Chapter 59 - A Stupid Plan/ Porter In The Gutter

Alan Porter knew that his wife would eventually screw things up. But when he thought about it, he thought it foolish indeed to believe that they knew nothing of the scandal surrounding Aria and his wife, since one of their artists was involved. And even if they had, they would certainly have made inquiries, after all, Aria was supposedly their son's wife, and since Alex had declared at a press conference that she was his daughter, they already knew about her. 

Lydia was still pretending she did not know about the scandal. She had a reputation for not being interested in family business matters, so people often thought she was just a housewife who was good for nothing but partying and shopping.

"Madam Porter, what have you done to deserve such a nickname? It should be something shameful. I do not want my son to have a mother-in-law who has a bad reputation! And what about this scandal with your daughter?"

"It's not what it seems, Mrs. Jensen, you know how people tend to exaggerate things!"

"So my daughter is lying to me?" Lydia's whole demeanour changed instantly, her eyes turning cold as she looked at Sheila, her warm smile nowhere to be seen.

"So Mr Porter's other daughter is Alex? No wonder I feel like I have seen those beautiful eyes somewhere, she was the one I saved back in the day years ago, wasn't she? " Eliott asked nonchalantly, paying no attention to the surprised look on Sheila and her daughter's face.

When Lydia realised playtime was over, she looked at Alan Porter and said mockingly, "Well, I think I have entertained you enough now! Alan, what are you trying to do now? You know that the one I have always thought of as my daughter is Alix's daughter, so what kind of cockamamie game are you trying to play here?"

"Lydia ah, I know that, but back when we made this agreement, we did not specify that it had to be Alex..." Since he was already there Alan decided to stay shameless until the end. 

"Really? If I remember correctly, that promise was made because Eliott saved Alex when your son tried to RAPE her. As a thank you and to make up for hurting my son, Alix suggested I take her daughter as my son's future wife; if he was willing to marry her, of course. So where did you get the idea that someone else could take her place?"

Lydia was getting angrier and angrier. She didn't like people who played dirty games and thought her stupid, and then it was her best friend's daughter who had died in pain and misery because of the man in front of her. She could not stand that he was trying to take advantage of her friend's promise to fulfil his selfish desire so openly.

Eli sensed his wife's anger and gently took her hand to calm her. 

"Alan, you have not changed at all. You are still trying to use other people to get what you want, aren't you? I don't think it was necessary to play that card because Alex is your daughter too, you should have brought her right along. Why would you pass for a fool when you know full well we aren't stupid? Besides, Alex is one of our artists, so of course, we have all her information and know exactly who she is!"

"Maybe he still had a little conscience. Since he abandoned her, he couldn't bring himself to ask her for help. What's in it for him if it's the daughter he disowned? " Lydia added, visibly annoyed with this man!

Eliott, who was listening to his parents, felt his anger growing, for he wouldn't listen to this drivel any longer.

"Well, since I have the power of decision in this matter, I will not consider the fact that you foolishly tried to trick us. If it was not for the relationship between my mother and Aunt Alix, I would not have continued this deal with you! I am still willing to keep my mother's promise. If you can bring Alex, I am more than willing to marry her, if she's willing, of course. 

Sheila was furious, she couldn't believe that this girl and her mother had taken what was hers and her children's, one more time. "If you can not take Aria, then let us just break the promise!" She shouted tauntingly at the Jensen couple! She would not give that bastard the chance to get what she wanted!

Hearing his wife, Alan frowned, thinking that he must have the stupidest wife in the world. If he was here, it was more about the cooperation that this marriage could bring about between the two families. It was a great opportunity for Priceless, who was on the verge of collapse! To win back fame and customers, he needed the Jensen; so he couldn't let this opportunity slip away so easily. But before he could say anything, Eliott cut the grass across his feet. 

"Really? Well, that's fine with me. I'll just have to pursue after her and make her my wife myself. That's no big deal. Mom, I told you I liked someone. The truth is, that woman is Alex. Now that things are clearer, I can pursue her freely, right? She's the most beautiful and interesting woman I have met in my life, after you of course." Eliott joked, to which her mother chuckled, "I fell in love with her at first sight. Maybe it's what people call fate, you know..." He added.

"Oh really?... What good news!!! I knew you would love her. That's such good news, son! Since you like her, you must work hard to marry her! No other woman will be good as her to be my daughter-in-law, understand? Well, Alan, what do you say? Actually, we don't even need you now, because she's not even your daughter anymore, is she?" Lydia couldn't hide her delight. She knew Eliott was not lying, and the twinkle in his eyes told her he was indeed in love.

"I am going to bring Alex no matter what! Just give me a little time." Allan let the deal go, the Avenir of his company depended on it!

"I'll give you a week. If you can't bring her, we will take matters into our own hands. I believe my son can make her his wife if he works hard. But if that is the case, then don't think of working with us." Concluded Lydia.

Truth be told, ever since Lydia knew that Alex was now in the country and working in her company, she had wanted to seek her out, she had been desperate to see her, to talk to her, to hug her. She had failed to help her best friend, so she didn't want to break her last promise to her.

But Eliott stopped her when they talked about the engagement promise. He had told her that they should make sure Alan Porter asked for her help because it was a way to give Alex some power and help her get her revenge. He explained to her that she wanted revenge on his father for the pain he had caused her and her mother.

After that, Alan Porter didn't want to stay. He was so embarrassed that he just wanted to leave the place. Thinking about it again, he couldn't understand how he could be so stupid to bring Aria here. If he was not worried about his company, he wouldn't have made this mistake.

Across town, Alex and Fidelia were watching TV when Alex suddenly started talking about love and marriage. Fidelia, who was engrossed in her movie, could not help but sit down and looked at her with a questioning look. Alex had never talked to her about marriage! She knew how much her friend didn't believe in it.

"I think I am going to get married soon, very soon, in fact." Alex was still looking at the TV and lazily eating her popcorn! 

Fidelia was a little confused and had to laugh out loud as if she had heard the best joke of the year. "Baby girl, what are you talking about? Since when is marriage a plan in your life?"

"Since Eliott, I guess. He asked me to marry him..."

Fidelia's eyes widened in surprise, okay, she'd urged her to follow her heart and the feeling Eliott triggered in her, but this? She had not expected this at all! "Wait, wait, wait, what are you talking about? Did he really ask you that? You are kidding, right?"

"Why are you so surprised? Do you think I can't be a good wife or something?"

"That's not the issue here miss, we are talking about a lifetime commitment with a man you just met! Besides, you are not wife material at all, you don't even know how to cook eggs, but you eat like your life depends on it!" Fidelia looked her friend straight in the eye, looking for a sign that told her she was joking.