Yet, Jacqueline stayed skeptical and playfully punched him again.

"Stop trying to butter me up with stories about Felicia. I'm not buying it.

"

"Jacqueline!

" I called out., At the sound of my voice, Jacqueline visibly shuddered. She turned around, and for a moment, her eyes lit up with joy upon seeing me. But then, realization dawned on her that I must have witnessed her cozy moment with Herschel, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment., She quickly let go of Herschel's hand and approached me,

"Felicia, there you are! Have you eaten yet? I was about to ask Irma to whip up some...

",

"Jacqueline, I've already eaten,

" I lied. I hadn't had a bite., It was only then that I remembered to check if Ernest had eaten.,

"Why don't you come over for dinner more often?

" Jacqueline chided me., She seemed to ignore Ernest intentionally, not exchanging a single word with him. I knew it wasn't because she hadn't noticed him or had no opportunity to speak to him., This was her way of showing her disapproval of Ernest., But Jacqueline, being the lady of a wealthy household, couldn't ignore Ernest forever. After about half a minute, she finally turned her gaze towards him,

"You're a friend of Felicia's, aren't you?

", I nudged Ernest gently, and understanding the cue, he greeted politely,

"Jacqueline.

", Jacqueline nodded,

"Since you're Felicia's friend, you're welcome here. Come in.”, Herschel also stood up. I approached and handed him a present with both hands,

"Uncle, happy birthday in advance.

",

"You always think of others, Felicia,

" Herschel said, visibly pleased, then turned to Ernest.,

"Mr. Wagner,

" Ernest greeted., Herschel nodded,

"Have a seat.

", Jacqueline called for Irma to serve tea and snacks and then took a seat herself, eyeing both Ernest and me,

"Don't think you can skip the actual party just because you've given your gift early. Your uncle and I won't allow that.

", She seemed to hit right on my silent hopes, leaving me no escape., Fortunately, I had another plan. I replied with a smile,

"Why would we miss it? Ernest and I will definitely be there.

", This was my way of telling Jacqueline that if she wanted me to attend, she would have to accept Ernest's presence as well., Jacqueline's smile stiffened momentarily, but she quickly recovered,

"Well, that's great. There will be many distinguished young men there, perfect for some networking.

" Networking?, That was a clear warning to Ernest about the high-profile competition expected at the party, suggesting he might be out of his league., To them, Ernest, despite his talents, was just an average Joe compared to their circle of capitalists., Their disdain for Ernest was also a slight against me., However, I didn't plan on defending Ernest. I was curious to see how he would handle the situation, maintaining his dignity while countering Jacqueline's snub., I looked at Ernest, who appeared completely unfazed,

"I'm actually looking forward to meeting more of Seabreeze City's elite. After all, I'm planning to make a long-term commitment to this city.

", I couldn't help but inwardly admire his cunning., Jacqueline's attempt to belittle him had fallen flat, her eyes briefly flashing with annoyance. Yet, she managed to maintain a smile,

"Oh, so Ernest plans to stay in Seabreeze City?

", I felt Ernest's hand gently hold mine, our fingers interlocking,

"Yes, since Licia is here, it's natural for me to want to stay by her side.

", Licia!, This was the first time I heard him call me that, and I could clearly see the surprise on both Herschel and Jacqueline's faces., It was as if Ernest had declared something earth-shattering., Then Jacqueline turned her direct attention onto Ernest, quite bluntly,

"Mr. Wagner, what can you offer Felicia if you're with her?

", Her tone was as if she were my own mother, questioning Ernest's intentions and waiting for his response., I, too, turned to look at Ernest, suddenly curious about how he would handle this question., Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.