Chapter 24: The Cancellation of the Engagement with Lily
After receiving the text message, Lily immediately walked over to the shoe cabinet and put away the bank card.
She wasn’t planning to spend it recklessly.
After all, the man was being generous to her because of the life–saving favor she once did for him. It wouldn’t be right to take advantage of his kindness.
As for his promise of forever, she wasn’t going to believe it.
True feelings are genuine, but they change in an instant.
Having learned the hard way, she was no longer naive.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the phone, Jaxen waited for several minutes but received no reply. A flicker of disappointment crossed his deep eyes.
He pursed his lips and turned off the screen of his phone.
“Mr. Gates, Gates Corporation’s stock price hit the limit down early this morning. Even the old master is concerned,” Ambrose placed two documents in front of Jaxen.
“The news this morning had a huge impact. The PR department has drafted a plan to handle this. Should we review it first?”
Given that this involved the Gates family, the PR department was being cautious and wanted to ask Jaxen for approval.
Without looking up from his work, Jaxen replied coldly, “Tell the PR department to stay out of it. Whoever caused the mess should handle it themselves.”
Ambrose nodded and quietly left the office.
Half an hour later, Mateo burst in, agitated. “Uncle, what’s going on? Such a big issue, and you won’t let the PR department intervene? Are you trying to let outsiders laugh at our family?”
Jaxen, engrossed in the documents before him, didn’t even raise his head.
The silence in the room was thick, and only when Mateo spoke again did he realize how rashly he had acted.
He took a deep breath and cautiously spoke, “Uncle?”
Mateo was irritated. Last night, he had been dragged into drinking by Josh. The alcohol was so strong that after just two glasses, he had gotten completely drunk.
He had no recollection of how he ended up at the hotel with Eliza.
And this morning, he had been cornered by reporters outside his hotel room. It was all a mess.
“Uncle, could you at least say something?”
Finally, Jaxen put down the papers and looked at Mateo with a deep, cold gaze.
“You’re embarrassed, yet you’re still acting recklessly outside? The one who’s embarrassed is you. You deal with it yourself.”
The cold tone made Mateo feel a shiver run down his spine.
“Uncle, we share the same last name. This situation is embarrassing for the entire Gates family. And even if you won’t help me, are you just going to watch Gates Corporation’s stock price continue to fall?”
10:20
From Ilis Cell to His Uncle’s Bed
12.1%
Chapter 24: The Cancellation of the Engagement with Lily
Jaxen sneered. “Gates Corporation can afford a drop. As for you, after doing something that tarnishes the family’s reputation, you come to me for help? Where do you get the nerve?”
Mateo felt that Jaxen was being unreasonable.
But thinking about it, it made sense. Gates Corporation had lost billions in just one morning because of his actions. Now, the shareholders of the company probably hated him,
At that moment, Ambrose knocked and entered, giving a brief glance at Mateo before speaking. “Eliza is here. She wants to see Manager Gates.”
Mateo was about to go out to meet her when Jaxen coldly ordered, “Bring her in.”
“Mateo, our situation has caused too much of a stir, and Foster Corporation’s stock price has been affected. If this continues, the losses will only keep growing.”
Eliza walked in, and when she saw that Jaxen was also in the room, her face stiffened. She quickly greeted, “Mr. Gates.”
Mateo noticed that Eliza had a scarf draped over her arm. He quickly recognized that it was the one he had given to Lily ten years ago.
“That’s…” he said, surprised.
“It’s the one I found in the trash at the Foster house this morning. It was probably thrown away by my sister. I remember it’s yours, Mateo. Do you still
want it?”
Mateo’s face twitched. “Oh, really? Lily, you’re really something!”
Eliza wore a self–blaming and apologetic expression. “Maybe the news this morning upset her… Mateo, should I explain things to her?”
Mateo spoke coldly, “Uncle, cancel my engagement with Lily. Replace it with Eliza!”
Since Lily dared to throw away his things, he was going to make her regret it for the rest of her life!
It was only because she had the engagement that she dared to act like this.
Let’s see how she behaves now that the engagement is gone!
Jaxen’s dark eyes flickered with a deep expression. “Ok?”
Mateo gritted his teeth. “Tell everyone that Lily went to prison for three years and is unworthy of me! This marriage was already switched to Eliza! We just didn’t announce it yet. That way, the things that happened this morning between Eliza and I will be justified.”
Eliza’s heart surged with joy.
The stage had been set, and the show was playing out just as she had hoped. She had been thinking about how to subtly bring this up to Mateo, but to her surprise, he had already thought of it himself.
Although the situation wasn’t exactly what she had envisioned, where her reputation was completely ruined, she was fine with the outcome.
Marrying into the Gates family was worth losing her reputation.
Hearing this, Jaxen slammed the teacup on the table with a loud, jarring noise.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew tense, causing both Mateo and Eliza’s hearts to race.
“What did you say? Who is unworthy of whom?”
Jaxen’s eyes darkened, exuding an almost palpable chill.
“Lily already explained everything about the prison incident, didn’t she? It was this woman here who framed her to get her incarcerated.”
“You’re the one who betrayed Lily, yet you want to blame her for everything?”
10:20
From His Cell to His Uncle’s Bed
12.3%
Chapter 24: The Cancellation of the Engagement with Lily
“You want to break the engagement? Fine, I have no objections. But you’re on your own for this. Don’t drag women into your mess to cover for you.”
“Lily did nothing wrong. You’re the one who changed your heart. She’s the one who got hurt, and now you want her to cover up your affair?”
“Mateo, men like you are despicable. Your foolish actions are the ones tarnishing the Gates family’s reputation!”
Jaxen’s tone grew colder, each word cutting sharply through the air.
Mateo felt a deep sense of embarrassment, his face turning pale.
His frustration built up inside, and he couldn’t keep it in any longer.
“Fine! I’ll take full responsibility! I’ll go to the press with Eliza right now to clear this up!”
The longer this dragged on, the more troublesome it became. Mateo just wanted to resolve it quickly today.
Jaxen’s expression remained indifferent. “Do whatever you want, but does your mother know?”
The mention of his mother made Mateo freeze.
Romy Brooks, Mateo’s mother, had never liked Eliza. She always thought of her as an unrefined girl, never looking at her properly.
Mateo was already planning to call a press conference right away.
Once the news was out and made official, even if Romy didn’t like Eliza, she’d have no choice.
Mateo remained silent, but Jaxen seemed to understand what he was thinking.
He waved his hand, signaling that they could leave.
As they left, Eliza felt a rush of excitement but also anxiety.
“Mateo, don’t you think you should at least warn your mother first? And what about Lily? What if she keeps bothering you and tries to win you back?”
That was Eliza’s biggest concern.
She had already caused a stir, and now she was worried about offending her future mother–in–law.
Also, even though Mateo was leaning towards her now, Eliza’s instincts told her that during the seven years he spent entangled with Lily, he probably hadn’t felt nothing for her…
What if Lily eventually regretted it and came begging Mateo to take her back?
Mateo wasn’t bothered. He kissed Eliza on the forehead.
“Stop overthinking. Why would I want to go back to her? She’s nothing compared to you.”
“It’s my wedding, not hers. I’m the one marrying someone, not my mom.”
10:20
