Chapter 704


    Chapter 704


    Mari couldn’t even bring herself to look at the man before her, let alone respond to his words.


    She hunched her shoulders, wishing she could just vanish into thin air


    Jareth’s eyes were icy daggers, silently targeting the jovial face of Alston.


    But Alston, seemingly oblivious to the hostility, reached out with a friendly hand to Mari. “Hey Mari,


    it’s me, Alston, remember? We were in the same ss in junior high. Do you


    With a p!


    Jareth’s gaze somber as he swatted the man’s hand


    The atmosphere was tensed to extreme. member me?”


    “I believe my wife does not remember you”


    Yet, hidden within, Edith couldn’t help but anicker to herself.


    It seemed that messing with Jareth and teasing the idiot had be the sole joy in her life.


    Alston nursed his stung fingertips, a sh of anger in his eyes, but he quickly regained hisposure,


    staring intently at Mari. “Mari, you’re married to Mr. Fairhaven? Howe I never saw any news


    about it?”


    Before Jareth could speak, Edith Interjected, “Alston, you’ve just returned from abroad, there are a lot


    of things you don’t know. He and Mari have been living together for quite a while now. Even if they


    are not married, they might as well be.”


    She raised her voice for thest sentence deliberately.


    All the surrounding and guests could hear her loud and clear!


    “What? Mari Abernathy, the precious daughter of the Abernathy Group, living with a man without


    being married? Even if she has lost her mother, isn’t her father Mr. Frederic still around? How could he


    stand for it?”


    “Hey, that’s no ordinary man–that’s Jareth Fairhaven, heir to the Fairhaven Group!”


    “So, what if he’s Jareth Fairhaven? He’s still a man, right? And with his reputation around Elmwood,


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    everyone knows he’s a yboy. Living together without tying the knot just screams he’s not Into


    marriage. Sure, Jareth can y the field with all the power and wealth at his disposal, even if he were


    to divorce eight times, there’ll be women lining up. But what about Ms. Mari? Once she’s past her


    prime, her virginity lost, her reputation in tatters–even as an Abernathy, she might just have to marry


    below her station.”


    “Poor girl, too inexperienced, too naive, and too foolish!”


    The gossip spreading was like a series of explosions by Mari’s ears, drenching her smooth forehead


    with anxious sweat.


    Jareth heard it all, his fierce gaze sweeping over, scaring the gossipers away.


    Alston then feigned realization, “Oh, I see.”


    “What do you see?”


    Jareth’s eyes were cold and piercing as he fixed his store on Edith’s smug face, “Edith, the entire


    Fairhaven family knows I’m going to engage with Mari. The ceremony’s all set, and the invites have


    been sent. Is your memory that short, or did a donkey kick your head? Mari is my fiancée, the future


    matriarch of the Fairhaven Group. How many times do I have to say it?”


    The crowd murmured in surprise.


    Edith’s face flushed with shame and anger, turning red and then pale.


    Alston couldn’t stand it anymore, stepping in, “Mr. Fairhaven, don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh?


    Edith is still your sister after all.”


    “Who the hell are you to judge? Mind your own damn business!” Jareth’s eyes zed red with fury!


    From the moment he saw Alston, he had wanted to punch him.


    If this guy bbered even half a word more, he didn’t care if he was the mayor’s son or the governor’s


    grandson–he was ready to throw him down!


    Alston’s face turned an angry shade of purple as he stared at the imposing man.


    His family, the Bartleys, were also a distinguished lineage, with a long history of government officials.


    He was indeed a high ranking official’s son in Elmsworth. He’d been pampered since childhood, never


    having to endure such humiliation!


    But Alston was a man of stature and held back from retaliating against Jareth–for the moment.


    He made a mental note of the slight. There would be a day for “repaying” him.


    “Mari, let’s go.”


    Jareth wrapped his arm around Mari’s tense shoulders and turned to leave.


    “Mari!”


    Alston still called out with a smile, “I’ve just gotten back from Aetheria not long ago, and I’m nning a


    little ss reunion in a few days. Could you make it?”


    Mari closed her eyes tightly, taking deep breaths, trying to push away those unbearable memories


    from her mind.


    Jareth’s hand on her shoulder tensed, his veins throbbing as he red at him.


    “Birds of a feather flock together. My wife belongs to a much higher circle than yours. You’re not worthy


    of her attention.” Edith and Alston were frozen in ce, their expressions so grim they could hardly look


    like a married couple.


    When Evadne and Thaddeus made their entrance, they instantly became the center of attention.


    It wasn’t their intention to overshadow everyone else, but their every move was dazzlingly radiant.


    All the men were all looking at Evadne, the women at Thaddeus. Such breathtaking individuals, rarely


    seen together in public, were like a pair of wandering saints, blessing everyone with their presence.


    “Evadne,” whispered Thaddeus, his voice a low, maic hum in her ear, “Gordon just sent me a


    message. A bunch of reporters have gotten into the Chambers Estate.”


    “If they got into Chambers Estate, then they couldn’t be our people.” Evadne replied, her brow


    furrowing slightly as she swirled her champagne ss.


    “Should we look into it?” The man’s eyes flickering.


    “No need for that. The more, the merrier. Isn’t this what we wanted to see?” Evadne squinted her eyes


    slightly, sipped her champagne gracefully, leaving a faint lipstick mark on the ss.


    At that moment, Jareth and Mari entered everyone’s view, their fingers tightly interlocked.


    Some guests, familiar with the Fairhaven Group, greeted Mr. Fairhaven warmly, “Mr. Fairhaven, your


    Jareth’s eyes were gently affectionate, utterly oblivious to the curious stares around them as he lifted


    his wife’s delicate hand to his lips, brushing a kiss across her fingertips. “In my eyes,” he murmured,


    “she is the most beautiful woman.”


    A chorus of admiration and wonder surrounded the couple.


    By all ounts, with Jareth at her side, she should have felt a strong sense of security.


    But at that moment, her mind was haunted by the faces of Edith and Alston, and their mocking


    Her face was ghostly pale, the warmth in her blood gradually turning cold.


    Jeff, despite his deep loathing for these two uninvited guests, had to y the gracious host. One


    represented the influential Abernathy Group, the other the powerful Ashbourne Group; they were not to


    be trifled with.


    And to the onlookers, unaware of the Intricacies, would think highly of the Chambers Group because of


    that.


    “Mr. Jeff, it’s about time,” the secretary reminded from the side, “We should take the family photo now.”


    Jeff, seeing that Avery was still absent, grew more agitated.


    “Dad,” Matthew seized his opportunity to undermine Avery, with a sneer, “Avery has no sense of


    decorum, too full of himself. Sending invitation to Evadne in private is one thing, but to be absent on


    such everything. Does this seem right to you?”


    crucial night, leaving me and little Elva to manage


    Matthew’s words dripped with scorn, “It seems our dear brother, now the president, thinks he’s above


    us all, not deigning to even acknowledge your authority.”


    Just then, the grand doors to the banquet hall swung open.