Chapter 48
I looked at him, nodded, and turned to walk into the elevator.
It wasn't until I got in the elevator that I realized my heart was still racing like crazy.
After finishing the backlog of work on my desk, by the time I returned to the White Mansion, it was completely dark outside.
The living room was brightly lit. Preston, Marlowe, and Amelia were sitting at the dining table in an eerily silent atmosphere, as if they were all waiting for me.
When they saw me come back, Amelia immediately shot me a venomous look, while Marlowe put on her fake smile. "Ophelia's back. Go wash your hands and eat. I had the kitchen make your favorite beef stew today."
I was too lazy to deal with their overt and covert attacks, so I sat down on my own.
The whole meal was tasteless, and everyone was lost in their own thoughts.
It wasn't until I wiped the corner of my mouth with my napkin that I finally spoke, under their various gazes, taking my time.
"Tomorrow night, Benjamin has reserved a private room at Sable & Gold." My voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "He said he hopes both families can have dinner together to discuss the details of our engagement."
The moment I finished speaking, the air at the dining table seemed to freeze.
A shattering sound rang out—Amelia had knocked over the glass next to her, and water quickly spread across the tablecloth.
Her face went pale as she looked at me in disbelief.
The smile on Marlowe's face also froze. She forced her lips into a strained smile, but panic flashed through her eyes.
Only Preston, after his initial shock, burst into a look of wild joy.
He rubbed his hands together excitedly, looking at me with eyes full of calculation and satisfaction, as if looking at a priceless commodity.
"Good! Good!" His voice was trembling slightly. "It's time to talk about this! This marriage absolutely can't be rushed! Don't worry, tomorrow I'll make sure to give you a proper showing!"
I looked coldly at his fawning and greedy face, feeling nothing inside.
I turned to the pale-faced Amelia and Marlowe, a faint smile playing at the corner of my lips, my tone calm and flat.
"Then, tomorrow night at seven o'clock, Sable & Gold. I hope everyone will be there on time."
When I came downstairs the next day, the atmosphere in the living room was completely different from usual.
Amelia was wearing a brand-new pink dress, her makeup so perfect it looked like she was going to walk a red carpet. She sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, striking a full pose.
Seeing me come down, she shot me a look mixed with jealousy and provocation, the curve of her lips full of schadenfreude, as if certain I would embarrass myself tonight.
Marlowe was still playing the role of loving mother, urging the servants to set the table, though her smile looked forced no matter how you looked at it.
Preston, on the other hand, sat silently in the head seat reading the financial newspaper, his expression calm, but I knew that beneath his calm exterior, he had already calculated all the gains and losses.
On the way to Sable & Gold, the car was dead silent. Amelia kept sizing me up in the rearview mirror, her calculating gaze completely undisguised.
Sable & Gold was the city's most exclusive private club, with tight security and privacy, frequented only by the wealthy and powerful.
We had just reached the door of the private room when it was pulled open from inside, and Sloane's kind, smiling face appeared.
"Ophelia's here, come in quickly, it's cold outside." Without even looking at the White family members behind me, she took my hand directly and led me inside. That genuine affection made Amelia's face instantly darken.
Quentin had already arrived. Seeing me enter, his usually serious face showed a hint of warmth as he nodded at me.
"Grandpa, Grandma." I greeted them with a smile, and the irritation I'd felt about having to face the White family was instantly soothed the moment I saw them.
Preston and Marlowe quickly followed, their faces plastered with fawning smiles. "Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Wilson, it's so nice to meet you."
Quentin just nodded slightly, acknowledging Preston's words.
Unwilling to be ignored, Amelia stepped forward and spoke in what she thought was her sweetest voice, pretending to be well-behaved: "Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Wilson, hello. I'm Ophelia's sister. My name is Amelia."
As she spoke, she deliberately smoothed out her skirt, trying to show herself in the best light.
Sloane's gaze rested on her briefly, and a sharp gleam flashed through her eyes that had seen countless people.
Her smile didn't change, but she turned to hold my hand, gently patting the back of it. Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but clear enough for everyone at the table to hear.
"The Wilson family chooses a granddaughter-in-law based on character and inner qualities, not flashy appearances." She said pointedly, "Those tacky behaviors and attempts to take shortcuts won't work with us."
These words were like an invisible slap, hitting Amelia and Marlowe hard in the face.
The sweet smile Amelia had carefully maintained instantly froze, and a trace of embarrassment appeared on her face.
Marlowe's expression wasn't much better. Her fingers gripping the cup tightened slightly, her knuckles turning white.
Seeing the atmosphere become awkward, Marlowe forced a smile, trying to ease the tension.
She looked around and spoke with feigned concern: "Mrs. Wilson is right. Our Ophelia is lucky. But... isn't today about discussing her engagement with Mr. Benjamin Wilson? Why isn't Mr. Benjamin Wilson here? As the main person involved, why hasn't he arrived yet?"
Her words seemed caring on the surface, but were actually pointing out that Benjamin didn't value this meeting or me as his fiancée.
Amelia immediately chimed in: "Yes, Mr. Benjamin Wilson is so busy. Ophelia, you need to be more understanding of him."
Their words were nothing more than attempts to embarrass me.
I picked up the cup in front of me, took a sip of coffee, and I couldn't even be bothered to look at them.
Just as Preston's face was starting to look uneasy, Quentin, who had been silent, put down his cup.
The sound of the cup hitting the table instantly drew everyone's attention.
"Benjamin is on his way. He had an emergency overseas video conference that delayed him a bit." Quentin's voice was steady and powerful, without a trace of emotion, but his gaze sharply swept over Marlowe and Amelia. "However, he's already given his instructions."