Though born into privilege, Tiffany did not become a remarkable woman. Upon reviewing Tiffany’s file, Marissa let out a deep sigh. Tiffany’s story was one of profound misfortune. After Caylee completed her college education, she moved to Blo Grein to work as an overseas reporter. Brian followed, taking a position as a doctor to be with her. They married in Blo Grein and welcomed their daughter, Tiffany, there
Unfortunately, on the night of Tiffany’s birth, war erupted, decimating the hospital. Brian vanished that night, his fate unknown. Severely injured in the explosion, Caylee was left in a semi-vegetative state, unawakened to this day. From birth, Tiffany was essentially orphaned
The Nash family, pillars in the medical and health industry, prized medical prowess above all. Brian, a prodigious talent, had been appointed as the family’s successor from a young age. He propelled the family to the forefront of Blebert’s medical scene. Tragically, his promising journey was cut short. The loss of their heir and brightest star filled the Nash family with resentment towards Caylee. They believed her insistence on working abroad led Brian to Blo Grein, ultimately leading to his misfortune
After Brian disappeared, the Nash family refused to acknowledge Caylee as his wife. They sent her back to her parents’ home, yet they insisted Tiffany remain with them. Rex Nash, Brian’s younger brother, later took over as the head of the family alongside his wife, Sansa Nash. Sansa, known for her narrow-mindedness, feared Tiffany might overshadow her own daughter as they grew up. Consequently, she deliberately neglected Tiffany’s education. Tiffany, not impressive in any way herself, became the subject of ridicule in Blebert after her five engagements were called off. Everyone jeered, convinced she would never marry
Against all odds, Tiffany caught the attention of Arabella and became engaged to Connor, the wealthiest man in Blebert. Her engagement shocked the city, as no one expected the repeatedly rejected woman to end up with the richest man in Blebert. This could have been the pinnacle of her life, but she fled her own wedding. Now, everyone mocked her even more, considering her insane. Marissa sighed and shook her head after reviewing all the details. Tiffany’s reputation was even worse than hers in Adagend, and it was challenging to masquerade as Tiffany
As she contemplated this, her phone rang. It was a call from the courthouse. She answered quickly. A gentle female voice inquired from the other end, “Miss Nash, when will you and your husband come to the courthouse for the divorce mediation?”
Marissa was at a loss for words. Why was divorcing so complicated? She was already enduring a 30-day cooling-off period, and now she faced a mediation session. It made her wonder why there hadn’t been any cooling-off period before marriage. If someone had mediated their marriage, Marissa wouldn’t have ended up forcibly married to such a disagreeable man. “We don’t need the mediation. We’re both determined to divorce,” she asserted
“Miss Nash, this is the new rule in Blebert,” explained the voice on the phone. “To prevent young couples from impulsively divorcing, they must attempt mediation first. Only if that fails can they receive a divorce decree.”
Marissa rubbed her temples, feeling the onset of a headache. “I’ll get back to you after I’ve discussed it with him.”
After hanging up, Marissa felt a surge of annoyance. She recalled the day she filed for divorce; the clerk had been particularly harsh. She dreaded going through that ordeal again. Just then, Connor returned
Marissa fixed him with an angry stare. “The courthouse called. They want us to set a date for the divorce mediation.”
“I know. I received the call too,” Connor replied nonchalantly
“I can’t stand going through that again.”
“Then cancel the divorce application,” Connor suggested casually
Marissa’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Why?”
Connor shrugged. “If you cancel the application, you avoid mediation. But if you want to proceed with the divorce, the new rules require us to go through it.”
“Fine, we’ll go through the mediation. You make the appointment.”
Connor was at a loss for words. He couldn’t understand Marissa’s rush to divorce. “Marissa, can’t we postpone the divorce? I’m worried about Grandma. She might not handle the news well. We both need each other’s help. It wouldn’t hurt to delay our divorce, right?”
Marissa was quick to refute. “What does Grandma have to do with our divorce? Your wife’s name on the marriage certificate is Marissa, not Tiffany. Imagine how Grandma will feel if she ever sees that certificate. Wouldn’t it be better if we divorced quietly and just continued our cooperation? I don’t care. We are getting divorced next month!”
At that moment, Arabella’s anxious voice rang out. “Are you two talking about a divorce?”
Marissa and Connor both turned in surprise to see Arabella standing at the doorway! Startled, they quickly got up to reassure her
“Grandma, it’s late. Why aren’t you resting?” Connor asked, offering a comforting smile
“Connor, don’t try to change the topic!” Arabella retorted sharply, rolling her eyes. “I’ve heard you talking about divorce. Are you planning to leave my granddaughter-in-law?”
