Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1751-1760

Willow hugged her mother and smiled sweetly.

“Mom, did you know my future sister-in-law is the sister of the guy who donated his heart to Jared?!” Willow couldn’t help asking as she didn’t hear Anastasia bring the topic up the entire journey.

On the other hand, Anastasia was stunned by the revelation. “What? Really?!”

“Yeah!” Willow affirmed. “Jared told me on the road. I thought he would’ve told you guys!”

At that, Anastasia pondered for a quick second. Knowing Jared, he would certainly bring it up.

As for why he didn’t, it wasn’t that he had forgotten but that he wanted to introduce Ellen solemnly when they officially met. It was an intentional move. That said, Anastasia was pleasantly surprised that Jared’s beloved was the donor’s sister. Though 18 years had passed since the car accident, Anastasia’s heart constricted every time she was reminded of the incident.

Hence, the Presgraves had always been grateful to the family. Even when so many years had passed, they would help the family out whenever the latter needed it. But who’d have thought Jared one-upped them and gave himself to the family?!

“She’s our family’s savior and also a future member of our family.” Anastasia had already acknowledged Ellen even though she had yet to meet the young woman.

What the Reisses did for them was something they could never repay.

“Yeah!” Willow was on cloud nine, too. We’ll be having a new addition to the family! No, wait. Two additions! Nearly forgot my unborn nephew. Oops!

Following that, Anastasia brought the fact up with Elliot, and the man, too, was lost for words. He wasn’t sure why Jared would hide this from them, but he knew there must be a good reason.

“Do you want to take a nap? You barely slept the entire journey,” Elliot suggested lovingly.

Anastasia was indeed feeling a little tired. At that, she checked the time to find it was only 2:30PM, a few hours away from their dinner booking. She could take a nap.

“Nap with me, then,” Anastasia asked her dear husband; she could fall asleep faster with him around. As such, Elliot followed Anastasia back to their room.

As Willow had always studied abroad, she spent little time within the country. That said, she made many friends. When she came out to the yard, she bumped into a bodyguard opening the trunk for a large Doberman to dash out. However, it appeared very alarmed as this was unfamiliar ground to it.

“Duke,” Willow called out with a beam, and the canine immediately ran to her and circled her happily. Meanwhile, Willow cupped its head and petted him affectionately.

Duke was a member of the family. As it had been six years since the Doberman came into their lives, it had long become a part of the family and played an important role in their lives.

“Do you miss me?”

“Woof!”

“This is our home,” Willow introduced. “I’ll find you a spot for your bed, but don’t run around, okay?”

Duke gazed at Willow as though it understood her, then ran happily for a few circles before following Willow into the house.

…

Jared, on the other hand, had returned to Ellen, who was taking a nap in the master bedroom right then; she was honestly really lethargic. Meanwhile, Jared tiptoed to her side and watched her sleep. He

didn’t have the heart to wake her up, and there was still plenty of time. No rush. Let her have a good nap.

One reason Jared didn’t tell his parents about Ellen’s identity was due to the complicated arrangements. Plus, she never received a sliver of his family’s kindness and was instead bullied and neglected by the Aguirres. Hence, even if his parents were grateful for Ellen, she never received warmth in her life in the past. At the end of the day, he decided to find a good time to bring this up with his parents after they returned.

Now, the Presgraves weren’t only grateful for Ellen because of her brother’s generosity and because she was willing to give them a progeny.

In actuality, Jared didn’t want her to suffer such torment, but Ellen was anticipating the growth and arrival of their little one every day now, even though she started off rather lost and overwhelmed.

Ellen woke up naturally at 4.30PM, but she was still startled when she opened her eyes. Shoot, what time is it?!

Just as she was frantically getting out of bed, the man on the couch reassured her gently. “Take it easy. It’s still early.”

Seeing that Jared had returned, she heaved a sigh of relief. “What time is it? Have I overslept?”

“Four-thirty. The dinner reservation my parents got is at six. We have plenty of time,” said Jared as he sat next to her and draped her jacket over her shoulder. It was already winter, and it felt a little chilly when she had just woken up.

At the thought that she was going to meet his parents, and that she was the only one remaining in her family, Ellen couldn’t help feeling sad.

“From now on, you’re a Presgrave too. We will be your loving family,” Jared comforted her. He immediately knew what was running through her head when he saw the bitterness in her eyes.

With that, the sliver of bitterness in Ellen’s heart was driven away. “Okay!” She nodded while leaning in his arms. “And I will be your dutiful wife.”

