Semua Bab Second Marriage to the Billionaire: Ex-Husband Begs Me Not to Go: Bab 391 - Bab 400

“Heh, I really didn’t expect you’d end up with Archer,” Lilian said with a forced smile. Now that her family was technically related to the Duncans, she didn’t bother with the polite “Mr. Duncan” anymore.“I always thought you liked Mark. But now—” She suddenly stopped, covering her mouth as her eyes flickered nervously toward the Duncan family to gauge their reaction. She gave her lips a light slap, pretending to scold herself.“I didn’t mean you were with Archer because of Mark—” Lilian slapped her mouth again, putting on an exaggeratedly remorseful face. “Listen to me, always saying the wrong thing and making people misunderstand! Just pretend you didn’t hear that, all right?”Archer gave a calm, almost amused smile, then turned to the little boy beside him, who was busy munching on watermelon. “Melvin, who do you think is better—Mark or me?”“Of course it’s you, Archer!” Melvin said without hesitation, spitting out watermelon seeds with a “pfft, pfft, pfft,” and wiping his mout

Yvette was still upset by the things Lilian had said, but since Marianne had already spoken, she had no choice but to agree. After all, she and Calvin often relied on the Duncan family.Archer let out a short, mocking laugh.“What’s that supposed to mean?” Robert snapped, his face darkening.Archer’s tone was calm, but there was an edge to his words. “Why is everyone acting like Fifi has to be the one to tolerate everything? Did our families spoil her all these years just to have her marry into the Simmons family and get treated like this?”Yvette blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected Archer to take this stance.Robert barked, “She’s married now! That’s the Simmons household, not ours, and certainly not the Chancer family’s. Marriage is about two families, Archer. You’re old enough to know better than to say something so childish and ridiculous!”“Two families?” Archer’s long fingers tapped the table, his voice cold and even. “You all know why Mark married Fifi. Don’t talk to

After Aria’s words, Archer didn’t say anything more, so she slowly let the matter go.But a moment later, he spoke again, his tone deceptively casual. “Melvin overheard what Mark said in the backyard. He told me everything.”When the light turned red, Archer stopped the car and turned to look at her fully. His deep black eyes seemed to say: I was waiting for you to tell me yourself.“I didn’t bring it up because I don’t believe a single word Mark said,” Aria answered, meeting his gaze without flinching. “I was afraid you’d think I doubted you. I know you might do anything, but you’d never do anything to hurt me.“He might be able to repeat details from the day you came to my house, but that doesn’t mean his accusations are true. Sometimes lies sprinkled with a few facts sound just as convincing.”When the light turned green, Archer’s focus returned to driving, but after a few seconds, he abruptly pulled over to the side of the road.Aria was about to ask why when his long fingers

“Where do you even get so many of Rothko paintings? I’ve been hunting for them forever and can barely find a few, yet you seem to have an endless supply!” William complained.Archer’s voice was calm, almost indifferent. “Most of the ones not in private collections or exhibitions are with me.”William: “...?”He didn’t even know Archer had this kind of interest. Wasn’t this a little absurd?“What do you collect them for?”Archer clicked his tongue softly. “To deal with you.”William: “...?”What kind of answer was that? Was he sick in the head?Still, Archer’s approach clearly worked.William wasn’t short of money, and with the Luther family backing him, the only way to make him yield was to dangle something he truly wanted—and Archer knew exactly how to bait him.Hearing the whole exchange, Aria’s lips twitched despite herself.So that was why William had suddenly agreed to join the trip when he’d initially refused. This wasn’t persuasion. It was pure leverage.Aria shook her

“Mr. Duncan? What brings him here?” Mr. Watson was visibly startled, his first instinct being that something might be wrong.“Is there a problem with our partnership?” he asked nervously.Aria shook her head, reassuring him. “No, it shouldn’t be that. If there was, he would’ve told me already.”Thinking about what she had agreed to the night before—still not sure how he’d talked her into it—she realized that, with Archer’s personality, he preferred to handle things quickly and decisively. It was completely in character for him to show up like this.“He’s here… for something personal,” she said softly.Seeing her expression, Mr. Watson relaxed. “In that case, Ms. Jackson, you should go. Don’t keep Mr. Duncan waiting.”Aria’s position was no secret to Horizon’s management. She had asked Christina to take charge of the West District design drafts and was often seen at the company, so her visits were nothing unusual. Horizon’s executives also welcomed any chance to maintain a connect