Novel Square
Chapter 704
Chapter 704
Chapter 704
Marilla 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 Marilla. “Hey Marilla,
it’s me, Alston, remember? We were in the same class in junior high. Do you
With a slap!
Jareth’s gaze somber as he swatted the man’s hand Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.
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 become the sole joy in her life.
Alston nursed his stung fingertips, a flash of anger in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure,
staring intently at Marilla. “Marilla, you’re married to Mr. Fairhaven? How come 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 Marilla 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 the last sentence deliberately.
All the surrounding and guests could hear her loud and clear!
“What? Marilla 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,
everyone knows he’s a playboy. Living together without tying the knot just screams he’s not Into
marriage. Sure, Jareth can play 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. Marilla? 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 Marilla’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 Marilla. The ceremony’s all set, and the invites have
been sent. Is your memory that short, or did a donkey kick your head? Marilla 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 blazed red with fury!
From the moment he saw Alston, he had wanted to punch him.
If this guy blabbered 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.
“Marilla, let’s go.”
Jareth wrapped his arm around Marilla’s tense shoulders and turned to leave.
“Marilla!”
Alston still called out with a smile, “I’ve just gotten back from Aetheria not long ago, and I’m planning a
little class reunion in a few days. Could you make it?”
Marilla 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 glared 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 place, 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, magnetic 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 glass.
“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 glass.
At that moment, Jareth and Marilla entered everyone’s view, their fingers tightly interlocked.
Some guests, familiar with the Fairhaven Group, greeted Mr. Fairhaven warmly, “Mr. Fairhaven, your
lady is really beautiful!” “This is my wife.”
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 accounts, 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
laughter!
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 play 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.