Chapter 17


    Half an hourter, I was sitting on a ck leather sofa in the “Lune de Diamant” wine bar, holding a ss


    of fine Shiraz. Mr. Edmond was sitting in front of me, watching me drink wine while he enjoyed his


    espresso.


    “Now can I learn more about Mr. Lan?” I asked, swirling the red liquid in my ss. He took a deep breath


    and finally started speaking, “First of all, I want to officially introduce myself… I’m Neil Edmond, Mr. Lan’s


    assistant. Since you’ve just be my boss’s fiancée, you should call me by my first name. It could


    sound awkward otherwise.” “All right… Neil.” I smiled nervously.


    “Ms. Bell… You need to know that you will marry Mr. Lan in a month. It will be a private ceremony for


    only selected people invited, and no press allowed. There won’t be any official announcements until you


    two are married to avoid potential problems like those you caused us yesterday.” He smirked.


    “Seriously?! I’m not some bimbo multi-dating with rich guys!” I roared. “Perhaps you are not,” he tossed


    with a sigh and quickly added, “but Mr. Lan will not risk something going south. Besides, do you have


    any idea how much it cost to keep everyone’s mouth shut and force all of them to pretend that this


    engagement party has never happened?”


    I gulped. All the time I was focused on Liam’s revenge and Nicole as the main viin of the story, and I


    completely forgot how it could affect Aren’s image. I bet that it was Neil who handled all the press, and


    seriously, if I were him and had to deal with this situation, I would have strangled me for yesterday’s


    mess. “I’m… I’m sorry,” I muttered. “I only wanted the bitch who hurt my friend to be punished.” Neil


    smiled wryly and let out a deep exhale. “It was impressive though. We couldn’t find any evidence of


    hacking into the hotel’s system. You have some skills.” An awkwardugh escaped my throat. “Thank


    you… I guess.” “Stick to your talents. They can help you survive this marriage.” Somehow, Neil’s voice


    sounded a little too serious for a joke.


    “What do you mean?” I asked before taking a deep sip of wine.


    “Well… Mr. Lan is in the middle of a war of influence. He is fighting with his father and stepbrother in the


    States, as well as his mother’s family in China. Of course, it is nearly the beginning of the long list of


    people who would love to see Mr. Lan dead…” Heughed coldly. My lips stretched into a thin, nervous


    smile. “I can imagine that he has a lot of business


    About àrenn


    About Aren Lan…


    By the time I finished the third ss of wine, I knew the basic information concerning Aren Lan and his


    family. Truthfully, it sounded like a soap opera script, a story of love, betrayal, and big money, and I would


    have even found the story fascinating if it weren’t for the fact that sooner orter I would have to deal


    with that story’s main characters. Should I feel fortunate that a few of them had died already? Neil was


    right about the necessity of drinking while listening to the story, though; the alcohol had done wonders


    with my ability to process the information.


    I learned that Arents mother, Lan Liling, fell in love with Atnerican student James Winton. James was the


    son of Augustus Winton, the owner of Winton Corporation. Back in the day, Augustus’spany was on


    the verge of bankruptcy and needed huge investments to survive. James knew that Liling was a


    daughter of a wealthy Chinese family and decided to persuade his girlfriend to help him. Unfortunately,


    Liling’s father, Lan Jing, disapproved of her rtionship with the young American and was even more


    unwilling to offer his family any money. Yet, what Lan Jing didn’t know was that Liling was already


    pregnant with James’s baby. The young girl decided to risk everything for love and her baby. She had


    stolen the Lan family’s money and escaped to live with the one she loved. When Lan Jing found out what


    his daughter had done, he disinherited her, forbidding her from going back home ever again.


