Who Cares About Him When I'm Married to the Richest Man?-Chapter 109: If You Twist a Melon by Force, It Won’t Be Sweet—So He’ll Make It Sweet Before Twisting
Zion Fitzwilliam nodded towards the sofa beside him, his expression indifferent, "Sit."
Brandon White felt like there were nails on his butt. Forget about sitting down, even standing was uncomfortable. He sneakily glanced at Zion Fitzwilliam and asked tentatively, "Fitzwilliam, I haven’t offended you, have I?"
Zion Fitzwilliam glanced up at him and snorted coldly.
Initially, it was Brandon White who had suggested he pretend to be gay.
Thinking about how Elara had genuinely called him her sister twice today made his anger rise unchecked, and he found Brandon White increasingly irritating.
He lifted his gaze and pointed to the bottle on the coffee table, "Pour a drink."
When Felix Ford came in, Brandon White was nervously downing his third glass of wine. Fitzwilliam’s look was too frightening; he dared not question further, so he obediently did whatever was asked.
But Fitzwilliam was too much; he asked him to pour drinks but didn’t drink a single glass himself, yet Brandon White had already had three and Fitzwilliam showed no sign of stopping.
As soon as Felix Ford entered, he teased, "Whoa, has old White got the drinking bug? Just as well, I brought a fine bottle from abroad, air-shipped from a vineyard yesterday, have a taste."
He owned an entire vineyard abroad, producing batches of high-end wines every few years, each bottle so valuable it could buy a house.
Brandon White had craved these wines for years, but Felix, being stingy, had never let him have a single bottle.
Seeing Felix place that decade-old vintage on the table, Brandon White ignored Felix’s teasing and crawled over, shocked, "Wow, the sun must have risen in the west today! What good fortune befell you for you to share such a fine wine with a bro?"
Felix gave him a sidelong glance, snapped his fingers, and laughed, "Thanks to a few brothers, the family feud has reached a fever pitch. My cousin ended up in the hospital after a stroke, paralyzed, and unlikely to reclaim power, and the old man is sick with anger."
Upon hearing this, Brandon White fell silent, then asked after a moment, "And your cousin-in-law..." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Felix curled his lips, a smile whose genuineness was questionable, "They’re clamoring for a divorce."
In their circles, many things weren’t secrets, especially among these friends. Felix’s miserable past when the woman left him was still vivid; she left because he was content being a doctor without aspirations or backbone, and then got involved with his cousin.
Poor Felix, for whom this was his first love and first serious relationship, was left dejected for three years.
Now hearing about the woman’s and his cousin’s comeuppance, Brandon White felt relieved for him, "Alright, man, look forward."
Zion Fitzwilliam’s gaze shifted over to Felix, asking pointedly, "Still haven’t let go?"
Felix’s expression faltered.
Knowing Felix well, Brandon White instantly understood and exploded, "Seriously, what’s wrong with you? How could you go for that woman? Have you forgotten how she humiliated you when she dumped you? She even has a kid now—you really have issues going back to that old fling, not worried about choking on your words?"
Felix didn’t speak but silently looked at the table for a while before chuckling, "Alright, let’s not talk about this. Today’s about celebrating with the guys. By the way, Fitzwilliam, what’s the reason for this gathering today?"
Surely it couldn’t be that he missed them? Ever since getting cozy with his little wife, he had practically forgotten his friends, often skipping gatherings.
The reason, to dine with his wife.
Come on, as if no one else had a wife.
But then, among the group, except for Zion Fitzwilliam, everyone was single. Except for Felix who once had a fiancée, none had a steady girlfriend.
For heirs of their stature, women were for fulfilling needs; love was a luxury, marriage a tool of the family. Yet Zion Fitzwilliam dared to stand up to his family, gaining the autonomy over his marriage.
Then again, he had the skills to back it up. With the entire Fitzwilliam Family in his hands, no one could truly stop him.
At Felix’s question, Brandon White returned to the topic, "Fitzwilliam, could your moodiness today be related to little sister-in-law?"
He considered, thinking he hadn’t offended her.
How did he end up taking three shots as Fitzwilliam avenged some offense?
Seated on the black leather sofa, Zion Fitzwilliam held his phone with a message from his friend Kent Lynch, who said he couldn’t make it today, to enjoy and he’ll settle the bill later.
Kent was busy with an overseas acquisition, and clearly couldn’t slip away.
Once he put his phone down and with Kent not coming, everyone else was present.
Zion Fitzwilliam crossed his legs, rested a hand on the wooden armrest, giving the two before him a cursory glance before speaking, "Pretending to be gay won’t work, think of another plan."
