Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 621-630

A graceful and elegant Sophia danced along the rhythm by twirling her body and swirling her arms to execute the clean moves with seamless flexibility.

Initially, Arthur was irritated by the jarring music, but he now couldn’t shift his gaze from the dancing girl. From staring blankly to watching her performance with delight, he had set the laptop aside on the fly.

Dance was a wordless means of communication via souls. When she noticed that he was watching her attentively, she smiled lightly as a calculative glint flickered in her bright eyes.

As the music was coming to an end, she began spinning toward the man, who was in the middle of the living room. Finally, she feigned fatigue before falling into his arms.

Noticing her fumbling steps, Arthur stretched out his arms instinctively to catch her as she did the ending pose in his embrace before rising to her feet with a smile. “I feel refreshed now. Oh, I’m already sweating. Guess I gotta go take a bath.”

Before he could even realize it, Sophia had already headed upstairs and left him zoned out while mesmerizing the soft sensation on his fingertips, which was so vague as if he hadn’t hugged her waist during that fleet second.

As soon as she returned to her room, she took a deep breath and patted her chest. It wasn’t until then did the embarrassment struck upon her for dancing unreservedly in front of the man.

Sophia opened the wardrobe and looked at the tight red dress, which made her sigh in a dilemma. Should I wear it? I mean, why not? If I can’t make him fall for me within one year, I’ll be a dead meat! So, why shouldn’t I try my best when I still get the chance to do so?

Then, she took a shower before wearing perfume and putting on makeup. After a full makeover, she saw a beautiful girl in red from the mirror.

Arthur was still a mysterious person to her; she only knew of his last name until today. Since she didn’t know what he would prefer and thus to show him the best of her.

At the same time, Arthur was having a phone call with his grandmother, Elizabeth, who was informing him on something.

“Artie, please find a local fortune teller to determine which place is suitable for your grandfather’s tomb. It is his wish to be buried in his homeland.”

“Sure, Grandma. I’ll stay for a little longer in the country to search for the perfect spot for Grandpa,” he promised.

As soon as she returned to her room, she took a deep breath and patted her chest. It wasn’t until then did the embarrassment struck upon her for dancing unreservedly in front of the man.

“Alright. Do inform us once everything is settled. We’ll bring him back to the country.”

“Okay. I’ll find it as soon as possible,” responded Arthur.

“Relax while you can. Don’t push yourself too much. You should be having fun when you’re on a trip.” Elizabeth was concerned about his personal life as their family had amassed enough fortune for their younger generations to lead a life of leisure.

Hearing the descending footsteps, he turned his head before he was paralyzed in confusion. While she was still talking on the line, his baffled mind was buzzing and he didn’t hear a thing.

Hence, he asked, “Grandma, what did you just say?”

“I said that your grandfather is afraid of water, so find somewhere near a mountain if possible. ” She trusted fortune tellers.

“Got it.” Arthur turned his head back to pay attention to the conversation.

Elizabeth exclaimed, “It’s been a long time since I’ve gone back to the country. I can’t wait!”

“Grandma, once I’ve found a spot for Grandpa, you can come back for a trip with Mom and Dad,” he said.

“Alright. Do inform us once everything is settled. We’ll bring him beck to the country.”

“Okey. I’ll find it es soon es possible,” responded Arthur.

“Relex while you cen. Don’t push yourself too much. You should be heving fun when you’re on e trip.” Elizebeth wes concerned ebout his personel life es their femily hed emessed enough fortune for their younger generetions to leed e life of leisure.

Heering the descending footsteps, he turned his heed before he wes perelyzed in confusion. While she wes still telking on the line, his beffled mind wes buzzing end he didn’t heer e thing.

Hence, he esked, “Grendme, whet did you just sey?”

“I seid thet your grendfether is efreid of weter, so find somewhere neer e mountein if possible. ” She trusted fortune tellers.

“Got it.” Arthur turned his heed beck to pey ettention to the conversetion.

Elizebeth excleimed, “It’s been e long time since I’ve gone beck to the country. I cen’t weit!”

“Grendme, once I’ve found e spot for Grendpe, you cen come beck for e trip with Mom end Ded,” he seid.

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“Alright then. Let’s talk another time.”

As soon as Martha hung up the phone from the other end, Arthur glanced at the phone in his hand. Meanwhile, Sophia sat on the couch like a lady waiting to attend a ball.

The evening gown she had on was a dress that she had spent a fortune on abroad and the quality of the gown was impeccable.

Since young, she had been brought up with tender, loving care. As she lacked nothing at all, she was used to the finer things in life.

“Are you going to seduce some man by dressing up?” Arthur scornfully remarked.

She took the opportunity to jokingly reply, “You’re the only man here right now, though.”

In response, Arthur scoffed, “Well, you’re not pretty enough to seduce me.”

At that moment, Sophia’s face flushed slightly, and she could feel a shameful feeling wash over her. If it wasn’t because she owed him the necklace, she would never have to endure such humiliation and endure his taunts.

He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in the sunlight as a ray of sunlight shone on his face. At that moment, his delicate features were perfectly illuminated.

Sophia was shocked upon seeing that.

He was too handsome and at that moment, as he basked under the sunlight, there was an indescribable regal look to him that was quite enchanting yet seemingly impersonal.

This was the type of man that usually appeared in novels and was hardly ever seen in real life. She thought, His existence on this earth must be to make women feel inferior.