At 5.00PM, the Presgraves headed to the restaurant. They had come in advance to wait for Jared and Ellen’s arrival.

Meanwhile, in New Town, Jared and Ellen had also departed under the bodyguards’ escort.

Back in the restaurant’s private room, Elliot and Willow were discussing her future, and he enjoined her about thinking twice when she wanted to go anywhere dangerous. As she interacted with antiques, Elliot worried that his precious baby girl would get curious and follow others into a graveyard. That was very, very alarming.

“Relax, Dad. I wasn’t born yesterday,” Willow said to her father.

However, to Elliot, Willow was a child no matter how old she became, and he wouldn’t feel assured unless he enjoined her anything three times.

After all, he personally raised this little one up. No way was he going to let anyone take advantage of her. However, at the thought that he would eventually have to marry a man, he didn’t feel too happy about it.

“When has your father ever seen you as a big girl?” Anastasia teased.

Willow felt loved. Growing up, she did love to hide behind her father whenever she made a mistake or got into trouble, as he would take care of it every time.

Hence, she knew her father would forever be her strongest support, and it also made her fearless. The more Elliot spoiled her, the more daring she became.

Just then, Jared led Ellen through the door, and the Presgrave couple looked with gentle gazes in their direction at once. Anastasia stood up and greeted Ellen even more so. “Hi, Ellen. I’m Jared’s mother.”

The young woman was awestruck, for she thought it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to assume her future mother-in-law was only a few years older than herself. She looks so young! And she’s absolutely stunning!

“Ellen!” Just then, a sweet, crisp voice rang out beside her, and she found a gorgeous girl greeting her.

Though abashed, she still looked up at Anastasia and greeted, “Hello, Mrs. Presgrave.”

A chuckle escaped Anastasia as she extended her hand out for a handshake. “Just call me ‘Mom’ like Jared does, Ellen. From now on, you’re my other daughter.”

Anastasia’s words truly touched Ellen, and she couldn’t help but well up with emotional tears. “Mom!” she said with a quivering voice; it had been far too long since she had addressed anyone with the word.

“Yes, dear?” Anastasia replied with a smile.

Meanwhile, Willow handed Ellen a paper napkin and said, “Hi, Ellen, I’m Willow.”

“Hi, Willow.” Ellen was immediately in love with her future sister-in-law as well, and as she looked up, she found that her future father-in-law had gotten up from his seat as well. That said, her heart skipped a beat, for it was her first time meeting someone so intimidating.

Elliot had likely caught the young woman’s evasive gaze as he smiled warmly and said, “I’m your father-in-law. Welcome to the family. From now on, I’m your father.”

At that, Ellen raised her head, and her eyes welled up with moving tears once more. The nervousness she had vanished, too, as she called out timidly, “Hello, Dad.”

“This is awesome! We have a new addition to the family! Now our house will become even livelier,” Willow exulted, then recalled something. “Oops, I mean, two additions. I forgot I have a nephew coming.”

Her adorable behavior amused everyone, and the mood was instantly relaxed as everyone guffawed.

Later, everyone took their seats. As Jared behaved very relaxed in front of his family, Ellen eased as well.

“Ellie, you and Jared decide on a date for the wedding tonight. I’ll take you to a wedding service agency tomorrow to learn more about wedding procedures, alright?”

“Sure, Mom.” Ellen nodded.

“Mom, I’ll join you guys,” said Jared before turning to Willow. “You should come with us too. You’re going to be Ellie’s bridesmaid.”

“Okay! What a great honor. It’s my first time being a bridesmaid too!” Willow gushed, then asked, “What about your best man? Have you gotten one?”

“I’m getting my guy to come back from wherever he is, of course,” said Jared. He had a close friend whom he had known since childhood and was also born to the purple. On top of that, he had a quarter of foreign origin.

“It’s Ethan, isn’t it?!” Willow was spot on.

“It is.” Jared nodded, then turned to Ellen. “He’s my closest friend. I’ll introduce you guys to each other when he comes back.”

Ellen nodded in response and thought his friends were likely as outstanding as he was.

“It’s been a while since I last saw Ethan,” Anastasia said with a smile. “It was about three years ago, I think, when you two came home and stayed for two weeks.”

“I heard he’s gone to the North Pole for business. He should be back soon,” Jared added. Ethan’s family was a leading enterprise in shipping, and their business stretched across all major cities of the world. Plus, they also had some business dealings with the Presgraves.

After dinner, Anastasia brought Ellen to the couch and pulled out the present she had prepared for her new daughter-in-law. “Ellie, this is a first-meeting gift from me to you. Take a look and see if you like it.”