    With the money Liling invested in Winton Corporation, thepany was revived, making the Wintons


    one of the richest families living in Manhattan. Certainly, James and Liling got married, and when Aren


    was born, it seemed like the couple had found their happy-ever-after. Unfortunately, James Winton


    wasn’t a saint, and poor Liling soon found out that Aren wasn’t James’s only son. A monthter, Liling


    was found dead; it was said that she had strangled herself in her bedroom. Three months after her


    death, James remarried a woman named Vanessa, who moved into the Wintons’ mansion with her son,


    Aren’s stepbrother…


    Aren’s childhood must have been far from idyllic. Neil didn’t give me any details, but I could easily


    deduce from his words that Aren had never had a good rtionship with his father and had always


    sought a way to get closer to his mother’s family. He moved out of the Wintons’ mansion when he was


    eighteen and used the money he inherited when his mother died to pay for his education and start his


    firstpany. His business grew fast, and when he was twenty two, he bought one of Lans’panies


    in China. That was what finally gave Aren his grandfather’s recognition…


    Lan Jing decided to acknowledge Aren and give him the Lan Wang Corporation’s shares that were


    supposed to belong to his mother. However, he put one condition: he needs to get married. Certainly, the


    old man wanted Aren to marry one of the girls he suggested, but Aren kept refusing. Eventually, Lan Jing


    allowed Aren to make his own choice as long as he would marry before his 80th birthday, and that gave


    Aren only two months to find a proper bride. No wonder he chose a marriage contract instead of building


    an emotional rtionship…


    “Summarizing…” Neil took a final sip of his second espresso. “Mr. Lan’s stepbrother and he are serious


    businesspetitors. It’s easy to say that they hate each other’s guts. His father keeps using Mr. Lan


    of trying to destroy Winton Corporation while his grandfather wishes to reunite with his grandson, but it’s


    most likely to get a little control of Mr. Lan’s business.


    About Aren


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    His rtionships with the Lan family members aren’t simple either. Lan Jing had three sons and a


    daughter, Mr. Lan’s mother. All three uncles and his cousins would like to get their hands on the shares


    Mr. Lan was offered. I bet they wouldn’t hesitate to kill his bride to get the money.” He let out a dry


    chuckle.


    “K-kill the bride?” I mumbled breathlessly.


    “Yes. That is one of the reasons you need to move into the penthouse. It will be easier to keep you safe


    in Mr. Lan’s territory,” he exined.


    “But this is insane!” I eximed as my head began to spin.


    “Mr. Lan initially chose to have a wife that had a family that was able to protect her... As you realize, it’s a


    little different in your case. That is why you need to be extra careful whenever you meet someone new or


    even with people you already know. There’s a lot that people are willing to do for arge sum of money.”


    Neil’s words sounded as indifferent as a washing machine instruction manual, but I knew it was meant to


    be a warning.


    I wasn’t an idiot. I had seen many people who tried to be friends with Can even though they


    seriously hated him. I saw people breaking their boundaries and going beyond just so they could get a


    chance to step into his world. I had seen them allowing themselves to be humiliated, wagging their tails


    around Can and waiting for him to drop them a bone. I knew that Can needed to be strong and act


    harshly to refuse them, but he had often abused the power he had over those who wanted his money. I


    was just too blinded with love for him to see that he enjoyed acting this way a bit too much. I still couldn’t


    tell why I thought he would treat me differently when I asked for his help…


    I had drunk nearly a whole bottle of wine by myself, but I was as sober as if I had been drinking pure


    caffeine. My brain was busy calcting all the odds and possibly dangerous situations I could encounter.


    The restlessness grew within me as I realized the price I would have to pay for my two years of financial


    stability, but if I could slowly raise the money for Grandma’s operation without needing to pay the rent


    and other bills, then it would be all worth it.


    – After we left the wine bar, Neil drove me to Park Avenue to show me my new home, a magnificent two-


    thousand-square-foot penthouse with wall-size windows and a view to die for. It was a two-story


    apartment with a huge hall and guest rooms on the lower level and the master bedrooms exiting to the


    roof patio upstairs. I was amazed when I saw the room that was prepared for me, but it was the


    swimming pool built on the roof that made me speechless.


    This whole ce was beyond incredible!


