His evident displeasure with her presence hung in the air like a barely perceptible mist. Leah’s gaze shifted to a document Farris was handing to Corrine.
Her eyes widened as she read the bold text: Share Transfer Agreement.
A share transfer agreement? Farris was planning to transfer his shares to Corrine?
While Leah belonged to the Burgess family-a respectable lineage in Lyhaton-Corrine was merely a woman from a rural background. What could possibly make Corrine worthy of such extraordinary favor from Farris?
Farris had already scrapped plans to announce her engagement to Bruce at the birthday party. Now, he was secretly giving Corrine shares? Did he truly believe Corrine was more deserving than her?
Suppressing the fiery jealousy simmering beneath her smile, Leah took a calming breath and spoke in her softest tone.
“Since Miss Holland is already here, why don’t we invite her to join the celebration in the main hall?”
“Why not?” Farris set down the agreement, turning to Corrine with an encouraging smile.
“Corrine, stay and have dinner with us.”
At first, Corrine hesitated, wanting nothing more than to decline. But Farris’s gentle insistence eventually won her over, and she nodded quietly.
Later that evening, with wine flowing freely, Tracy raised her glass, her tone sly and her intent transparent.
“Farris, since it’s your eightieth birthday, why not make it an occasion to double the joy? I know you’ve always dreamed of holding a great-grandchild in your arms…”
The words had barely left her mouth before Farris placed his wine glass on the table with a sharp, deliberate clink. His steely gaze cut through the air as he addressed her.
“Have you forgotten my stance on this?”
Tracy froze, momentarily stunned.
“I-I didn’t mean anything by it, I just thought-“
“Do you think I’ve become so feeble that I need others to make decisions for me?” Farris’s tone was ice-edged, his authority palpable.
“That’s not what I meant at all, Farris,” Tracy stammered, her words tumbling over each other in a desperate attempt to backpedal. But the more she spoke, the more tangled her explanation became.
Sensing the mounting tension, Bruce’s father, Millard Ashton, cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation in a calmer direction.
“Dad, Tracy only said that because she wants you to be happy.”
“If she truly cared about my happiness,” Farris countered coldly, “she’d stop trying to manipulate things for her own benefit. I am perfectly capable of making my own choices, thank you.”
Farris’ eyes lingered on Tracy for a moment longer, his gaze a heavy weight she couldn’t seem to escape. His message was clear.
He knew Tracy was using this occasion to pressure him into acknowledging Leah as his future granddaughter-in-law. Yet he disapproved-not only did Leah’s character lack resilience, but her recent online scandal threatened to tarnish the Ashton family’s reputation. Moreover, Bruce had just ended his relationship with Corrine. An immediate engagement to Leah would only fuel malicious rumors about the family.
The dining table remained shrouded in a heavy atmosphere until the guests began toasting Farris, gradually dissipating the tension.
After settling back into her seat, Rita cast a calculated glance toward Corrine.
“Grandpa,” she said smoothly, “Leah has prepared a heartfelt gift for you. Why don’t you show it to everyone later?”
“There’s no rush. We can eat first,” Farris said, his tone composed.
Rita wore a satisfied smile as she lifted her wine glass, her gaze locking onto Corrine across from her. She raised an eyebrow, challenging her with a playful glint in her eyes.
In previous years, Corrine had never been allowed to attend Farris’ birthday celebrations, but this year, she had been invited. Naturally, she had come with a gift.
Rita had stolen a glance at the gift Corrine brought-a plain, unadorned item that screamed mediocrity, clearly not something of significant value.
Corrine, fully aware of Rita’s scrutinizing gaze, simply took a sip of water, her expression unreadable, offering no reaction.
Once the meal ended, Rita busied herself organizing the servants to bring out the mountain of gifts, which numbered in the dozens. The relatives at the table began unwrapping each gift with precision, presenting them to Farris.
It was no secret that Farris had a deep fondness for antiques and paintings, so most gifts catered to his refined tastes.
A standout offering came from Diego Newman of the Julee Group, who presented a rare quill pen.
When Rita opened Leah’s meticulously prepared gift, she held it out with a bright smile.
“Grandpa, do you like this gem?” she asked, her voice filled with enthusiasm as she handed the glittering stone to Farris.
Farris’ eyes lit up with delight as he glanced at the gem.
“Is this a rare gem, one used by royalty?”
Corrine’s gaze flicked up for a brief moment, her lips curving into a subtle, knowing smile.
Leah eagerly replied, “Yes. I specially sought out a collector and bought this for you. I hope you like it.”
“This gem is indeed valuable,” Farris said with a chuckle, his tone lighthearted.
“I’d be quite ungrateful if I didn’t appreciate such a gift.”
He cradled the gem with care, admiring its uniqueness, despite its lack of intricate carving.
This type of gem, used exclusively by the royal court and often given as prestigious gifts to the nobility, was a rarity among common folk
Farris examined it repeatedly, unable to tear his eyes away. Despite his usual indifference toward Leah, he couldn’t help but speak with genuine sincerity.
“Thank you, Leah.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Leah replied with poise, her expression composed, lacking any trace of arrogance.
With the appearance of this gem, all the other gifts suddenly seemed insignificant, mere background to its grandeur.
“Leah’s lost some weight recently. She wouldn’t say why, but now it’s clear-she’s been working to win Farris’ favor,” Tracy said, admiration in her voice.
“Such devotion to an elder is rare.”
One of the guests chimed in, “You’re truly blessed, Tracy. Your son is outstanding, and now, even your future daughter-in-law is perfect. It’s enviable.”
“If I had a daughter-in-law like Leah, I’d consider myself fortunate,” another guest added.
“Leah’s such a good girl, Bruce. You should hold onto her tight! Otherwise, if she leaves, you’ll have no one to cry to!” someone else commented.
“Leah and Bruce are of similar age, and they’ve grown up together. They should get engaged soon-bring new additions to the Ashton family,” one of them suggested.
As the conversation became more exaggerated, Leah shyly nestled into Bruce’s embrace. But she noticed he seemed distant.
She leaned into him, following his gaze and noticing Corrine sitting nearby. She bit her lip, then smiled softly.
“Bruce, what’s wrong?”
Bruce snapped out of his thoughts just as his aunt remarked, “Bruce, Leah is so devoted to you. You can’t let her down.”
Bruce tightened his arm around Leah’s waist, his expression softening as he looked at her with genuine affection.
“I won’t.”
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.