QT: Against My Will-Chapter 595 - 10.07 - Seraphine’s Degree - Rebirth Of The Heart
William leaned in to Edward and whispered, "This is clearly coordinated. We need to tread carefully."
Edward’s father quickly spoke up, "Let’s not jump to conclusions. There are plenty of witnesses here who saw that Edward did not push her."
"I demand compensation for the injuries he inflicted on me!" the woman cried out from her position on the floor, "Surely a respected family such as the Ashtors can afford to make things right!"
Edward’s mother exchanged a quick glance with her husband, both aware that this situation was quickly escalating into a PR joke. Someone must have stalked them and prepared this stunt beforehand. The pressing question that lingered in the air was, who had leaked their whereabouts?
William sighed. This was why they couldn’t even visit a fast food chain when they were kids. Some schemers would bet on gaining sympathy, while people like this would rely on different tactics to take advantage.
["Kuro, is there any relevant law on defamation and related offenses?"]
Bing Shi could relate. People would also often see her as a walking opportunity, ready to exploit her resources for their own gain. Well, who could blame them? She had also used others as a stepping stone to her goals.
"Give me your account information," Seraphine said, tapping away on the device around her wrist.
Skeptical but intrigued, the woman provided her details.
"10 000$ should cover both your physical and mental injuries," Seraphine promptly transferred the money into the woman’s account, causing the other woman to smile in greed before it dropped in the instant.
Seraphine continued, "Under the Defamation Act, false accusations can lead to severe penalties, including substantial fines and potential jail time."
She quickly calculated the numbers on her wrist, inputting a series of figures. "Considering Ashtor’s family public profile, we’re easily talking about $200,000 to $300,000 here."
As Seraphine finished speaking, the color drained from the woman’s face, leaving her as white as a sheet.
Edward’s eyes met the woman’s now-panicked gaze. "Who sent you here?" he asked. Her job was obviously amateurish, and easy to be exploited even by his wife who never studied law in this world before.
The woman hesitated, her eyes darting around the coffee shop as if she was looking for someone, "I don’t know who it was," she stammered. "They contacted me anonymously, okay? I didn’t ask questions; I just did what they told me to do."
The woman returned the money, and then hastily fled, disappearing in the crowd outside.
Edward’s mother kindly requested the people present to delete the footage they had recorded, including the ones from the cameras.
Bing Shi had already requested Kuro to cut their connection so they couldn’t stream it online.
After the crowd dispersed, Edward’s father rented out the whole place, forcing the staff to close the shop and only accept take-outs, so they could have some real privacy.
William couldn’t help but think how Seraphine could be the orchestrator of the earlier parade to paint herself in a better view.
William wasn’t the only one who thought that. Edward’s parents’ trust issues would have been on high alert too if it weren’t for Edward’s recent actions. Some scammers would go to great lengths to obtain their trust.
In the past, their son was attacked and then saved by the same instigator just to receive some gratitude money.
However, Seraphine didn’t need to paint herself in a good image. She could be a criminal, and they would still have no choice but to accept her. However, she could have done it to impress Edward. Yet, instead of being impressed or shocked by her wittiness and fast reactions, Edward mocked her instead!?
Edward looked at Seraphine, "I’m tempted to call that woman back and watch you drag her through the legal maze of the courts for real. I’ll be happy to pay for your lawyer just to see you try and get at least $100,000 in pure profit out of her," he teased her humorously, knowing how difficult it would be to recover that amount from someone without that kind of money.
"..." Seraphine gently fed him with a croissant to shut him up, "Here, eat this. You sound too hungry."
Edward took a bite before continuing, "I have a feeling you’re going to take everyone by storm in court with your degree," he said, his tone more sweet and innocent, as if he couldn’t help but admire her talents.
"..." Taking a bite herself, Bing Shi thought about how she should have kept her mouth shut and let hubby take care of things instead.
"Have you started studying law?" Edward’s father inquired of Seraphine as he finally smiled genuinely. "I remember his friend Daniel also pursued a law degree." He knew Seraphine used to be his son’s best friend’s girlfriend, probably where her knowledge of law came from, but he no longer pursued the matter.
