Ryan’s breath was a little ragged as he reached out and pinched my cheek. “There’s a makeup artist waiting for you upstairs. Let her give you a makeover.”

“How did you manage to set all this up?” I asked in surprise, letting him lead me out by the hand.

“I just want you to look absolutely stunning in front of my friends,” Ryan said gently.

The makeup artist was already waiting for me upstairs. Once I sat down, Ryan leaned in and said, “When you’re ready, just take the second elevator on the left to come back down.”

My mind was a mess, but I gave him a small nod.

The makeup artist was a total pro–she picked a hairstyle that really suited my face. She gave me this rich, youthful princess vibe. My hair was thick and fell all the way to my waist, and the wispy locks at my temples were soft and girlish. When she twisted the two braids at my forehead, my perfect hairline was on full display.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I hardly recognized the person staring back at me–but she was beautiful. Seeing myself like this, I suddenly remembered how I looked in my wedding dress. Back then, my face still had that baby fat, and when I smiled, it was like a flower blooming in spring. Now, I had a more mature allure. The same style, but now it was a different kind of beauty–one that came with experience.

I lowered my eyes, nervously clutching my dress in my lap. Just then, I saw Edward standing at the door, and it looked like he’d noticed how anxious I was, clutching at my skirt.

I stood up, but Edward had already left. I headed for the second elevator. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside.

When the elevator doors slid open on the first floor, I was greeted by a lobby that looked totally refreshed–bright, lively, and bursting with youthful vibes. Ryan was clearly waiting for me. The moment I stepped out, he came right over and gently intertwined his fingers with mine.

“So it really is her,” came a neutral, indifferent female voice.

I glanced over and saw the girl I’d seen with Ryan in Shariport before. She was dressed in a pink dress that suited both her vibe and her age–she looked like a little fairy, delicate and enchanting.

Some of Ryan’s other friends looked familiar, but there were a few I’d never seen before. Ryan introduced me to everyone, and one of them joked, “Mr. Jennings, you’re really serious about this one, huh?”

Ryan shot him a playful glare. “Don’t make Vic think I’m some kind of player. This is the first time I’ve ever introduced anyone to you guys.”

“Oh, so Mr. Jennings‘ innocent persona is finally sticking, huh?” another friend chimed in.

“Ms. Murphy, Mr. Jennings is the most loyal and affectionate guy among all of us. You’re in for a treat,” someone else added.

“Yeah, don’t break Mr. Jennings‘ heart, Ms. Murphy. If you do, he’ll probably hide away and cry for ages,” another teased.

Ryan looked like he wanted to stuff something in their mouths to shut them up, but just blushed and turned to me. “Don’t listen to them. They’re just jealous.”

I bit back a smile. Honestly, having a bunch of friends like these troublemakers was a real stroke of luck for Ryan.

The place was loaded with food and drinks, and everyone was just hanging out, enjoying themselves. There was no wild entertainment or anything like that—just people breaking off into small groups, chatting about what’s new in their lives.

Just then, Edward stepped out of the elevator.

The girl in pink lit up instantly and rushed straight over. “Uncle Jennings…”

I caught the look in her eyes–pure infatuation. So she wasn’t into Ryan at all; she was totally crushing on Edward.

Edward smiled and nodded at her, then walked over.

The young crowd, who’d just been lounging around, instantly stood up straight, all eyes on Edward as they greeted him respectfully, “Mr. Jennings.”

The girl in pink, grinning from ear to ear and sticking close to Edward, said, “Uncle Jennings, did you know Ryan’s got a girlfriend now? Have you met her?”

Seeing Edward, I instantly tensed up, anxiety washing over me.

Edward swept a calm, indifferent gaze over the room and said, “Hope you all have a good time. If you need anything, just let me know.”

“Uncle Edward, let me toast you,” the girl in pink said, flashing a bright smile as she raised her glass. I remembered Ryan mentioning her name earlier–Isabelle Lynn. It had such a poetic, romantic vibe to it.

“Thanks, Isabelle,” Edward replied, taking the glass and drinking.

Ryan took my hand and led me over to Edward. “Uncle Edward, what about my toast?”

Edward gave him a resigned look and shook his head. “Go easy on the booze, alright? Don’t get drunk and cause trouble at my place.”

Ryan shot me a playful sideways glance, then knocked back his drink in one go, grinning.

“Vic, why don’t you toast Uncle Edward too?” Ryan suddenly said.

The glass almost slipped from my fingers, but I caught it by the stem just in time, then glanced nervously at Edward.

Edward’s eyes were dark and intense as he stared back at me.