Ellen looked at the box and didn’t even need to guess to know it likely contained jewelry. With that, she opened it to find a stunning ruby necklace lying on top of a black velvet cloth, sparkling under the lights.

“Wow, this is so pretty!” Ellen gushed from the bottom of her heart. While she knew nothing about jewelry, she knew the necklace was certainly extremely valuable.

“My mom designed it just for you,” said Willow, and Ellen felt extremely honored.

Jared once told her his mother used to work as a jewelry designer and even had her own listed company. Now, seeing Anastasia’s design for herself, she was genuinely impressed by the woman.

“Thank you, Mom,” Ellen thanked gratefully.

“And I, you. You turned my Jared from a son to a husband and a father and made him a more responsible and conscientious man,” said Anastasia, feeling truly grateful that the Reisses saved her son.

Just then, Jared sat down and held Ellen’s hand before turning to his mother. “Mom, there’s something I should tell you. Ellen is the sister of the guy who saved me.”

Anastasia nodded at that. “Willow told me about it. It must be fate that we’re to be a family.”

It didn’t surprise Jared, for he had expected Willow to tell their parents, and he also checked with Ellen when they were on their way to the restaurant. She didn’t mind talking about her past.

At that, Jared gazed at Ellen with an aching heart, then revealed to his parents, “Mom, Dad, Ellen was only seven back then, and she never got the 15 million we gave the Aguirres. Not even a portion. They claimed it for themselves. Not only that, they even treated Ellie poorly, making her life miserable.”

“What?!” The revelation shocked Anastasia. “If my memory serves me right, Mr. Stark told your father to have a chat with them because they had a daughter who was looking to study abroad. Was it not Ellie?”

“The girl the Aguirres asked us to pull some strings and sent abroad for studies wasn’t Ellie but their own daughter. They gave her the best of everything but left Ellie under the care of a great-aunt. Not only did they neglect her, but they wouldn’t even give her a single penny.”

Jared’s narrative shocked and angered Anastasia. The person who donated their heart was Ellen’s brother. Hence, given the young woman’s kinship, she could get at least half of the money. The Aguirres are unbelievable!

“How can they be so selfish?!” Willow, too, was beside herself with fury.

Elliot, on the other hand, sighed and blamed himself. “It’s our fault for not seeing things to the end back then. We shouldn’t have only given them money but be more attentive to their well-being.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry you had to suffer, Ellie. Rest assured; we won’t let anyone upset you ever again,” Anastasia promised as she held Ellen’s hand.

“Ellen, if anyone dares bully you again, bring it up with Jared. Have him fight back,” Willow echoed, causing a chuckle to escape Ellen as she said, “Sure, as you say.”

Jared, too, beamed. “Willow’s right.”

“Still, Ellie’s a tough girl and also outstanding. I’m sorry this happened to you.” Anastasia gazed at Ellen with an aching heart. She was aware that the Aguirres struggled to make ends meet back then. Hence, they gave the family 15 million one shot in hopes that it would change things.

Lo and behold, the Aguirres took the money for themselves and even sent the sister of their savior away. Their actions were absolutely outrageous. It was evident how miserable a life Ellen lived.

“Mom, Dad, let’s just leave the past behind. Meeting Jared and becoming a part of this family is the best thing that has ever happened to me.” Ellen treasured everything she had now and was grateful to the heavens for letting her meet the Presgraves.

“Yes.” Anastasia blinked her teary eyes and nodded with a smile. “This is the heavens’ best-laid plan.”

“I promise you, Ellen, Jared will make you the happiest woman in the world,” Willow assured.

Ellen was touched. This is the best blessing.

It was already 8.30PM before they knew it, so Anastasia had Jared take Ellen home to rest early so as to discuss the wedding the following morning.

On their journey back, Jared and Ellen checked the calendar together for the best wedding date. Ultimately, they settled on the 18th of February as it would give them a whole good month to prepare.

Anastasia was still beside herself with fury as the night grew late. She thought the Aguirres were terrible. They had even donated 700 thousand so that the girl could enter and stay in her dream college.

Of course, Anastasia was more than happy to go all out for them. But now that hearing the Aguirres used everything on their own daughter but neglected Ellen, Anastasia was outraged.

Why can’t Ellen also enjoy the same privilege?! All they had to do was ask. We will certainly see that Ellen gets to study abroad even if she wants to attend the world’s best college.

“This is absolutely infuriating!” Anastasia grumbled before going to bed, still unable to come to terms with Ellen’s misfortune.

