As she recalled what had happened last night, Amanita’s hands closed into fists.

She did not want Marcus’s insincere sacrifice!

She was the heiress of the wealthy Wallace family. She did not worry about not being able to marry. If Marcus did not want to marry her, someone else surely would.

“Dad, you won’t talk me out of it. Samuel is very nice. I can sense that he really likes me. As for Dennis and the others, they only listen to me because they’re supposed to be my prospective husbands.”

Amanita looked down. Her thick eyelashes obscured the dejection in her eyes.

Soon, she collected herself and looked up again. She said to her father, “There’s one more thing, Dad. Since I won’t be marrying them, there’s no point for our family to keep housing my prospective husbands. Freeze all their assets and cancel all of Risa’s cards. The Wallace family has no use for unnecessary people!”

“Alright.” George nodded. “Since you won’t be marrying them, there’s really no reason to keep them in the family. When you get married, I’ll make them leave. That way, they won’t try to steal your inheritance.”

After speaking with her father, Amanita left the study.

When she got to the top of the stairs, she bumped into Risa.

“Nita, I heard that you’re going to an equestrian class this afternoon. Can I come with you?”

Risa’s eyes were bright as she stepped forward and took Amanita’s arm affectionately. Then, she wheedled as she waved Amanita’s arm, “Please, Nita? Please bring me?”

In the past, Amanita would definitely have agreed.

She was not a petty person. If she were in a good mood, she would have automatically paid to sign Risa up for equestrian classes of her own.

Yet, when she thought of what happened last night, Amanita felt disgusted.

Grossed out, Amanita smoothly shook Risa off. “Get away from me!”

She did not use much force to shake Risa off, but Risa lurched backward in an exaggerated manner and tumbled down the stairs.

“Risa!” came Marcus’s worried voice.

Amanita looked down to find that all her prospective husbands were downstairs.

“Amanita, how could you be so ruthless?” Felix Donovan, the one with the shortest temper, spoke up first. “What did Risa do? How could you push her down the stairs?”

“No, Felix, don’t.” Risa tugged Felix’s sleeve. “Don’t blame Nita for this. I lost my balance…”

She looked so timid. As she spoke, her eyes started to pool with tears. It was as if she had suffered some great injustice.

This tactic was very effective. Amanita’s prospective husbands all looked at her with barely concealed hatred.

Marcus was especially affected. His gaze was so icy that Amanita could barely look into his eyes.

Yet, he did not say anything. He glanced at Amanita frostily, picked Risa up, and carried her away.

He did not give Amanita a chance to explain at all.

Amanita smiled bitterly. It was fine. She did not want to explain anyway.

In any case, none of them would believe her, no matter what she said.

The afternoon’s equestrian class was meant for Amanita and Marcus only.

However, when Amanita arrived at the turf club, Risa was there as well.

Risa shot Amanita a soft smile. “Nita, Marcus let me come. Don’t worry, though, I won’t get in your and Marcus’s way. You two ride your horses, and I’ll have the instructor teach me.”

Although she said that, Marcus did not leave Risa’s side even after the class started.

He personally saddled the horse and lifted Risa into the saddle with one arm.

Risa did not know how to ride a horse, so Marcus taught her step by step.

When Risa got tired and wanted to dismount, Marcus half-kneeled on the ground so that Risa could step down using his shoulder.

Seeing this pained Amanita.

In the past, she had also gotten on her horse that way.

However, Marcus had never been fully willing to do that for her.

That day, George had been present, and he had been the one to say, “True men don’t kneel for anything, but they would kneel for their wife. Marcus, kneel and let Nita step up onto her horse.

“Remember, Nita will be your everything. Only Nita can step on you. No one else can.”

George had not intended to humiliate Marcus. He was only passing on his wisdom. Back when his wife had been alive, George had helped her onto her horse in the very same way.

Back then, Amanita had been quite young. When she stepped on Marcus’s shoulder, all she felt was that his shoulders were very broad and strong.

For some reason, her heart had started beating even faster.

She had started falling for Marcus. However, she did not notice that Marcus’s eyes were filled with humiliation.

Amanita assumed that Marcus was a prideful person and did not like for someone to be stepping on him. That was why she had only ever done it once. After that incident, she had never asked him to kneel for her again.

Yet, she was currently watching Marcus willingly kneel to help Risa down from her horse. The sight pained Amanita so much that it felt like she had been stabbed.

She forced herself to look away. Then, she nudged the horse with her knees. “Giddy up!”

The horse obediently started a canter. On the horse’s back, feeling the wind in her face, Amanita slowly started feeling better.

Their lesson that day was to ride through an obstacle course. Amanita had to guide her horse over three barriers. The difficulty was very high.

When a barrier was right in front of her, her horse jumped up for some reason. While they were in the air, the straps of the saddle suddenly broke.

Amanita fell from her horse out of nowhere.

The horse also got a fright. It started running around chaotically. It could trample Amanita at any moment.

At that moment, Marcus, who should have been taking care of Amanita, was still by Risa’s side.

He had not even noticed that Amanita had fallen from her horse.

“Marcus!” Amanita cried out while biting down on the pain in her lower body.

Only then did Marcus realize that Amanita’s horse had been spooked. Sedately, he moved forward and grabbed hold of the horse’s reins with one hand.

