Kailynn, Dalilah's mother, was about to say something when her husband stopped her. "Don't speak. If you ruin the Grant family's plans, our relationship with them will be over."
He said this because he knew that if the Grant family allied with the Mercer family, given their long-standing friendship and timely support, the Grant family would definitely give the Patel family a satisfactory explanation.
Deanna and Julia noticed the undercurrents in the private room. Lionel also looked serious.
Although he rarely opposed his parents, he wasn't oblivious to the fact that tonight's dinner was not just a welcoming meal.
He was immensely grateful that he had invited Julia; otherwise, if she misunderstood tonight's events, he wouldn't be able to explain himself even with ten mouths.
Despite an unpleasant start, everyone eventually sat down for dinner in the private room. During the meal, Tristan and Dalilah's father continuously toasted Lance, trying to get close to him. However, Lance remained indifferent and uninterested in engaging with them. Nevertheless, they persisted tirelessly.
They also took the opportunity to inform their wives and children about Lance's status.
Although disappointed that they couldn't marry into the Grant family, Kailynn ultimately swallowed her daughter's humiliation for the sake of family advancement.
Dalilah, on the other hand, looked at Deanna and Julia with jealousy. Why did these two paupers have better fates than her, a wealthy heiress? One married into a top domestic family, and the other snatched away a potential suitor she had her eyes on. Why?!
The more Dalilah thought about it, the more unwilling she felt. Yet, given the current situation and her status, she couldn't do anything or drive these two eyesores away.
As the meal progressed, the conversation gradually shifted to Lionel and Julia's wedding.
"Mr. Mercer, Miss Deanna, do you have any requests regarding the dowry?" Tristan asked, suppressing his excitement. He wanted to see how much Deanna cared about her future sister-in-law.
Deanna and Lance were well aware of his intentions. Lance smiled faintly and said, "The dowry should be discussed with Julia's parents. However, as Julia's brother-in-law, I will prepare a five percent share of Mercer Group's dividends and a seaside villa worth millions as a dowry gift."
Both Deanna and Julia were shocked by his words. Especially Julia, who looked at Lance and her best friend in disbelief.
Seeing Deanna's calm demeanor, she misunderstood and thought Deanna had asked Lance to say this to support her. Little did she know that with Lance's status, even such supportive words couldn't be said lightly.
Deanna quickly regained her composure but felt incredibly sweet inside. She knew Lance made such a valuable promise out of love for her. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but hold Lance's hand under the table. Feeling her soft touch, Lance looked at her with eyes full of tenderness.
Their sweet interaction didn't escape others' notice. Tristan and Dalilah's father immediately began complimenting them.
"Mr. Mercer and Miss Deanna have such a great relationship."
"Truly enviable."
Their flattering words flowed freely.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Deanna interrupted, "Please stop praising us; it's making me embarrassed. Let's get back to our previous topic."
"Alright, let's continue," Tristan and Dalilah's father agreed eagerly, not wanting Deanna and Lance to leave so soon.
Deanna knew their intentions and smiled slightly before continuing, "Since my fiancé has mentioned the dowry gift, I'll also talk about mine. When Julia gets married, I will transfer ten percent of my business shares to her, worth several million dollars. Additionally, since my fiancé is giving a house, I'll give a sports car."
Hearing this, Tristan and Cristal beamed with joy. So many shares would become theirs once Julia married into their family. They were glad they hadn't done anything excessive despite disliking Julia's background; otherwise, they would have missed out on such valuable gifts.
Unbeknownst to them, Deanna and Lance saw through their calculations clearly. Remembering her mother's experience, Deanna added, "The dowry gifts we mentioned are for Julia alone and cannot be transferred to anyone else."
The smiles on the Grants' faces froze momentarily before returning to normal.
"Of course, of course. A daughter-in-law's belongings should be kept by her," they replied cheerfully while harboring different thoughts internally.