The story simmered for over half a month before it finally reached Edward's ears through his wife, Maggie.
On a Sunday morning, Maggie met up with an old friend to play tennis. After the eight regulations were implemented, Maggie switched from golf to tennis. With the upcoming leadership change, Edward became even more cautious, and Maggie's sport of choice became badminton.
During the break, the two women sat by the sidelines, drinking water and chatting. The conversation eventually turned to their children. The old friend's youngest son had just had a second child, and she had visited, saying a bit too much, which upset her daughter-in-law. The old friend lamented the difficulty of being a mother-in-law, and Maggie laughed, suggesting that distance creates beauty and that she should visit less often.
The old friend shook her head, saying it wasn't that easy, and added, "Maggie, once Milo gets married, you'll see; your daughter-in-law isn't just anyone."
Maggie didn't think much of it at the time, but the more she thought about it at home, the more uneasy she became. What did it mean, "not just anyone"?
She searched online and discovered that her future daughter-in-law had recently become quite popular.
The thought of being mocked behind her back infuriated her. She went to the study with a scowl to find Edward.
"Edward, this is the perfect daughter-in-law your precious son handpicked, isn't she?"
Edward put on his reading glasses and scanned the content, frowning.
Maggie waited for him to put down his phone and said, "I always said that kids from business families are no good—impulsive, vain, and lack stability."
Edward wasn't as absolute, "Averi used to be quite reserved."
"Yeah, I used to think she was a good kid. Nobody's perfect, and you can't blame a child for a father's failings. Turns out, though, she was just biding her time. She may be young, but she's got a mind full of schemes—I shudder just thinking about it. Now that Cristopher's health is failing, and her engagement to Milo is settled, there's no one left to keep her in check, so she's getting cocky and restless."
"Edward, I'm just saying—with the way she acts, it's only a matter of time before something goes wrong."
Edward stayed silent, and Maggie grew impatient. "Edward, I've been rattling on here for ages. Aren't you going to say anything?"
Edward sighed, "So what are you saying, we should call off the engagement now?"
This time, it was Maggie who fell silent.
Edward said, "You can't believe everything online; it's all just rumors and speculation."
Maggie replied, "So is Mareli the rumor, or is that young nurse the speculation?"
After a brief silence, Edward said, "Have Milo come home tonight. I'll talk to him."
Maggie said with some irritation, "She hasn't even married into the family yet, and Milo already has to clean up her mess. Who knows how many problems will follow?"
Maggie didn't know about Eli's issues, so her remark hit closer to the truth than she realized.
Edward felt his own resolve waver.
*
That night, Averi received a call from Milo.
He first asked how she was doing, then if she needed any help, and finally, he gently reminded her to manage her family relationships—never once mentioning breaking off the engagement.
Though she had suspected it wouldn't be that easy, Averi still felt a faint disappointment.
The next afternoon, she returned early to the Forbes family estate to consult Cristopher about the Plenex project.
As Cristopher flipped through the documents, he casually remarked, "Averi, since the company is in your hands now, go ahead and take charge. You don't need to come to me for everything."
Here it comes.
Averi gathered her courage and spoke with lowered eyes, "Dad, a project of this scale requires your presence to gain everyone's trust."
Christopher's mood softened considerably, "Someone on the board is giving you a hard time?"
Averi smiled, "No one's making it difficult. They're all my elders, so it's natural for them to hold me to higher standards."
"Personal relationships are one thing, but work is another."
Averi nodded and glanced at Christopher, as if she had something to say.
Christopher: "We're family. Speak your mind."
Averi knelt down in front of Cristopher's wheelchair, holding his hand. "Dad, J Corporation is your creation—its very name bears yours. No matter how capable I might be, or how well I perform, I know this opportunity came because of our family name. Out there, when people look at me, they don't see 'Averi' as an individual; they see me as your daughter, the third daughter of Cristopher."
After a half-minute, Christopher chuckled lightly, "Why bring this up now?"
Averi replied, "Nothing, I just feel like it's been a long time since we've talked."
Christopher patted her hand, "Focusing on work is good, but you also need to rest." He paused and added, "I've spoken to Mareli. She shouldn't vent her frustrations by badmouthing the company. Don't take it personally. Have the PR department come to the house tomorrow, and I'll issue a statement."
"Thank you, Dad."
With this, the matter was swept under the rug, with Mareli shouldering all the blame: she acted out due to emotional troubles, spoke recklessly without evidence. Averi was innocent, Cristopher was innocent, and all the Forbes family members were just one big, loving family.
