Honey, You're a Billionaire?

After the guests left, the remaining Xanth, Young, and Finch family members gathered in the grand hall.

What had been a vibrant celebration mere moments ago was now engulfed in a heavy silence. No one uttered a word, their expressions an array of indifference, contemplation, and pensiveness.

The atmosphere was tense, and the large, untouched birthday cake in the center of the room only served as a stark, ironic reminder of the evening's abrupt end.

Many in the room were still reeling from what Jonathan had said outside. "Married couple..."

Jonathan and Rose were married? Those who had known about it earlier, like Clover and Elijah, remained indifferent, while others, like Miles and Ezra, stayed calm. However, Harriette felt uneasy, for she hadn't told Lizzie about Rose and Jonathan's marriage.

Glancing discreetly at Lizzie, Harriette saw that her expression remained neutral. But the more composed Lizzie seemed the more unsettled Harriette became. Amid this anxiety, Anna led Jonathan into the hall.

"Mrs. Finch Senior..."

Anna had rushed to relay the message after Eleanor had ordered her to bring Jonathan back from the medical building. Fortunately, she managed to catch up with him just in time.

Yet, when Jonathan appeared in the doorway, Eleanor didn't allow Anna to finish speaking. Overcome with excitement, she hurried toward Jonathan, eager to ask the question on everyone's mind-whether what he said about being married to Rose was true.

She wasn't the only one who sought clarification. Those who hadn't known of the marriage-Yara, Lizzie, Cyrus, and even Anna-fixed their gazes on Jonathan, yearning for confirmation.

However, as Eleanor approached Jonathan, she suddenly changed her question, asking, "How's Rosie? Is she all right?"

She had wanted to address Rose as her granddaughter-in-law, but she managed to restrain her excitement.

Eleanor was visibly shaken, longing to affirm what Jonathan had declared outside. But for the sake of appearances, showing concern for Rose's well-being was the more appropriate thing to do, especially with the Xanth and Young families present. She knew she would have another opportunity to ask about the marriage.

Jonathan's brows furrowed as he cast a piercing glance at Cyrus, his gaze sending a chill down Cyrus' spine.

Taken aback, Cyrus wondered what Jonathan was staring at him for.

Just as he was about to voice his displeasure, Jonathan's cold, commanding voice rang out, filled with authority. "Perhaps someone here should explain exactly what kind of despicable act they were involved in." Eleanor followed his gaze, her face darkening when she saw he was looking at Cyrus.

Before she could react further, Jonathan abruptly turned to leave. However, Eleanor swiftly grabbed his arm before he could depart.

"Jonathan, be truthful with me. Are you and Rosie truly married?"

Jonathan had publicly acknowledged his marital status to dispel any misunderstandings and safeguard Rose from potential gossip. Whether Eleanor was pleased or not was not a primary concern for him. He frowned slightly and was about to respond when a cold voice cut through the room.

"So what if they're married? They might have a marriage certificate, but that doesn't mean they can't just as easily obtain a divorce certificate."

The speaker was Clover.

Miles added swiftly, "Rosie just took over Young Group. She's got too much on her plate for an early marriage."

Elijah added his own biting remark. "Even if my daughter marries, it should be to a reputable family that isn't continuously entangled in chaos and scandal."

The sequence of pointed remarks was a coordinated effort to convey their dissatisfaction with the marriage-or, more precisely, their disapproval of the Finch family.

Eleanor felt a surge of frustration as she listened to the Finch family being disparaged. "Chaos and scandal? Who are they calling chaotic? What scandals are they insinuating?" she mused. Despite her inclination to argue, she held her tongue. The earlier incident in the greenhouse had left her wary.

"Dear in-laws..." she began.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on, don't call us that!" Clover interrupted rudely.

A wave of embarrassment washed over Eleanor, but thankfully, Elijah swiftly rebuked Clover. "Clover, have I not instructed you on the importance of respect when speaking with your elders?" He then turned to Eleanor. "Please accept my apologies, Mrs. Finch Senior. Clover's remark was out of line."

"It's no trouble at all..." Eleanor tried to brush it off, but Elijah cut her off again.

"However, it's too early to be calling us 'in-laws' just yet."

Eleanor was rendered speechless instantly. "That last part really wasn't necessary!" she thought.

Forcing a smile, Eleanor regretted not pushing harder for Jonathan and Rose to have a proper wedding ceremony when Rose first came to Regalia. If she had, they wouldn't be in such an awkward position now, with so much opposition from the others.

"Yes, yes, of course..." Eleanor managed a stiff smile as she made a solemn pledge to the Xanth family members and Miles.

"I will get to the bottom of what happened today. If there are any unsavory incidents involved, I will make sure Rosie and the three of you get a proper explanation."

Eleanor was decisive when it came to handling such situations.

Seeing that Jonathan had already

walked out, she made her way back to her original seat, her face set ina stern expression as she sat on the couch Her natural authority was palpable, even without a need for raised words.

Unfazed by the presence of the Xanth family members and Miles, Eleanor's piercing gaze swept over the members of the Finch family.

"Speak up. Who is responsible for today's fiasco, and what exactly happened?" Although her words bore no explicit threat, her tone was foreboding.

Even though Lizzie had mentally prepared herself, she couldn't help but feel a pang of nervousness.

However, the apprehension quickly faded as she reminded herself that she had no involvement in that day's events and thus couldn't be held responsible.

The hall grew uncomfortably quiet, and no one dared to speak for a long time.

With no one stepping forward, Eleanor's scrutinizing gaze swept over each of them, pausing momentarily on each person.

Faced with silence, she chose to confront someone directly.

"Cyrus! Explain yourself!"

Taken aback, Cyrus had no idea how to reply to her.

"Mom, I'm not even aware of what happened today. Jonathan and Rose had a private rendezvous... I hardly see the harm in that," he echoed Jonathan's earlier statement to the guests outside. Despite his nonchalant words, a sense of panic welled up within him. His mind raced back to the scene he had witnessed through the security footage at the Xanth family's banquet.

"A private rendezvous?" Eleanor snapped, her expression darkening.

Would the Xanth family have made such a fuss if it were merely a private meeting?

Eleanor's gaze shifted toward Lizzie, her eyes brimming with palpable displeasure. "And what about you, Lizzie?"This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

At this point, not just Eleanor but nearly everyone in the room turned their attention to Lizzie.

Even Elijah, who had remained impassive throughout Eleanor's questioning of Cyrus, lifted his eyes to scrutinize her. That piercing gaze made her feel an unsettling sense of panic. What did that look mean?

Unable to decipher it, Lizzie quickly composed herself and adopted a look of innocence. "I was with Cyrus the entire time. We were about to cut the cake when we overheard the commotion regarding Ms. Shaffer's disappearance."

Her meaning was clear-she hadn't had the opportunity to do anything questionable.