At that, Elliot pulled her to him to comfort her. “We’re partly responsible as well. It’s our fault for not looking into the situation. What we can do now is to make it up to her.”

“You’re right. I’m spoiling this daughter-in-law no matter what,” vowed Anastasia.

Elliot had always known just what his dear wife was like. Hence, he would only ever support her every decision.

…

The following morning, Anastasia took Willow to a wedding service agency while Jared brought Ellen over. For the venue, the young couple agreed on having it on the island where Anastasia and Elliot got married.

It was a pretty large island with two airports. Hence, it was perfect for accommodating guests who’d be flying over from all over the world. Plus, it was very private. Jared didn’t want to give Ellen a grand wedding so that people would comment on it, but he only wanted to give her the best of everything.

Even if the media wouldn’t report on the wedding, it would still be the grandest and the most luxurious wedding. After the wedding service agency was certain of the wedding venue, they would provide the young couple with several proposals. As for the details, it would entirely be left for them to decide.

In the afternoon, they went to a bridal shop accompanied by Anastasia. Averna had the world’s top-of- the-line bridal shop; any brand they desired could be found there.

As Ellen and Willow were close in age, they went through the catalog together, with Willow providing suggestions and Ellen making the final call. In the end, they decided on four sets of wedding gowns and eight evening dresses. As for the jewelry, Anastasia’s company would be responsible for providing the best of the best.

As they only had a month to prepare for the wedding, anything that had to be decided early on was decided then.

Jared had to make a trip to the company later in the afternoon, so he left his soon-to-be wife with his mother and sister, giving them a chance to shop and have afternoon tea.

It was true when they said women had more to talk about when they were together.

Later, Willow held Ellen’s arm as they followed Anastasia into a tea house.

“Wel… come.” One of the two attendants who stood at the entrance stiffened instantly, for it was none other than Selena. The young woman had gotten a job as an attendant at the tea house.

Never did she expect to bump into Ellen just two days into her new job, and it made her absolutely embarrassed. Looking at the beautiful girl holding Ellen’s arm and the elegant woman, she mused, They must be the Presgraves.

At that, she sized Anastasia up. Can she be the wife of Presgrave Group’s Chairman?!

Intense envy flashed across Selena’s eyes at that. Ellen has become the Presgraves’ daughter-in-law, hasn’t she?!

Ellen, on the other hand, didn’t say hi either when she saw Selena looking away. It wasn’t until the trio went further into the tea house that Selena let out a murky breath, feeling incredibly exasperated.

She had only looked for a job because she couldn’t stand the pressure Olivia inflicted on her. She dreaded the fact that she might run into someone familiar. However, this tea house paid well, so she decided to take the job.

She couldn’t help taking a peek and found the trio took the table by the floor-to-ceiling window with Ellen’s back facing her.

“Selena, come and attend to the customers,” the manager beckoned.

Selena’s job was originally to welcome the guests into the tea house, but working here, she still had to do whatever the manager wanted her to.

“Ma’am.”

“Pour some water for the table over there,” demanded the manager as she pointed to Ellen’s table.

“I… Can I not do it?” Selena asked reluctantly.

“What did you say?” The manager thought she heard wrong. She couldn’t believe a new employee dared to bargain with her.

Seeing that the manager turned grim, Selena knew she could only bite the bullet. “Okay, I’ll go.”

Ellen and Willow were discussing what to order when Selena came to their table, and Ellen met Selena’s gaze as soon as she looked up. Selena, on the other hand, pretended not to have seen Ellen but only poured her some water.

Meanwhile, Ellen thought her uncle’s burden would lessen now that Selena was willing to take up a job. At that, she pushed her cup closer to Selena to make it easier to pour the water.

“Ellen, you can pick whatever jewelry you want from my mom’s company,” said Willow, and Anastasia echoed, “Yeah. I’ll send you the catalog later. Pick as many sets as you like.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Ellen smiled.

“Ellen, you’ll have to pick at least ten sets. Don’t forget you have eight evening gowns!” Willow suggested.

Of course, Selena heard the whole thing, and her jealousy made her absent-minded, causing her to overspill the water by accident. As the water flowed to Anastasia’s leg, she stood up and took a step back reflexively before looking toward this attendant serving them.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am!” Spooked, Selena hurriedly grabbed some napkins to wipe Anastasia down.

Meanwhile, Anastasia glanced at the manager, who was standing not far away, and the latter hurriedly approached her. “I am so sorry, ma’am. What’s the matter with you, Selena?! Hurry up and apologize to the customer!”