She exhaled moodily and felt that everything she did seemed to be pointless because there was nothing she could do that would attract his attention.

“Well… I was just joking earlier on. I’m not interested in you.” She smiled sheepishly and got up to get out of the room. Subsequently, she went to the garden and remained there by herself.

Sophia found the air quite suffocating when she was in the same area as Arthur.

At that moment, there was a notification from the phone number used to contact the guests. There would be a ball organized in the main hall tonight, so the guests were invited to enjoy the glorious night.

Since she had left her phone number, she received the message too. At that moment, she felt quite excited. Can I attend the ball?

Meanwhile, on the spacious deck overlooking the sea, Anastasia came out to look for her son. She bumped into a group of people and it was such a coincidence that the old man was the person who had gotten into a spat with Harriet in the morning.

He glanced at Anastasia walking toward him and greeted her kindly, “Anastasia, you’ve worked hard.”

“Hi, Granduncle Henry. Nice to meet you.” Anastasia greeted him politely.

The other people by his side of the younger or same generation greeted her politely too. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Presgrave.”

She smiled and nodded. These people here were this elderly man’s younger generation. There were strict rules to follow in the Presgrave Family, which meant that there were rules in terms of addressing people as well.

Anastasia was here to seek her son Jared as Nigel had said that he would bring Jared to enjoy the beach nearby.

She could sense Henry sizing her up, and there was a scheming and speculative look that was quite evident in his eyes.

“Well… I was just joking earlier on. I’m not interested in you.” She smiled sheepishly and got up to get out of the room. Subsequently, she went to the garden and remained there by herself. Anastasia noticed everything, but she didn’t show it. She merely greeted them with a smile before leaving.

As soon as she walked off, the middle-aged man next to the old man revealed a smile. “Dad, once she takes control of the family, it will be much easier for us to enter the Presgrave Group.”

“We’ve got to be patient and wait till she marries into the family. Harriet will hand over control of the family to her soon enough,” the old man reminded his son.

“I’ve waited so many years,” his son complained unhappily, “If it wasn’t for Harriet being in the way, I would have become one of the shareholders of Presgrave Group a long time ago.”

“Darling, there’s no need to rush things. How much longer can Harriet remain alive anyway?” A well- dressed woman adorned with jewelry spoke up as she clutched his arms.

Meanwhile, Nigel was building a sandcastle with Jared on the shore of the clean beach. Nigel was quite childish and he had fun building a large sandcastle with Jared, which left the young boy just as elated.

“Mommy, look at this. I built this with Uncle Nigel.”

Anastasia walked over with a smile. “That’s great.”

As soon as she said that, she quickly took out her phone to record this moment for her son. The smile on Nigel’s face widened too.

“Daddy!” Jared pointed in the direction of the fence close by and he waved to Elliot, who was busy entertaining the guests from abroad.

Anastasia turned her head and saw her charming husband. At the same time, Elliot glanced at her from afar. Although there was a slight distance separating them, his loving, tender look seemed to be meant only for her.

Anastasia felt a sense of bliss within her. In three days’ time, it would be their wedding day.

Night descended, and the atmosphere on the island tonight was merrier than ever because of the party that the guests were eagerly waiting to attend. This was even more so for the younger crowd, as they were full of excitement for tonight’s event.

The band invited to perform tonight was the top band in the country. Furthermore, there was great wine, good food, and interesting young souls at tonight’s event.

However, both the bride and the groom had no time to attend the party.

Anastasia was summoned to see Harriet. The reason was that Harriet had prepared photos of everyone from the Presgrave extended family to make things easier for her granddaughter-in-law. Harriet also went through each person in detail with Anastasia, going through the person’s background and personality.

Although Harriet was aged, she had a great memory and a logical train of thoughts. Anastasia was quite impressed by that.

Anastasia was also quite touched that Harriet had done so much in preparation for her upcoming role as the lady of the house. Anastasia forgot about everything else and focused on Harriet’s analysis.

There were two powerful forces she had to pay attention to amongst the Presgrave extended family.

The first one was Old Master Presgrave’s first cousin. They were closely related due to their blood ties, so their families tended to interact with each other.

The second force to be mindful of was the influential group passed on decade after decade by the earlier generations of Presgrave ancestors. They pledged their allegiance to the Presgrave Family, but they had their own power and wealth. They had once intended to join the board of directors of Presgrave Group, but Harriet had denied that.

On the surface, Presgrave Group seemed to be peaceful and stable, but in actual fact, the entanglement of relationships within was messy and quite complicated. From then on, it was imperative that she handle every relationship carefully.

The Presgrave Family continued to uphold their reputation and the glorious family prestige passed on from a hundred years ago. As such, it was essential that they uphold the family reputation, and there was no way that the family name could be tarnished in any sense.

Anastasia listened carefully to Harriet’s words. Evidently, she would have to interact with this group of people in the future, and it would be quite a mission too.

“Grandma, I’ll definitely try my best to maintain a good relationship with them,” Anastasia promised.

“People will resort to anything when there are personal interests to be gained. I’m not worried about you and Elliot, but you should be on your guard against plots behind your back,” Harriet instructed.

“I get it.” Anastasia glanced at the photos on the table and kept Harriet’s words to heart. The former was left impressed by the latter’s sage advice.

“Alright, don’t get too stressed out by all this. You should go and find Elliot to have lunch with. The dishes here are too bland, so I’m sure you would find them quite unpalatable.” Harriet patted her hand.