Seraphine replied with a smile, "No, I never studied law. I have a degree in fine arts, with a focus on painting and sculpture," her words caused Edward to burst into laughter, "..."
Edward reached into his breast pocket before Seraphine stopped him, placing her hand over his chest as if to prevent him from pulling out whatever he was about to do, "I think you have bragged enough about my talents today."
"But you see, I was just about to announce my grand plan to open a gallery filled exclusively with your masterpieces," Edward retreated his hand from his chest pocket when she refused to budge her hand, "...pfft..." and continued to laugh whenever he looked down at the hidden treasure in his pocket.
"..." Seraphine cast an adorable, pleading look at Edward’s family, her expression seemingly saying: Could someone please do something with your family member? He’s been poking fun at me relentlessly!
"Dear, you really must be talented," said his mother.
In his parents’ eyes, Edward currently behaved like a tamed dog in Seraphine’s company. If she knew what a wild beast he turned into without her, she would be more grateful for what she had.
William turned to Seraphine, joining Edward with the little teasings, "I’ve studied fine arts for a while too. Do you have a favorite medium to work with?"
"...Umm..." Whatever Bing Shi said would probably summon another fit of laughter from her husband. She lacked that creative spark, which was precisely why she chose to be a structural engineer instead of an architect.
A career as a fashion designer was never in the cards for her either — even though she loved fashion. For this whole reason, she knew for sure that she would suck as an artist too, and resigned from Seraphine’s job as an art teacher.
The thing in Edward’s pocket was her little attempt at modeling a sharkie out of clay.
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A few months later...
While Daniel’s meteoric rise was extraordinary, it also posed a question that was growing harder to ignore. His success was so intertwined with Isabelle that he began to wonder what it meant for their relationship.
She had always blamed him for marrying her in the past, and he had also blamed her for killing their child — thus, the reason why he refused to divorce her. He wanted them to suffer together.
And now, he wanted to marry her for selfish reasons again, ’What if she is still harboring feelings for Edward? What if she is doing all these to make Edward regret his decision and come back to her?’
Daniel knew that a simple proposal wouldn’t do justice to the extraordinary journey he and Isabelle had been on.
He wanted to make a statement, something grand that would match the magnitude of their success. So he planned an extravagant proposal unlike anything the country had seen.
He decided to rent out a rooftop venue overlooking the city skyline and arranged for it to be lavishly decorated with Isabelle’s favorite flowers and romantic lighting.
As the sun began to set, floating lanterns took up the sky, creating a breathtaking display of lights. Isabelle looked up in awe while a group of musicians began to play soft music.
That’s when Daniel got down on one knee, holding up a custom-designed engagement ring he’d spent weeks choosing and retouching.
"Isabelle," he began, "Every day, you inspire me to be the best version of myself, and with you, I’ve experienced a love so profound that it transcends words. I want to be there for you, in every sunrise and every sunset, in every challenge and every triumph. To laugh with you, to dream with you, to build a future that is as beautiful and enduring as..." his emotional confession continued on until he asked her the final question, "So, Isabelle, will you marry me?"
In a coordinated effort, the city’s skyscrapers became part of the spectacle. Every electronic billboard and screen on those towering buildings flickered to life, broadcasting their special moment to the entire country.
The moment Isabelle says "yes," a flock of white doves was released into the sky. While red packets, symbols of good fortune and happiness, cascaded down the heavens together with thousands of rose petals.
The moment was quickly shared on social media, where it went viral almost instantly. News outlets picked it up, declaring it the "most extravagant proposal the country had ever seen."
Overwhelmed and touched by the grand gesture, Isabelle said "Yes," making them not just the couple of the year but also the engagement story of the decade.
Public attention shifted overwhelmingly in favor of Daniel and Isabelle, especially after they were named "Couple of the Year" with the "Biggest Glow-Up."
People naturally began to take sides. Social media buzzed with hashtags like #TeamEdphine and #TeamDanabelle, and fans divided themselves into passionate supporters of one camp or the other.
╔═══ Author’s Note ════╗
I have to admit, I’m particularly invested in Daniel’s and Isabelle’s character.
Unfortunately, due to the fast-paced nature of this arc, I won’t have the chance to delve deeply into his relationship with Isabella. 🥺
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