At that, Selena hurriedly lowered her head and apologized, “I’m so sorry I slipped.” In the end, she still turned to Ellen for help. “Ellie, please put in a good word for me.”

Meanwhile, Anastasia turned from displeased to shocked when she saw Selena calling out to Ellen. “Do you know her, Ellie?”

“She’s the daughter of that uncle, Mom,” Ellen answered, prompting Anastasia to size Selena up. She’s the girl they sent abroad for studies?!

“I’m really sorry, Mrs. Presgrave. Please forgive me. I’m still fresh here, so I’m still learning.” Selena immediately pulled the pity card.

“Forget it. I won’t hold you for anything.” Anastasia decided to overlook the matter only because of Ellen.

Later, the manager took Selena away and got someone else to serve them, and as Anastasia watched the manager lecture Selena in the corner, she mused, Looks like they only sent her abroad for dignity. She didn’t end up learning anything practical.

“Ellie, do you want to invite your uncle and his family to the wedding?” Anastasia asked. She knew it was something she had to check with Ellen, and if the young woman said yes, they would just do it according to her wishes.

It was justifiable, too, if Ellen said no, for even Anastasia didn’t want to forgive the Aguirres for what they did to Ellen.

Ellen had actually thought about it, and she thought it wasn’t morally right if she didn’t invite her uncle. Hence, she nodded. “I’d like to invite them if they’re willing to come.”

“Alright. I’ll have them send the invitation over. It’ll be up to them whether they want to show up.” Anastasia nodded.

Meanwhile, in the corner not far away, Selena stood gazing in Ellen’s direction with envy and jealousy. However, she couldn’t harm Ellen anymore, for Ellen had people to defend her now. Plus, she dared not bet on her life anymore.

She had had enough jail time. Now, she just wanted to live, and judging from what she heard about Ellen’s wedding, the latter’s life had reached a height beyond her imagination.

Just where had gone wrong?! What have I done to lose to Ellen when I started off so much better than her?!

Even until Ellen left, Selena still couldn’t figure out what she had done wrong. Plus, what happened with Charlie trampled her dignity and crushed her confidence, causing the social circle she tried so hard to build to come to nothing. Rather, it became her life’s burden. The balderdash and big talks she made now taunted her, putting her in a state where even she looked down on herself. The path that she didn’t take by herself would eventually send her back to the starting line one way or another.

Meanwhile, Jared dialed a number he hadn’t called for a while as he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the CEO’s office of Presgrave Group.

“Hello?” The line connected, and at the same time, howling wind could be heard from the other end of the line.

“Has the North Pole wind not sent you back home yet?” Jared couldn’t help teasing.

“Jared, perfect timing!”

“Really? Why would you say that?”

“I’m scaling a mountain.” The sound of something sharp piercing into the snow could be heard as he spoke, worrying Jared instantly. At that, he made it a quick one. “Alright, I’ll just say this. I’m getting married on the 18th of February, so you get your *ss back here to be my best man.”

“Wait, what? You’re getting married?! You could’ve at least given me a heads-up!” Ethan huffed.

“Stay safe. I’m waiting for you.” Jared kept his words concise, for he feared for the safety of his adventurous friend.

“Alright, I promise I’ll come back in advance.”

“See you, then. Stay safe!” Jared couldn’t help reminding him.

The Presgraves were speedy when it came to getting the wedding ready. The private island was immediately reserved for three months, becoming a place for the Presgraves to welcome the guests.

The invitations were sent out very quickly, too, and Ellen provided them with Connor’s address, which Connor gave her the last time. With that, one invitation headed to the Aguirres.

The Presgrave staff assigned to send the wedding invitation to the Aguirres had to hand-deliver it to Connor before he could leave, and it sure as hell was an adventure for him, for he had to ask for directions several times before he was finally certain which was the Aguirres’ address.

After climbing five levels of stairs, he cross-checked the address while heaving before knocking on Connor’s door, and the person to answer the door was none other than Connor himself. “Can I help you?”

“Hi, are you Mr. Connor Aguirre? I’ve been assigned to deliver invitations for the Presgrave Family. Please accept your invitation.”

“The Presgrave Family’s invitation?” Connor exclaimed with excitement as he accepted the invitation.

“Yes. It’s the wedding invitation of Young Master Presgrave and Miss Reiss. We look forward to seeing you there. I’ll be off now.”

After seeing the staff away, Connor sat excitedly on the couch and looked through the invitation. As he read the name, a pang of guilt hit him, for he never thought Ellen was still willing to invite him to her wedding even though he had done so many terrible things to her.