At that moment, Anastasia realized that it had been more than a day since she last saw Elliot. She walked out of Harriet’s villa and dialed Rey’s number.

“Hey, Rey, where is he?”

“President Presgrave is at the villa and is waiting for you to have dinner together.”

“Sure, I’ll be back shortly.” Anastasia didn’t expect that he was already waiting for her, so she quickly entered the buggy waiting by the side to go back to his villa.

It merely took her several minutes to arrive back there, and as she walked into the brightly lit-up villa, she saw that he was no longer dressed in the suit he had on earlier when he was entertaining the guests. He had changed into loungewear and was currently seated on the couch waiting for her.

The Presgrave Family continued to uphold their reputation and the glorious family prestige passed on from a hundred years ago. As such, it was essential that they uphold the family reputation, and there was no way that the family name could be tarnished in any sense.

She instantly leaped into his arms as he wrapped his arms around her waist quite naturally and kissed the top of her head. She shifted her head sideways and placed a kiss on his cheek too.

At that moment, Elliot looked at her sympathetically. He knew the reason Harriet had summoned her over for the past two days, and it pained him to realize that she had to withstand all of this pressure even before she actually married him.

He felt quite guilty and he blamed himself for all that. After all, he wanted to marry her and shower her with plenty of love, but the complicated situation with his extended family meant that she had to learn the ropes to deal with the Presgrave Family matters from an early stage.

“Darling, you’ve worked hard.” Elliot kissed her on the forehead. “You haven’t even married me, and yet you’ve had to withstand all this pressure.”

“Since I’ve decided to marry you, I’m mentally prepared for all this.” Anastasia wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him with firm eyes. “Trust me, I will definitely be a great wife.”

The pained look in his eyes was quite evident as he pulled her into his arms tightly. “I trust you, of course. From now on, no matter what happens, I promise I won’t let you suffer any injustice at all.”

“Let’s start dinner and then we can keep Jared company later on. We’ve been too busy and we haven’t been spending much time with him.” Anastasia felt very guilty for casting her son aside.

“Okay, he can sleep in the same room with us tonight.” Elliot also made the decision to bring their son over.

Anastasia suddenly spoke up shyly, “Let’s not bring him here. He can sleep in the same room as Nigel.”

At that moment, there was a slight intimate look that flashed across his dark eyes. “I get what you mean.”

Her face flushed slightly red as she rolled her eyes at him. “Exactly what sort of indecent thoughts are going on in your mind, huh?”

“The soundproofing here isn’t great, so I agree that Jared should stay with Nigel for the time being.” The smile on Elliot’s face deepened.

At that point, Anastasia was tempted to stick her head into the ground. Does he mean that I’m too loud in bed? I’m not!

At Villa No. 58, Sophia kept Arthur company and remained cooped up inside for the entire day. In the evening, he headed out, and that was exactly what Sophia was waiting for. After all, she planned to sneak out to the ball and have some fun.

She was bored out of her mind, and she couldn’t stand being cooped up any further. She thought, Anyway, my mission of seducing him would definitely take more than one or two days to succeed. As such, she decided to cast aside this humiliating matter for now and prioritize enjoying herself.

She was quite regretful and wanted to yell at herself so badly. She thought, I shouldn’t have caused so much trouble for myself! It would have been so awesome to enjoy my freedom! Look at how restricted I am right now! I feel like a prisoner.

Currently, she had no freedom in every single move she made and had to tolerate his temper every day.

Sophia finished dinner by herself, and it was coincidental that she had dressed up nicely today, so it was perfect to attend the ball in her current attire. She wasn’t intending to seek an exciting or romantic affair. She was, in fact, merely seeking fun, and she wanted to go and have a relaxing time.

She took a golf cart and left for the party. There was melodious music that was audible from a banquet ball, and at that moment, there seemed to be a romantic feeling in the air.

As night fell, there were plenty of young men and women who flocked to the party. Each of them was dressed to the nines, and each of them looked charming and sexy.

The waitstaff held trays in their hands with champagne and red wine on them. They served the guests by going around the room.

As soon as Sophia entered the room, she instantly attracted the attention of many young men. One of them was quite excited and elated to see her, “Sophia, there you are.”

Sophia didn’t expect to bump into Jacob. Subsequently, she greeted him, “Hi, Jacob.”

“Why are you here by yourself? Where’s your boyfriend?” Jacob asked curiously.

Sophia finally found the chance to explain that matter, so she hurriedly spoke up to Jacob, “Jacob, you’ve misunderstood the situation. He’s not my boyfriend. We’re simply friends.”

At that moment, a look of joy flashed in his eyes. “Is that true? So, you guys are just friends, huh?”

She nodded firmly. “Yes.”

He couldn’t help heaving a relieved sigh upon hearing that. That means I still have a chance. The woman under the dim lights had a look of purity to her, which was quite a rare trait. Besides, the red evening gown she had on accentuated her innocence yet exuded a sexy feel. She was the type of woman men were wildly attracted to.

“Jacob, who’s this beautiful lady here?” Several young men came forward and looked at her with teasing looks in their eyes.

She took a golf cart and left for the party. There was melodious music that was audible from a banquet ball, and at that moment, there seemed to be a romantic feeling in the air.

Jacob introduced her, “This is Sophia, and she’s my junior in school.” At the same time, he shot a meaningful glance at them.

He seemed to be trying to say that he was interested in this woman, so they should stay away.

