Chapter 23
He was aware that his aunt and his cousin’s wife had a
tendency to clash with one another. It seemed that
every time they encountered one another, a heated
argument would ensue, and on rare occasions, it
would escalate to a physical altercation, leaving his
poor cousin trapped in the middle of it all.
His cousin could still side with his mother and would
sometimes reprimand his wife, but Emmanuel knew
that he would meet his doom tomorrow if he had the
guts to yell at Mackenzie.
If she goes too far or speaks to Mom disrespectfully, I
may be forced to confront her. If this leads to a
disagreement, Mom may find out about our
arrangement and be distressed by it.
Even though Mackenzie had agreed to come home
with him, Emmanuel was still frustrated and anxious. It
felt like bringing a bomb that might explode anytime
home.
“Manny, what’s wrong? Did she refuse to visit us?”

Roselynn snapped.
I don’t care how capable his wife is. Now that she has
become a part of the Lowe family, she must conform
to the expectations laid out for her and cannot act
however she pleases. If she’s already acting up when
we expect her to visit, how will Manny and Mom endure
her antics in the days ahead?
“Of course not, Roselynn. Don’t get it wrong. She’s just
too busy,” Emmanuel quickly explained.
No matter how furious he was, Mackenzie was still his
wife.
“Good, then.”
Roselynn was in a great mood having confirmed their
visit. She couldn’t help but switch the conversation to
something else that was on her mind. “Manny, I
received an invitation to attend a high–society party in
Yeringham. I heard that many rich scions will be there!”
“Oh, I see. You want to see handsome guys there,
huh?”
Emmanuel knew Roselynn well. It could be said with

confidence that he was the person who knew her best.
Roselynn was a person who was driven to always strive
for perfection. She was quite the romantic, having
been entranced by the world of romantic dramas and
films since she was a teenager in high school.
In the beginning, she fell for Nick Jonas from The Jonas
Brothers. Later, she took an interest in Jamie Dornan,
famous for his role as Christian Grey.
Recently, she was infatuated with Alex Pettyfer.
Anyway, the men she loved were tall, rich, and
handsome. They must be nothing short of perfect.
However, perfect men didn’t exist in the world.
Thus, she was still single in her thirties. It wasn’t because she was anything less than appealing or desirable; it was because her
ideal partner seemed
too perfect to exist in the real world.
Alessandra and Emmanuel both cautioned Roselynn
that the male characters she adored in television
shows weren’t actually real, and urged her to adjust
her expectations accordingly. Nonetheless, Roselynn
still enjoyed the opportunity to lay her eyes upon
attractive men at different events.

“Hey, this is a rare opportunity. I must attend the party.
Perhaps I’ll get to meet my own CEO there!” Roselynn
revealed her objective directly to her little brother.
She even threatened him menacingly, “If you’re free,
come as my plus one. Whether or not I get married
depends on your efforts!”
Emmanuel was speechless.
I can’t marry you. Why would I put in any effort?
The invitation Roselynn received entailed her to bring a
plus one. The party was happening tomorrow night. It
was a Saturday, so Emmanuel agreed to be her
companion for the night.
I’ll try my best. If Roselynn still remains single, it isn’t my
fault.
Emmanuel also felt that it was a great opportunity for
him to see the world. He wasn’t ignorant at all. Now
that he had married Mackenzie, a senior executive of a
company, he knew she frequently attended these
high–society events. He decided that attending these
events would not only help him understand her better

but also give them more common topics to talk about.
It has been widely suggested that in a marriage, the
couple would begin to influence each other in such a
way that they eventually become similar to one
another.
Emmanuel was prepared to make a change,
6/9
The following day, he paid his family a visit.
Even though he was only gone for a few days,
Alessandra behaved as if he had been gone for years.
She was relentless in her interrogation, primarily
concerning his marriage.
“Manny, your wife is going to pay us a visit early next
year. Should we invite your Uncle Benny’s family and
other relatives to welcome her?”
Alessandra wanted to hold a grand party to welcome
her daughter–in–law home.
Cold sweat beaded on Emmanuel’s forehead as he
replied hastily, “No, Mom! Don’t invite anyone. Let’s just
keep it simple. We can just enjoy a meal together.”

Alessandra furrowed her brows as she contemplated
the situation. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said
hesitantly. “She’s a senior executive, right? That means
she’s used to better things and enjoys eating
delicacies. I’m afraid she won’t appreciate it if I prepare
something simple.”
Emmanuel flashed a bitter smile. It looks like Mom is
pretty accommodating to her daughter–in–law, but
that doesn’t always mean that this situation will last. If
she is the only one consistently making all the
concessions and sacrifices, it may create tension and
resentment that can result in issues down the line.
“Mom, you don’t have to be so careful. We can just
show her our real selves!” Emmanuel insisted.
Alessandra was still unconvinced. She was about to
speak her mind when Emmanuel suddenly shrieked in
19ILÖNDALA eziandens
Chapter i
pain.