Just then, Olivia returned home, and she instantly questioned upsettingly when she saw her husband looking at a wedding invitation on the couch, “Who’s getting married this time? Don’t tell me it’s another

family asking for wedding gifts!”

“This… This is Ellie’s,” Connor revealed, shocking Olivia.

She snatched the invitation from him and huffed while looking at the name. “To think that wretched girl is lucky enough to actually marry into the Presgrave Family.”

Suddenly, she stared at Connor and asked, “Say, Connor, do you think Ellen invited you or all three of us?”

“You guys just stay here. I’ll go alone.”

“Why? I’m her aunt. Why can’t I go? And Lena’s her cousin. She has the right to go too!” Olivia’s life was absolutely miserable now. There was no way she would miss out on such an event. After all, it wouldn’t be bad if she could at least eat a feast!

However, Connor was insistent. “You just stay here.” He didn’t want to bring his wife along because he didn’t want to upset Ellen. Actually, even he felt somewhat ashamed to attend her big day.

“What do you mean I stay?! Well, I’m going, and that’s final!”

Just then, the main door opened, and Selena came in listlessly. Seeing that her parents were arguing again, she exasperated, “Do you two have to yell at each other every day?! Give me a break!”

But just as she was about to enter her room, Olivia stopped her. “Lena, take a look at this. We’re going to a wedding!”

“Not interested.” Selena turned and walked away. She couldn’t even be bothered to meet people now, let alone attend a wedding.

“It’s Ellen’s wedding,” Olivia revealed, causing Selena to immediately turn around just as she was about to step into her bedroom. “Ellen’s wedding? She’s getting married? Let me see!” she demanded as she charged toward Olivia.

With that, she picked up the wedding invitation. Connor and Olivia were so focused on the bride and groom that they didn’t take a good look at the venue.

“Mom, they’re getting married on a private island. Dad, can we go?” Selena turned excited at once. She absolutely needed a high-end event like this to relax, and since it was on an island, it would mean that she could enjoy an all-expenses paid trip for a whole week!

“What? An island?! Let me see!” Olivia snatched the card away to verify it herself.

“Dad, you’ll take us with you, right?” Selena gazed questioningly at her father, who was in a dilemma. Should he really take his wife and daughter with him to the wedding? After all, they used to treat Ellen terribly. I’m honestly too ashamed to let them tag along.

“Connor, why don’t you give Ellen a call? Cajole her and see that she’ll allow Lena and me to attend.” Olivia was dying to go to the wedding at this point. After all, a place like that was genuinely somewhere that expanded one’s horizon.

If they missed out on this opportunity, they sure as hell would never get a second chance to have fun on a private island. Hence, they had to go, even if they had to beg shamelessly.

“I’ll make a call before anybody makes a final decision. I’ll see if Ellen will welcome you guys,” said Connor in the end.

At that, Olivia and Selena glanced at each other. Right then, they wanted nothing more than for Ellen to say yes. That said, they felt just as guilty about everything they did to Ellen. Now that they needed to beg her, they hoped she would let it slide.

While Connor went out to make the call, the mother and daughter gazed at each other, and Selena said while biting her lip, “I’m going no matter what.”

“We’ll just sneak over if she won’t let us attend. The most important thing is to get on the island.”

“Mom, we’re not just going there to enjoy ourselves. The most important thing is that the world’s richest people will be attending the wedding. As if I’ll ever need to be a server again if I can befriend a few of them!” Selena’s confidence suddenly returned. She believed her identity as the bride’s cousin was enough to keep up the appearance.

Outside of the house, Connor still shamelessly called Ellen after taking a drag.

It rang for seven seconds before Ellen’s voice finally came through. “Hello? Uncle Connor?”

“Ellie, I’m not calling at a bad time, am I?”

“No.”

“I got your wedding invitation. Congratulations. Your parents would’ve been happy for you too.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

“Ellie, is your wedding set on an island?”

“Yes, it’s an island. Someone will come and pick you up on that day,” Ellen mentioned.

“In that case, can I ask that you let your Aunt Olivia and Lena come with me? They really want to attend your wedding,” Connor bit the bullet and asked.

However, Ellen knew Olivia and Selena too well to know that they certainly didn’t want to attend her wedding to give her their blessing but only to enjoy themselves.

“Ellie, we’ve never really been anywhere, and I kind of want to show your aunt the world. Do you suppose…”

“Alright, bring them along.” Ellen decided to look beyond. After all, she wouldn’t be seeing them anymore after the wedding, and it was merely an issue of adding two more seats.

Connor was touched. This is exactly why Ellen’s luckier than my girl. She’s worthy of it.

