"Darrick, I spent three hundred million to bail out the Calderon Family. Now you want to leave? Are you trying to insult me in front of everyone?"
I smiled faintly and turned to sit down. "You can leave if you wish, but consider the consequences."
"How the Calderon Family will conduct its business going forward... It's truly a headache to contemplate."
I pretended to be troubled, rubbing my temples, though my words carried no hint of difficulty.
The guests present felt even more sympathy for me upon hearing this.
"Miss Graham hasn't made any unreasonable demands. The wedding won't take much longer. Mr. Calderon, please don't rush off."
"Exactly! I'd kill for a chance to work with the Graham Family.”
“Taking their money and then turning your back? That's like freeloading! Who'd dare partner with the Calderon Family after this?"
"I'm putting it out there, anyone who crosses Miss Graham crosses me. I won't take any more contracts from the Calderon Family!"
With that, he began contacting his assistant to cancel the partnership, making the Calderon Family elders instantly grow frantic.
"Stop everyone, don't act impulsively! Darrick meant well. After all, we can't just ignore human life, can we?"
Darrick’s father stepped forward and slapped Darrick across the face. "You ungrateful son! If you dare leave today, don't ever think you'll set foot in the Calderon Family anymore."
Darrick’s mother’s eyes reddened with disappointment as she said, "What good is Myra? If not for her, would our Calderon Family have ended up like this?”
“Last month, you begged everyone for partnerships—did anyone pay you any attention? It was Miss Graham who saved us!"
"How could I have given birth to a son who can't tell right from wrong? This must be because I don’t teach you right!"
The pain etched on their faces pierced Darrick's heart.
His back straightened, his voice growing resolute. "Did I ever say I wouldn't marry her? What difference does it make if it's sooner or later?"
"I'm your son, but you sided with Marylin to against me just because she gave you three hundred million. Now you're all Graham Family lackeys!"
Darrick was panting, his eyes fixed on me as he added, "Marylin, I'm grateful you saved the Calderon Family with your money, but don't expect me to obey you for the rest of my life just because I married you.”
“I won't be anyone's dog—I am Darrick Calderon and that's all!"
"What’s more, Myra and I are completely innocent. If you keep slandering her, don't blame me for turning against you!"
I slammed my hand on the table, stood up and challenged him furiously, "Do you think I paid to buy your obedience?"
He sneered coldly, "Wasn't it?"
"You handed me a three hundred million check along with a room key. What was your goal? Anyone could see it clearly!"
"That night you deliberately got me drunk, preventing me from taking any precautions. After you got pregnant, you naturally forced me into marriage. Every step went exactly as you planned.”
“Now I'm merely asking to postpone the wedding to see Myra—can't you even grant this small request?
"The Graham Family's granddaughter is afraid that an ordinary woman might steal your husband? That's laughable to anyone who hears it!”
Seeing his earnest expression, I burst out laughing in anger. "Fine! Since Mr. Calderon desires me so much, it would be utterly shameless of me to stand in your way any longer."
"Go ahead. You don't need to concern yourself with the wedding arrangements either."
Upon hearing the answer he wanted, Darrick suddenly grew cold and wary. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. I'm letting you go. Why aren't you leaving?"
I raised my hand, watching the hands of my wristwatch tick slowly and added, "I wonder if you can still see Miss Shields one last time if you go now?"
"Shall I send a driver to escort you? Have the motorcade clear the way for you?"
As I spoke, another voice message popped up on Darrick's phone.
It was Myra's final message.
[Darrick, don't come see me. I don't want you to see me at my lowest. I want you to remember me as the beautiful eighteen-year-old I once was.]
Seeing the message, Darrick completely panicked. He snatched the keys and rushed out.
His brother turned pale with fear and hurried after him.
They tugged at each other outside the hotel entrance and quarreled, "Darrick, have you lost your mind? Can't you tell Miss Graham was speaking sarcastically?"
"If you dare leave today, the Calderon Family will be disgraced in Bridgit's elite circles tomorrow. Is it worth it for a Myra?"
Darrick shook off his brother's hand, getting into the car as he casually remarked, “What's there to fear? Marylin is carrying my child. If she doesn't wait for me to come back, does she think she can marry someone else?”
"Besides, Myra isn't an outsider. She's... the one I love in my heart."
With that, he slammed his foot on the accelerator and the Maybach sped off into the rain.
No sooner had Darrick departed than my parents arrived.
Scanning the lobby and finding no sign of Darrick, their expressions darkened slightly.
"Marylin, what's going on? Where's Darrick?" my father asked confusingly.
I just answered calmly, "He left, went to find his mistress."
My father's face twisted with fury and he immediately tried to take me away. “The Calderon Family certainly has the nerve to do this after taking three hundred million in benefits and then turning their backs on us.”
“How dare they try to intimidate my daughter on her wedding day? Do they think the Graham Family has no one to stand up for us?"
"This marriage is off. I'm taking my daughter away right now!"
"Mark my words, after today, anyone who dares to do business with the Calderon Family is declaring war on me!"
His words echoed through the hall, sending shivers down everyone's spine.
Mr. Calderon’s face drained of color as he rushed forward to restrain my father. "No, Mr. Graham, please don't act rashly! My son acted out of line today. I'll discipline him properly once he returns!"
"Myra was nothing more than a mistress. I've already expelled her from the company. Who knew she wouldn't give up?"
