Chapter 396 Taking Off Clothes Is Not Enough
After the New Year, Elissa and Hope threw themselves into work.
Madison and Garry decided to take their wedding photos in Oceancrest City.
Meanwhile, Francis worked on schedule.
But he never really left work at five, it was all drinking parties.
One time, Rainey happened to see him after a drinking party, being helped into a car by Felix.
Francis was pressing his stomach, clearly in pain from drinking too much.
She had Felix take Francis back to the Peterson family home and asked Vance to check on him.
When he woke up, she said, "You don't have to attend these drinking parties. By the way, you're working so hard for Elissa, aren't you?"
Francis said calmly, "Of course not. You're overthinking it!"
Rainey could tell that Francis still harbored some resentment. She also believed that his current efforts weren't for the Peterson family, but for Elissa.
"Francis, you better have really let her go," she said.
Francis's smile faded. "Mom, if you do anything to her, you'll lose me too."
Rainey's face darkened. "Why do you like her so much? You two haven't even been together that long."
Francis, with a headache and stomachache, didn't want to discuss this topic, but since it was brought up, he decided to clarify.
"Mom, do you care about me?" he asked.
"Of course, you're my son."
Francis chuckled lightly. "I've been drinking for days, and you've had people watching me, so you couldn't have been completely unaware. Yet, you only decided to show concern when you caught me today."
"Here I am, feeling miserable, and you're talking to me about Elissa, even threatening me. But all I need right now is some warm honey water to ease my discomfort."
"You wouldn't think of that, but Elissa—no matter how much we'd been drinking—would always make sure I had a warm cup of honey water when we got home. She knew my stomach couldn't handle it otherwise."
Rainey didn't respond. She left Francis's room and returned to her bedroom, still somewhat absent-minded.
She didn't even notice when Jacob came back.
"What's wrong with you?" Jacob asked.
Jacob patted her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. "What?"
"I've been talking to you for a while, and you didn't respond. What are you thinking about?"
Rainey shook her head.
Jacob asked, "Did Francis upset you?"
"No."
"Then what is it? Why are you like this since he came back tonight?"
Rainey pursed her lips, remained silent for a while, and then relayed what Francis had said.
Jacob looked slightly surprised. "So, it seems we can't mess with Elissa. But it's fine. As long as he agrees to the Hamilton family alliance, their business interests will be closely tied. Keeping Elissa around won't be a problem."
Rainey, expressionless, replied, "Are you sure it won't be a problem?"
Jacob pondered for a moment. "How about this, at Francis's birthday next month, invite the Hamilton family over and announce the engagement then."
Rainey was worried. "Considering what happened with the Collins family last time, I think it's better to give him more time."
Jacob replied, "How much longer are we going to wait? This isn't working; we need to be straightforward."
"If we push him too hard, after his birthday, Francis will take over as the head of the Peterson family," Rainey said.
"If we don't push him, are we just going to watch him marry Elissa?"Neither of these results was what Rainey and Jacob wanted.
"At the birthday party, let's just have them meet and not announce the engagement yet. After the party, Francis has a business trip to Seaside City. Let's have Miss Hamilton go with him to get to know each other better. What do you think?" Rainey said.
Jacob considered Rainey's suggestion and nodded. "Let's do it your way."
After a seven-day holiday, Elissa gained five pounds thanks to Madison.
She quickly returned to her little place and started a vegetarian diet plan.
Two weeks later, she finally lost the weight and went to Oceancrest City to join the photo shoot.
Anne Waverly, the photographer for Madison and Garry's wedding, was young but very talented.
Elissa really liked the Anne's style.
Seeing Elissa eager to join in, Hope teased her, "Madison and Garry are having their wedding photos taken. What are you doing?"
Elissa replied, "I know my place. Of course, I understand that Madison and Garry's wedding photos are the priority. I'll wait until they're done before I take mine."
Oceancrest City had a light snowfall.
The delicate snowflakes added a romantic touch to the wedding photos.
After Madison and Garry finished their photos, they took a family photo together.
Elsa was dressed adorably.
Elissa said, "It's a pity you're not having a wedding. Otherwise, Elsa and I could be flower girls, right, Elsa?"
