Julia Bluen was curious. She knew how capable the eldest son was, and yet there was still something that troubled him.

Glades Horne emerged from the bedroom, and picked up on his wife's words: "Even if the sky falls, he must handle it himself now; I won't step in again." All he wanted now was to stay by his wife's side.

Julia Bluen shot him a glance.

Ivan Horne was amused by his father's words and said, "Dad, don't worry, I'm not asking you to take action. I just want to tell you something in advance."

"Can't you wait until tomorrow to tell us?" Glades Horne felt quite annoyed about having his rest disturbed by his son.

Julia Bluen glared at him and urged, "Go back to sleep." Then she turned to her son, "Ivan, don't mind him; he's more like a child as he gets older."

"Julia, could you at least help me maintain some fatherly dignity in front of our son?" Without the heavy responsibilities, Glades Horne was no longer as tough and decisive as he was in his youth, becoming much gentler with age.

Ivan Horne watched with a smile as his parents interacted, wondering if he and Lia Aiken would be the same when they reached that age.

Despite his complaints, Glades Horne still sat down next to his beloved wife.

In fact, he was even more curious than his wife about what had brought his son to knock on their door in the middle of the night.

Ivan Horne explained his reasons for finding his parents.

After hearing their son's explanation, Julia Bluen and Glades Horne exchanged glances. They had been hoping for their son to marry and have children, but hadn't expected him to be interested in a girl with such a complicated background, with Julia and others even secretly encouraging him.

After a moment of silence, Julia Bluen asked her son, "Are you worried we'll disapprove of Lia Aiken and that's why you're telling us in advance?"

"When I took Lia Aiken out for dinner tonight, I ran into Grace Chandler."

Upon hearing this, Julia Bluen said nothing and understood why her son wanted to warn them immediately, regardless of the time.

Before Lia Aiken's uncle had been unmasked, he remained hidden, trying every way to undermine her. Grace Chandler was a reporter, and even though she had professional ethics, she was also a woman deeply in love with Ivan Horne. Who's to say Lia's uncle wouldn't share the same information with Grace Chandler? And who could guarantee Grace Chandler wouldn't lose her professional ethics in a fit of jealousy?

If Ivan Horne hadn't warned them tonight, the entertainment news about Lia Aiken might have already been everywhere by tomorrow. Caught off guard, Julia wouldn't dare say she could immediately accept Lia.

Ivan Horne had prepared his parents well in advance, giving them the mental readiness needed to accept Lia once they understood her better.

Ivan was very thorough when dealing with matters involving Lia Aiken.

Ivan's speculations were indeed correct.

Grace Chandler deeply loved Ivan Horne. Even though she told her friends she would move on, years of unrequited love aren't forgotten in just a day or two.

If Ivan Horne hadn't found his true love, and Grace Chandler moved on and found her other half, her jealousy might lessen.

But once Ivan Horne found Lia Aiken, and got a girlfriend in just ten days to a couple of weeks, how could Grace Chandler not be jealous when she still had deep feelings for him? If only she hadn't been so good at holding it in at the time.

Grace Chandler returned to her apartment to find a package from the security guard, who told her it had arrived in the evening.

Grace Chandler often shopped online, thinking it was just something she'd bought, she didn't check the sender's address, thanked the security guard, and took the package upstairs.

Renting alone, she returned late at night to an empty home.

After closing the door and switching from heels to slippers, Grace Chandler tossed the package onto the sofa in the small living room, then walked to the small liquor cabinet to grab a bottle.

Sitting down on the sofa, Grace Chandler poured herself a glass, took a sharp gulp, feeling the sting hit her throat, narrowing her eyes yet she didn't stop drinking.

After finishing one glass, she poured another, placing the cup down and picking up a pack of cigarettes from the corner of the coffee table, lighting one as she leaned back, immersed in clouds of smoke.

She liked having a drink and smoke when feeling down.

Ivan Horne had a girlfriend!

Since encountering Ivan Horne and Lia Aiken, Grace Chandler had been thinking about them all night.

The man countless women wanted to marry but whom no one could conquer was actually conquered by Lia Aiken?

What right did Lia Aiken have to win Ivan Horne's favor?

She hadn't heard of anyone named Lia Aiken.

In Upper Class Society of T City, there didn't seem to be any family with the surname Aiken. Could she be from another city? Ivan Horne had been on a business trip recently; could he have met a girlfriend during that time? Surely that's quick.

Grace Chandler always thought Ivan Horne was a heartless man, with so many girls chasing after him and not giving them a chance. Now she realized Ivan Horne wasn't heartless, but rather, hadn't met the one he wanted.

"Ivan, do you know how much I love you?" Grace Chandler muttered to herself, "I admit, I've used my connections with you to climb to this position today, but that doesn't erase the fact that I love you."

Grace Chandler looked up at the ceiling, the cigare slowly burning.

"As I haven't let go, watching you get close and intimate with other women feels like a knife to my heart."

No one responded to Grace Chandler.

She smoked and drank painfully.

She finished a bottle of wine and the pack of cigarettes.

As she drunkenly stumbled, she touched the package she tossed onto the sofa and began tearing it open, as if to vent.

She removed its contents, tossing them into the air without looking, as photos and paper drifted to the ground.

Huh?

Why were there photos and paper?

Where were the cosmetics she ordered online?

Somewhat sobered, Grace Chandler picked up a couple of photos and looked at them. Upon seeing the focus in the photos, her eyes widened before rushing into the restroom, splashing cold water on her face to clear her head more.

When she walked out of the restroom, drops of un-dried water remained on her face that she hadn't bothered to wipe, as she picked up the photos and papers.

After viewing all the photos, Grace Chandler laughed out loud, maybe from the alcohol, she felt impulsive, without thinking, she grabbed her phone and called a colleague — but not a colleague from T City, rather one from River City.

After the call, Grace Chandler was still laughing, not knowing why; maybe she just felt like laughing.

So Ivan Horne ended up with a woman like that as a girlfriend, wasn't he afraid of being laughed at?

Wouldn't Ivan Horne have his pick of any woman?

Would those women who fancied Ivan Horne leave Lia Aiken alone?

There were plenty willing to step up and deal with Lia Aiken without her needing to make a move.