"As long as you're with me just for your Quinn Family, this is just play-acting, because the motive isn't pure."
Stellan looked out the window angrily, her speech stifled. Silence fell inside the car.
Jacob wasn't sure why he voiced out what both of them already understood in their hearts, but clearly, he was right.
The reason she wanted to be with him was just for the Quinn Family.
And not for him, as a person.
No matter how he put it, it felt deeply unpleasant.
Their silence extended all the way to the breakfast shop.
Seated face-to-face, Stellan finally asked, "You knew from the start that I don't like you, so why did you confess to me? Now that I'm willing to be with you, you're saying all this. Just tell me honestly, do you still like me?"
"To be honest with you, at first, I was incredibly sure I liked you. Now, I am unsure if I still like you as before; a question mark has arisen in my heart concerning you." He didn't hide it on purpose, he shared his feelings honestly.
Stellan's heart skipped a beat, "What did you say?"
"What I said, you've already heard, haven't you?"
Stellan bit her lip, feeling very uncomfortable inside, "Have you fallen for someone else?"
"Does it have to be that I have fallen for someone else for this to happen?" He said sternly, "You don't have even a bit of trust in me, and this makes me deeply disappointed in you. I thought you would have some degree of understanding of me after knowing me for such a long time, and now I find that you know nothing about me."
"It all comes down to the issue with Grace. It's been days, and you won't let it go, whether it was your fault or hers, I don't want to think about it anymore." Stellan softened her tone, "Jacob, let's try being together? We'll get engaged first, and if our relationship gets better in half a year, we'll get married. If it gets worse, we'll split up."
"Sounds good." He picked up the fork and ate some fried eggs, "But I don't want to try like this; I feel it's like a gamble."
Stellan felt anxious, "Jacob..."
He looked up, "Let's eat properly."
Originally intending to bring up having Grace as his secretary, she wisely refrained from mentioning it.
Her inner confidence was shaken, leaving Stellan feeling uneasy.
After the meal, Jacob drove her home.
Autumn Fletcher noticed her daughter returning in low spirits and asked her about it, Stellan explained everything honestly.
"See, I told you that over time, anything's possible. How long has it been? Fortunately, you didn't bring up having Grace be his secretary. Listen to me, don't mention it to him."
"But I've already promised Grace."
"What's wrong with that? Just find an excuse to brush it off."
Stellan shook her head, "No, that won't do, wouldn't that be going back on my word?"
"My foolish daughter, are you silly? Because of Grace, his feelings for you have changed, and you still want her to be his secretary, would he agree to that? You don't even need to ask to know the answer."
"Mom, Grace is my good friend. If I marry him, they'll have to see each other often. If he's always holding a grudge against Grace, it shows I'm not important to him, and he doesn't care about my feelings. Thinking about how he treated Grace like that without considering my feelings, I'm just so angry."
"He will absolutely refuse you. If you're unconvinced, go ahead and ask."
"If he refuses me, I would never marry him!"
"Stop acting childish; can't you think about our family?" Autumn Fletcher advised patiently, "Grace might be your good friend, but Jacob is supposed to be your husband and the father of your children. For you, Jacob should be more important and Grace should be pushed out of the way. Listen to me, this doesn't need asking; the answer is obvious. Once Grace is better, let her work in our company, it's the same thing."
Stellan listened to her mother, hesitated but eventually agreed, "Mom, regarding Jacob, what should I do to make him agree to an engagement soon?"
Autumn Fletcher whispered a few words into her ear, after listening, Stellan's face turned flushed red, "You want me to take the initiative..."
"Listen to me, it can't go wrong; men always fall for this."
"But I don't want to."
"Stellan, he's openly told you that he's unsure if he still likes you anymore, and you're not worried at all?" Autumn Fletcher urged sincerely, "I won't harm you. Among those wealthy kids, none are more suitable for you than Jacob. Marry him, and you'll become the Green Family's Young Madam, admired endlessly. The women in Ningham City, married or not, will envy you. You've known each other since childhood; your dad and I won't misjudge. Jacob will treat you well. Being with him, you won't be wronged. Don't dwell on whether you truly like him; just consider, if he marries someone else, even a little bit, would you regret it?"
Stellan thought carefully and then nodded, "I would feel a bit regretful."
Autumn Fletcher was pleased, "That's right, don't let him marry someone else, make sure he feels you're irreplaceable."
Back in her room, Stellan kept pondering over her mother's words.
She also found it strange that she didn't feel any real affection for Jacob, yet apart from his temper, she wasn't annoyed with him either.
If Jacob married someone else, she would indeed be very upset, like a toy that had been with her being snatched by another girl.
She also knew even if she didn't marry Jacob, she'd still be linked through marriage to other corporate heirs.
Originally planning just a half-year engagement before deciding whether to marry him, she now changed her mind.
She wants to marry him soon.
Anyway, if she's going to marry someone she doesn't like, why not marry the very best?
——
"Hey, a gift I got you from overseas." Lucy handed James a black box, "Open it and see if you like it."
James' eyes lit up, "Judging from the packaging being so upscale, it must be something good."
As he said that, he opened the box and was thrilled by the watch inside, eagerly trying it on his wrist, "Looks expensive, how much did it cost?"
"Not much at all." She smiled softly, "Just keep wearing it, don't take it off, it suits you."
James said cheerfully, "Lucy, your taste is as sharp as ever, dinner's on me tonight."
"I want to eat wontons."
"Wontons? Can't you aim higher? Let's have some western food and order a nice bottle of red wine for the two of us."