Aysel once again wanted to applaud Vaughn, for his acting skill was so top-notch. Indeed, the apple 🍎 doesn't fall far from the tree.
But instead of getting angry this time, she 'seemed' to be hesitating, clenching her fist while staring at Vaughn with a pitiful expression.
Vaughn's eyes lit up at this, thinking she felt guilty and would heed his words..
He thought scornfully in his heart that this was probably why he preferred Daisy over her—Aysel was too gullible and foolish. For once, these bad qualities of hers were actually aiding him right now.
With that, he continued his act, saying pitifully, "You know, Aysel, Father always wants the best for you. You shouldn't forget that the Grant family is a large one, and you'll need us to stand firmly and avoid being looked down upon. We might not be the richest or most powerful, but you should know better than anyone that if it weren't for the resources our family lacks, we would be one of the overlords in Sunshine City. These resources are all we need right now. You wouldn't be cruel enough to take them away from us, would you?" He paused and looked her in the eyes to emphasize his point. "Remember, greatness for our family means greatness for you too."
It all turned silent after Vaughn's words. He continued staring intently at Aysel, who seemed to be thinking it over. He didn't say anything more, feeling calm and confident that she was probably already persuaded.
The butler also watched Aysel with interest. He was curious about how she would react to her old man's pleas. However, he hoped she wouldn't be too soft-hearted and swayed by a few insincere words. At the same time, he hoped she wasn't too foolish to realize that, despite being selfish, her father's words contained some truth.
Aysel would need her family, a lot.
But who was Aysel?
Years of mingling with her extremely competitive colleagues and a vicious boss had taught her how to solve problems without bloodshed.
"Hmm, Father, have you checked the new contract?"
Vaughn didn't like what he heard, as he had expected her to simply agree, not to ask him questions.
His brows furrowed, but he nevertheless read the contract, and he raised his brows at the exclusive benefits given to Aysel.
The benefits weren't all that impressive to him, actually. They were almost the same as the ones previously presented, except for the business resources. But the difference lay in her obligations.
"Father, you've read it, right? And you should know that this would benefit me more. Don't worry, I'll always remember my home, and I won't betray you. If you need help, you can tell me, and I'll try to pass it on to Butler Jones or Mr. Anthony. I definitely wouldn't abandon the company, Father." Aysel said, her voice soft and amiable. Since Vaughn wanted their relationship to remain civil, she would 'try' to oblige.
The way Aysel handled the situation made both the butler and Anthony look at her in a new light. She made sure to follow along with Vaughn while not costing herself anything.
Perfect. This was the wife the Grant family needed.
"Aysel, but I think..." Vaughn began to protest, as the matter hadn't gone the way he expected.
He didn't want her empty promises. To him, she was just a useless piece of trash who couldn't save herself. What he wanted was the real document that promised the resources.
But before he could open his mouth to say another word, Aysel swiftly snatched the pen from him, signed the contract, and handed it to Butler Jones with a sweet smile. "Done!"
Vaughn felt choked with anguish, the veins in his neck beginning to pop as he struggled to contain his emotions. In the end, he knew the only option was to pretend to be on good terms with this stupid—now smart—daughter of his. That was the only way to salvage the situation without losing too much.
Butler Jones glanced at her signature, his eyelid twitching slightly. In the end, he simply extended his hand for a handshake. "Nice working with you, Miss Aysel."
"Very nice working with you too, Butler!"
The butler took out a small box from his pocket and handed it to her. He felt a bit awkward giving her the ring on behalf of the master.
However, his skin had always been thick, so he had no trouble acting calmly. "The ring, Miss Aysel."
Aysel blinked, her eyes landing on the exquisite diamond ring inside the box. She hadn't expected the Grants to be so meticulously prepared, even going so far as to provide a ring that was obviously expensive.
"Okay, I'll wear it," she said, calmly slipping the ring onto her finger. She even waved her hand a few times. The ring looked especially beautiful.
Suddenly, a chime rang in her head.
[Ding! Ding! Ding! Who is this amazing host? Ding Ding Ding! The amazing host is Aysel! Ding Ding Ding!]
Aysel's eyes shifted, and she wondered if the system could get drunk too for she couldn't understand why he would started singing.
It seemed to have heard her thoughts, as it immediately responded with excitement.
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully completed a mission.]
[You've been awarded 100 points.]
[Level One Store Starting... 24 hours required to complete initialization.]
Aysel almost danced at the first few notifications, she would have if it weren't for her surrounding. Her eyes twinkling slightly as she saw the 100 points added to her 10 earlier points.
However, she was left confused by the last sentence uttered by the system. But nevertheless, she didn't care that much, knowing well that she will know sooner after 24 hours. The main point here is; she didn't have to complete any missions in the next five days!
Her shining eyes made Daisy assume she was feeling giddy inside. Daisy's eyes became filled with slight envy. She knew the ring was bound to be expensive, probably a real diamond after all. The Grants wouldn't bother using a fake ring for a proposal. But why give such a ring to someone as useless as Aysel? She didn't deserve it at all.
Her envy soon faded when she thought of her own boyfriend, who was also a member of the Grants, albeit from a younger generation.
He would definitely get her the best ring when he proposed. Her heart rejuvenated at the thought of a luxury ring made just for her.
Humph! She was far better than Aysel! She would marry the man destined to become the future head of the Grant family after Nathaniel's death, and the glory of the Grant family would be hers, then, she would be Daisy Orion Grant!