her side."
"Thank you, Grandfather. I've already discussed it with Daniel. The engagement party will be in three days."
Benjamin voiced his skepticism: "What is the reason for such a hurry?"
Caspian offered a playful smile. "Because Gloria is far too exceptional I'm genuinely afraid someone might try to steal her away if I wait any longer."
"I find it increasingly difficult to keep up with how your generation handles things.". "The timeline is tight, but the ceremony must be flawless we cannot give anyone a reason to look down on the Rivers family."
Caspian bowed his head: "Yes, Grandfather."
Benjamin glanced at Gloria. "My previous focus on your divorce was merely a necessity of my role as the head of the Rivers family."
"But you need not dwell on that any longer. Since I have given my formal consent, your past is no longer of concern to me." Now I'm doing what a grandfather should do. "Once you step foot into the Rivers manor, you are family. Should you face any adversity, every member of this household will stand firmly behind you."
These words made Gloria's tears flow. She bit her lip and nodded emphatically, her voice thick with emotion as she whispered, "Okay."
"More tears? Goodness, what am I going to do with such a little fountain?Come now, back to the room for some proper comfort—the last thing I need is people thinking I'm bullying a child."
Gloria broke into a smile through her tears. Caspian wiped her tears for her. "Alright, I'll apologize to you again later."
As the butler watched the couple depart, he noted the slight curl of Benjamin’s lips. "It appears you have taken a genuine liking to Ms. Mitchell, sir."
"The girl reminds me very much of her."
This mysterious "her" was none other than Caspian's late grandmother.