The Billionaire Who Stole My Heart

Brittany was on the fence about the whole situation, "I mean, I'm pregnant now, throwing a wedding might be a bit of a hassle."

She and Isaac hadn't really broached the subject of a wedding yet.

Hannah pouted, "What's so great about having a wedding anyway? I'm not interested."

She and Derek had a shotgun wedding.

Derek, on the other hand, was all for having a wedding, but she shut that idea down quickly. Instead of splurging on a wedding, she argued, why not save the money for the baby.

Kari couldn't help but laugh, "The Bishop family running short on cash?"

Derek was anything but poor.

Raising a kid was just a drop in the bucket for him.

"My main issue is I don't want my wedding to be a networking event," Hannah admitted. "You know, both our families have their names out there. It'll just turn into a social gathering, which I'm not up for." Kari nodded in agreement, "Fair point."

"And you and Ronald Malone have been together for quite a while now, thinking of tying the knot?"

The mention of it made Kari hesitate.

"What's up?"

Brittany, with her keen senses, picked up on the issue.

"The Malone family isn't too keen on us being together."

Although Ronald was a child born out of wedlock, in recent years, he had taken the reins of the entire Malone family. They had arranged a suitable match for him, but Ronald had been stubbornly refusing, leaving the Malone family less than pleased with Kari. "So you and Ronald-"

Kari felt it might just be fate.

Initially, she couldn't get the Jarvis family's approval, and now the Malone family couldn't accept her either.

"Ronald isn't one to just roll over," Brittany, having met Ronald a few times, could tell he was a man of his own mind and wouldn't let the Malones mess with Kari.

Under the dim moonlight, with a faint scent of magnolia filling the bedroom, Kari massaged her temples, "Brittany, you guessed it."

"Ronald has been MIA for half a month."

He had laid it out clear to the Malone family, refusing the arranged marriage, and since then, Ronald had vanished. Kari had barely been able to get in touch with him. The Malone family had considered making a move against Brit-jeweled Studio but thought better of it due to Brittany.

Despite this, Kari was still uneasy.

"Kari, don't overthink it. If Ronald can

run the entire Malone family, he' got skills. It won't be easy for them to get to him," Brittany tried to reassure her.

The more Brittany said, the more Kari worried.

Ronald had always been overly protective of her. If his years of hard work were ruined because of her, it wouldn't be worth it.

"I think-" Hannah noticed something, "Kari isn't doubting Ronald; she's just worried about him."

Kari's cheeks flushed at the exposure of her thoughts, "Hannah!"

There was a hint of coyness in her voice.

Brittany burst into laughter, "Looks like Ronald has finally made an impression on our Kari!"

***

Meanwhile.

Downstairs at Kari's apartment.

A black car parked by the curbside, its long-missing passenger, Ronald, signaled the driver to leave. He pulled out his phone to call Kari. No answer.

He looked up, directly at Kari's window, which was shrouded in darkness.

Not home?

Ronald then called Willa, "Mom, is Kari not home?"

Willa, woken up by the call, wasn't

irritated, Ronald, oh it's you. Kariet

over at the Salter's. Brittany came back today; they're having a little welcome-back dinner."

"Alright, got it."

Willa sensed something was off, considering Ronald hadn't been home for meals recently, "Ronald, have you been swamped with work lately?" Or was it a fight with Kari?

"Why the long absence? Kari seems out of sorts."Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Mom, work's been hectic, just wrapped up," Ronald reassured Willa, knowing she was worried, "I'll drop by for dinner soon."

Willa trusted Ronald, "Alright, then. Get some rest soon."

After hanging up, Ronald drove straight to Salter Manor.

The Salter estate was nestled in

of

Imperial City's renowned affluent neighborhood, far from the reach the average Joe. Luckily, Ronald had a wedding house prepared in the same district, smoothly gaining entry.

Upon reaching the Salter's, Ronald pulled out his phone once more, attempting to reach Kari.