"I don't like you."
This sentence, like a curse, echoed in Bella's mind, deeply unsettling her.
"Why don't you like me? Am I not good enough for you?"
She looked at Lance with reddened eyes, a mix of grievance and a hint of calculation.
Staggering towards Lance, she suddenly seemed unsteady and fell straight into his arms.
Just as she was about to achieve her goal, an unexpected event occurred.
Lance's eyes flashed with disgust as he pushed her towards Xavier.
Fortunately, Xavier quickly caught her, preventing Bella from falling to the ground.
Bella was stunned.
She never expected Lance to react this way.
The disgust in his eyes pierced her heart.
She felt so unwilling...
"Lance, I feel terrible. My head hurts," Bella pretended to be unwell, hoping Lance would take pity on her and let her stay.
If she could stay at Hencard Villa, she believed she could make Lance marry her.
After all, under the same roof, anything could happen.
Lance's expression was very unpleasant. He glared at Xavier and lightly scolded, "Take her away."
Bella couldn't hold back anymore; her eyes turned red.
Even when she was this miserable, Lance remained so heartless.
Why? Was she really that bad? Worse than a loose woman who had given birth?
No, she didn't believe it!
"I'm not leaving, Lance. I want to stay with you."
Bella used all her strength to break free from Xavier and lunged at Lance.
This sudden change caught everyone off guard.
Lance was unprepared and was hugged tightly.
Before he could react, Bella pouted, ready to kiss him.
Xavier was stunned by this turn of events.
This time, Lance was truly angry.
"Outrageous!"
He shouted, his face full of undisguised disgust, and forcefully pushed her away.
Bella fell to the ground, scraping her hands painfully.
Then she heard the cold and merciless voice of the man again, "Bella, in the past, I overlooked some things because of our families' relationship. But don't think I have no temper. I've warned you before; don't make me say it a third time. Otherwise, bear the consequences!"
Leaving these words behind, Lance walked into the villa without looking back.
Bella watched his heartless back, tears streaming down her face as she clenched her fists tightly.
Xavier couldn't help but shake his head secretly at the sight.
Miss Cody brought this on herself.
He approached Bella and asked, "Miss Cody, can you get up? I'll take you home."
Bella glanced at him, stood up with pursed lips, and did not refuse.
She had originally planned to make Lance keep her, so she hadn't driven or brought her phone. If Xavier didn't take her home, she wouldn't be able to return tonight.
Meanwhile, after entering the living room, Lance took off his suit jacket with a dark expression.
Sam immediately stepped forward to take it.
As he was about to hang it up, Mr. Mercer's cold voice came from behind, "Throw that jacket away."
Although Sam found it strange, he nodded in agreement.
...
The next morning, the entire high society of Cloudmere was in shock.
All because of a financial news report.
"Breaking! Cody Family's eldest daughter spent the night at Mercer Group's president's house. Wedding bells might be near."
Netizens were also buzzing with excitement.
After all, both the Cody family and the Mercer family were top-tier wealthy families in Cloudmere. No ordinary person wouldn't be curious.
"This is a powerful alliance. I can't imagine how grand the wedding would be."
"Am I the only one who thinks the Cody family's eldest daughter and the Mercer family's eldest son are a perfect match?"
"Their looks are amazing."
"I'm so jealous. I want to marry Mr. Mercer too."
For a while, rumors about the two were rampant online.
However, Bella and Lance were not celebrities and shouldn't attract such media attention.
Especially news about Lance should have been off-limits for casual reporting.
Yet today, not only was there coverage but also someone pushing it forward.
By mid-morning, several rumors had surfaced online.
"Latest news: Mercer family and Cody family are already preparing for the wedding."
"According to insiders, Cody family's eldest daughter and Mr. Mercer have secretly obtained their marriage certificate."
"It's said that the Mercer family's betrothal gift to the Cody family is worth billions. Guess what they gave?"
These rumors quickly trended online shortly after appearing.
By the time Lance saw the news, it had already blown up significantly.
Unsurprisingly, his face was extremely grim and terrifyingly dark.
The surrounding air seemed to drop several degrees.