"Is Miss Aysel ready?" the butler asked, his shock barely concealed as he saw Aysel carrying only a backpack.
"Yes!" Aysel nodded, leaving the butler speechless. He had expected her to spend hours packing, dragging several bags. Yet, in less than five minutes, she was back, and surprisingly, she was only carrying a backpack.
He glanced at the Swift couple, who were squirming in their seats, faces flushed, and avoiding his gaze.
The butler unexpectedly found himself pitying the young girl.
In the end, he stood up with Anthony. He didn't bother saying a word and directly left the room.
Anthony, however, stayed behind to speak a few words to the couple. "Don't worry. As long as Miss Aysel is obedient, your family will also taste greatness." After leaving those mysterious words in the air, he gave a slight bow and left, leaving the couple confused as they tried to understand the meaning behind his statement.
Aysel marveled at the sight of the sleek black car belonging to the butler—it was a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a car she had only seen and admired in the news but never imagined she would ride in.
She was the type of person who loved cars and always dreamed of driving one.
She didn't know much about cars—the parts and technical details—but like many others, she desired a cool, expensive one. Remembering that she would own one someday filled her with excitement, and she was almost on the verge of dancing in joy.
She tried to mask her excitement, or at least she thought she had, but she nearly gasped at the cool interior—ultra-spacious with luxurious leather seats that felt incredibly comfortable.
The butler asked the chauffeur to play some music and then proceeded to make a phone call.
As soon as the started moving, Aysel began feeling nervous. She clutched her backpack tighter in her hands.
She was about to meet her hubby.
In her previous world, she had been too busy to date, considering relationships stressful. Now, here she was, with a diamond ring on her finger.
She also felt anxious about her husband's appearance—both externally and internally—and tried her best to lower her expectations.
She knew little about the Grant family dynamics or their relationships, but based on what she had read in the contract—where it was explicitly stated that she couldn't accept gifts from distant relatives—she figured things might not be as great as she had imagined.
Finally, the car entered a gated community with few residents, and silence enveloped the area.
After passing a security check, the car drove for more than ten minutes before stopping in front of a massive mansion. The gigantic gate rolled upward, allowing them entry. The car drove along flower-lined roads before finally stopping in front of the mansion.
Aysel held her breath, her heart racing with nerves. She was standing before a humongous mansion she had only ever seen on TV!
"Please come in, Miss Aysel."
The butler led the way, with Aysel following behind, and then Anthony.
The interior was even more luxurious than she had imagined: chandeliers, vases, paintings—all adding to the elegant appearance. There was also a curved staircase that caught her eye.
However, before she could fully take in the decor, her attention was drawn to the man sitting in the living room.
It was an old man, half-bald, with grey hair and large glasses, reading a newspaper.
He seemed disturbed by their presence and turned his head. When his gaze landed on Aysel, his eyes narrowed.
Aysel held her breath as the old man, whom she guessed to be Nathaniel's father or grandfather, appraised her. She couldn't deny how his deep, experienced gaze made her heart race with fear, butterflies churning in her stomach.
The old man suddenly stood up. Despite looking like someone in his seventies, he still carried the aura of a veteran.
[Ding! Voluntary Mission Available.]
[Befriend Lawrence Grant:
Reward: 20 Points]
[Accept or Decline?]
Aysel felt speechless at the system's timing, and she subconsciously wanted to reject the mission.
Before she could say 'Reject' in her mind, the system energetically warned her: [Host! More points are always better than fewer! Besides, you can see how easy it would be to befriend the old man. The easier the mission, the fewer the points.]
Aysel wanted to decline again. After all, without doing anything, this old man already seemed like a devil. Why would she want to befriend him?
But in the next moment, the butler suddenly opened his mouth, bringing Aysel's attention back to her surroundings. Before she knew it, the system chimed again.
[The mission has been accepted.]
[Mission: Befriend Lawrence Grant.]
[Reward: 20 Points]
[Percentage Completed: [0] ]
Aysel felt utterly speechless. She didn't even remember consenting to accept this mission!
But she couldn't argue with it now as the butler was speaking. "Old Sir, this is Miss Aysel Swift. She is the bride the Young Master requested."
He gave Aysel a nod, and she instantly understood what he wanted her to do.
Since the system had already forced her into needing Grandpa's favor and friendship, she had no choice but to try to appear as amiable as possible.
"Nice to meet you, Grandpa."