    My bedroom was right next to Aren’s. Sleeping a wall away from him didn’t feel like the mostfortable


    solution, but it was still better than sharing the bed. I quickly shook that thought away and decided to


    focus on the delectable privacy the separate bedroom was giving me. I loved that bedroom. It was bright,


    spacious, and cozy. From the ebony flooring and silky velvet rug to arge white bed, a bed cab, a


    desk, and a vanity table all ornamented with white and a touch of silver, I loved every detail of it. There


    was a ss door in my bedroom that led directly to the roof pool… How could I not fall in love with this


    ce?


    “Here you go.” Neil handed me a piece of paper with a list of names and phone numbers on it. “Please


    save those on your phone. As you can see, this is Mr. Lan’s business and private number. There is also


    mine and your private driver’s number. He will be there for you twenty


    About Aren.


    four-seven if you need him. His name is Benjamin Morris. Call him if you need to go anywhere; you’ll be


    safe with him.”


    I could sense a serious concern in Neil’s voice. That only made me more nervous, but I wasn’t going to


    test whether his concerns were justified. I nodded, acknowledging his words. Neil walked out of the


    penthouse soon after, leaving me a key card and a code to my new home,


    I instantly felt bored as I ended up in this huge ce alone. Aside from a few days off work I took while


    working on Liam’s revenge, I hadn’t had a day off in two years. I was either working at the café or at the


    workshop and breaking that routine suddenly made me feel empty. I needed myptop… preferably now.


    I texted Liam. Fortunately, he was staying all day in his apartment in Lower Manhattan. I could use the


    subway to get there, but then I thought that it would be a good chance to call Benjamin. I was nervous


    when I picked up his number, wondering how much he knew about my situation…


    “Hello, Ms. Bell. Do you want me to take you anywhere?” Benjamin’s cheerful voice surprised me.


    “Um… Yes…” I muttered with an awkwardugh. “I need to go to Leonard Street, quickly if possible.”


    “I will be waiting for you in front of the building. Please,e down when you’re ready, Ms. Bell.” His


    politeness sounded sincere and put an instant smile on my face.


    As soon as I walked out, I saw a ck Bentley and a tall, tanned man in a ck suit and a chauffeur hat.


    Once he saw me, he gave me a little bow and opened the door for me. I thank him with a weirdly


    breathless voice as I got in. The fact that someone was hired to drive me anywhere I wanted gave me a


    foreign feeling.


    “No need to be nervous, Ms. Bell,” he said, sitting behind the wheel.


    I smiled wryly. I guess my behavior was more than obvious. “I apologize if I make you feel ufortable.


    It’s just… I’m not used to this.”


    ‘I knew that adjusting to this new situation would take some time. Only yesterday, I was wearing second-


    hand sneakers, a pair of jeans, and a T-shirt, and I mainly traveled by bus or subway, whereas now I had


    an expensive dress on me with a pair of heels for the price of myptop, and I was driven in a Bentley by


    my personal chauffeur!


    I was tense all the way to Leonard Street, to the point where I forgot to tell Benjamin to park a block


    away. I only realized what a mistake I had made when it was already toote. The Bentley pulled over in


    front of Liam’s building. I sighed heavily at my foolishness but still figured that it would be all right if I


    simply sneaked out of the car and ran into the building. I shifted in my seat to open the door, but


    Benjamin was quicker…


    “Let me help you, Ms. Bell,” he said, reaching out his hand with a professional smile.


    Well, was there a way to expose me even more?! Perhaps he should honk a few times and shout that


    the Queen had arrived! So much for not getting too much of anyone’s attention… Still, I took a deep


    breath to calm myself, telling myself that no one except Liam knew me here, thus no one could recognize


    me or even care much about my presence. I epted Benjamin’s hand and stepped out to the


    sidewalk…


    About Alencan


    “Cora?” I heard a surprised voice. I turned around and saw Liam standing in front of the entrance of his


    building with a grocery bag in his hand. He stood in shock, observing how Benjamin nodded his head at


    me before getting back to the car, and then he scanned how I looked. Shit… how the hell was I going to


    exin this to Liam?!