“Thank you, Ellie,” Connor said gratefully.

“Alright, I’ll see you on the wedding day. I have to go now.”

“Alright, see you then.” Connor hung up at that, then heaved a sigh of relief. When he went back into the house, he found two pairs of eager eyes staring at him.

“Can I go, Dad?” Selena asked. This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Meanwhile, Ellen’s generosity came to Connor’s mind as he gazed at his wife and daughter. “Ellie said yes.” He nodded.

“Yes! Holiday on an island, here I come!” Selena exulted, forgetting whose coattail she was riding on for a moment.

Olivia, too, heaved a sigh of relief. Life hadn’t been kind to her nowadays, so it was great that she could escape this hell for a moment.

What was more, it was an all-expenses paid trip, and she would get to witness a super rich’s wedding. Of course, she knew Ellen would be the happiest bride in the world that day.

The wedding was getting prepared in an intense but orderly manner. In order to help Ellen adapt to the weather and lifestyle on the island, Jared decided to bring her there two weeks in advance, and

because the young woman had a poor appetite, four chefs were brought along with them, dedicated to taking care of Ellen’s diet.

With that, Ellen would be living her last days as a bachelorette on the island. Her wedding and evening gowns would be tried on by her on the island itself so that she could be entirely relaxed before the wedding.

Elliot and Anastasia would be joining them, naturally. Willow, however, would only be joining her family later as she had an academic exchange course to attend.

For Ellen to travel comfortably, the Presgraves deployed their largest private jet, and the following morning, Ellen sat in the lavish cabin with Jared by her side as they flew for an hour.

The next time she stepped on the ground, the weather had become super pleasant, and Ellen thought spring was in the air. At that, she spread her arms to feel the breeze, then looked up at Jared. “I love it here!”

“We’ll stay here as long as you like,” Jared said with a smile, then held her hand and took her to the waiting vehicle, which took them straight to the villas.

By the time they arrived, their luggage had been delivered and sorted out by the housekeepers. After lunch, Ellen eagerly changed into a dress and headed to the beach.

The fine sand on the beach was soft, and it felt comfortable to step on it.

Jared held Ellen’s hand and walked along the beach with her as they looked at the ships in the distance and the azure sky. It was wonderful to just feel the breeze and space out there.

Elliot and Anastasia stayed in the villa where they used to live after their wedding. They had personally decorated this house, so it was a meaningful place to them.

Now, they had to prepare for their son’s wedding. They couldn’t help but feel that time indeed passed by quickly. If there was a person one could love deeply and stay loyal to, their life would be well-lived.

In the evening, the four of them had dinner together. Ellen was pleased to listen to the love story of Elliot and Anastasia. She felt that the love between them was romantic and terrific. It was no wonder that Anastasia still looked young and charming, for she had a doting husband.

…

On a flatland near the North Pole, a helicopter rose into the sky and flew toward the airport. The man in the backseat had a hat on, drawing focus to his facial features with his hair out of the way.

Although it was apparent that he was biracial, he looked more local than foreign. Like a fashion model, he was tall, well-built, and delicate.

As the snow reflected the sunlight on his frame of six feet three inches, he looked like a perfect man straight out of a romance novel.

Just like Mr. Perfect described in any romance novel, he was good-looking, wealthy, and assertive. After all, he was the only son of the Arcane Group’s chairman and Jared’s best friend. His name was Ethan Quarles.

Presently, he was returning to his home country to attend his friend’s wedding. He was also going to be the best man. The moment he boarded the plane, all the flight attendants were smitten with him and eager to serve him.

A flight attendant was even brave enough to pass him her contact number while delivering a glass of red wine to him. She also threw flirtatious glances at him.

With a smile, Ethan picked up the glass of wine but refused to take the piece of paper with her contact number written on it. Embarrassed, the flight attendant left in a hurry with the tray.

The man was so charming that they were eager to win his heart at all costs.

Nevertheless, regardless of how hard they tried to seduce the man during the flight, none of them succeeded, for they discovered that the handsome man wasn’t interested in them.

In truth, Ethan had turned down countless women who had thrown themselves at him before. Ever since reaching adulthood, he had been the dream man of all women.

Meanwhile, in Averna, Jared’s wedding was only three days away.

In a tranquil yard, a woman who was asleep with a book placed over her face was awakened by her phone’s ringtone. While in a groggy state, she rubbed her eyes and took a look before picking it up in frustration. “Hi, Mr. Fox.”

“Josephine, I have an urgent task for you.”

