"Hey, Aunt South, how did it go?" Elliana Lyle answered Aunt South's call in the bathroom at 5 PM.
But there was no sound on the other end of the phone.
"Aunt South? Are you there, Aunt South?" Elliana was a bit baffled. Why isn't she speaking? Did she dial by mistake?
After waiting for about five minutes and still hearing nothing, Elliana had no choice but to hang up the phone.
Just as she was about to open the door and leave, she heard someone coming, sounding like Timara Zephyr.
"You probably don't know this, but Elliana was already Norman's fiancée when she was chasing Shane. Such women, I tell you, are just fickle," Timara said disdainfully.
The actress next to her, Holly, heard this and immediately mocked, "Some women flaunt their beauty to be coquettish. How can Norman stand her?"
"Ah, it's just rich people's marriage alliances,..."
Squeak~
Elliana pushed the door open and walked out, catching the two who were touching up their makeup off guard.
However, Timara still rolled her eyes; she wasn't scared of Elliana overhearing, after all, Elliana couldn't do anything to her.
Elliana slowly approached, washed her hands, and gracefully picked up some hand soap, pressing it multiple times onto her hands.
Taking advantage of Timara applying lipstick, Elliana slapped her hand against Timara's mouth and forcefully shoved the soap in: "Wash that foul mouth of yours properly!"
"Ah!!" Timara recoiled repeatedly, supported by Holly.
She spat the hand soap viciously and was about to charge!
"Let me tell you, if you dare retaliate today, I guarantee you'll be blacklisted in the entertainment industry," Elliana said calmly, washing her hands at the faucet.
Timara hesitated for a moment and stopped; she was merely an actress, not yet at the level to challenge Elliana's family.
Today she pushed Elliana into the water, thinking it would be easy to bully.
Before leaving, Elliana glanced back at the furious Timara, her face comically covered with a mix of hand soap and lipstick; she chuckled, "Remember to wash it clean."
With that, Elliana turned away.
"Ah!!!!"
Timara's shriek echoed behind her, but Elliana felt no satisfaction; she thought of the things she used to do.
A man like a deity, mocked by all, because of her; even recent news called Norman an eternal cuckold.
It appeared he never cared, always loving her without a bit less.
She filmed a lot today, almost every scene involved her, and she was serious about it, earning Thomas Lee's approval; now it counted as off work.
"Elliana, someone's here to pick you up outside; it's Mr. Norman." Michelle Liu rushed over flustered, smiling like an aunt.
Upon hearing this, Elliana couldn't help but smile, her husband came to pick her up, "Got it, Michelle. See you tomorrow."
"Okay."
Outside the corner, on an ornate chair sat a man, Thomas Lee bowing and scraping before him.
The man sat casually, commanding the gaze of everyone around.
"Norman, you came to pick me up." Elliana excitedly ran over. As the man rose, she dove directly into his arms.
Snuggling in his embrace, she murmured, "Mmm~ Norman, I missed you~"
"Good," Norman enjoyed Elliana's initiative, especially in front of so many people.
"Ugh..." Thomas awkwardly chuckled twice, cheerfully saying, "I won't disturb you two then," and swiftly left.
At this moment, Timara also emerged from the corner, nostrils flared with anger watching the scene.
Holly kept silent, lips pressed together, knowing Timara must've been infuriated.
Others didn't know Timara liked Norman, but Holly was aware; Timara's phone wallpaper was this man.
"Norman, carry me out, would you?" Elliana said, glancing subtly at Timara in the distance.
My man loves me the most; what right do you have to talk and gossip?
However, Norman said nothing, simply lifting her in his arms. Elliana, a bit caught off guard, hurriedly hooked her arm around his neck.
"Wow..."
There were some strange sounds from the crowd...
In the car, she sat on Norman's lap, still excitedly gesturing and sharing interesting things from the day.
The man's face remained calm, yet his gaze focused on her, quietly listening to the chirping little girl.
"Norman, why aren't you speaking?" Elliana paused after finishing, thinking Norman must've been annoyed by her chatter.
Norman touched her head, gently asking, "Did you get tired today?"
"Not really, I'm not very tired," Elliana replied.
"Then accompany me to a banquet."
"Sure!"
―――8 PM.
Sunny Grace Manor.
This was a hidden paradise in Flower Hill, where even the distant breeze carried the fragrance of flowers.
Elliana wore a simple white long dress, her hair cascading down her back, with two locks hanging on the left, making her skin appear even fairer.
Adorned only with a simple lily brooch, yet she looked even more pure and refreshing.
She held Norman's arm, walking forward step by step.
Norman's appearance was naturally unparalleled; no one in the country compared to him.
Yet such a perfect man belonged only to her.
To close the height gap with Norman, Elliana deliberately wore a pair of 10-centimeter heels, but her feet already started to hurt after just a short walk.
"Please present your invitation." The greeter spoke respectfully at the entrance.
Norman handed over the invitation, the greeter checked and found no issues, respectfully saying, "Mr. Norman, please!"
"Wait a minute!"
A familiar female voice came from behind, and Elliana's head immediately ached upon seeing who it was.
No one else, just Timara.
Truly a haunting presence, she's everywhere.
Timara approached them: "Mr. Norman, does the lady beside you have an invitation? If not, she can't enter; everyone present has an invitation."
The greeter quickly said: "It's permissible to bring a spouse."
"But! Miss Elliana, what are you to Mr. Norman? Are you considered family?" Timara said word by word, chin raised slightly, expecting Elliana to be speechless.
"..."
Elliana was momentarily at a loss for words, ignoring Timara and instead looking up with puppy eyes at Norman, pitifully asking, "Honey~ who is she? Why does she say I'm not your family?"
"Irrelevant person, let's go."
Even as they left, Norman didn't spare even a glance at Timara.
The greeter, of course, politely led the two inside, even mocking Timara's audacity inwardly.
Who didn't know who Norman was? Whatever he wanted to bring in, he'd bring it in, even if it was a Tibetan Mastiff, they wouldn't utter a word.
"Hello, please present your invitation." The greeter said to Timara.
Timara glared at the greeter; she had no invitation, only knew Samuel Reeves, yet the invitations were personally written by the Reeves patriarch.
"Madam, please..."
"Can't I wait for someone?" Timara angrily glared at the greeter.
Shortly, a man in a pure white suit emerged; he was Samuel Reeves.
Thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding a bad-boy charm.
"Miss Timara, apologies for the wait." Samuel approached Timara with a smile.
Timara also donned a gentle smile, replying softly: "It's okay."
The greeter glanced elsewhere, quietly grumbling: You don't have the patriarch's invitation either, right?