By the time Donald arrived home that evening, Ivy was already waiting for him. She had been wondering how the birthday celebration had gone, but she wasn't expecting him to return with anything more than a few stories about the guests and the activities at the event. After all, Donald had initially been reluctant to attend. He had only changed his mind because Ivy had encouraged him to represent her after she received the special invitation. So when the front door opened and Donald walked in carrying several packages, Ivy immediately became curious. "What are all those?" she asked. Donald smiled. "These?" "Yes. What did you bring home?" Before Donald could answer, another person helping him brought in another package. Then another followed. Ivy stared. "Donald!" He laughed. "I told you I had a lot to tell you." She walked closer and examined the packages. There were beautifully wrapped boxes, envelopes, gift bags, and several other expensive-looking items. "Are these all

When Alexander reminded Jane that he wanted her to come over to his house so that they could have a video call with his family, he expected her to be excited. To him, it was an important step. The wedding was drawing closer, and he wanted his family to finally see the woman he had chosen to spend the rest of his life with. He had already told them so much about Jane that they were curious about her. His father had asked several questions, and even Donald and Ivy were eager to meet her. Alexander believed the video call would be a simple and beautiful moment. But Jane did not share his excitement. The moment he finished explaining his plan, she became uneasy. "I don't think I'll be able to come today," she said. Alexander was surprised. "Why?" "I have something important at work." "Today?" "Yes." He paused. "I thought you said you would be free." "I thought I would be, but something came up." Alexander's excitement immediately faded. "Oh." Jane could hear the disappoi

Alexander looked at Jane for a long moment after apologizing to her. He could still see the tears lingering on her cheeks, and the sight made him feel terrible. He had never intended to make her feel inadequate or make her question the way he saw her. The last thing he wanted was for the woman he was going to marry to believe that he was ashamed of her or that he needed his family to approve of her before he could confidently marry her. All he had wanted was for Jane to meet the people who mattered most to him. He reached for her hand again and held it gently. "Jane, I'm really sorry." Jane nodded quietly, still looking down. Alexander continued speaking. "If you genuinely think that I wanted to do that video call because I don't think you're good enough, or because I believe there's something wrong with you and I need my family to validate you before I marry you, then I'm going to cancel it." Jane slowly looked up at him. Alexander's expression was serious. There was no tra

Upon hearing Jane continue talking about the possibility of a sibling attacking another sibling because of envy, Alexander's expression suddenly changed.He had been listening patiently until that moment, allowing Jane to explain her concerns without interrupting her. At first, he had genuinely tried to understand where she was coming from. He knew that Jane had experienced difficult things within her own family, and he understood that those experiences could have a lasting effect on the way a person viewed relationships, trust, and even love. He had never wanted to dismiss her feelings or make her believe that her fears were unimportant. He knew that some wounds were not easily forgotten, especially when they had been caused by people who were supposed to love, protect, and stand by you.However, as Jane continued speaking, Alexander began to feel increasingly uncomfortable with the assumptions she was making about his family. Her words were no longer sounding like simple concern

Upon hearing Alexander ask what he had done wrong, Jane took a deep breath and looked away.She could see the pain in his eyes, and for a brief moment, she felt guilty. His expression was filled with confusion, hurt, and desperation. He genuinely did not understand why she was suddenly creating a distance between them. He had done nothing that he believed deserved such treatment, and that was precisely what made the situation even more difficult for Jane.Alexander had always believed that whatever problems they encountered, they could sit down, talk about them, and find a way forward. He had never imagined that Jane would suddenly begin questioning their relationship. Only a short while ago, they had been discussing their wedding and making plans for their future together. Now she was standing before him, speaking as though their relationship had suddenly become impossible.But she knew she could not tell him the real reason.She couldn't tell him that her fear of Donald had nothing