Elsa giggled from the side. Madison was used to Elissa's jokes.
Madison was used to Elissa's jokes. She said, "Go take your photos, and after that, we'll have a few days of fun before heading back."
Elissa quickly went to talk to Anne and expressed her admiration.
"When I get married and take wedding photos, I want to hire you." Anne smiled. "No problem, I can give you a discount."
Elissa had money, but she earned it all by herself, so she was quite frugal.
A discount was very tempting.
She excitedly asked, "How much of a discount?"
Anne playfully winked. "99%. This is because of Madison. For others, I charge as much as I can, no discounts."
Elissa laughed awkwardly. "99% works for me."
Anyway, it saved a bit.
After taking Elissa's photos, Anne had other work and said goodbye to them.
Elissa asked, "Why didn't Hope hire Anne for their photos?"
Madison said, "At that time, Anne was going through a divorce and wasn't in the mood, so she hired someone else."
Elissa asked curiously, "Did they get divorced? Why?"
"Not sure about the details. Anne said they had different values."
"Was it a love marriage?"
"Her grandfather was her ex-husband's grandfather's adjutant and took a bullet for him. She only had her grandfather as a relative, so after he passed away, her ex-husband's grandfather made her ex-husband marry her."
Elissa felt her curiosity piqued by this news. "And then? Did her ex-husband not want to?"
Elsa shivered slightly on the side.
Madison pinched Elsa's cheek and took a sip of the hot oat milk Garry handed her.
Madison replied, "Her ex-husband didn't like her. After they got married, he was transferred to another province. She took photography jobs and went abroad to photograph wildlife. They didn't see each other for three years."
"Then, three years later, when her ex-husband's grandfather was seriously ill, the first thing they did when they met was to get divorced," she added.
Elissa was fascinated. "This is more exciting than the novels I read."Madison saw she was interested and continued, "Anne's ex-husband's grandfather didn't want them to divorce."
"Anne's a free spirit and felt stuck in a loveless marriage for three years just to fulfill his will. She often said that marriage laws, which are supposed to support her, actually kept her from finding love."
"Strangely, her ex-husband, who ignored her for three years like she didn't exist, refused to agree to the divorce when she finally asked for it."
Elissa quickly asked, "Are they still not divorced?"
Madison shook her head. "No, her ex-husband even started pursuing her."
Elissa quickly took a sip of oat milk to calm herself. "Who is Anne's ex-husband? Did he ever like someone else?"
Madison mentioned a name Elissa hadn't heard of.
Madison then mentioned the company name and Anne's ex-husband's current position.
Elissa was shocked. "Seaside City the Larson family?"
"Yes."
Elissa processed this information. "Then her ex-husband must be quite old, right? Anne is only twenty-three."
Madison replied, "He's a bit older, about the same age as Jerry, around thirty-three, young and promising."
"Ten years older than Anne!"
"Maybe that's why they have different values, there's an age gap."
Jerry came over after finishing his call and caught part of the conversation, saying, "Are you talking about Willard Larson?"
Elissa asked, "Do you know him?"
"Not well, Francis is closer to him," Jerry replied. Then he asked, "Was Anne his wife?"
This name hadn't come up in a long time.
Elissa couldn't help but suspect Jerry did it on purpose.
But Jerry didn't think he said anything wrong and naturally joined the conversation.
"Was the photographer Anne his wife?"
Madison nodded. "Anne is talented in photography, winning awards at a young age. She not only takes great portraits but also excels in landscape and wildlife photography."
"Anne is a great girl, it's Willard who didn't appreciate her," Elissa said.
Jerry took an apple, cut a piece, and mashed it with a spoon to feed Elsa.
He said playfully, "Willard is not very wise."
After spending some time at the shooting location, the group returned to the hotel.
Elissa suddenly spoke up, "Anne's husband Willard is so rich, and she's rich too, yet she only gave me a 99% discount!"
Madison laughed, "I didn't get a discount, giving you 99% means she likes you. She grew up with her grandfather in the Larson family. The family is huge, and there were always conflicts among the relatives. When she married Willard, he didn't back her up either."