“I worked overtime last night and only went home after 12.00AM. I’m not taking up any task!”

“Has your father been invited to Jared Presgrave’s wedding?”

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“I’ve learned from a secret source that the police have discovered that an infamous robber is going to sneak into the venue. A serious robbery case might happen. Therefore, I want you to go there and gather as much information as possible. That will be big news.”

“But my dad isn’t taking me to the wedding.” Josephine could only lie to him. She had been working overtime almost every day as of late, so she was in dire need of rest.

“Beg your father to take you to the wedding. This is an important task, so you mustn’t disappoint me. You’re about to be promoted, so you have to show the higher-ups your capabilities. Isn’t becoming a host your dream? Work harder and you’ll realize your dream.”

“If my memory serves me right, it’s the ninth time you’ve promised to promote me this year. You’re getting better at giving false hope, eh?” Josephine retorted matter-of-factly.

“Work harder and your dream will come true one day. Go and tell your father to take you with him. You must bring back some useful information!”

“Why have you chosen me, though?”

“This can’t be helped. Only your family is wealthy enough to be invited to the wedding. Do you know how difficult it is to get into the venue? The place is heavily guarded.”

“In that case, why would a robber be able to sneak into it?”

“He’s an infamous robber with the most advanced equipment and impeccable skills, after all. Furthermore, many people are going to attend the wedding, so some mistakes are inevitable. Anyway, it’s just a piece of information that hasn’t been verified. Just go there and play it by ear.”

Josephine replied listlessly, “Got it.”

After the call ended, she lay back down on the chair and slumbered off again.

…

At the airport of the island where the wedding would be held, there were many planes from all over the world. It was the third airport that was in operation. Presently, an aircraft emerged from the clouds and swirled around above the island. Around 15 minutes later, it landed on the floor safely.

There was a unique totem on the plane that represented a powerful family. Soon, a tall and handsome man elegantly walked down the ladder.

Instead of putting on his coat, he grabbed it in his hand. His black shirt made him look mysterious and charming.

“Welcome, Mr. Quarles.” Several people came over and greeted him.

Ethan nodded and took a look at his wristwatch. Fortunately, I arrived just in time. He then got into a car and headed straight to the wedding.

Not long after he entered the villa, Jared came looking for him in a beach buggy. Since they were best friends, they greeted each other as usual, which involved fist-bumping and teasing one another.

“You look so different in a wedding suit. Been very happy, eh?”

“If you’re envious, get yourself a girlfriend.” As Jared looked at the man’s bulging muscles under his shirt, he couldn’t help but thump his chest. “We haven’t met for half a year, and you’ve become more muscular!”

Ethan struck the other party’s chest as well. “I thought you’d slack off since you mostly stay in an office. You’re just as fit as ever!”

“Haha!”

After the greetings, they smiled at each other. Although they were not related by blood, they were just as close as brothers.

“Where’s your wife? You haven’t introduced her to me yet.” Ethan poured two cups of water and passed one to his friend.

“You’ll see her during dinner. She can’t move around since there are too many people.”

“Why?”

“I’m a dad now.”

Ethan looked enviously at him. “That’s quite some progress, huh?”

A happy smile formed on Jared’s face. He felt nothing but content at that moment.

Certainly, Ethan was pleased that his best friend had found the right woman. He was envious of the man for his bravery to get married, for he didn’t have the confidence to do the same.

“Have all the guests arrived?”

“Most of them have arrived, but some of them are on their way,” Jared replied.

Meanwhile, after a cruise ship stopped at the dock, the guests started leaving the vessel. A wealthy- looking woman took her daughter’s hand and came out of the ship. Just then, a pair of excited mother and daughter crashed into the wealthy lady, causing her to bump into the railing. She turned around and snapped, “Hey! What’s wrong with you? Watch where you’re going!”

“Do you think it’s your home or something? Why can’t we cross over?” Olivia whirled around and retorted. Although she had indeed bumped into the woman, she didn’t think she had done anything wrong.

“You’re unreasonable!” The wealthy lady glared at her.

Seeing that her mother was incensed, Josephine quickly appeased her. “Forget it, Mom.”

“Why should I forget it? I can’t believe there is such a mannerless person in the world. Not only does she refuse to apologize, but she’s also unreasonable.”

Olivia had always been hot-tempered, so she instantly blew her top upon hearing that. After all, she had lived a luxurious life for a long time. She snorted. “So what if I refuse to apologize?”

An infuriated Heidi said to her daughter, “I thought only well-mannered and important people were allowed to attend the wedding. Surprisingly, there’s a guest like her!”