Semua Bab Second Marriage to the Billionaire: Ex-Husband Begs Me Not to Go: Bab 401 - Bab 410

“Yes, Mr. Duncan. Did she do something wrong?” Mr. Libson asked nervously, not wanting to offend someone as powerful as Archer over a nobody.Mr. Libson had a bit of a reputation for being a sleaze, but ever since his wife returned to take over the company’s finances, he hadn’t dared fool around at work. He kept his distance from all the young female employees, even when he was away on business. He had never shown any particular favor toward Mandy, either. Now, he was just worried she might have pissed off Archer.“She’s got a hidden agenda,” Archer said flatly.Mr. Libson wasn’t a seasoned businessman for nothing. He immediately picked up on what Archer meant, and his face changed. “Mr. Duncan... Did Mandy…. Did Mandy harassed you?”He fumbled for the right words but couldn’t quite land on any. Still, his hesitant tone said enough.Archer didn’t respond.Mr. Libson let out a slow breath and gave a bitter smile. “Mr. Duncan, Mandy’s done nothing wrong since she joined the company

“I just meant regular couples usually drink Coke and share popcorn at the movies,” Aria mumbled, cheeks flushed. “How was I supposed to know they were handing out roses?”But after the movie, Archer pulled her to the home goods floor of the mall and bought a small glass vase—one with a dome cover that, according to the clerk, could be used in a car.He filled it with water as soon as they got back to the vehicle, gently placed the rose inside, and set it on the dashboard.Watching him treat a free rose with such care made Aria feel a little awkward. Maybe she should’ve picked out a proper one to give him instead.…Later that evening, Archer sent Kent home and drove Aria to The Haven Club himself.Ethan had already arranged a kid-sized table just for Melvin, complete with a smaller grill while the adults were using the full barbecue pit.Archer glanced at the place settings. “Who else is coming?”“Wesley, Aaron, and Ronald,” Ethan replied. Not long after, Aaron and Ronald showe

“She said some really nasty things,” Fifi snapped, still fuming. “Stuff like, since I’m now the Simmons family’s daughter-in-law, I need to stop acting like some spoiled rich girl. That Mark is capable and independent, not some guy living off his wife. It just so happens he married me, but he doesn’t want people getting the wrong idea.”“She said that since I married into the Simmons family, I should start thinking of myself as part of them, not as a Duncan or Chancer heiress. Even at the wedding, she said I should’ve toasted their family table first.“Like when we got back from our honeymoon, she said the first stop should’ve been their house, not my parents’. Basically, her whole attitude is that everything should be about the Simmons family. I married Mark, so I’m no longer anyone special—I’m just their daughter-in-law. I shouldn’t be acting like I’m still some society princess from the Duncans or the Chancers.“I put up with it. For Mark’s sake. I figured if I just ignored it, w

Did Archer genuinely care about Fifi?Not really.Truth be told, he barely had any attachment to his parents—so Grace’s niece meant even less. Archer helped not out of affection, but simply because he didn’t want to see Mark Simmons again. If getting Fifi out of the Simmons household also helped deal with Lilian, then so be it.He trusted Fifi wasn’t stupid. She’d know what choice to make. The only question was whether Mark would agree to go.…Meanwhile, Aria stayed in the car with Melvin. She connected her phone to the internet and pulled up a cartoon for him to watch.Melvin munched happily on the snacks Ethan had packed for him, eyes glued to the screen.Just then, a car pulled up across from them. Its headlights were bright enough that Aria squinted, shielding her eyes slightly. The vehicle parked directly opposite their Range Rover, nose to nose.A moment later, the car doors opened.Mark and Lilian stepped out.Mark squinted toward the Range Rover. The tinted windows a

“Our families have always treated each other with mutual respect,” Yvette said coolly. “We give an inch, you return a mile. We show you courtesy because you’re Mark’s mother—our in-law—and we’ve never left you out when there are benefits to be shared. But don’t mistake that kindness for weakness. Just because we’ve been polite doesn’t mean anyone can walk all over us.”“When we show you respect, we let things slide. But if that respect isn’t returned—then I’m sorry, we’re not the kind of people you want to cross.”She turned her sharp gaze on Lilian without softening her tone in the slightest. “Do you understand what I’m saying, Lilian?”Lilian’s smile froze. She’d pushed too far, one time too many. She seemed to have forgotten her place—and just how wide the gap was between the Simmons family and the Duncans and Chancers. Yes, Fifi was her daughter-in-law, but before that, she was the heiress of two of the most powerful families in Harbour City. In another era, this would’ve been l