Zayden continued, “I was only using the meeting as an excuse to refuse you. I will express my stance here! I support Rachel. I believe that with her as president of Wealthwave Group, the collaboration between our companies will reach a higher level!”

Quinn felt as though he had been slapped. Rowan had already humiliated him; he hadn’t expected Zayden, his classmate, to do the same. How could Zayden humiliate him so?

Upon seeing the gazes of his relatives and friends, Quinn felt his face burn. He couldn’t offend Rowan and Zayden. He could only point at Rachel and vent his hatred. “Rachel, just you wait. We aren’t done!”

Humiliated before so many people, Quinn couldn’t remain. Furiously, he stood and left. Malcolm, his face ghastly, knew he would humiliate himself by staying. He left with Quinn.

Upon seeing this, Rachel knew her position as president was secure. A smile touched her cold face. She raised her wine glass. “Mr. White, thank you for your support. And thank you, Mr. Lloyd, for your encouragement. I will continue to work hard and lead Wealthwave Group to greater heights!”

“Thank you, everyone, for coming. Here’s to the future of the Carters and my mother’s birthday. Cheers!” Rachel drank her wine. Everyone raised their glasses and emptied them. Without Quinn and Malcolm, the atmosphere immediately brightened. Many congratulated Rachel.

Meanwhile, Matthew watched silently. He watched Rachel, proud and vibrant, chatting and laughing. He felt a complex mix of emotions. Ever since Rachel announced their impending marriage into the Carter family, everyone treated him differently. In fact, no one cared about him.

As Matthew sat in a daze, Yvonne approached and tossed his watch onto his table. “Take your watch back.” Matthew returned the watch. “This is your birthday present.”

Yvonne laughed. “My daughter is Wealthwave Group’s president. I don’t need a counterfeit watch.” Matthew hurried to explain, “This is genuine. I helped someone; this was a token of thanks.”

Yvonne raised a hand to stop him. She didn’t want his explanation. Laughing, she called Simon over. “Mr. Qualls, is this watch genuine?”

Simon felt awkward. “If a wealthy man presented this watch, I'd believe it genuine. However, an ex-convict… his connections aren't reliable. In our industry, many products are counterfeit. Inspecting treasures is like inspecting people. If the person isn't good, the treasures won't be genuine.”

Yvonne waited for Simon to finish before turning to Matthew. “Mr. Qualls says you aren’t a good person, so return this watch and sell it cheaply. My daughter is Wealthwave Group’s president. You’re divorced, an ex-convict. You aren’t worthy of Rachel. I hope you understand.”

Matthew put the watch away. He stood to speak when Rachel approached. “Mom, what were you two talking about? I saw you from over there. Discussing our engagement?”

The chatting guests fell silent, watching Rachel, Matthew, and Yvonne. Yvonne was about to speak when Martin tugged her sleeve, signaling her silence. Smiling, he changed the subject. “We weren’t discussing that. Just a friendly conversation.”

Without waiting for another question, Martin pulled Yvonne back to their seats. He explained quietly, “Quinn essentially forced Rachel to announce your marriage. She said it to reassure everyone. We can’t make things difficult for her.”

Yvonne was upset. “Regardless, I won’t let Rachel marry a useless man.”

Martin whispered, “I know what to do. Jeffrey Smith has been pursuing Rachel for four years, but she never accepted him. I heard he returned from overseas yesterday.”

Yvonne’s eyes glinted. “Jeffrey is a great choice. Even the Whites would respect the Smiths. He’s far better than Matthew. If Rachel marries Jeffrey, no one will dare to make things difficult for her, not even Quinn!”

Noticing Matthew’s dark expression, Rachel asked softly, “Did my parents say something to you?”

Matthew knew they needed to talk, but there were too many people. “We’ll talk after we see the guests off.”

By the time the party ended, it was night. Rachel sat on her bed, looking at Matthew. “We have time now. What did my parents say?”