Chapter 6
“I’ll tell you about it after talking it through with her,Mom.”Emmanuel decided to leave things be for now.Since he couldn’t agree or refuse, he had no choice butto take it one step at a time.“All right, then,” Alessandra responded. “Well, howabout you move out and go live with her today? Girlslove it when guys are romantic. It’s your wedding night,so you’d better not leave her on her own! Take goodcare of her. Do you understand?”Wedding night? Emmanuel scoffed internally.If that hadn’t even crossed his mind, then Mackenziecertainly wouldn’t have thought of it either.The woman had never even thought aboutconsummating their marriage.There’s just no way it’d ever happen!Still, he nodded at his mother and sister. “I’ll be off,then. Take care of yourselves. Call me whenever youneed me.”That alone was enough to make Alessandra andRoselynn tear up again.Given how Emmanuel’s father had died young, and thetwo women had watched Emmanuel grow up, seeingthe only man in the family leave home made theirhearts heavy.“Don’t cry, Mom. How are you going to have grandkidsif Manny doesn’t stay with your daughter-in-law?”Roselynn urged, even though she couldn’t stop cryingherself.The women spent a long while helping Emmanuelpack his valuables.Alessandra shoved a bank card into his hands just ashe was about to leave.“What are you doing, Mom?”The man hastily gave it back, knowing that his motheronly had one card. It was baffling that she washanding him her social security fund.There was no way he could accept it.“Take it,” Alessandra insisted. “Your wife agreed tomarry you without you giving her any betrothal gifts.She even bought a place for you two so you could livetogether, so don’t let her down. Give her everything shedeserves! There are about sixty thousand on this card.Go buy your wife a ring and some jewelry. Do you hearme?”Upon hearing that, Emmanuel felt his nose burn.I’m such a horrible son. This is her retirement fund!She’s already fifty-seven. What is she going to do if Itake all that she has left?“Take it, Manny. It’s what Mom wants.”Roselynn shot him a glance.The young woman knew her mother well, so she wasaware that Alessandra would surely fear herdaughter-in-law leaving if Emmanuel didn’t do as sheasked.Hence, the man had to take the money to ease hermind and present it to Mackenzie-whether shewanted it or not.6/17“If you really want to thank Mom, come back here withyour wife as soon as you can so we can take a look ather,” Roselynn added.In truth, she had her doubts. Her brother had gotteninto a blitz marriage, after all.“I understand.”With that, Emmanuel spun around and left quickly.It wasn’t that he had no emotions; he just didn’t wanthis family to see how red his eyes had become.He felt so, so guilty now.His mother had always wanted him to have a blissfulmarriage, but instead, he had found himself a randomwoman to take part in a mere act.“The truth can never come to light-at least not untilshe’s left this world,” the man muttered to himself,feeling terrified all of a sudden.There was no way Alessandra would be able to handleit if she found out that this was all a show.After leaving home, Emmanuel headed over to YociamResidence as instructed by Mackenzie via textmessage.The place was an upscale area in Yeringham and costover ten thousand per square meter.There were many buildings there, but Mackenzie hadonly told him that the apartment number was 1701without mentioning the block number.Good thing I had the sense to get her WhatsAppcontact outside City Hall. I’d better ask her now.Thus, he left Mackenzie a voice message.Yet, despite it being six in the evening, Mackenzie wasstill in the middle of a meeting at work.As the CEO of Terence Group, she never checked hermessages during meetings.9/17After waiting for a long while and not receiving aresponse, Emmanuel figured that the woman’s currentcircumstances didn’t allow her to listen to his voicemessage, so he sent her a text message instead.There was still no reply. The sky had turned dark, andEmmanuel’s empty stomach ate at his patience.Ultimately, he decided to video call her.The man knew how aloof Mackenzie was and didn’treally want to speak to her.Mackenzie hadn’t added him to her contacts whenthey exchanged numbers earlier. At present, shesuddenly heard her phone ring and glanced at thescreen impatiently.This was an extremely rare occurrence.10/17Those who knew her understood that she would replyto every text that mattered to her, but when it came topeople whom she didn’t bother responding to, noteven a video call would change her mind.11/17Seeing someone with the username CovertlyMagnificent with an unfamiliar profile picture call her,the woman frowned and blocked his number instantly.Strange. When did I ever give this person my contact?From how she hung up, Emmanuel knew Mackenziehad her phone with her and tried redialing her number.Yet, he received a notification: This user only acceptscalls and messages from friends.What the hell?Emmanuel stared at the screen in a daze for a longtime.She’s not messing with me, is she?Thankfully, the man was smart enough to rememberthat Terence was her grandfather.Even though he didn’t have Terence’s number saved,the latter had called him earlier this morning, so all ittook was a quick look at his call history to find it.Candy Crush12/1713/17“Hey, Gramps, what’s up with your granddaughter? Shetold me to live with her at Yociam Residence, but sheended up blocking my number! Are you guys justplaying around with me? Is this some sort of marriagescam? It’s not like I have anything you can take fromme!”Terence was instantly bereft of words.She really does hate men…“Calm down, young lad. I’ll call her right now!”He tried his best to console Emmanuel, worried aboutlosing his new grandson-in-law.The Quillen family was so powerful that even Terencedidn’t know how many more businesses Mackenziehad established out there. He had to find out from her.Meanwhile, Mackenzie was about to resume themeeting when her phone rang again.She wanted to hang up, but upon realizing that it washer grandfather, she had no choice but to answer.“What is it, Grandpa? I’m in a meeting now. Don’t youknow that?”Like I care about your meeting! That’s not as importantas giving me a great-grandchild!“Mackenzie, didn’t you ask Emmanuel to live with you?He’s already at Yociam Residence, but he doesn’t knowwhich block it is!”Oh, right.Mackenzie finally recalled that she had gotten marriedtoday.Darn it! What was his name again? Seriously, men aresuch a pain!“Tell him we’re staying at Block B, Grandpa.”Right after saying that, Mackenzie hung up so that hergrandfather wouldn’t be able to tell her to contactEmmanuel herself. She didn’t know how to, anyway.Upon hanging up, the woman noticed all the subtleglances coming her way.Of course, given that she was Terence Group’s CEO, noone dared utter a word-except for a young lady wholeaned over with a giggle.“Was that your husband, Mackenzie?”Mackenzie shot her a glare, causing her to shut upimmediately.The woman was none other than Mackenzie’s sister,Beatrix. She was secretly glad to be the youngersibling. Otherwise, she would have been the onemarrying that fine specimen of a man who had justcalled her grandfather.At the same time, she was also curious as to who onearth could have the courage to take herman-loathing sister as his wife.Hehe. I wonder how long he’d be able to put up withher temper. Three days? Or maybe he’d be done andmove out by the second day!Candy Crush
