Chapter 9: Chapter Nine: Returning Home, Confrontation!

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the third day since Elizabeth Forster's "marriage."

Pete Melville indeed brought her back to her family home, and as per tradition, he had filled the entire trunk with gifts. On the way, Elizabeth Forster fidgeted nervously with her fingers. Suddenly, a pair of large hands reached out and firmly held hers. She looked up and met the man's deep, dark eyes: "Don't worry, I'm here."

"Don't worry, I'm here." These simple six words made Elizabeth Forster feel a warm current flow through her heart. Instinctively, she nodded, feeling a bit more at ease.

Before long, the two-story villa of the Su family was right in front of them. Compared to before, the Su household was clearly much livelier today. Red lanterns hung at the entrance, and the bright red character for "joy" was particularly eye-catching. In the distance, several unfamiliar luxury cars were parked in the lot.

Could it be that Rupert Forster knew they were coming back today?

Not giving Elizabeth Forster any more time to think, the car had already stopped steadily in front of the Su residence.

"Come in, come in. You're back, why did you bring so many things?"

"Joannance we are now one family, there's no need to be so formal."

Even from a distance, Elizabeth Forster could clearly see the wrinkles on Rupert Forster's aged face. At this moment, he was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes squinting into slits. In front of him stood a man and a woman.

Today, not only she and Pete Melville had returned, but Cherry Forster had also brought Edwiin Kingsley back. It turned out that the ridiculous wedding that day had become the official wedding for Cherry Forster and Edwiin Kingsley.

It wasn't surprising. For such prominent families, a wedding that almost turned the Su family into a laughingstock in the entire southern city wouldn't be repeated just to provide more amusement for others.

Rupert Forster chuckled, then suddenly looked up and saw Elizabeth Forster and Pete Melville standing at the door. His smile immediately became even brighter, and he hurried over: "Elizabeth, why didn't you call ahead? I could have sent someone to pick you up."

Why was Rupert Forster being so enthusiastic towards her?

Elizabeth Forster was puzzled and replied faintly, "Pete Melville said he would take me home for a visit and specifically brought some gifts."

As she spoke, Pete Melville snapped his fingers. The driver and bodyguard who accompanied them immediately understood and started unloading a dozen or so gift boxes from the trunk. Antiques, gold ornaments, ginseng, and lingzhi...

Rupert Forster's eyes nearly popped out at the sight of these items, but he quickly masked his greedy gaze and nodded lightly, "You're not an outsider; coming back home doesn't require such gifts."

Throughout, Rupert Forster never once looked at Pete Melville, focusing all his attention on Elizabeth Forster. Pete Melville noticed Rupert Forster's coldness and smiled faintly. There weren't many people in the world who dared to treat him this way, and Rupert Forster was one of them.

Beside him, Elizabeth Forster was filled with confusion. She had many grievances against this father, mostly due to her mother's death, but for now...

Joannance the truth had not yet been uncovered, she chose to remain silent despite her dissatisfaction.

"Alright, don't stand here. I've prepared your favorite dishes today. Come in," Rupert Forster warmly invited Elizabeth Forster inside. "I'll go to the kitchen to check on them. By the way, Zixuan and the others are here, go talk to them."

In Rupert Forster's eyes, Pete Melville was completely invisible.

As soon as she entered, Elizabeth Forster noticed two people on the sofa, each with different expressions. Cherry Forster's eyes were filled with venom, staring fixedly at her, biting her lower lip, as if they were not sisters but mortal enemies. And Edwiin Kingsley?

He wore a cold expression, his brows furrowed, as if he was here against his will, perhaps even kidnapped.

These two, where was the happiness of newlyweds?

Cherry Forster's hands, hidden behind her back, were clenched into fists, her nails digging into her flesh, drawing blood, but she felt nothing. Her heart was filled with boundless hatred for Elizabeth Forster.

Why... Why, when they shared the same blood, their fates were so different? Elizabeth Forster first had Edwiin Kingsley's ardent pursuit, and now she had a man like Pete Melville, extraordinary in every aspect, by her side. But what about her?

She could only pick up the scraps left by Elizabeth Forster!

Thinking this, Cherry Forster could no longer suppress her anger. She sneered, "Joannaster, seeing you and Mr. Melville so happy together, I can rest assured. No matter how intimate you and my husband were in the past, it's all in the past. From now on, you should focus on being Mrs. Qin."

Intimate behavior? What intimate behavior?

Elizabeth Forster frowned. Although she almost married Edwiin Kingsley, they hadn't even held hands!

"Edwiin Kingsley and I..."

"Joannaster is right. No matter what happened between her and Edwiin Kingsley, from now on, she is only Mrs. Qin. The past is the past."

Pete Melville interrupted Elizabeth Forster's unfinished sentence. Turning to look, she saw the man beside her with a cold expression, not taking Cherry Forster's mockery to heart. This reassured Elizabeth Forster somewhat.

Just as one wave subsided, another rose. After Cherry Forster's failed attempt at sarcasm, Edwiin Kingsley followed up, "Back then, I spent a lot of effort pursuing Elizabeth Forster. I didn't have the good fortune of Mr. Melville to sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor!"

Joannat back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor? What did that mean?

Was he saying that Pete Melville was picking up what he had left? That she was a used woman?

Elizabeth Forster stood up abruptly, ready to speak, but a strong force gripped her wrist, pulling her back down onto the sofa. She looked at Pete Melville with a puzzled expression, as if asking, "Why won't you let me confront him?"

But Pete Melville seemed not to understand the meaning in her eyes. A thin smile played on his lips, and his slender fingers tapped rhythmically on his knee. "It turns out that sitting back and enjoying the fruits of others' labor isn't so bad. At least... at least the woman I marry is the one I want. If I had to marry a woman out of obligation, it would be truly tragic."

Who was the woman he referred to as "obligation"? Everyone present knew.

Indeed, as soon as he finished speaking, Cherry Forster's face turned green. Edwiin Kingsley's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, icy expression. Indeed, marrying Cherry Forster made him feel as disgusted as swallowing a fly, but...

What could he do?

Pete Melville ignored the dramatic changes in their expressions, took Elizabeth Forster's hand, and, ignoring the surprised looks of the others, walked straight up the stairs.