Derek just wanted his daughter to marry someone from an equivalent family, so that if the marriage hit a rough patch or if she ever felt mistreated, he could step in and help her.
But what if she married into a much more powerful and influential family than theirs? Even if Derek put his life on the line, justice might be hard to come by in this cruel world.
What if his daughter was mistreated then? The thought of his daughter suffering while he could not offer any help was something he couldn’t bear.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtJeffrey was well aware of the family's concerns, so he immediately assured them, “Karen and | have discussed this. I've transferred all my assets to her. If | ever mess up and make her mad, | agree to a no-fault divorce and will walk away with nothing but the shirt on my back.” His declaration left Derek and Serena momentarily stunned.
“I swear, my feelings for Karen are true. I'm not just playing around,” Jeffrey raised his hand solemnly, an earnest look on his face. “I've been chasing her for ages, wanting to marry her isn't just some whim! You're right, I've had a checkered past, but | promise, from now on, Karen is the only woman for me.” He spoke with such conviction that even Karen couldn't help but give him a few extra glances, wondering if he was just making well-rehearsed pledges.
After all, she only knew about his past from hearsay and his own accounts. Who knew if he would to fall for every girl he met? Perhaps these sweet nothings were second nature to him by now.
“We need to think this over. You should head back for today,” Derek exchanged a glance with his wife, feeling that things had escalated too quickly and it was best to cool off before making any decisions.
“But my parents are already on their way to come.” Jeffrey had called his parents earlier, and as soon as they heard, they dropped everything to come over.
Especially Paloma, who was eager to have Karen as her daughter-in-law and save herself the trouble of playing matchmaker.
“We don’t wish to meet them today,” Derek said flatly, “As you can see, the timing isn’t right.” Silence fell on Jeffrey's side.
Seeing her parents’ firm stance, Karen spoke up, “Dad, Mom, I'll explain everything to you in detail, but Jeffrey's already asked his parents to come. It would be rude to turn them away now. After all, they might be my in-laws in the future. Starting off on the wrong foot wouldn't be good, right?” The term "in-laws" sounded like a charm.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJeffrey's gaze brightened considerably at hearing it! It was an indirect acceptance of the engagement. How could he not be thrilled? “Karen, come with me,” Serena said, pulling her daughter into the master bedroom.
Once the door was closed, Serena took a deep breath.
“Do you realize you almost gave your father a heart attack?” “I'm sorry...” Karen hung her head, feeling guilty.
The truth was, she hadn't anticipated this. If she had known, she would have avoided being at home with Jeffrey.
“What's going on between you and that young man? Weren't you and Levi dating well? We heard he’s been in hospital after an accident. Your father and | visited him today and he kept singing your praises!” Karen didn’t have the courage to reveal the real cause of Levi's "accident" and could only awkwardly rub her forehead, “He's nice, but we're not right for each other.” “And the guy outside is right for you?” “He really treats me well,” Karen admitted, “Mom, | want to give it a try with him.”