Chapter 177 Amelia's Speculation
Breakfast was ready quickly.
Steven sat at the dining table, eating with quiet elegance.
Nora went to knock on Olivia's door. Olivia hadn't come out since returning to her room earlier.
"Olivia, breakfast is ready," Nora called softly as she knocked.
"Okay," Olivia answered from inside. She took a moment to compose herself before coming out.
For some reason, Nora felt her face grow warm as she served Olivia a bowl of oatmeal.
Steven looked perfectly calm, as if nothing had happened. He ate his breakfast slowly and said, "Olivia, Alton said he's coming over tonight."
Olivia paused in the middle of a bite. "What's he coming for?"
"He said he found Willie's hidden assets and will bring the documents tonight."
"How did he find them?" Nora couldn't help asking. She thought it was impressive that Alton could track down someone's hidden money.
Steven took a bite of his fried egg and explained, "He's a lawyer. He has his own channels and connections."
"I see." Nora had a moment of realization. "You and your friends are amazing. It feels like you can handle anything."
Yesterday, they had needed to review the accounts, and two accountants had shown up. Today, they had already traced Willie's assets through special channels. Nora felt as though these people were living with some kind of cheat code.
Willie had always been sly, but in front of them, he couldn't hide anything.
After breakfast, Steven left for work.
Olivia was also heading out.
Nora asked, "Olivia, where are you going?"
"I'm meeting Willie today to discuss the divorce." Olivia changed her shoes by the door.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No need." Olivia looked at her. "After yesterday's big scene, they probably won't try anything again. I'll go hear what he has to say."
"Okay." Since Olivia wanted to handle it herself, Nora respected her choice.
Nora returned to her room, put on her headphones, and started her online classes.
That evening, Amelia came over with some fruit.
"Nora!" As soon as Nora opened the door, Amelia threw her arms around her. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you, too." Nora hugged Amelia for a bit. "Come in. Let me show you around."
As soon as Amelia walked in, she began complimenting the place. "Your apartment is beautifully decorated. You even have a robot vacuum."
"My husband bought it." Nora took her on a quick tour.
Then she washed some fruit and had Amelia sit in the living room.
"Amelia, sit for a bit. I was just washing some mats in the bathroom. They've been soaking, and I need to pull them out."
"Okay." Amelia casually picked up a piece of fruit to eat.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Nora, I'll get it for you." Seeing that Nora was busy, Amelia went to answer the door.
A tall man in a black shirt stood outside. Both his looks and his presence were striking.
Amelia's eyes widened. "You..."
"Steven York." Steven looked at her and introduced himself in an even tone.
"You're Nora's husband?" Only then did Amelia fully understand that everything Nora had said before was true. Steven really was very handsome and carried a distinct air about him. He was just a bit cold.
Especially his eyes. When he looked at people, his gaze was cool and distant, making him seem difficult to approach.
"You're Nora's friend, right?" Steven looked down at her, his tone flat.
"Yes, I'm Amelia Martinez." Amelia stepped aside to let him in.
As she watched him change his shoes, confusion crept into her mind. Steven seemed so familiar...
Amelia returned to the kitchen with her question. "Nora, is Steven related to the York family?"
Steven had been about to step into the kitchen to help, but he paused when he heard that.
Had Amelia seen him somewhere before?
"Which York family?" Nora asked as she chopped vegetables.
"You know, the richest York family." Amelia touched her chin. "I've met Andrew before, and I think Steven looks a bit like him."
Their voices weren't quiet, and Steven could hear them.
He stood outside the kitchen drinking water, though in truth he was listening carefully to their conversation.
He and Andrew did resemble each other somewhat, but their features were still different. Andrew took after their father, while Steven took after their mother.
"That's impossible." Nora laughed. "If Steven were related to the richest family, I'd already be living in a mansion by now."
"Maybe he's pretending to be poor to trick you." Amelia held a carrot and looked at Nora.
Steven's back stiffened.
Amelia's instincts were terrifyingly sharp.
Nora glanced at her with amusement in her eyes. "Amelia, have you been watching too many TV dramas? Why would rich people pretend to be poor in real life? Wouldn't showing off their status attract more attention instead?"
Actually, Steven wasn't poor at all.
Amelia said seriously, "You never know. Maybe he just wants to test you."
Steven felt as if Amelia had somehow gotten hold of the script in advance.
Amelia calculated again. "You said your husband is twenty-seven, Andrew is twenty-five. And that second son of the York family who just came back from overseas is also twenty-seven... Could it really be true?"
Her eyes widened with excitement. That was practically a legendary figure, even though she didn't know his full name.
