Everly opened the jewelry box and put on the entire set.Once she was ready, she stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself. Despite dressing up, she did not find herself particularly beautiful. She still felt more comfortable in her usual androgynous clothes.Sometimes, she even felt that she lacked femininity.Perhaps there was some truth to what those men claimed when she turned them down.She got to her feet, left the lounge, and walked over to Sonny. "Mr. Brown, I don't look embarrassing, do I? My grandfather picked out this gown for me, but I just don't feel comfortable wearing it."Sonny gave a once-over and complimented her. "Not at all. Seeing you in a dress is quite a pleasant surprise. This look is completely beyond what I imagined.""I rarely wear formal dresses. I'm just used to wearing suits.""Wear them a few more times, and you'll get used to it. You look great. I'm not merely flattering you either. You really are beautiful tonight. I guarantee you'll be

The Lang residence was not far from Flemming Group. Under normal traffic conditions, it would take only about ten minutes by car. However, they had left during rush hour, and the traffic was horrible. A journey that should have taken ten minutes ended up taking almost an hour.Whenever Sonny came to Clearfield in the past, it had always been for business. He would arrive, deal with whatever needed handling, and leave as soon as it was done. It was his first time attending a high-society gathering here.He barely knew any of the major business figures in Clearfield. Unless their companies had worked with his, he might have heard some of their names, but he had never met them in person.On the other hand, Everly was a local. She had accompanied Kaden to all sorts of events since she was young and was familiar with practically everyone.When their car entered the Lang estate, Harrison, the butler, was directing traffic and guiding guests into parking spots. Upon seeing Sonny's car lic

Meanwhile, the beautifully dressed Everly had also shattered people’s preconceptions about her, and many men sidled over to say hi to her, get her number, and offer their name cards.Everly did not give out her number and only accepted the name cards, which she received many of in one night; not more than Sonny, though.Once the banquet ended and they got into the car, Everly told Sonny, “This is the first time I’ve ever been this popular with the opposite sex, after all these years of attending all sorts of events with my grandfather.”Sonny chuckled as he drove. “You weren’t as unapproachable tonight, so everyone became a little bit braver, mainly because you really are beautiful tonight.”“Am I usually that unapproachable?”“Quite. Definitely couldn’t call you approachable.”Everly thought for a moment, then admitted, “Maybe I was a little unapproachable. I’m just used to putting on a stern face because of work, so it gave people the impression I was standoffish.”It was more

Maddie stopped trying to run the shops after failing to manage them well, so she simply rented them out, earning a living from rentals.Either way, she did not need the money. Kaden would give her a monthly allowance for household expenses, which was enough. She was also able to withdraw a considerable amount every month from the family trust fund, and her daughter would give her some money from time to time too.Even if she closed down the small companies and lived off the money Kaden and Everly gave her, she would still be able to maintain a luxurious lifestyle.Her in-laws were well-off, and her daughter was their only scion. In the future, all of it would be her daughter’s. Everly might not listen to her, but she would not abandon Maddie and would definitely take care of her mother in her old age.That was why Maddie could not be bothered to mess around with a business. After all, it was said that the fastest road to ruin was starting a business. She did not want to be the mada

Though Everly had been raised to be outstanding and was capable enough to succeed him, Kaden still worried about Everly.There were too many predators out there, and Everly was single, while Maddie was not able to stand on her own two feet. He was really worried Everly could not handle it if he passed on.He enthusiastically arranged blind dates for Everly so he could find her a helper, but it was difficult because his standards were too high. Now, he finally found Sonny, who fulfilled all his requirements.Thus, Kaden was doing his best to matchmake them.Maddie chimed in, agreeing, “Everly, your grandfather is right. Mr. Brown looks like a reliable man, and he has a good family background. He’s capable in his own right, and we can tell he has a good character too.“He doesn’t have to marry into the family. As long as you two get married, he’ll protect you. With him protecting you even when we’re gone, we’ll be able to rest in peace.”Everly replied in exasperation, “Grandpa, Mo