Chapter 173

Chapter 173

The Green Manor was big enough to hold hundreds of people. The garden was lit up bright as day, buzzing with energy.

Having Aurora around helped Wendy feel a lot less nervous.

The moment she came downstairs, every eye in the room turned to her. Camera flashes from all the media outlets nearly blinded her.

She almost felt like a celebrity.

With such a happy occasion, Jeffrey was in great spirits and full of energy. He happily announced, "This is our granddaughter Alice of the Green family. She will be taking over all of the Green Group's assets and business operations. She is our successor."

The room erupted.

"What does this mean? Alice comes home and gets handed that much power right away? Looks like things are shifting in the Green family."

"I'm not so sure. You guys remember that viral post about the most beautiful researcher? That was Wendy. She's seriously talented. Her company's research project already got approved for government funding."

"No way, she's that impressive?"

Not just the guests were shocked — even Hannah and Edward were caught off guard.

They hadn't expected Jeffrey to name Wendy as the heir so directly, especially with other siblings still in the picture.

It felt a bit rushed.

"Dad, you—" Edward started to say something quietly, but Jeffrey cut him off.

"I know what you're going to say. But nobody knows Alice's abilities better than I do. She needs a bigger stage, and the Green Group is the best platform for her." Jeffrey hadn't made this decision on a whim. It was the result of careful thought and research.

Wendy's track record spoke for itself.

Her abilities were plain for everyone to see — she was even sharper than those who had been groomed in the Green family from childhood to manage the business.

So Jeffrey's decision was the right one.

Wendy herself hadn't seen this coming. She'd just come to Bay City for a visit and somehow ended up as the heir.

Could she even go back to Novaria?

What about William?

The thought of being apart from William hit her in a way she hadn't expected.

These past weeks, having him by her side had become second nature. This sudden turn of events left her feeling unsettled.

And William had told her he had a surprise waiting for her when she got back to Novaria.

Wendy turned around. "Mom, I'm still too young for this. I can't handle it. Can you talk to Grandpa? The Green Group is too big — I shouldn't be the one making these calls."

Hannah patted her hand. "Don't worry. We'll all be here to support you."

Wendy had been entrusted with something huge.

She believed in Wendy's abilities.

Aurora was a little surprised and a bit let down, but she didn't show it. Wendy's talent was undeniable, and she couldn't bring herself to be jealous.

The dinner wrapped up quickly.

Wendy went back to her room and texted William about everything that had happened.

He replied instantly, telling her to go ahead and accept. He believed she could handle it.

Wendy suddenly felt the weight of everyone's expectations pressing down on her. But she was tough — the harder something was, the more she wanted to take it on.

Pushing past her limits gave her a real sense of accomplishment.

Wendy thrived on the feeling of constant growth. She took a deep breath and decided to accept the inheritance.

This huge story dominated Bay City gossip for three days straight. Lots of elite households came sniffing around for intel, aiming to set their sons up with a connection. Hannah shut them all down.

She knew about Wendy and William's relationship. Nothing was official yet, but she could tell Wendy had feelings for him.

They would end up together. She was sure of it.

But Hannah knew better than to push. These things were best left to unfold naturally.

After spending over two weeks in Bay City getting familiar with the Green Group's various operations, Wendy found herself genuinely missing William.

They talked every day, and William would send flowers from across the miles, but there was still an emptiness she couldn't shake.

In the study, Jeffrey couldn't stop singing her praises. "Alice is a rare talent. She's even sharper than we were back in the day. You really can't underestimate young people these days."

Edward nodded along wholeheartedly. He'd spent these weeks closely guiding Wendy, sometimes working around the clock.

Wendy never complained about being tired. When problems came up, she solved them. She never let her emotions get in the way, never played favorites, and knew how to delegate and get the best out of people.

She was a born leader with a natural instinct for managing people.

He knew Wendy had never taken any formal management courses, which made what she'd taught herself all the more remarkable.

"She sets the bar high for herself and goes after perfection in everything she does. The Green Group is in good hands with her. We can rest easy."

Jeffrey smiled and nodded.

He agreed with every word Edward said.

Meanwhile, William had wrapped up his business at the Ford Group and couldn't take the distance anymore. He quietly booked a flight to Bay City.

He'd originally planned to take Wendy somewhere special in Novaria to confess his feelings. But since she kept not coming back, he had no choice but to fly over and make it happen there.

Wendy had no idea William was already in Bay City.

Her standing at the Green Group was still new, and everything required careful thought, so the day had taken a lot out of her.

Thankfully, Aurora was there to help. Wendy had brought her into the Green Group as her personal assistant.

Aurora had always wanted to work at the company, but Jeffrey hadn't agreed to it back then, which was why she'd gone into piano performance instead.

Now that the door was open, she wasn't going to let the chance slip by.

Wendy was genuinely willing to teach her, and Aurora came to realize that for a family business to last a hundred years, everyone in the family had to pull together, grow together, and put in the work.

After working alongside Wendy for so many days and seeing what she was truly capable of, Aurora had let go of any jealousy she'd once felt.

She now looked up to Wendy as her role model.

The next morning, just as Wendy was getting ready to head to the office, Hannah pulled her aside for a shopping trip. Wendy couldn't find a way to say no.

She went to the mall with Hannah.

When they arrived, Wendy was surprised to find the entire place completely empty.

She was still trying to figure out what was going on when a full rose garden suddenly appeared in front of her. Wendy's eyes went wide with amazement, and a quiet suspicion began to form in her mind.

"I'll let you walk this path on your own. Go on, go see for yourself." Hannah smiled and gave Wendy a little nudge.

Wendy lowered her head shyly and stepped forward along the red carpet, one step at a time.

The further she walked, the more her heart raced — until she reached the very center, where William stood in the soft glow of the light. "Wendy. It's me."

Those simple words said everything that weeks of missing each other couldn't.

Wendy's eyes stung, and she nearly cried.

Seeing her reaction, William walked toward her slowly. Noticing her reddened eyes, he reached up and gently pinched her cheek. "Did you miss me that much?"

Wendy turned her head away, her voice coming out a little muffled. "No, I didn't."

This moment belonged to just the two of them, with no one else to interrupt.

William pulled out a necklace he'd prepared and opened it in front of her. "All this time apart made me see clearly what's in my heart. I like you, Wendy. Will you be with me?"