Chapter Seven: Gift Worth $8.8 Million.

LORELEI woke up early today. It’s been almost three weeks since she stopped working at their company and she has to go back. Earlier, she received a text message from her father that there will be a family meeting that will be held this afternoon and she has to attend.

“I will fetch you later after your work,” Paxton said. 

Lorelei was busy tying his tie. She’s more beautiful today. From her simple makeup that defines her natural beauty to her pink corporate attire. It was his first time seeing Lorelei wearing this. This looks better on her. 

“Usually, I got off by five. But then, it's been three weeks since I stopped working and I have a lot of pending works. I’m sure I need to work overtime for a week,” she replied. When Lorelei was finally done with his tie, she looked up at him and then smiled. “We’ll be having a family meeting this afternoon anyway,” she added.

Paxton’s lips parted, he didn’t know but he felt something bad towards that meeting. “At lunch? Can I join the meeting?”

Lorelei raised her brow, “why do you have to go? I mean, you have work, you don’t have to.”

He cleared his throat. “I am part of the family now, I should go and see what your family meeting was like. I’m sure they won’t mind if I join.”

Although Lorelei was doubting, she nodded and agreed to what he wanted. 

—

“My Lord, why do you have to change your overcoat? It’s all fine,” Oliver asked.

Paxton was busy choosing a not-so-elegant overcoat to make him look like he was poor and doesn’t have a sense of fashion.

“I need to look bad,” he replied.

Oliver gently laughed beside him. “You’re really doing your best at acting.” He pointed at the blue overcoat that was old enough to encourage them that he was poor. “Here, My Lord, this is good.”

“Thank you.”

After he changed his business overcoat, Oliver assisted him to his own parking area. Over ten expensive cars are parked inside the parking area, and he owns it all aside from the cars he has in his Villa that Lorelei haven't seen yet. 

“Which one do you want to drive, My Lord?” Oliver asked.  

“The Bugatti Centodieci, I don't want to use a new car for now,” he replied.

After he got into the car, Oliver drove him all the way to the Marshall’s H&R main building.

Just like what always happens, everyone who sees his car is amazed and fascinated. The car stopped in front of the Marshall’s H&R building then Paxton got out.

The guard almost did not let him in because he didn't have an identification card, he didn't even know him. But upon calling Lorelei and she informs the guard that he’s her husband, they let him in.

As soon as he opened the glass door to the meeting room, everyone looked at him. 

“Paxton?” His father-in-law asked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“Dad, this is a family meeting and he’s my husband. He should attend this meeting,” Lorelei said. She waved her hand to Paxton to come over beside her that he quickly followed.

“Huh! He’s not working in our company, he shouldn't be here.”

“It’s alright, Morgan. We can still do the meeting with him,” Darius said.

Paxton stopped sitting on the chair when he heard of the familiar voice. His eyes darted on the man that was sitting at the other end of the long table. It was Darius Lavigne!

“W-what is he doing here?” Paxton asked in surprise.

Darius smirked, “if you didn't know, this is a meeting between Marshall and Lavigne family. We are planning to get into marriage again, just like what was supposed to happen ten years ago,” he said.

Paxton glared at him before he sat down on the chair. At least his hunch was right! After Lorelei told him that they were having a family meeting, he already knew that something wasn’t right. 

“Alright, should we start now?” Darius asked.

“Yes, My Lord, we should,” Morgan replied. “As you can see, Lavigne and Marshall have been great family friends ever since. We've planned on getting an arranged marriage ten years ago but due to circumstances, it didn't happen… now, we are planning to open it up again.”

Paxton shook his head after hearing that from Morgan. Everyone knows the real reason why the marriage didn't happen, it was all because Darius doesn't like an ugly bride. How inconsiderate he was. If he really likes Lorelei, he should at least find a good doctor who can mend her scars. But Darius do nothing but called off the wedding.

“I won’t take this long. I want to re-engage with Miss Lorelei,” Darius said proudly. He was flashing a disgusting smile that alarmed Paxton.

“What the heck? You know she’s my wife!” Paxton exclaimed.

But then, Darius didn't budge. He was still flashing a smile.

“How much do you want just to divorce her? $50 million? $200 or $500 million? Tell me, I could give you that much. Just divorce her. In the first place, she's my ex-fiancee.”

“Darius, I don't want to marry you!” Lorelei yelled.

But Levi slammed the table. “Lorelei! You have to be grateful that a billionaire man like Darius wants to marry you! Why can't you just divorce your lowly husband? He has nothing!” he exclaimed. “Look at how trashy he looks? If you want a handsome husband, Darius is a fine man! A lot more decent than your husband who wore cheap clothes!”

“Don't insult my husband. Compared to Darius, he’s way more kind. If I know, Darius wants to marry me again just because I regained my beauty!”

“That’s enough!” Brittany, Lorelei’s cousin, stood up after raising her voice. She looked at Darius who got his attention. “Why are you forcing yourself to Lorelei when you can choose me instead?” 

Darius squinted his eyes. “I want Lorelei. I don’t like you.”

Brittany rolled her eyes. “You were all downgrading Lorelei's husband anyway? You all saw them ride in a limited edition Bugatti Centodieci, right?”

“Huh! That was just a rent! How can he afford buying a car like that? Did you use your two or three months salary just to rent the car?” Levi asked. 

Paxton was taken aback, while Lorelei turned her head to him with a questioning look. 

He has no choice. “It’s a gift from my godfather.”

“A gift? Who’s godfather is willing to give a worth $8.8 million dollar car?! That’s crazy!” Darius exclaimed.

Paxton flashed a smile before answering, “Well, my godfather is Sylvester Braxon. The owner of Braxon Empire.”