Chapter 373

Tiffany had already heard the rumors. She'd initially wanted to shut everyone up with her fists, but thought better of it. Still, she hadn't expected Kenneth to actually silence them with a punch. It was unbelievable.

Tiffany shrugged. "Don't think about it. Let's just get to class."

Meanwhile, at the Harper family estate, a lavish lunch spread covered the dining table. The Kelley and Harper families sat together, chatting politely and occasionally toasting, almost as if they were already one big family.

"Eat up! Once our two families are united, you don't need to stand on ceremony," Felicia said, patting Melody's hand affectionately. She smiled and added, "From now on, I'll think of you as my own daughter."

Melody lowered her gaze shyly, but inwardly, she was unmoved. She thought, How quickly she changed her attitude. When Kenneth had first brought her home after she saved Alexia, Felicia had been friendly enough. But soon after, she had scolded Melody mercilessly. Back then, Felicia had looked down on Melody because of her humble background, treating her however she pleased. But now, Melody was the heiress of the Kelley family. With this marriage, the two families would be equals. No one would dare mistreat her now.

With a sweet smile, Melody continued eating from her plate. When the meal was over, everyone was satisfied. Charlie checked the time, then rose to leave with his wife and daughter. The Harper family saw them to the door, all smiles as they waved goodbye.

"Take care. Melody, do visit us often," Felicia said, sliding an heirloom bracelet onto Melody's wrist. "This is a Harper family treasure, a gift from me to you. I'm looking forward to the day you officially join our family." This bracelet, which had once been intended for Tiffany, had been returned after she broke off the engagement. Now, it was on Melody's wrist.

Charlie couldn't help but feel a bit wistful. Then again, Tiffany hadn't wanted to be with Kenneth, and he wasn't about to insist.

"Thank you," Melody smiled, touching the bracelet and admiring its warm, clear diamonds as she got into the car.

As soon as the Kelley family left, Felicia's warm smile vanished.

07:03 Mon, Nov 4 Chapter 373

Felicia said, "This is infuriating! After all that fuss, we're still ending up tied to the Kelley family."

"We're already here. Just let it go," Ryan replied calmly. Ryan was quite open-minded.

The purpose of this marriage was still for mutual benefit. Not long ago, the Harper family had faced a crisis; Ryan had narrowly avoided jail time over tax evasion charges. Though he'd managed to dodge that disaster, they'd been left with massive fines, and worse, their stock had plunged dramatically. That loss, combined with the damage to their reputation, caused several business deals to collapse. Meanwhile, the Kelley Corporation was thriving. Charlie's reputation was solid, and in the business world, even major players had to show him respect. In these circumstances, an alliance with the Kelley family could only help. Felicia understood, but she still felt resentful.

Felicia said, "Did you forget what happened to Alexia? Those staged photos after she was abducted caused her so much trauma. Tiffany's behind that whole mess." That was why they'd tried to sabotage the Kelley family's reputation. But they didn't expect the tables to turn, and the Harpers to end up in trouble first.

"Enough," Ryan snapped. "The bride isn't Tiffany. It's Melody. You have no reason to complain. Kenneth was determined to marry her anyway. It's the best of both worlds."

"I suppose," Felicia sighed.

The couple was just about to go back into the house when a sleek sports car pulled up and screeched to a halt. It was Kenneth who got out.

"I thought you had classes today. Why are you back so early?" Felicia asked, then smiled knowingly. "You must have heard about the engagement, huh? Can't wait, can you?"

She was teasing him, but her son's response was urgent.

"Mom, Dad, why didn't you tell me about this? How could you arrange an engagement without my knowledge?" Kenneth asked.

Felicia exchanged a look with her husband and replied, "Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

Kenneth was momentarily speechless. At first, he had indeed wanted this. But now he felt a strange restlessness, a feeling he couldn't quite identify, yet he knew he wasn't ready to settle down so soon.

Kenneth said, "I need some time to think. I don't want to rush into this."

"Time to think?" Ryan barked. "Before, you insisted she was the only one you wanted. Now that we've agreed, you want to think it over? How did I end up with such an indecisive son?"

Ryan's face hardened. "The wedding is in seven days. I don't care if you agree or not. You're going through with it. There's no room for discussion."

"Dad…"

Ryan turned on his heel and walked away, not looking back, his stance resolute. Felicia could only sigh and coax him. "Kenneth, you wanted her, didn't you? Why resist now? Besides, that night you were nearly killed, it was Melody who saved you. You told me you fell in love with her at first sight. Don't you remember?"

"Of course I remember," Kenneth's gaze dropped. That night, he had been gravely injured, barely managing to escape his pursuers. He ran until he collapsed in an alley. Just as he was losing consciousness, he felt someone pat his face to wake him. Kenneth opened his eyes to find a girl crouching over him, covering her face in panic but leaving her eyes—bright as stars—exposed. Since then, those glistening eyes had been etched in his memory. He searched for her for a long time. Then, he met Melody. He'd learned it was she who had saved him that night. From there, they'd naturally fallen into a relationship. But now, Kenneth was starting to doubt if he really loved Melody.

Kenneth thought, Is there really love at first sight? If it did exist, why was it that my feelings for Melody seemed to fade with time? Or maybe, as Tiffany once said, I really was just a shallow fool.

Kenneth laughed bitterly, then nodded. "Alright." He would go through with this marriage. He'd do it to prove that he could stay true. And after the engagement, he would be faithful to his future wife.