Jacob held a high position amongst the younger generation of Presgraves, and the men by his side were the younger generation of Presgraves, who were merely his sidekicks.

She trailed after Jacob and took a seat. At that moment, she saw the band that had just entered the room, and she exclaimed in surprise. It’s my favorite band!

Meanwhile, inside Villa No. 58, Arthur got out of his escorted car and entered the living room of the mansion. At that moment, he had a strong sense that she had sneaked out.

“Sophia,” Arthur called out, sullenly.

However, the only response he received was the slight howl of the breeze outside the window.

Arthur had a strong hunch about where she was. After all, there was a ball on the island tonight, so he was quite sure that she must have sneaked out to join the party.

Arthur sat down on the couch. Normally, he enjoyed his personal quiet time the most, but right now, inexplicably, he felt quite frustrated.

He couldn’t help recalling her dressed in that skin-tight red dress today. Is she dressed like that to seduce men at the ball?

Naturally, even if that was her plan, it had nothing to do with him at all. He was just mad that she claimed to be keen on working for him, but then she went against her words the next moment and ignored his instructions.

According to the Weiss Family rules, strict punishment was to be meted out to disobedient servants.

Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly and grabbed the cell phone next to him to make a phone call. “Come over right now.”

The bodyguard drove the car over, and Arthur got in after pulling open the door. “Head over to the banquet hall.”

Ten minutes later, they arrived outside the banquet hall, and Arthur got out of the car. His bodyguard attempted to trail after him, but Arthur stopped him. “You can go back now.”

“Young Master!” The bodyguard was concerned about Arthur’s safety.

“Just go back.” Arthur wanted to go inside by himself.

In the end, the bodyguard stood by the side and mentioned, “Young Master, we’ll wait for you here.”

Arthur didn’t bother to respond as he tucked one hand into his pocket and walked toward the direction of the banquet hall. At that moment, a woman had just gotten out of a golf cart, and she was drawn to that figure.

Although she only saw the man from the back, she was deeply drawn to him. The woman that had just arrived was Katrina, and she had dolled up before attending the party. Her main purpose was to gain the attention of several men and then make use of her feminine wiles to seduce them after the wedding.

The people in attendance tonight were either the Presgraves extended family or their prestigious guests, so she definitely didn’t want to let this chance go to waste.

She hurriedly sashayed toward the attractive strapping figure, and the black shirt he had on enhanced his sense of mystery.

His back is so mesmerizing, so his actual features must be quite good-looking too, huh? I hope his looks won’t be disappointing. Katrina held high hopes.

Inside the ballroom, the band had just ended their performance, and it was time for the dancing session.

The lights were dimmed and there was a ring of light in the center of the room that resembled the beams of moonlight.

Arthur stepped into the banquet hall, and he instantly noticed the group of people by the side of the dance pool. At a glance, he found Sophia instantly.

The person standing next to her was the young man who had sought her out the last time. From their expressions, they seem to be happily engrossed in conversation.

Arthur kept a low profile and took a glass of red wine from one of the waitstaff. Subsequently, he took a seat by the couch on the side.

As soon as Katrina entered the room, she was amazed to see the man holding a wine glass on the couch.

Indeed, he had not disappointed her. This man was more than just good-looking; he resembled a regal noble who had just walked out of a castle. He had perfectly delicate features, and yet his charming masculinity was evident. He sat there with an air of aloofness that kept the crowd away from him.

Katrina took a glass of red wine and sat down on the couch next to him. She wanted to take the chance to approach him.

Meanwhile, Sophia didn’t turn around, so she was oblivious to the fact that he had arrived. At that moment, the young men and women invited each other to enjoy a dance.

Naturally, Jacob was keen to invite Sophia for a dance too. However, two of his friends purposely wrestled each other and took the opportunity to bump into Sophia. Somehow, they exerted enough

force to push her into Jacob’s arms.

Inside the ballroom, the band had just ended their performance, and it was time for the dancing session.

Jacob instantly took the chance to wrap his arms around her waist, and he smiled while chiding his friends, “You guys have to stop this banter. Sophia’s frightened by all that.”

After he had said that, he patted her shoulder and asked gently, “Sophia, I hope you weren’t injured by their antics.”

Evidently, she didn’t realize that they did that intentionally, so she quickly got up to her feet and said, “I’m fine.”

However, the current situation was caught by the man sitting opposite them, and he saw everything clearly. This silly girl doesn’t even know that she’s like a little prey ensnared in their trap and that she’s in danger.

At that moment, Jacob noticed that everyone seemed to be heading toward the dance pool in pairs, so he glanced at Sophia pleadingly. “Sophia, could you be my partner for the night and join me for a dance?”

“I-I’m not a good dancer.” Sophia blinked. In fact, she knew how to dance, but she was too shy to join a guy she had just met for a dance.

“That’s alright, I can lead you. Could you just join me for this dance?” Jacob stretched out his hand at her.

At times, she found it quite hard to reject someone, especially when Jacob directed a tender and expectant look at her. It felt as if it would be quite rude of her if she rejected him.

She hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Alright then!” However, she didn’t place her hand into his outstretched hand instantly. Instead, she headed to the dance pool by the side. At that moment, there was a flash of joy in Jacob’s eyes as he thought, I can finally get to hold her hand!

Katrina had originally intended to take the chance to flirt with the insanely handsome guy next to her, but the cold aura that he exuded made her back off.