Marcus had learned animal taming. That was why George allowed him to accompany Amanita on her equestrian classes.

He should have checked Amanita’s saddle and kept an eye on Amanita at all times to ensure her safety.

Yet, all of his attention was focused on Risa. He had not even noticed that Amanita’s saddle had not been secured properly.

In the end, Amanita fell and broke her leg. She had to be admitted to the hospital.

Perhaps to make up for his mistake, Marcus had taken the initiative to visit Amanita and take care of her while she was in the hospital.

Marcus was very good at caring for others. Before Amanita could say that she was thirsty, he had already brought a drink to her lips.

When her injury hurt, Amanita only frowned a little. But Marcus would come over and give her painkillers.

After feeding her medication, Marcus would even have Amanita’s favorite candy prepared to remove the bitter taste of the medication.

He had always been like this. Despite not loving Amanita, he still took care of her every need. That was why Amanita thought that he did love her and that he was simply more understated about it. She thought he did not know how to say it.

But that was untrue.

With Risa, his eyes were filled with such overflowing love.

After a few days, when Amanita’s leg had gotten much better, she got up late at night to use the bathroom. She inadvertently heard someone speaking in the hallway.

“Marcus, you’ve gone overboard.” The speaker was Dennis. “You sabotaged Amanita’s saddle?”

“You can’t do that even if Amanita did push Risa down the stairs! It’s no small thing to fall from a horse. She could have broken her neck!”

Marcus sighed softly. “I only wanted to punish her a little. I didn’t think she would get so hurt.”

Marcus was very experienced in horse riding. He knew that Amanita would not have gotten too hurt if the horse had not jumped.

He did not expect that day’s lesson to be an obstacle course. Not only had her horse jumped, but it had jumped quite high.

“I’ve made it up to her,” he said. “I’ve granted her every wish over the last few days. I’ve paid her back.

“She’s fine now, anyway. Let’s not talk about this anymore. It’s done.”

Right then, Amanita felt a chill spread through her.

So, Marcus had sabotaged Amanita’s saddle to get even with her on Risa’s behalf!

As for his tender care these few days, it was nothing but penance for his mistake of not expecting things to go so far. It was not because he was affected by how she had gotten hurt.

Amanita bit her lip so hard that it bled. However, she could not feel any pain.

Her heart ached more.

The next day, Amanita was discharged from the hospital. Marcus drove over to take her home. However, she did not even peek at Marcus once. She went straight to Dennis’s car.

Dannis had quite a sense of humor. During the trip, he kept joking with Amanita, but she was unable to smile.

“Are you not happy today, Nita?” Dennis asked gently. “There’s an auction today. I’ll take you. When a woman’s in a bad mood, she should shop. Shopping will turn that frown upside down. Just bid however you like at the auction. I’ll pay for it.”

Amanita glared at Dennis. Sounding unhappy, she said, “That’s very generous of you. But aren’t you spending the Wallace family’s money?”

In the past, she would not have cared. Yet, after she found out her prospective husbands’ secret, it was impossible for her to ignore.

“Don’t underestimate me, alright?” Dennis said with a chuckle. “Marcus isn’t the only genius in the Wallace family. I’ve been making some investments abroad, too. I’ve made quite a bit of money. Just spend whatever you like. I can afford it!”

Amanita finally smiled. “Then, I’ll have to make a dent in your wallet. Drive on! Let’s go to the auction!”

The auction was very well-attended. Many society ladies were there.

It seemed that the biggest ticket for the night’s auction was a piece of jewelry called “The Ocean’s Tears.” It featured the world’s largest blue diamond that was newly mined in South Prisca.

Amanita loved the ocean, so she was determined to win the bid for the piece.

Yet, she had just taken a seat when she saw Marcus lead Risa into the auction hall.

Amanita’s smile froze on her face. She had the feeling that Risa would want “The Ocean’s Tears” as well.

Indeed, when the piece was brought up, Risa raised her paddle.

Soon, Risa noticed that Amanita was also bidding for the piece. She hesitated for a few minutes before lowering her paddle. Her eyes turned red.

“It seems that Nita wants ‘The Ocean’s Tears’ too.” Risa forced a smile. “I don’t want it anymore, then. I can’t steal away something Nita wants.”

After saying this, Risa looked down. Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked immensely pitiful.

Marcus’s expression immediately turned chilly. When he looked at Amanita, his gaze was hateful.

“Risa, I’m here. You don’t have to give in just for the sake of peace. You don’t need to feel wronged.” Marcus also added, “Just bid for whatever you want. I’ll handle it.”

Before Risa could answer, Marcus raised his paddle. “100 million dollars.”

The whole auction hall went quiet. Many of the society ladies gasped, stunned by the astronomical sum.

Everyone started gossiping.

“What’s going on? Isn’t Marcus Amanita’s prospective husband? Why is he buying another woman jewelry?”

“And he’s bidding for a piece of jewelry Amanita wants. Isn’t this a clear insult?”

“Poor Amanita! She’s an heiress, but her own prospective husband is undermining her!”

Amanita wordlessly clenched her fists. She had been spoiled by her father growing up, yet Marcus had turned her into a joke.

Humiliation crept up within Amanita. In a fit of pique, she made a little hammering gesture, indicating that she would outbid everyone no matter how high the bid went.

No one would ever undermine her this way!