Brandon White and Felix Ford mentally ran through countless scenarios but hadn’t expected Zion to say that.
Brandon White braved himself to ask, "Fitzwilliam, what do you mean pretending to be gay won’t work? Aren’t things going well between you two? Proximity should breed relationship, slow and steady wins the race; I’d say it’s the best plan."
Obviously, since he proposed it, if it fell through, Fitzwilliam might throttle him.
Or worse, those three shots were... a punishment?
Felix also analyzed, "She’s just been heartbroken, wary of all men; being her male confidant is indeed the best choice. Once she’s used to your attentive care and nurturing..."
Zion Fitzwilliam couldn’t listen anymore, gritting out, "She already considers me a sister."
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
Brandon White and Felix Ford looked dumbfounded before bursting into laughter.
"Haha, Fitzwilliam, she actually thinks you’re her sister, what’s she even thinking!"
"That’s wild! So, did warming her heart just bypass love and turn into sisterhood?"
Amidst the harsh ridicule from his friends, Zion Fitzwilliam clenched his fists.
Face impassive, he shot them a look filled with latent anger.
"Is it that funny?"
Brandon White and Felix Ford immediately fell silent, "No, no, not funny at all, pfft, not one bit, pfft."
Zion Fitzwilliam remained silent for a while but eventually swallowed his pride, "Think of something."
He absolutely did not want to be Elara’s sister. He’d pretended to be gay to get close, not to be her sister.
Brandon White lounged on the sofa, pondering, "Why not find a chance to tell her you’re bisexual, and like both men and women?"
Felix added to the idea, "Just casually bring a woman around her, say you’ve found true love and discovered you’re bisexual, see how she reacts."
Zion Fitzwilliam refused without a second thought, "I won’t test her that way."
His feelings for Elara were quite special. Living in a world of deception and intrigue, sincerity was the cheapest yet most expensive thing. He never deigned to give his true heart. Yet he was willing to devote all his passion and sincerity to her.
It might sound pretentious, but that’s exactly how he felt about Elara. He could not tolerate even the slightest bit of deceit or betrayal, not even falsehoods.
He didn’t want her to find, should they eventually end up together, that there was any insincerity in his feelings.
Of course, the main thing was, he didn’t have the capital to test her anyway.
She had no feelings for him in that way; if he really used another woman to test her, he was afraid she’d just sincerely bless him...
Zion Fitzwilliam didn’t want to cause himself trouble, saying expressionlessly, "Think of another, try again."
Felix Ford and Brandon White were seasoned veterans; they had many tricks with women, but mostly it was just money power — just throw enough money, and any woman could be taken, never seriously pursuing a good girl properly.
Oh, Felix Ford did pursue one once, but it ended in failure, his experiences were all negative.
So the two wracked their brains and thought of many methods, none of which Zion Fitzwilliam approved of. In the end, he mercilessly sneered at them, "You call this being battle-hardened?"
Neither dared to openly retort, just inwardly thinking: At least it’s a hundred times better than you being solo from birth.
By the end of the conversation, Zion Fitzwilliam also realized that counting on these two was hopeless.
He still had to find his own way out.
After toiling away all night with no results, his mood worsened. He ignored Brandon White and Felix Ford, who had already started playing drinking games, picked up his coat, and headed out, "You guys have fun, put it on my tab."
Brandon White and Felix Ford exchanged glances and sighed helplessly; Fitz’s brother was just weaving himself into a cocoon.
Brandon White really couldn’t understand what kind of woman was worth all this effort to please. Weren’t women just for spending money to sleep with? What’s the point of worrying so much; why not just sleep with her?
Didn’t they say the vagina is the key to a woman’s heart? If once doesn’t work, then sleep with her multiple times.
Why be so cautious?
But he dared not say these words; if he did, Fitz would definitely kill him.
Felix Ford, on the other hand, could understand Zion Fitzwilliam; he just felt that emotions were a personal matter, no matter how much advice others gave, he still had to walk the path himself. Moreover, with his failed experience, he was embarrassed to impart any knowledge.
Zion Fitzwilliam left the club, driving a car worth around twenty thousand dollars, wandering the streets. He pondered a lot and finally decided just to let things be natural; forceful love would be unsweet, but since he decided to force it, he’d first sweeten it before twisting.
After all, with his tight guard, no one could steal this melon.
It’d merely take time to make her fall in love with him.
Once he figured it out, that pent-up frustration inside him eased. Just then, Assistant Harris called, his tone solemn, "President Fitzwilliam, Chris Chase is dead."
