Semua Bab Second Marriage to the Billionaire: Ex-Husband Begs Me Not to Go: Bab 451 - Bab 460

Aria nodded, agreeing with the designer’s suggestion.“What about using a single-silk fabric for the gown?” the designer proposed. “Aside from the panel at the chest, we’d skip the lining on the rest of the bodice—your entire back and the sleeves could be left sheer, so your skin shows subtly through the weave. It would create that soft, almost see-through effect. As for whether we go with a high neckline or off-the-shoulder, I’ll need to sketch both to see which works better.”“For the skirt, of course, the silk will have a lining,” she went on. “But I’ll choose a very lightweight one so the whole dress drapes naturally. I’ll also try a few variations for the waistline. What do you think, Miss Jackson?”Aria’s eyes lit up. “Could we make the back just a little sexier? Nothing too revealing, not a deep plunge—maybe just a small opening or some detailing in the center.” She gestured as she spoke.Archer shot her a look. “With that kind of talent, why don’t you design some lingerie w

Sandra finally let out a quiet sigh of relief and set the gift on the table.“Mrs. Duncan, I’m Kandice’s mother. This is a box of imported truffles —one of my husband’s clients gave it to him. I wasn’t sure what to bring the first time I visited, so please don’t think poorly of this small token.”Marianne only gave it a passing glance. She didn’t look particularly pleased.“Sit,” she said coolly.Once Sandra was seated, the older woman asked, “And your name?”“I’m Sandra Peterson,” she replied quickly. “You can just call me Sandra.”“Oh. So, what brings you here today? You didn’t think to call ahead? If no one had been home, you’d have come for nothing. Don’t be fooled by my age—I still like to get out and about,” Marianne said, her voice faintly disapproving.“I… I…” Sandra’s eyes reddened. “I just worry so much about my daughter. My heart aches for her. I lost my head and rushed over. Standing here in front of you now… I realize I’ve been rude.”She quickly pulled a tissue fro

“Losing her luggage was her own fault,” Marianne said with a wry twist of her lips. “Come on, Ms. William, put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a second. If some twenty-something little homewrecker tried to seduce your husband, what would you do? I bet the nicest thing you’d do is stop short of clawing her face off.”Sandra’s jaw tightened. It was bad enough that the old lady kept siding with Archer, but this last jab? She might as well have come right out and called Kandice a tramp.“Mrs. Duncan, that’s not fair. This isn’t the same situation at all,” Sandra shot back. “The Duncan family hasn’t even fully accepted Aria yet. That means the field’s still open. How can you call Kandice a third party? And if Archer and Aria are really married, then why did both families arrange a meeting between him and Kandice in the first place? Sounds to me like Aria’s the real other woman.”It was pure nonsense, and Marianne knew it.“They have a marriage license. They’re a legally married cou

Trying to give herself a graceful exit, Sandra put on a show of dignity, turned with practiced elegance, and acted as if she were taking the high road.Marianne’s lips curved into a faint, amused smile.“Aria has never said a single bad word about your family. In fact, she’s never even mentioned the Williams. Yet here you are, taking the first shot and talking behind her back. I don’t need time to figure out your true colors—one meeting is enough to know you’re no good.”She didn’t pause before pressing on.“Let’s not even get into anything else. When the Jackson family went through that crisis, did your family so much as lift a finger? Forget helping—you didn’t even cover a single hospital bill when Rachel William was admitted. You all stayed as far away as you could. And why don’t you talk about how your family got where it is today? If Rachel hadn’t used Jackson assets to prop you up, you wouldn’t have a fraction of what you have now.”Her voice hardened. “Ungrateful people lik

“Here’s what we’ll do. Archer’s away on a business trip right now. When he gets back, I’ll have a word with him. Of course, Mrs. Williams, you should also talk to Kandice. Tell her not to be so stubborn. There are plenty of men in the world, and Archer isn’t the only successful one. Don’t you agree? Falling for someone who will never return her feelings only leads to heartbreak. Why put herself through that?”“Archer’s not the type to go soft on a woman. Once he loses patience, it doesn’t matter if he has no connection to Kandice—he wouldn’t even listen to me, his own mother, if I tried to lecture him. It’s better if she just stays out of his way. That way, she won’t have to deal with all this unpleasantness. Don’t you think so?”Grace wasn’t exaggerating. When it came to Aria, Archer had no problem mocking her outright. He’d embarrassed her more than once.But Sandra wasn’t really listening. Grace’s calm, diplomatic tone only made her grind her teeth harder. She wanted to argue, bu