Who was Alexander Miller?
He was a man whose very presence could make A City tremble—someone the Grey family couldn't even dream of provoking.
As his cold gaze swept across the room, Alex spoke in a measured tone, "I look forward to a wonderful and exciting presentation at Grey's press conference, so that Tristan can see his hard work hasn't been in vain."
"And I expect not to see any reports unrelated to the press conference," he added.
The media instantly nodded, scrambling to leave as fear gripped them. Every journalist in A City knew that Alexander Miller, the unseen power behind the Miller family, never appeared in public. Even if someone managed to snap a photo, it could never be published—unless Alex himself approved it. Years ago, a newspaper dared to ignore this unwritten rule and published a story about Alex.
Within two minutes of its release, the newspaper was obliterated. To this day, that incident remains a looming threat over the heads of media professionals, a sharp sword warning them to tread carefully.
From the shadows, Sebastian's eyes lit up as he saw Alex. He quickly arranged for Anna to be taken home before approaching Alex with a wide smile.
"Mr. Miller, it's an honor to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."
Claire felt a wave of disgust as she watched her father's sycophantic grin.
There was no need to keep up the pretense anymore; she had already gotten what she wanted.
As Sebastian, rubbing his hands in anticipation, tried to curry favor, Alex merely nodded and turned his attention to Claire. After the press conference, he had tried repeatedly to reach Claire, hoping she'd make a positive statement on his behalf, but she hadn't answered any of his calls. His frustration was growing.
Claire knew she couldn't let this drag on. Once the public's outrage gained momentum, Tristan's reputation would be utterly destroyed. As he sat in his home, Tristan anxiously eyed his ringing phone. Reluctantly, he picked up, assuming it was his team with an update.
But when he saw his father's name on the screen, his face went pale. Growing up, Tristan had always been the troublemaker, and it was his family that cleaned up his messes.
After finally getting engaged and seemingly settling down for a year, Tristan believed he had turned over a new leaf. But now, he had only become more reckless—and more secretive.
If his antics caused the stock prices to plummet, the Grey family couldn't afford to keep him. His father's scathing words made Tristan clench his teeth. Whoever orchestrated this would pay dearly once he found out who it was.
"Master, the Grey family has arrived!"
The butler rushed in, keeping his head low, avoiding eye contact with the two young women. Sebastian frowned. The online uproar hadn't died down yet—why were they here now? Before he could ponder the reason, the Grey family had already entered the room.
Tristan and his parents exchanged pleasantries with Sebastian, acknowledging Tristan's wrongdoing. Sebastian knew their apology was merely superficial, but to preserve the relationship between the two families, he forced a smile and played along.
Tristan stood behind his parents, appearing indifferent. He had changed his clothes, but the swollen handprints on his face remained. His grandfather had slapped him when he returned home for his misconduct. He was set to be married soon and still couldn't control his wandering eye.
Though he had protested, his father had beaten him again—this time in places no one could see. Now, standing there, Tristan was full of rebellion and disdain. Anna, still crying, instinctively moved closer to him, but with the elders around, she dared not be too forward.
From a short distance away, she whispered, "Tristan, what happened to your face?" The matriarch of the Grey family shot her a cold glance. "Miss Anna, you seem overly concerned about our Tristan, don't you?"
Anna paled and instinctively looked to Sebastian for help. "Don't mind her," Sebastian interjected with a smile, "my daughter is just kind-hearted and treats everyone equally. You've come to address the public relations crisis, right? Do you have any suggestions?"
Tristan's father smiled and replied, "This time, Tristan went too far, and we scolded him at home." Sebastian frowned, "In your opinion, then, what about their marriage..." He hesitated, feigning distress. The Grey couple exchanged a glance, their expressions unreadable.
"We will compensate Claire, but the engagement will proceed," Tristan's mother said calmly. "Tristan has always been undisciplined, with a bit of a wild streak. Once you two are married, I hope you can help me tame him." She looked at Claire as if she were already part of the family.
Claire blinked, offering a shy smile before glancing at Tristan, who was simmering with anger. Quickly averting her gaze, she said nervously, "I'll do as my father says, though he doesn't seem very willing."
Sebastian finally smiled approvingly at her. At least she had some sense, and he didn't regret the money spent raising her. Tristan's mother took Claire's hand, reassuring her with a smile, "Don't worry, he'll come around."
But the old patriarch of the Grey family had grown weary of Tristan's antics. As Claire sat next to Tristan's mother, she kept her head bowed, appearing like a pitiable victim. Occasionally, she cast timid glances at Tristan, her eyes filled with grievance.
Ha, useless woman—she couldn't even keep a man. How dare she blame others for her inability to resist temptation? Tristan gritted his teeth and snarled, "Fine, I'll agree to the marriage, but don't expect me to like a bumpkin like you! Even if we do get married, I won't touch you!"
When the time came, he'd be out drinking and partying, leaving this bumpkin to see how long she could endure it!