Zion Fitzwilliam’s expression didn’t change one bit as he asked, "How did he die?"
"Suicide," Assistant Harris replied, "The prison guard said that ever since he heard about the death of his ex-wife and child, he hadn’t been in good spirits, muttering alone in the prison corner. This morning, he was found to have stabbed his throat with a spoon, dying from excessive blood loss."
Zion Fitzwilliam wasn’t surprised by this outcome. From past information, Chris Chase had always had a very conflicted personality. He was seduced by Ivy Jenkins, guilty towards his wife and daughter. He chose Ivy Jenkins for money and power, but often regretted it. Now Ivy Jenkins was dead, his wife and child also dead, it was normal he couldn’t take it and committed suicide.
What he cared about was something else, "Did he spill anything before he died?"
Assistant Harris regrettably said, "No, we’d arranged for people to visit him many times, but he only had one thing to say: Ivy Jenkins and her brother Jeff Jenkins murdered and disposed of a corpse. Who they killed, he never said; he just told us to investigate."
But nothing could be uncovered.
This matter was too bizarre; he didn’t know why President Fitzwilliam suddenly wanted to investigate these seemingly unrelated people. How come nothing could be found on them, yet you were very sure there was a problem?
But where the problem lay, how to find a breakthrough, he never could pinpoint.
Zion Fitzwilliam was already mentally prepared for this result, he remained silent for a moment, then said, "Continue watching the Jacobs Family."
After saying that, he hung up the phone.
Not sure what he thought of, he rubbed his temples, after a moment drove home.
Thinking of the little wife waiting for him at home, his eyes finally showed a hint of a smile; it’s okay, life is long, she will love him.
By the time Zion Fitzwilliam returned home, Elara was getting ready for bed. It was her first time taking care of a child, although Joanne Carter was already ten, she still found herself flustered. She initially wanted to bathe Joanne, but Joanne laughed, saying it wasn’t necessary, so she just helped prepare pajamas for her. Fortunately, Jasmine and Joanne were about the same height; what was prepared initially for Jasmine could all fit Joanne.
After Joanne bathed, Elara followed her into the bedroom, wanting to read a bedtime story to coax her to sleep.
Joanne used to worry she’d be disliked, it wasn’t until now she realized, Elara was so kind and friendly, she helplessly explained to Elara, "Sister, I’m grown up now, I can handle eating, drinking, and washing by myself."
Really, no need to treat her like a three-year-old baby.
Elara awkwardly uttered an "ah," a bit embarrassed, "I’ve never taken care of a child, lack the experience. If I do something wrong, tell me, we’ll adjust to each other."
Joanne felt a warm tingle in her heart, deeply moved. No one ever treated her so well before, this was something she had sought for herself, she would cherish it dearly.
"Sister Elara, with your help, I’m very grateful. I’ll grow up well and repay you when I start earning money in the future."
Elara didn’t take those words to heart, after all, it was just a child’s innocent words. Besides, she had no intent of having Joanne repay her.
"Are you nervous about going to school tomorrow?" she asked.
Joanne nodded honestly, "A bit."
She was afraid her classmates wouldn’t like her or would look down on her.
Elara held her hand, comforting her, "Don’t worry, I’ve already talked to the teacher, she’ll look after you."
Joanne’s homeroom teacher was the wife of one of her clients, after connecting, that client had patted his chest assuring that she’d take good care of Joanne.
Joanne sweetly smiled and curiously asked, "Sister Elara, why don’t you sleep with Uncle Fitzwilliam? Aren’t you married?"
She genuinely asked, having noticed that Elara’s belongings were all in this bedroom. Originally, there was a bed in the room, and now with her moving in, Sister Elara had set up another small bed for her.
But aren’t a married couple supposed to live together?
Elara was taken aback by the question, momentarily not knowing what to say, cold sweat already forming in her heart, ah, having planned everything in advance, she forgot how to cover this lie up in front of the child.
Joanne, seeing her silence, became more convinced of her guess, kindly advised, "Sister Elara, when couples have issues they should communicate properly, not have a cold war, it hurts feelings much. Today I noticed Uncle Fitzwilliam seemed to have good intentions towards you, why not take today to have a heart-to-heart talk? Why keep sleeping in two rooms?"
Elara gave a dry laugh, her mind spinning in circles yet unable to conjure any excuse, seeing Joanne close her eyes readying for sleep, she had no choice but to leave the room first.
When Zion Fitzwilliam returned, Elara was busy in the living room; Zion Fitzwilliam noticed the bedding on the sofa, his expression shifted, "You... why sleep here?"