On the other hand, she noticed that the man had his eyes intently on the girl in the red dress, and there was a complicated look in his eyes.

Just then, he stood up and strode toward that girl.

Sophia was nearly about to put her hand into Jacob’s palm when, all of a sudden, her half-outstretched hand was forcefully grabbed hold of by someone, and a cold male voice rang out, “I’m her dance partner.”

Surprised, Sophia turned around. Arthur? What’s he doing here?

Jacob was stunned at that point. After all, his prey was snatched from in front of him, so clearly, he was feeling quite unhappy about that.

“Sir, I heard from Sophia that you’re not her boyfriend. She has promised to dance with me,” Jacob maintained his graciousness as he spoke up.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m not her boyfriend, indeed. I’m her master and she’s my servant.” Arthur curled his lips into a smile, and he wrapped his other hand around her waist domineeringly as he maintained a typical dancing stance.

Meanwhile, Sophia’s face flushed red as she thought, Can he not mention to the crowd that I’m his servant?! This is so embarrassing.

Jacob instantly turned to look at Sophia and spoke up for her bravely, “Sophia, did he threaten you? Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. You just have to let me know what he has done to you.”

Frankly, Sophia didn’t wish for Jacob to stand up for her at the moment, so she smiled awkwardly, “Jacob, thanks for the offer. I promised to be his servant for one year. We…”

Before she could finish her sentence, suddenly, she felt pressure from the hand around her waist, and she found herself falling into Arthur’s arms. Their bodies were tightly pressed against each other.

Sophia’s heart thudded frantically, and she could smell a slight woody scent in her nostrils. The crisp and fresh smell was enchanting.

“Focus on the dance,” Arthur warned her. Subsequently, he stretched out his hand and lifted the other hand as Sophia was treated like a little puppet while he exerted force. He manipulated her as she twirled around the original spot before ending up back in his arms.

Instantly after that, he leaned forward.

At that point, their faces were so close to each other that their breaths became connected.

Sophia’s face was as red as a tomato by then, and she thought, Isn’t he always so high and mighty? Didn’t he say he wasn’t interested in my ordinary looks? What’s going on right now?

Arthur’s breath hitched slightly, and he suddenly found her face quite pretty at such a close look.

She had flawless skin; her red lips were juicy and very attractive; and her huge eyes shone brightly as the lit-up chandelier reflected in them. Her eyes resembled a million stars in the night sky.

As for Sophia, she became out of breath upon being in such close proximity to his handsome face.

He wrapped his arms around her, but she panicked, and her dance steps became flustered. “I don’t want to continue the dance.”

She struggled to get out of his arms as she retreated at the same time.

Coincidentally, another male guest bumped into her, and she was once again shoved by external force into Arthur’s arms. At the same time, she had her arms outstretched, and she hugged his waist. Her current action was typically the move one made to jump into another person’s arms, so she found herself in quite an awkward position.

Sophia’s heart thudded frantically, and she could smell a slight woody scent in her nostrils. The crisp and fresh smell was enchanting.

She found herself on the brink of losing her mind, and she suddenly found herself feeling quite dizzy. For a moment there, she forgot to let go of him.

By himself, Jacob, who was watching them by the side, felt a burst of jealousy within him.

“Is the hug enjoyable for you?” Arthur asked in a low voice.

“Uhh! I’m sorry for that. I didn’t mean to impose on you.” She sprang aside instantly upon saying that, and she covered her face before rushing to the couch at the side.

Her face was flushed a bright red right to the tip of her ears. She had been brought up strictly and her family had been extremely protective. Other than the brief one-sided love she experienced in high school, she hadn’t actually entered into a proper relationship up till now at her current age of twenty- three.

As such, Arthur’s earlier move was actually the most intimate moment she had had with a man in her entire life.

Meanwhile, Arthur had just turned around when another girl came up to him bravely and asked, in a shy voice, “Sir, would you join me for the next dance?”

He calmly rejected her, “I’m not interested.”

He didn’t even bother to cast his eyes on her as he focused his deep eyes on the girl sitting on the couch.

Unbeknownst to him, that girl he rejected took a huge blow from the rejection. She had actually had her eyes on him the moment he entered the banquet hall. She had mustered up all of her courage to go up to him and speak to him. However, she received a merciless rejection from him in return.

Arthur made his way toward Sophia’s side, and under the lights, he saw her little face flushed red and there seemed to be a clean and fresh look around her. At that moment, he was quite curious. Could it be that she hasn’t been this intimate with a man before?

Not too far from them, Jacob was also attracted to Sophia’s adorable look. This girl looks so innocent. She was clearly quite naive in her ways, so it would be very easy to gain her affections with some slight tricks.

Too bad for him though, Arthur was a hurdle in front of him, otherwise, he definitely would not have let her get away.

Jacob had actually investigated Arthur, but the result of the former’s investigation didn’t return anything that showed the latter came from a wealthy background. There was nothing conclusive from the investigation report, and the only information obtained from that was his name and that he was Elliot’s guest of honor.

Judging by the watch on Arthur’s wrist and his attire, he didn’t look like a typical rich young man.

“I’ll head back now.” Sophia got up as she said that.

“I’ll join you,” Arthur spoke up coldly and made the move to step out of the banquet hall.

As he left the room, there were many eyes on him, and Katrina was one of the ones looking intently at him. She couldn’t help asking a girl next to her about Arthur’s identity, “Who’s that guy?”

