Honey, You're a Billionaire?

Upon receiving the news about Elijah's attendance, Eleanor was so delighted that she couldn't sit still. She paced back and forth in the living room, murmuring excitedly, "Elijah is coming... Elijah is coming..." Her excitement was palpable. Suddenly, realization struck, causing her to halt mid-step. "Since he's attending, this birthday celebration must be nothing short of spectacular!"Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The event needed to be lavish and exude the Finch family's deep-rooted influence. Only then could Elijah, their potential partner, truly grasp the strength and prestige of the family name. However, orchestrating such an affair would require meticulous planning and coordination.

Eleanor considered overseeing everything herself, but her age made the task challenging. Her first choice was Jonathan. However, she knew that this birthday banquet was meant to be in Lizzie's honor, and Jonathan had never accepted Lizzie as his stepmother. After carefully weighing her options, she decided on Cyrus. He would be the one to manage it all.

Having made her decision, Eleanor wasted no time. She immediately called Cyrus and summoned him to the manor.

An hour later, Cyrus and Lizzie arrived together.

"Lizzie's birthday banquet will be held at the manor," Eleanor announced, cutting straight to the point.

Both Cyrus and Lizzie were momentarily stunned. Though Lizzie had her own room at the manor after marrying Cyrus, they had always resided in a separate villa.

In all their years of hosting birthday celebrations, they had never once been held at the manor. It was always the villa.

When Eleanor mentioned hosting a birthday banquet for Lizzie yesterday morning, Cyrus had dismissed it as a passing thought. But now, it seemed that she was being serious.

"Cyrus, make sure to invite plenty of people and make it a lively occasion. The manor should be exquisitely decorated to reflect the Finch family's stature. As for Lizzie..." Eleanor cast a glance her way.

"What role could Lizzie play? There's no need for her to do anything, to be honest..." she mused.

However, since it was technically Lizzie's birthday banquet, Eleanor grudgingly found a way to involve her.

"Lizzie, you should prepare as well. I want you to write a version of the 'Lindisfarne Gospels' at the event," she said. She thought this would serve as Lizzie's chance to shine.

It was only then that the couple realized Eleanor was not joking. In fact, she had quite a detailed plan in mind.

Upon reflection, Lizzie swiftly deduced Eleanor's scheme. The mention of the "Lindisfarne Gospels" implied that the esteemed figure from the Xanth family-the one Eleanor eagerly anticipated meeting-would likely attend the event.

Her sharp mind immediately began unraveling how Eleanor had managed to secure his attendance. Gazing at Eleanor's enthusiastic expression, she swiftly connected the dots.

"Rose! Mom must have leveraged Rose's presence to entice Elijah, leading him to accept the invitation," she thought.

"Mom, don't worry. I'll make sure to prepare thoroughly. I'll practice diligently as soon as I return," Lizzie declared with newfound enthusiasm. She was going to prepare thoroughly for Rose.

Her eagerness caught Eleanor off guard. Considering it was just about showcasing her calligraphy skills to impress Elijah, Eleanor found Lizzie's fervor curious. However, she decided to let Lizzie enjoy her excitement. "Good." Eleanor nodded in acknowledgment before proceeding to give Cyrus several instructions. Cyrus' joy was palpable as he felt a renewed determination.

Even Eleanor had started acknowledging Lizzie's merits and was now arranging a grand birthday celebration for her. This strengthened his belief that the rooftop footage he had seen was a mere misunderstanding.

On the way back, he held Lizzie's hand tightly. "Lizz, I'll do my best to make this birthday celebration unforgettable for you."

His vision of an "unforgettable" celebration meant creating a pivotal moment. In the past, Lizzie hadn't received the respect she deserved due to misunderstandings surrounding her character.

However, he believed that everything would fall into place once those misconceptions were rectified, and this birthday banquet would be his way of clarifying everything.

Lost in thoughts about the upcoming festivities, Lizzie merely nodded in agreement with Cyrus' words. Her face radiated happiness as she said, "Thank you, Cyrus. You're so good to me." Alas, what she yearned for had never been Cyrus' kindness toward her. What she truly desired was something else entirely.

She began, "Cyrus, it's been a while since our entire family gathered. I wonder how Ezra is doing."

Ever since Ezra was hospitalized and placed under Jonathan's vigilant protection, even Lizzie couldn't find his whereabouts. Cyrus, too, remained clueless about his son's current situation. But the idea of a family reunion...

"Lizz, don't worry. I'll find a way to locate where Ezra is." Cyrus promised.

"Okay," Lizzie hummed in agreement. Indeed, it would be better to find Ezra, for the birthday banquet would be far more entertaining with him around.

True to his word, Cyrus diligently searched for Ezra. Despite knowing that Jonathan was the one hiding Ezra, he didn't dare confront him directly to ask where Ezra was. Nevertheless, word of Cyrus' pursuit soon reached Jonathan's ears. Seated in the top-floor office of the Finch Group building, Jonathan wore a dark, brooding expression.

He had disguised the badge as an

ancient coin, and with time, toying

with the coin had evolved into a habitual gesture during his moments of deep contemplation. The coin deftly twirled and flipped between his fingers.

"Mr. Finch, Mr. Cyrus has discovered Mr. Ezra's residence. Shall we relocate him?"

Under Jonathan's orders, Finley had been closely monitoring Cyrus' actions. That morning, he noticed Cyrus lingering outside Ezra's apartment complex, seemingly seeking a way in. "No need," Jonathan replied firmly, his tone resolute.

Ezra's condition had improved

significantly. He was still living in the place Jonathan arranged, not out of necessity, but to avoid facing the outside world. He had expressed a need for respite, which now seemed to have lasted long enough.

Jonathan decided to visit him that night. But before that, he casually asked Finley, "Any updates about that man?" while glancing downward, referring to the traitor from Azure Clan, who Lizzie had bribed. Finley had been furious about the betrayal and wanted to tear the man to pieces, but Jonathan insisted that he could still be of use.

"Per your instructions, we've taken care not to alarm him. He hasn't contacted Lizzie in the past few days," he reported.

"No contact, huh?" Jonathan mused as he raised an eyebrow, and a sinister smile appeared on his face.

"The birthday banquet will undoubtedly draw a crowd, which means security must be increased. Enlist additional personnel and ensure he's included among their ranks. Moreover..."

He paused, anticipating Lizzie's birthday even more.

Later that night, Jonathan drove to Ezra's residence. Ezra had retreated into his quarters, rarely venturing outside. He seemed to relish the tranquility of solitude. At that moment, he was immersed in drawing. Jonathan's arrival only prompted a brief glance from Ezra, who soon returned his focus to the sketching pencil in his hand, meticulously outlining the shapes on the paper.

Accustomed to Ezra's aloof demeanor, Jonathan approached him and took note of the gradually emerging outline on the paper. His face darkened instantly. It turned out that Ezra was drawing Rose.

Even in the face of Jonathan's observance, Ezra remained unperturbed. His brazenness was infuriating, making Jonathan's fists itch with the urge to strike him.

However, all Jonathan could muster were two begrudging words. "Not bad."