Connor offered a sheepish grin, shaking his head. “No, Grandma. You’ve misheard. We weren’t talking about divorce.”
Arabella looked skeptical of Connor’s explanation. She turned to Marissa, questioning, “Tell me, is Connor mistreating you? He was initially opposed to this marriage. Is he lying to me now?” To show her support and reassure Marissa, Arabella urged, “Don’t worry, my dear. You are family. Tell me the truth, and I’ll take care of him for you!”
Marissa had never felt such support and protection before. Arabella’s genuine concern touched her deeply. She would hate to see Arabella get upset
Holding Arabella’s hand, Marissa smiled and reassured her, “No, Grandma. You’ve misheard.”
“Really?” Arabella remained unconvinced, looking back and forth between Connor and Marissa. Quickly, Connor wrapped his arm around Marissa, saying, “Grandma, we’re happy together. Let me show you.” Without waiting, he leaned in and kissed Marissa on the cheek
Marissa was shocked. She felt exploited, and anger welled up inside her. She fought hard to restrain herself, nearly swinging a punch at Connor. Who did he think he was to do that?
Despite her boiling anger, she forced a smile, nodding at Arabella, and said, “Yes, Grandma, we are good.”
Arabella’s face lit up with a joyful smile. She even felt slightly embarrassed. “Connor always had such a serious demeanor that it scared away any potential suitors. I never thought I’d see him fall in love, much less witness him kissing a girl in front of me. I’m so pleased. It’s all thanks to you, dear. Keep it up and bring me a beautiful great-grandchild soon!”
Arabella smiled broadly, covering her mouth with her hand in delight. Marissa, on the other hand, felt so embarrassed she wished she could disappear from the room. But Arabella wasn’t done yet. “Sweetie, why don’t you give him a kiss too? It would make me so happy; I’d sleep peacefully tonight.”
Marissa was stunned. She managed a forced smile, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Grandma, I really don’t think that’s necessary. It’s just too embarrassing!”
“Come on, don’t be shy. You two are a couple! A quick peck, or I’ll be tossing and turning all night. If I can’t sleep, I might get sick and end up in the hospital. Who knows what could happen then…” Arabella ended her sentence with a somber tone
“Grandma!” Connor quickly interjected. “Let’s stay away from such grim topics.” Turning to Marissa, he then added, “Please, don’t upset Grandma.”
In response, Marissa gave Connor a sharp look. While his arm was still securely around her waist, Marissa felt the urge to break free from his embrace, imagining herself detaching his fingers one at a time. She was troubled by the persistent thought that he might be taking advantage of the situation to touch her
With Arabella eagerly awaiting the kiss, Marissa felt she had little choice but to go along with it. She slowly leaned in to Connor, intending to give him a brief peck on the cheek. However, as she got closer, Connor suddenly stood up, his height of 6.2 feet overshadowing her 5.6 feet, making him unreachable
Marissa began to suspect that Connor had deliberately orchestrated this awkward scenario! Internally, she simmered with frustration towards him. Summoning her courage, she took a deep breath and reluctantly ascended onto her tiptoes in an attempt to bridge the height gap. But just as she did so, Connor unexpectedly turned his head. Instead of a gentle brush on the cheek, her lips unintentionally made contact with his
Once again, Marissa was stunned
In an instant, Marissa’s and Connor’s lips touched. Marissa felt the warmth and softness of Connor’s lips. Her mind went blank, and she momentarily forgot to pull away. Domenic, Marc, and Terry stood by in shock, as this was the first time they’d seen their boss kiss someone. Arabella was just as surprised and needed a moment to gather herself. She hadn’t expected this! She thought Marissa would simply peck Connor on the cheek, but here they were, sharing a passionate kiss. Young people these days certainly didn’t hold back. But Arabella loved it! Their boldness proved their love, which meant they might have a child sooner
Five or six seconds later, Marissa suddenly came to her senses and pushed Connor away. Her face turned a deep shade of red as she looked around and saw everyone staring at her in disbelief. She wished she could disappear
How had she ended up kissing Connor on the lips? She began to suspect that Connor might have planned it! Reflecting on the moment, Marissa shot Connor a skeptical look, but he seemed as surprised as she was, even coughing awkwardly as if the kiss had caught him off guard too
Marissa was at a loss for words. Had she misunderstood the situation? Was it really just an accidental kiss? At that moment, Arabella laughed and said, “I’ll leave you young ones alone now. I won’t interrupt anymore.” With that, she left the room with the help of a servant
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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