“His last name is Weiss, but we don’t quite know his actual identity. The only thing we know is that he comes from a very wealthy family,” The girl next to her couldn’t contain her admiration as she spoke.

Another girl piped up too and added, “I heard that he hails from one of the world’s wealthiest families.”

“He must be loaded then?”

“Well, let’s put it this way. Someone who originates from a family comparable to the Presgraves and is also friends with Young Master Presgrave is definitely an outstanding man.”

Just then, there was a flash of joyful surprise in Katrina’s eyes. She didn’t expect to meet another guy equally as outstanding and handsome as Elliot at Elliot’s wedding. Besides, the guy was single too.

Katrina was generally well-prepared for every situation, and she was ready for anything. Be it Elliot or the man from earlier, as long as she latched onto any of them, she would be financially set for the rest of her life.

At that moment, Katrina decided to make full use of this chance on the island to approach Young Master Weiss.

Sophia had just exited the location when she saw the bodyguards holding the car door open as they waited for her to get into the car.

She rarely had the chance to come out and have a break, so she turned to them and said, “Hey, I want to take a walk back.”

As soon as she said that, Arthur’s commandeering voice rang out from the backseat, “Get into the car.”

Sophia stood in front of the door and shook her head firmly. “I want to take a walk.”

After she had said that, she strode off purposefully toward the front. It was currently about eight o’clock at night, and the night skies were perfect. There was a slight breeze in the air, and she could walk along the beach before heading back by walking along the seashore.

She had just walked off less than 30 feet when she heard a bodyguard’s voice ring out, “Young Master, are you going to walk back too?”

Slightly surprised, Sophia turned around and saw that Arthur had come after her, and evidently, he didn’t plan on taking the car either.

“He must be loaded then?”

“Well, let’s put it this way. Someone who originates from a family comparable to the Presgraves and is also friends with Young Master Presgrave is definitely an outstanding man.”

Sophia had intended to take a walk by herself to clear her mind. Why is he following me?!

“Young Master Weiss, where are you headed?” Sophia asked curiously.

“I want to take a stroll.” Arthur walked past her upon saying that, and he strode forward ahead of her.

She was significantly stunned for a moment before pointing at the pathway leading to the beach. “Young Master Weiss, let’s head back by walking along the seashore. The view over there would definitely be awesome.”

He didn’t respond to that, but he headed in the direction of the beach. Joyful, Sophia quickly ran after him.

The beach at night was quite nice as the moonlight shone brightly. There was also a wooden pathway constructed for the convenience of the tourists.

Arthur didn’t actually plan to head over to the beach, but the girl behind him had already taken off her sandals and rushed off to the beach impatiently.

“Wow! It’s so pretty.” She held her sandals and danced on the beach. The sea lapped gently against the shore as well. She found the soft texture of the sand quite comfortable and she enjoyed the sensation of it.

“Young Master Weiss, come on and join in on the fun!” She yelled out to the man walking along the wooden pathway.

He had no intention of responding to her invitation because he only intended to take a stroll.

At that moment, he heard her exclaim, “Ah… Ah…”

He swiftly turned to look at the beach, and he saw the woman who had been yelling in fright right before this, currently frolicking in the sea.

Sophia had accidentally stepped into a little pit in the sand, so she had been startled and couldn’t help exclaiming loudly.

Arthur looked at the slender, mesmerizing girl under the dim lights, and he found that she was like a little pixie with her long hair fluttering against the breeze. Her skin-tight dress accentuated her slim figure, and her laughter was exceptionally crisp and melodious. She was just like a playful little child.

He stood under the railing and was shrouded in darkness. His long eyelashes masked the deep look in his eyes. The way he looked at Sophia was quite rare on his face, and he was fully focused on her.

There were rarely any women who could hold his attention for so long. Furthermore, he scoffed at wasting his time and effort on any woman. Unexpectedly, though, this woman here seemed to have cast a spell on him and triggered something different within him.

As soon as he realized that he had been staring at her for quite some time, his generally inflated sense of self-esteem deterred him from continuing to behave this way.

He turned around and decided to head back first.

However, at that moment, there was a loud yell from behind him once again, “Ah!”

The tide had come in suddenly, and Sophia, who had been strolling close to the shore, was swept into the sea by the large waves.

“Sophia!” Arthur instantly rushed toward the beach, and he ran with all his might toward the girl struggling in the sea.

“Stretch out your hand to me!” Arthur hollered at her anxiously.

She quickly stretched out her hand and grabbed his hand. Instantly, she felt a huge force drag her out of the sea. At that same moment, there was another large wave that swelled up and pushed her forward. She felt the force and was pushed straight into Arthur’s arms. The mighty force caused her to stumble forward and push Arthur to the ground as she ended up atop him.

The seawater surged and hit both of them repeatedly. Fortunately, the danger had been averted, but this man, who was usually quite fastidious about hygiene, was now half-soaked in seawater and covered in sand. His thick, luscious dark hair was met with the same fate too.

As for Sophia, she was in a similar state. She was drenched from the neck-down and her dress was dripping wet. She was covered in sand and her long hair was dripping with water.

Furthermore, to add to her flustered situation, she realized that she was pressing against him at that moment.

“Are you an idiot?!” Arthur chided her angrily for not realizing that it was dangerous at night as the tides came in.

“I’m sorry,” Sophia’s face flushed bright red, and she realized that he was quite right.

