The doorbell rang again.

    Feelingpletely drained, Vespera forced herself to answer it.

    There stood Helen and Benjamin, their faces lighting up as they saw her.

    Vespera was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions.

    "Vespera, you''re home!" Helen eximed with a wide grin.

    She had recently heard from Wanda that Vespera had divorced Luke and walked away with billions.

    Vespera had no children, was stunningly beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy-so what if she''d been married before?

    In today''s world, living together without marriage waspletely normal. It was practically the same as having a boyfriend.

    Meanwhile, Benjamin remained unaware of Helen''s thoughts.

    He had always liked Vespera-despite the years that had passed, she had never quite left his mind. "Vespera, my mom said Mrs. Gildon''s been feeling a little dizzytely, so I came by to check on her."

    "...Please,e in," Vespera replied, wearing a gracious smile.

    But inside, she felt utterly depleted.

    As Helen and Benjamin entered, their eyes immediatelynded on a middle-aged man sitting in the living room.

    "Wanda, you have a guest?"

    "Good day," Theodore greeted them with a warm smile, rising to his feet.

    Helen had a knack for reading people.

    This man wasn''t just any middle-aged man-his presence carried the air of someone significant, likely a person with considerable power.

    Her heart raced. Could this be Dominic''s father?

    Had his family truly given their blessing?

    Vespera wanted to run. Still, she couldn''t bring herself to leave Wanda in the middle of this ufortable mess.

    Reluctantly, she walked over and sat down.

    The situation felt off, and the atmosphere was unnervingly tense.

    Helen kept ncing at Wanda, her eyes silently demanding an exnation.

    Theodore remained poised as ever, exuding an air of superiority. He spoke casually with Benjamin, his demeanor calm andposed.

    Benjamin, on the other hand, seemed visibly tense, his every response weighed

    down by Theodore''s presence.

    Vespera nced at the time.

    How much longer would they stay?

    Around 20 minutester, the doorbell rang once again.

    The room went quiet, everyone instinctively turning toward the door.

    Vespera''s eyes prickled with unshed tears.

    With a heavy sigh, she stood up, muttering, "I''ll get it."

    She had a pretty good idea of who it might be.

    When she opened the door, a cheerful voice greeted her.

    "Hey, Vespera!" Calvert shed a wide, bright smile.

    "I was just dropping Mr. Reid off at work and happened to be passing by. I heard you and Gerard had a little too much to drink yesterday, so it''s not safe for you to drive. Pm here to give you a lift."

    "Happened to be passing by... Sure you did," Vespera thought to herself.

    At that moment, someone else appeared in the hallway.

    "Calvert, you always act without asking first," Dominic said, his tone tinged with reproach.

    Calvert grinned, entirely unfazed by the reprimand. "My bad, Mr. Reid."

    Vespera stared at them, her face devoid of emotion.

    She forced a smile. "...Please,e in."

    These overbearing men.

    Dominic''s sharp gaze lingered on her for a moment before he stepped inside.

    As his eyes fell on the two seated on the couch, his brows lifted subtly, and a chill seemed to hang in the air.

    "Dominic, you''re here," Theodore greeted warmly, raising a hand. "Come, sit with

    me."

    "I knew it! They''re father and son. They''re here to stake their ims..." Helen thought to herself.

    Dominic walked over and took a seat without saying a word.

    ?

    Surveying the ridiculous scene before her, Vespera suddenly smiled and chirped, "I''m just going to run downstairs to the market to grab something. I''ll be quick-take your time catching up."

    Despite the others'' attempts to stop her, she waved them off and headed for the

    door.

    The moment she opened it, Vernon''s

    frustrated voice echoed from

    outside. "Stop following me,

    take it

    Who wants your worthless

    crap? Don''t call me ''Dad...