“Why did you stop me?” Laurel’s tone was serious, and her gaze was piercing sharp.

“She apologized, didn’t she?” Charles’ sent daggers back at her.

“That’s…” Laurel bit her lower lip for a second before yanking her hand out of his grip. Quarreling with Charles at such a party wouldn’t do any good for her, she thought. Still, she coldly peered at Narika and said, “Watch where you’re going, woman, or what’s the use of having eyes and big-freaking glasses?” Saying that, she hurried upstairs to get her dress changed.

Charles turned and looked at Narika. Their eyes briefly met, and she turned around and hurriedly left.

“Not even a thanks, huh…” Charles muttered under his breath. “Not that I expected it, but… she does look a lot different in short hair. Sofia’s shy sister. She’s become quite lean as well. I almost couldn’t recognize her.”

Charles had no idea that the Myers family had put Narika in a dog cage and starved her for almost two months, giving her food every few days so she wouldn’t die. Though she was released afterward because she had to show herself to the outside world and attend events like the ongoing one, she was still targeted by her family members in many ways. They still didn’t forgive her after punishing her for her crime. Charles was oblivious to all these things.

Meanwhile, Laurel was changing her dress in her room.

“No man has ever caught my hand like that before…” she kept talking to herself. “Who does he think he is?”

“Not all men fear rich women,” her grandmother entered the room with a grin etched on her face. “Your grandfather was also like Charles. Men like that stand for what they believe in, so marrying them is like wielding a double-edged sword. If you aren’t careful at handling them, you will suffer.”

“I think a single-edged sword is fine for me,” Laurel remarked.

“Haha,” Caroline chortled a little. “Don’t rush with life-changing things like marriage, or one mistake can haunt you for the rest of your life.”

“What do you want me to do then, grandma?”

“The same. Just try to be around them,” Caroline spoke from experience. “Know more about them until you can make a better decision. No matter which one you choose, I’ll support my granddaughter.”

Laurel hugged her. “Thank you, Grandma. You’re the best.”

Downstairs. In one of the bathrooms.

Charles was looking at himself in the mirror and was slapping himself.

A part of him kept ringing words in his mind, telling: Why did you help a member of the Myers family? Did you already forget everything they did to you? Narika didn’t do anything bad to you, but how can you forget that she has the same blood as Sofia running in her? Just kill her when you see her next time and cover your mistake.

“Shut up,” he yelled, startling the guy next to him who was busy washing his face.

“I’m sorry?” he looked at Charles.

Charles just walked away from there. “I’m not a murderer,” he kept telling himself. “I’m not a killer. But I will make the Myers pay in my own way!”

After Caroline and Laurel returned, every guest group was asked to tell something they knew about Caroline and her late husband, Benedict.

“He was a good friend,” Gregory said, even though he was never close with Caroline’s husband. “Not just the Bisconsleys but the whole world misses him.”

His words still brought tears to Caroline’s eyes as she smiled and nodded.

When Charles’ turn came, he raised his glass and said, “He is my role model. I would love to leave all my wealth if my wife is as loyal and lovely as Mrs. Caroline Bisconsley.”

His words pleasantly surprised many in the crowd, especially the women of all ages. For the first time, he got the attention of the woman with curly red hair and carried swag with every action she took. It was Victoria Myers, the mother of Sofia, and the one woman in the world he despised more than he did Sofia.

“This guy…” Victoria narrowed the windows of her eyes. “Who is this handsome fellow with a high-thinking brain?”

“Charles. A professional gambler,” replied Sofia. She had already checked his details on the internet only minutes ago after learning his name. “Got an estimated net worth of over 250 million dollars.”

“Oh, how wonderful,” Victoria faintly smiled. “He would make a perfect husband for Narika, don’t you think?”

“Well…” Sofia struggled to put her thoughts into words. “I was thinking, maybe… I’ll go out on a date with him.”

Surprised, Victoria looked at her, raising her brows. “What about Andres then?”

“I’m getting tired of him,” she shrugged her shoulders.

“Oh, and I thought you liked him very much.”

“I did, but he’s lost that shine he used to have before.”

“Mm, I can totally understand. If you are interested in this blonde guy, then go for him, but keep Andres around for a while.”

“Why?”

“Use him to find the whereabouts of your husband.”

Sofia was startled. “Is it necessary?”

“You are still married to him, remember? Assuming he’s still alive, we need to get him to sign the divorce papers, and who would be a better dog for it than our obedient Andres?”

“Fufu,” she chuckled a little. “Alright. I’ll have him look for…” for a second, she couldn’t recollect her husband’s name. “Carlos.”

After everyone finished speaking their thoughts about Caroline and her late husband, Caroline went to her granddaughter who was talking with her parents and took her to the side. “Whose speech did you like the most?”

She didn’t like to speak her mind, but she said it out anyway, “Of Charles.”

“I guessed as much,” Caroline seemed a little excited. “It seems he’s maybe interested in you?”

Laurel’s shoulders jerked. “What? How did you come to that decision from his short speech?”

“Because I’ve lived over 85 years, and you didn’t.”

“Huh!” Laurel rolled her eyes.

“You’ve talked to him, right? Did you get his number?”

She shook her head slightly. “My pride didn’t allow me.”

Caroline sighed and then took out a small slip that had a phone number on it.

“Eh?” Laurel was utterly surprised. “Did you ask for his number?”

“I didn’t have to,” she said, chortling. “He put this slip in the gift box along with a beautiful diamond necklace. Call him out for a date, and then go wearing this necklace. Make him fall for you. If you can’t even do that much, I’m afraid I will find it hard to give all of my property to you.”

“Just wait and watch, Grandma,” she snatched the necklace from Caroline. “Within a month, I’ll wrap that tiger around my little finger.”

“Hohoho, that’s my girl,” Caroline patted her back in happiness. What they didn’t know was that Charles had been eavesdropping on their conversation from afar.

“Hehe,” he laughed amusedly. “Funny grandma and granddaughter. I have nothing against the Bisconsleys, but I need someone of their stature to play the game, or they wouldn’t be able to withstand the witch of a woman, Sofia!”