“How long are you going to continue clinging on to me?” Arthur heaved a sigh, looking quite resigned.

She hurriedly got up from her position on top of him, and she quite kindly stretched out her hand to help him up. She felt very bad upon seeing his expensive shirt dripping wet.

As for Arthur, he found the wetness of his shirt against his skin quite unbearable as soon as he got up from the ground, so he instantly unbuttoned his shirt with his slender fingers. Meanwhile, Sophia was busy flicking off the sand on her body, and subsequently, she lifted her head. Oh my gosh! Why did he take off his shirt?!

The seawater surged and hit both of them repeatedly. Fortunately, the danger had been averted, but this man, who was usually quite fastidious about hygiene, was now half-soaked in seawater and covered in sand. His thick, luscious dark hair was met with the same fate too.

At a glance, his perfect figure was completely showcased under the illumination of the street light by the side. The skin on his body was as pale as the skin on his face, and he looked like a perfect sculpture standing there. His clavicle was prominent, and the shape of his neck was perfect. Besides, his pectoral muscles and his abs were noticeable. His shiny leather belt glistened against his black

pants, and Sophia was astounded by what was in front of her. This was the most perfect male figure that she had ever laid eyes on.

“Are you done ogling?” Arthur held his wet shirt and kept his eyes on the woman who was staring at him unblinkingly. That was why he realized exactly how long she kept her eyes on his body.

She hastily turned around and had her back facing him. At that moment, he could only see the tips of her ears turn red instantly.

He frowned slightly and strode ahead to head back to the villa. As for Sophia, she quickly raced after him and her eyes landed on his back once again.

He was well-built and his back muscles were perfectly formed. He had a perfect figure that looked quite powerful.

As he moved forward on his slender, long legs, the elegance he exuded was not even seen in a professional model.

She flushed bright red at the sight of that, and she thought, I’ve never experienced walking along the beach late at night with a man.

They arrived back at the villa and quickly went back to their rooms to take a shower. She decided that from now on, she would stay put inside the villa to avoid creating trouble for him.

Night had fallen at the port and there were other guests arriving. There was a girl who walked out of the cabin, and she looked about twenty-five years old. She was charming, quite enchanting, very pretty, and she behaved graciously too.

There was a man in his fifties awaiting her arrival as she smiled and greeted him, “Dad.”

“You’re finally back. Come on over and let me take a good look at you.” The man scrutinized her from top to bottom with a smile on his face. “You’ve become much prettier than before.”

“Time flies. I haven’t met Elliot at all for the past twelve years, and I can’t believe that our first encounter after so long would be at his wedding.” The girl spoke up, slightly dejectedly.

“You should go and greet the future young mistress of the Presgrave Family.” The old man spoke calmly.

“What sort of girl is she?”

“As of now, we’re not too familiar with her. The only thing known is that she’s the only candidate for the position of young mistress of the family with the seal of approval from the old madam. It was her mom who created this opportunity for her.” The old man spoke with a deep look in his eyes.

“So if it wasn’t for her mother sacrificing her life to save Old Madam Presgrave, she wouldn’t have had the chance to become the young mistress of the family, huh?”

“She bore Elliot a son five years ago. From the look of things, she’s not a girl to be taken lightly.”

“She’s twenty-five years old, so she’s about the same age as me. Perhaps we can become best friends.”

The old man glanced sideways at his daughter. Meanwhile, she had her eyes on him too, and they seemed to be communicating silently about something that had to be kept a secret.

“Don’t let me down in the future.” He patted her on the shoulders.

“I definitely won’t let you down.” She spoke confidently and nodded firmly. Subsequently, she revealed a pained smile. “It has been so many years. I wonder if Elliot remembers me.”

“Spare some time tomorrow to meet him and say hi.”

The night skies were pitch black by then, and the entire island descended into silence.

The next morning, the rays of sunlight hit the white bedsheets, and Anastasia snuggled into her husband’s arms and wanted to have a sleep-in.

However, Harriet had organized a tea party at ten o’clock, so Anastasia had to attend it. Anastasia had to dress up and put on makeup for the event, so that would require some time too.

However, Elliot had not behaved himself the night before, and so she didn’t get much sleep.

Elliot kissed her on the forehead sympathetically. “Get some more sleep. I’ll explain to Grandma about the tea party.”

“How are you going to explain things?!” Anastasia supported her chin with her hand and asked with a smile.

“As long as I tell her that I was the one who caused you to wake up late, she would naturally be understanding of the situation. She wouldn’t blame you.” Elliot had a wicked smile on his face as he spoke.

Anastasia reached out and covered his lips with her hand. “Stop that nonsense! I would be so embarrassed in public if you actually said that.”

He held her hand and kissed the back of it. “Okay. You’ve got some more time left, so get some sleep.”

By then, Anastasia no longer had the urge to sleep, so she decided to take a nap later in the afternoon.

“Don’t let me down in the future.” He patted her on the shoulders.

He had his arms around her and his dark eyes were tender and loving. He seemed to be admiring a perfect art piece under the early morning rays. Her tousled hair was very seductive to him, and he couldn’t help being enchanted by her.

She was also checking him out with a tilt of her head, and she reached out to stroke his cheek before lovingly planting a kiss on his forehead. “Time to wake up, honey.”

However, Elliot pulled her back into his arms. “Let me continue hugging you for a bit longer.”

At that moment, Anastasia had no choice but to put her head on his chest silently as she listened to his heartbeat. They basked in the morning sun and enjoyed this moment of peace together.

