“This is awesome! We have a new addition to the family! Now our house will become even livelier,” Willow exulted, then recalled something. “Oops, I mean, two additions. I forgot I have a nephew coming.”
Her adorable behavior amused everyone, and the mood was instantly relaxed as everyone guffawed. Later, everyone took their seats. As Jared behaved very relaxed in front of his family, Ellen eased as well.
“Ellie, you and Jared decide on a date for the wedding tonight. I’ll take you to a wedding service agency tomorrow to learn more about wedding procedures, alright?”
“Sure, Mom.” Ellen nodded. “Mom, I’ll join you guys,’ said Jared before. turning to Willow. “You should come with us too. You’re going to be Ellie’s bridesmaid.”
“Okay! What a great honor. It’s my first time being a bridesmaid too!” Willow gushed, then asked, “What about your best man? Have your gotten one?”
I’m getting my guy to come back from wherever he is, of course,’ said Jared. He had at close friend whom he had known since childhood and was also born to the purple. On top of that, he had a quarter of foreign origin.
“It’s Ethan, isn’t it?!” Willow was spot on. “It is.” Jared nodded, then turned to Ellen. “He’s my closest friend. I’ll introduce you guys to each other when he comes back.” Ellen nodded in response and thought his friends were likely as outstanding as he was.
“It’s been a while since I last saw Ethan,” Anastasia said with a smile. “It was about three years ago, I think, when you two came home and stayed for two weeks.”
“I heard he’s gone to the North Pole for business. He should be back soon, Jared added. Ethan’s family was a leading enterprise in shipping, and their business stretched across all major cities of the world. Plus, they also had some business dealings with the Presgraves.
After dinner, Anastasia brought Ellen to the couch and pulled out the present she had prepared for her new daughter-in-law. “Ellie, this is a first-meeting gift from me to you. Take a look and see if you like it.”
Ellen looked at the box and didn’t even need to guess to know it likely contained jewelry. With that, she opened it to find a stunning ruby necklace lying on top of a black velvet cloth, sparkling under the lights..
“Wow, this is so pretty!” Ellen gushed from the bottom of her heart. While she knew nothing about jewelry, she knew the necklace was certainly extremely valuable. “My mom designed it just for you,” said Willow, and Ellen felt extremely honored.
Jared once told her his mother used to work as a jewelry designer and even had her own listed company. Now, seeing Anastasia’s design for herself, she was genuinely impressed by the woman. “Thank you, Mom, Ellen thanked gratefully.
“And I, you. You turned my Jared from a son to a husband and a father and made him a more responsible and conscientious man,” said Anastasia, feeling truly grateful that the Reisses saved her son.
Just then, Jared sat down and held Ellen’s hand before turning to his mother. “Mom, there’s something I should tell you. Ellen is the sister of the guy who saved me.”
Anastasia nodded at that. “Willow told me. about it. It must be fate that we’re to be a family.”
It didn’t surprise Jared, for he had expected Willow to tell their parents, and he also checked with Ellen when they were on their way to the restaurant. She didn’t mind talking about her past.
At that, Jared gazed at Ellen with an aching heart, then revealed to his parents, “Mom, Dad, Ellen was only seven back then, and she never got the 15 million we gave the Aguirres. Not even a portion. They claimed it for themselves. Not only that, they even treated Ellie poorly, making her life miserable.”
“What?!” The revelation shocked Anastasia. “If my memory serves me right, Mr. Stark told your father to have a chat with them because they had a daughter who was looking to study abroad. Was it not Ellie?”
