The Live-In Son-in-Law Is the Supreme Tycoon

Chapter 3: Part 3 Welcome to the Sterling Family

The silence stretched across the grand foyer, thick and unyielding, as though the air itself had grown heavy with disbelief. No one moved. Even the faint ticking of the antique grandfather clock, tucked against the far wall, echoed with an unnatural sharpness that only emphasized the tension gripping the room.

Richard Sterling stood motionless beside the marble fireplace, his half-filled wineglass trembling slightly in his hand.

A dark crimson stain had already begun to spread across the polished white floor where the wine had spilled, but he paid it no attention. His entire focus remained locked on Jack.

The casually dressed young man standing beside his daughter. “…Your fiancé?” Richard repeated, his voice lowered to a near whisper, as though saying the words any louder might make them more real.

Diana held his gaze without hesitation. “Yes.”

Her answer was calm, steady, and unmistakably firm. The single word seemed to travel across the hall and settle into every corner of the room.

Margaret Sterling blinked several times, her composure faltering as she tried to process what she had just heard. “Darling…” she began cautiously, her tone gentle but strained. “Perhaps you mean your… friend?”

Diana shook her head without the slightest pause. “No. My fiancé.”

A deeper silence followed, heavier than before. Around them, members of the Sterling family’s board exchanged uneasy glances. Some discreetly studied Jack from head to toe, while others simply frowned, unable to hide their confusion.

This was not what anyone had anticipated.

For weeks, Richard had implied that his daughter was involved with someone from a powerful and influential family, perhaps the son of a major business magnate. Instead, she had walked into the mansion with a man who looked as though he had arrived in a taxi because he had no other option.

Margaret forced a polite smile, though it barely concealed her unease. “Diana… come with me. I would like a word.”

Without waiting for a response, she gently took her daughter’s arm and guided her several steps away. Diana allowed herself to be led, though her posture remained firm.

Jack stayed where he was, not attempting to follow.

The butler cleared his throat softly, clearly unsure how to proceed. “Sir…”

Jack turned toward him. “Yes?”

“If you would like, I can…” The older man hesitated, glancing briefly at Jack’s hands. “…take your luggage.”

Jack looked around with mild curiosity. “I didn’t bring any.”

The butler blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Of course,” he said, recovering with a small, awkward smile.

Nearby, two housemaids whispered behind a decorative pillar, their voices low but not low enough.

“Is that really Miss Diana’s fiancé?”

“I don’t believe it.”

“He looks younger than I expected.”

“And… simpler.”

“I thought she would marry a billionaire.”

“So did everyone.”

Jack heard every word. Rather than reacting, he turned toward them with a polite smile. The woman immediately flushed with embarrassment.

“We’re sorry, sir,” one of them said quickly.

“There’s no need to apologize,” Jack replied calmly.

His response only seemed to unsettle them further. Most guests of wealth and status would have taken offense or demanded discipline. Instead, he simply turned away and walked toward a large painting hanging along the wall, studying it with quiet appreciation as though he had stepped into a gallery rather than a room full of judgment.

Across the hall, Margaret lowered her voice as she confronted her daughter. “What exactly are you doing?”

“I am introducing my fiancé,” Diana replied, folding her arms.

“Don’t play games with me,” Margaret said, looking frustrated and confused. 

“I’m not playing.”

Margaret’s expression tightened. “Where did you meet him?”

“At the mall.”

Her mother’s eyes widened. “Today?”

“Yes.”

“You met him today, and now he is your fiancé?”

“Yes.”

With each answer, Margaret’s composure weakened further.

Richard approached them slowly, his expression now hardened with disbelief. “Diana,” he said, his voice firm.

She turned to face him. “I gave you six months,” he continued.

“I know.”

“And in six months, you could not find one respectable man…” His voice sharpened. “…so you brought home a stranger?”

“He is not a stranger.” Diana countered

Richard stared at her. “How long have you known him?”

Diana hesitated for the briefest moment. “…Several hours.”

Richard closed his eyes, as if steadying himself. Around them, a few board members discreetly looked away, while one elderly director rubbed his forehead in quiet disbelief. No father wanted to hear such an answer.

After a long breath, Richard spoke again. “Tell me his name.”

“his name is Jack.”

“Jack… what?”

Diana glanced toward him. “Jack Foreman.”

Richard searched his memory, but the name stirred nothing. There was no recognition, no powerful family, no notable investor, no rising entrepreneur. It meant nothing.

Margaret crossed her arms. “What does he do?”