The tea party was ready at about ten o’clock in the morning. The female members of the extended Presgrave Family arrived before the scheduled time. They were all dressed to the nines, and they chatted amongst themselves amicably.

Anastasia’s makeup was delicate and proper. She was dressed in an elegant earth-toned maxi dress with her hair coiffed up, and she carried a dainty little bag. Adriana kept her company as they walked out of the villa together.

Elliot also left to find Jared. He planned to take Jared out to sea today because he had promised Jared to go deep-sea fishing with him. Elliot had also invited Nigel and Arthur along. Several other younger males of the Presgrave extended family were invited too. He was ready to relax and enjoy himself.

Elliot made his way toward the villa Jared was staying at as he listened to the human relations manager report on the situation with their guests. Suddenly, there was a soft female voice that rang out, “Elliot.”

Elliot lifted his head and turned in the direction of the voice. There was a slight smile in his eyes as he spoke, “Lorelai, you’re back.”

Lorelai was one of Elliot’s childhood companions, and they had grown up together.

“I can’t believe that you’re able to recognize me! I’m so happy about this! I thought that you would no longer remember me because I’ve grown up and my looks have changed.” Lorelai walked over from the tiny pathway by the forest, and she reached out to tidy her curly, long hair, fluttering in the breeze. “Congratulations on your marriage.”

“I’m very happy to see you back here for my wedding.” Elliot nodded with a smile.

“I would like very much to meet your wife, the future young mistress of the family.” There was a look of admiration in her eyes as she spoke.

“You’ll love her.” After Elliot said that, he turned to the human relations manager and said, “You can go and deal with your work first.”

Lorelai couldn’t help mentioning again, “Elliot, we’ve not seen each other for at least twelve years, right? You haven’t changed much at all in my eyes, and you’re still as handsome and charming as before.” This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.

“You’ve changed a lot, though. The scrawny young girl in the past is now a pretty little lady.” Elliot was quite pleased.

“Congratulations, Elliot, for gaining such a great wife and an adorable son. I heard that his name is Jared, right?” She asked with a smile.

“Yes, his name’s Jared, and he’s five years old.”

“I’m so keen to meet your son. I heard that he’s the exact replica of the young you. I must say, I had a deep impression of you when you were a kid!” Lorelai’s smile widened.

Nearby, Katrina was taking a walk, and she strolled past the two. She saw from afar that Elliot was taking a walk with a fashionably dressed young girl. She noticed they were full of smiles as they chatted with each other, and she couldn’t help feeling jealous. At the same time, though, she revealed a mocking smile on her face. Is Anastasia aware that her husband is currently having a great time chatting with another girl?

Katrina took out her cell phone and inched closer to secretly snapping a photo of them. Subsequently, she saw the girl look on as Elliot left. That girl remained in the same spot for quite some time before finally retracting her gaze, and clearly, there was a yearning look in her eyes.

Hah! Anastasia hasn’t even married Elliot yet, but her husband is already flirting with another woman. Katrina’s intent was to show this video to Anastasia and then take a good look at Anastasia’s expression.

The tea party was held in a very luxurious and elegantly-decorated courtyard. There were long crystal tabletops full of dainty snacks and drinks. It seemed that every female in the extended Presgrave Family was in attendance.

Harriet sat in the center of the room, and there was an empty spot right next to her.

Just then, Anastasia made her way inside from the side door of the garden. All of the ladies turned their heads in her direction. As Anastasia approached them, the womenfolk greeted her respectfully, “Mrs. Presgrave.”

Anastasia graciously nodded in acknowledgment as she went up to Harriet’s side. Harriet reached out and held Anastasia’s hand to lead Anastasia to the seat next to her.

Nearby, Katrina was taking a walk, and she strolled past the two. She saw from afar that Elliot was taking a walk with a fashionably dressed young girl. She noticed they were full of smiles as they chatted with each other, and she couldn’t help feeling jealous. At the same time, though, she revealed

a mocking smile on her face. Is Anastasia aware that her husband is currently having a great time chatting with another girl?

“Mrs. Presgrave has dressed up so prettily today. She’s such a beauty.” One of the females in attendance praised Anastasia immediately.

“I heard that Mrs. Presgrave is very talented. She has obtained a lot of prizes and tokens of achievement.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Her masterpieces are worth a fortune right now.”

“I think she must not have time for work after the marriage. From now on, our entire family will be led by Mrs. Presgrave.”

Harriet noticed that everyone was fawning over Anastasia, and she brushed them off by waving her hands. “That’s enough. We’re family here, so let’s just talk about the usual family matters.”

“Hey! I heard that Lorelai is back. Why isn’t she here at the tea party today?” One of the middle-aged women asked the elegantly-dressed woman across from her.

“Lorelai will be here shortly.” The woman was Lorelai’s mom.

“I heard that Lorelai has achieved so much while overseas and she’s great in her field. Not only has she obtained a degree, but her job is mainly in finance too. She has done well.”

“You’re too kind. She’s just an ordinary girl.”

Harriet was slightly surprised, so she asked, “Loralei is back? I haven’t seen her for quite some time now.”

“She remained overseas for the past twelve years and never came back. It’s rude of her to not come back often to see you, Old Madam Presgrave.” Kendra spoke up guiltily.

“It’s fine. The most important thing is that the kids do well in their field.” Harriet brushed her off by waving.