"Rest assured, this will never happen again. Today is a special occasion—please do me the favor of not making such a scene..."
My mother grabbed my hand with one arm while shoving Mr. Calderon away with the other. "Give you face? Who will restore the face lost by the Graham Family then?"
"Now that he's gone, you suddenly know how to apologize? Were you all dead just now?"
"Before marriage, you openly tried to steal my daughter away. What do you take the Graham Family for? My daughter doesn't need scum like you!"
"Marylin, let’s go home!"
She tugged at my arm, ready to leave, but I stood rooted to the spot, a faint smile spreading across my face.
"Dad, Mom, Darrick has issues, but his parents indeed stopped him. You can't blame them."
“Besides, the partnership between our two families is already underway. If we call off the engagement now, won't those three hundred million just go down the drain without a trace?"
Darrick’s father was visibly moved, repeatedly praising my maturity.
'Marylin, thank you for your understanding. When Darrick returns, I'll make sure he marries you. There won't be any more mishaps this time!"
Facing their earnest gazes, I slowly shook my head. "One embarrassing incident is enough. Choosing Darrick again would make me the laughingstock of Bridgit society."
“Besides, the Calderón Family has more than one unmarried man, doesn't it?”
A smile curved my lips as my gaze swept around the hall.
It finally settled on Jayson Calderon's face in the corner and I tapped my finger in his direction. "I think Uncle Jayson is quite suitable."
"I hear he's a sworn brother you made years ago, only eight years older than Darrick. I doubt there'd be much of a generation gap between us."
Darrick’s father's eyes widened, he and Darrick’s mother spoke in unison, "Absolutely not!"
"Jayson is merely my younger brother—not truly part of the Calderon Family. He knows nothing about company affairs. Miss Graham, please don't joke about this."
"Yeah, Marylin, Jayson is just a manager at a subsidiary company. You'd be settling for less by marrying him. He's got no ambition and no business sense..."
I ignored their words, but I couldn't help feeling a faint urge to laugh.
Jayson had kept it hidden from the Calderon Family all these years.
His overseas business was thriving—how could that be called lacking ambition? How could he be considered lacking in business sense?
Compared to Darrick, who could be dismissed with a single phone call, Jayson was the true schemer of the Calderon Family.
More importantly, he loved me.
In my past life, as I nearly bled to death on the operating table, Jayson rushed in recklessly, demanding to donate blood to save my life.
But our blood types didn't match. In the end, I still passed away.
After my death, he used his overseas connections to oust the Calderon Family from their circle, bankrupting them.
All three family members ended up homeless, beaten and cursed by creditors with nowhere to hide.
At my grave, Jayson poured out his heart to me.
He said he had seen me long ago and fallen in love at first sight.
The reason Jayson joined the Calderon Family solely to be near me.
Little did he know I would fall for Darrick.
Jayson avenged me, yet took his own life at my grave.
In his final moments, he revealed a truth that stunned me, that if the child in my womb was his.
That night at the hotel, it was Jayson who went to the rendezvous in Darrick's place.
The figure beneath my fingertips gradually emerged from the crowd.
Jayson, clad in a bespoke suit, wore a faint smile as his gaze settled on my face. "Miss Graham, I am not a member of the Calderon Family. I cannot give you the life you desire."
"If you follow me, you'll suffer hardship."
I returned his words with an even brighter smile. "What could be harder than having a husband who cheats?"
“You're poor and I'm rich — this is a match made in heaven!”
Mr. Calderon, seeing this, tried urgently to intervene, but my father's icy glare forced him back.
"What? The fact that my daughter likes your younger brother is his good fortune. Do you expect me to let her marry your good-for-nothing son and foot the bill?"
"Mr. Calderon, know your place."
Mr. Calderon slapped his forehead and changed his tone. "Oh, Mr. Graham is absolutely right. As long as Miss Graham is happy, I have no objections!"
"Jayson, come over and greet Mr. Graham."
"After the wedding, you won't need to go to the company anymore. Just take good care of Miss Graham every day.”
“You're just a junior manager anyway—the company can manage perfectly well with or without you."
He dressed Jayson in the tuxedo Darrick had taken off, growing more pleased with the result the longer he looked.
Just as they were about to push him onto the stage to begin the ceremony, I suddenly spoke up, "Wait."
"Uncle Jayson, I, Marylin Graham, won't marry a useless man. You stripped him of his position—how is he supposed to support me?"
Mr. Calderon froze, "The Graham Family isn't short on money either..."
"The Graham Family is more wealthy than the Calderon Family. What does it have to do with Jayson? He's marrying a wife, not becoming a son-in-law."
I stepped around him and stood beside Jayson, sizing him up. "Besides, if I'm condescending myself to marry your foster brother, shouldn't you offer me a dowry higher than what you gave Darrick?”
“Otherwise, why should I lower myself? You don't seriously think Calderon's surname can be used as currency, do you?"
Darrick’s father's expression darkened, his hands rubbing anxiously at his palms. "What compensation does Miss Graham require? Name it. If it's within my power, I'll grant it."
"After marriage, Jayson will be my husband. Hand over that three hundred million project for him to manage."
"Also, Darrick publicly humiliated me. Have him and Myra roll out of the company together—never to return."
Before Darrick’s father could speak, Darrick’s mother protested urgently, "No, Darrick is my own flesh and blood. The entire Calderon Family legacy is meant to be passed down to him!"
