Desmond got straight to the point. “Mom, I think it’s time you set me up with someone.”

Janet froze. “What?”

Her mind went blank for a moment, completely baffled.

Since when had her son become so proactive? He’d always brushed her off before – claiming he was too busy with work, or that dating would mess up his routine. He’d used every excuse in the book to dodge blind dates. So, this sudden change caught her off guard.

But Desmond spoke with a rare sense of conviction. “Mom, I’m not getting any younger. Aren’t you the least bit worried that I’m still single?”

“Of course I’m worried!” Janet exclaimed. “But if you’re finally taking this seriously, that’s wonderful. Alright then, I’ll start looking right away. You’ll meet someone soon.”

She slapped her thigh with excitement, eager to get to work on it.

Desmond chuckled, amused by her enthusiasm. He didn’t argue and let her have her way.

Still, as soon as he hung up, doubt began to creep in. Was this really a good idea? He was at a crucial point in his career – wouldn’t dating now be a distraction? His current salary was already five figures, but if he got married too soon, it would basically feel like he was signing up to pay someone else’s bills before even knowing them well. He wasn’t stupid. He liked his money where he could see it, not vanishing into someone else’s shopping cart.

But since he’d already said it, he figured he might as well let his mom enjoy herself. After all, she was living alone and probably bored. This would give her something to focus on instead of sitting around overthinking.

With a sigh, Desmond pushed the thought aside and went back to his desk to continue working.

Meanwhile, rumors had already begun spreading online. Aaron had personally hired an online PR team right in front of Tessa.

Seeing that, she couldn’t help but feel pleased. She hadn’t expected him to actually follow through so quickly. That level of loyalty and decisiveness satisfied her – it was one of the reasons he stood out among her many admirers. He was good-looking, capable, and knew how to act when needed. But after meeting people of higher status, Tessa found Aaron less impressive than before. Her true goal had always been Edwin.

Aaron found Aurora’s name on the list and confirmed, “This is her, right?”

Tessa nodded immediately. “Aaron, she’s still just a young woman. No need to go too far – just stir things up a bit online. I want her to understand that crossing me doesn’t come without consequences.”

Her words sounded mild, but Aaron knew better. Deep down, Tessa probably wanted Aurora to suffer more than she let on. Still, to spare her ego, he kept quiet. He knew women like her well – appearances always came first.

“Alright, leave it to me, You have nothing to worry about. It’s just a young girl; no need for you to get your hands dirty. I’ll handle everything.”

Tessa leaned gently against his shoulder, her tone soft and sweet. “Aaron, you’re always so good to me. I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t necessary, but I really have no other choice this time. You know why.”