She grabbed Nora's hand and pressed on, "Nora, if your husband really were the second son of the York family, what would you do?"
Steven's eyelid twitched. His gaze deepened as he looked toward Nora. For some reason, he suddenly felt nervous and wanted badly to hear her answer.
Just as Nora was about to speak, the soup pot boiled over. She quickly set down the knife and lifted the lid.
"Amelia, the soup's ready. Help me get a soup bowl." Nora sprinkled salt and cilantro into the soup, and the conversation was cut off.
Steven never got to hear her answer, and his brow furrowed.
Then the doorbell rang again.
Steven went to open it. It was the king crabs he had ordered—two portions.
He carried the crabs inside and said to Nora in the kitchen, "I bought some crabs. You don't need to make too many dishes. Two or three will be enough."
"What kind of crabs did you buy?" Nora wiped her hands and came out to look.
King crabs!
Nora was shocked. "King crabs? How much did this cost? Isn't it really expensive?"
These two portions must have cost a fortune. She couldn't help feeling that Steven spent money far too casually.
Steven said, "I didn't want you working too hard, and since this is the first time I'm meeting your friend, I wanted to make a good impression."
His words warmed Nora's heart. She hadn't expected him to care so much about her friend.
Nora smiled. "Okay, then I'll just make two or three dishes. By the way, Amelia just said you look like the third son of the richest family. She even guessed that you might be the second son of the York family."
Steven raised a brow slightly. "I heard. She also asked what you would think if your husband were the second son of the York family."
"I wouldn't think anything." Nora closed the takeout box lid so the crabs wouldn't get cold.
"I wouldn't think anything?" Steven was clearly unhappy with that answer. He turned to look at her, wanting her to be more specific. "What if your husband really were the second son of the York family? how would you feel?"
Nora looked puzzled.
Why was Steven so concerned about that question?
She looked at him and saw that his expression was unusually serious.
Thinking he might be feeling jealous, Nora smiled. "I wouldn't think about something that unrealistic. I'm already married. My husband is you. How could you suddenly turn into the second son of the York family?"
"What if I did?" Steven's gaze grew deeper.
Nora thought about it for a moment. "Then I'd divorce him."
Steven froze. He clearly hadn't expected that answer. His expression instantly darkened. "Why?"
"Because our backgrounds wouldn't match. Wealthy families have so many rules. I'd rather be an ordinary person and live freely." After saying that, Nora turned to go back to the kitchen and continue cooking.
Steven grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.
"Just because you want an ordinary life, you'd give up the relationship?" There was a trace of coldness in his eyes.
Nora was baffled by the question.
It was just a hypothetical. Why was he taking it so seriously?
Did he want her to say she wouldn't mind, just to satisfy him?
Nora looked up at him. "But marriage isn't only about two people. It involves both families too. With my background, would a wealthy family really not care? Look at those women online who marry into rich families. They either get called gold-diggers or baby-making machines. Some of them have several children and still aren't accepted by family. Only a very small number have it relatively easy. How many of them are truly spoken of well?"
Steven said nothing, because everything she said was true.
Women from ordinary backgrounds who married into wealthy families really did face enormous pressure, criticism, and hardship.
"And you'd still give up because of that?" Steven found it hard to accept.
"Isn't a simple life better?" Nora asked in return. "Like the life we have now. It's simple. There are no complicated relationships, we're happy every day, and no one gossiping about us. Isn't that better?"
Steven could tell that Nora genuinely liked a peaceful, uncomplicated life.
He was just about to say something when the front door opened.
Olivia was back.
"Everyone's here already. I bought some fruit." Olivia walked in carrying a bag.
"Why is everyone buying things?" Nora hurried over.
"Didn't you say you had a guest today? I bought some fruit for everyone." Olivia changed her shoes.
Nora helped her put the fruit in the fridge.
Steven was still standing by the dining table.
Before, he had worried that Nora liked him for his money. Now, he was worried that his status would make her afraid to love him at all.
After putting the fruit away, Nora noticed that Steven was still standing there, his whole figure seeming wrapped in a cold aura.
"Okay, stop standing there. Go sit down and rest for a bit." Nora tugged on his sleeve, wanting him to sit on the sofa.
Steven glanced at her and responded softly before walking over to sit down.
Nora could tell that seemed unhappy. Holding onto his sleeve, she secretly glanced toward the kitchen.
Olivia and Amelia were both busy there, not paying attention to each other.
Relieved, Nora leaned in and secretly kissed the corner of Steven's mouth. "Don't be upset."
Steven glanced at her. He wasn't really angry, just feeling a little low.