Chapter 35
When I got home after dinner with several important leaders, we pushed open the door. The relaxed expressions on our faces gradually faded.
Robert, William, and their families were sitting neatly on the living room sofa, as if they'd been specifically waiting for us to come back.
"Oscar, is everything taken care of?" Robert asked with a serious expression.
Oscar quietly traced his fingers across my palm to reassure me, then pulled me to sit down across from them, acting like he didn't know what was going on: "All done. The documents were processed pretty quickly."
William had no interest in playing along with this act. His voice was cold: "Oscar, you need to understand something. The only reason they gave such a big project to someone with no reputation is that they valued the Lopez family's support. And what do you do? After winning the bid, you show no gratitude to the Lopez family members. Did you forget who you should be thanking most?"
Oscar sat down slowly, looking at William with a faint smile: "William, are you misunderstanding something?"
"Misunderstanding? Everyone saw it. The video of your speech is already online. What misunderstanding?" William sneered, his gaze still contemptuous. "Or is it that you're mad Dad never bothered to legitimize you earlier, so you're doing this just to spite us?"
Oscar's smile deepened slightly: "They gave me the project because they saw I have the ability to do it well. It has nothing to do with who's backing me."
"Dad, you see? This is his attitude. If you think us asking you to come back was taking advantage of you, then leave. Our family isn't going to go bankrupt the day after you're gone."
Grace quickly tugged at his sleeve, smiling apologetically at Oscar: "Your brother has a quick temper. Don't take what he says seriously. He doesn't mean anything by it. You're family, right?"
The cane struck the floor hard. Robert's face was dark, his already deep wrinkles making him look years older as he frowned: "Stop arguing, all of you."
He turned to Oscar, speaking earnestly: "William's right. Our relationships are connected. Everyone knows you're a Lopez family member. We can't let people laugh at us or think you and William don't get along."
Oscar leaned back slightly against the sofa, his posture relaxed and casual, his arm resting on the back of the sofa where I sat, his smile unchanged: "How could that be? Online rumors are always good at taking things out of context. Dad, don't overthink it. If I didn't want to come back, nothing anyone said would have mattered."
Robert's wrinkles smoothed out a bit: "You've been busy since you came back. Now that the project is settled, even though The Novagen Group didn't win it, you winning it is the same thing. We should find time to celebrate properly. Also, you still haven't been to the company, have you? Tomorrow, have Gregory take you around."
Oscar looked a bit troubled, pressing his lips together as he thought: "Tomorrow might not work. I promised to go with Emily to check on the renovation of her office building. How about another day?"
Robert opened his mouth, then finally agreed: "That works too. The day after tomorrow then. Have Gregory show you around. You're also a Lopez family member. The Novagen Group has your shares too. William, give him a permanent director position. The company's future still depends on all of you working together."
Oscar's smile remained: "Dad's right. I'll definitely work hard to make our family's company number one in Emerald City."
Robert then turned to me: "Emily, because of the office building situation, you've had some unpleasantness with the Brown family members. Although these are business conflicts, our two families' friendship can't be damaged by them. Let's find a chance for both families to sit down for a meal together. We can resolve the conflict then."
Everyone's eyes turned to me in unison, wanting to know my attitude.
Gregory naturally looked my way too, his eyes showing complex emotions, tinged with worry.
Before I could speak, Oscar sat up straight and declined for me: "Right now, Emily isn't a Lopez family member yet, so we shouldn't have the right to decide whether she wants to reconcile, should we? Besides, as you said, these are business conflicts. She has the right to take back the property. She didn't do anything wrong, so what conflict could there be? If there really is one, it's because the Brown family members hold grudges."
Their gazes slid past me one by one, settling on Oscar—the Oscar they considered "modest and polite." In their view, this kind of thing was just routine social business. Before I could speak, he'd already refused for me.
"Oscar, sitting down for a meal together doesn't mean we're saying Emily did something wrong. We're all in business—it's better not to make enemies. You never know what might happen in the future. Emily, what do you think?" Robert patiently persuaded, passing the question back to me.
It was just a fake celebration anyway. What harm could being a little more fake do?
Seeing all eyes return to me, silence was no longer an option. I could only put on a sweet smile and nod at them: "Mr. Lopez, whatever you arrange is fine. Just like you said, business is business, but friendship matters."
Hearing me agree, Robert beamed: "I knew you were a sensible girl. Oscar having a fiancée like you, who's his equal and knows boundaries—it's not just his good fortune, it's the Lopez family's luck. You've both had a long day, so go rest. If you run into any trouble, just tell me. Many things are inconvenient for a young woman. Our family has plenty of people. Since you came back with Oscar, I haven't considered you an outsider."
"Thank you, Mr. Lopez." My smile became a bit more genuine as I poured a glass of water to replace the coffee in front of him. "Coffee at night can keep you awake. You should drink water instead."
Whether his concern for me was real or fake, at least when I was Emma, the little care I received came from him.
Sensing another gaze shooting toward me, I glanced back casually and saw Gregory looking at me with surprise and confusion in his eyes, mixed with something else. The moment our eyes met, he quickly looked away.
A small smile curved my lips. My gaze lingered on him for a moment. His reaction was quite interesting. Avoiding me so deliberately, being so obvious about it—was it because he feared the initial misunderstanding and wanted to keep his distance, or was it something else? I suddenly became interested in finding out.
Although the last incident got him beaten and some gossip spread in high society, they ultimately held back from spreading it widely out of respect for the Lopez family. If he still had other thoughts...
My smile widened a bit more. I slowly withdrew my gaze and began to think—perhaps what comes next could be even more interesting.