"If she hadn't made a name for herself early on, she might have had financial troubles. She doesn't use any of the Larson family's money, so it's understandable that she's a bit tight with her own."
Elissa folded her arms. "I felt a connection with her the moment we met, maybe because we have similar experiences."
Hope hugged Elissa. "It's all in the past."
"Yes."
After five days in Oceancrest City, the group returned to Maple Valley.
A week later, it was Francis's birthday party.
Jerry was going to attend, accompanied by Hope, since this birthday was a big day for Francis.
"Not inviting Elissa to join the fun?" Jerry asked.
Hope gave him a sideways glance. "You just want to watch the drama."
Jerry played with her hand. "The Hamilton family will be there too."
"The Hamilton family?"
"The next family the Peterson family is considering for marriage."
Hope frowned slightly. "Is it right to pressure Francis like this?"
Jerry replied, "Since Francis returned from special training at eighteen, they've been looking for a partner for him. The freedom Francis has enjoyed these years is coming to an end."
Hope couldn't interfere with others' fates.
She just hoped Francis wouldn't cause any more trouble with Elissa.
Francis's birthday was not low-key.
Elissa couldn't avoid knowing about it, the news was all over the internet.
So, she decided not to check her phone and quietly watched a movie.
Meanwhile, Hope met the Hamilton family girl set to marry Francis.
"Sylvia Hamilton," Jerry whispered in her ear.
Sylvia and Melinda were two different types.
Melinda was clear-headed and efficient in her goals.
But she was also cunning.
She wouldn't openly grab what she wanted, but would use underhanded methods.
She always appeared indifferent, remaining a cold and calculating beneficiary.
Sylvia, on the other hand, looked very gentle. She looked at Francis with deep affection.
Hope murmured, "No wonder Elissa needed time to pursue Francis; he's used to being chased."
With Francis's decent height and good looks, combined with his impressive family background, he attracted many pursuers.
He wasn't like Jerry, who was known for his sharp tongue and ruthless methods, making people wary.
Except for those seeking trouble, no one dared approach Jerry.
Francis was different, he always had girls around him.
But none were as direct as Elissa.
Rich girls, no matter how much they liked someone, would always hold back a bit.
First, they hint and confirm the other party's interest before making a move.
Jerry thought it was natural for Francis to like Elissa.
And they would definitely be entangled for life.
"Jerry is here," someone called out.
Rainey saw Jerry and came over with a glass of wine. "Hope looks thinner. Don't diet too much, eat more."
Hope smiled politely. "Thanks for your concern. I just can't seem to gain weight."
Jerry suddenly sighed, "You don't know how much I wish she would gain a little weight. Now when I hold her..."
Hope covered Jerry's mouth.
Rainey chuckled. Seeing these two happy, she privately hoped Francis would be happy too.
But Francis wasn't like Jerry. Francis couldn't be as reckless as Jerry. Besides, Jerry had to go through a lot of hardships to get where he was today.
Francis didn't need to take such risks. He was her only son.
"I'll go greet the guests; you two talk to Francis," Rainey said.
Jerry nodded, and after watching Rainey leave, he walked over to Francis, clinking glasses with him. "Congratulations, Francis, another year older."
Francis glanced at him, "We're the same age."
"Not quite, a few months younger means aging a few months slower."
Francis had to socialize and ignored him.
Jerry took Hope to the lounge area to sit for a while.
He brought her some of her favorite foods.
Hope had a few drinks and needed to go to the restroom, and Jerry accompanied her.
Suddenly, a flash of white passed by the corner.
He remembered Sylvia Hamilton was wearing a white dress today.
"What are you looking at?" Hope asked.
Not seeing Francis, Jerry instructed Steven, who promptly pulled up the surveillance footage.
They had been through too much, their vigilance was always higher than others.
They saw Francis enter a room, followed by Sylvia.
"This is bad," Jerry murmured.
Hope saw the footage and had the same thought.
She quickly followed Jerry to the room on the fifth floor.
Felix and others followed closely, but they were a step behind Rainey.
When they arrived, Rainey was already scolding Francis. "We were already planning to marry into the Hamilton family. Sylvia came today to get to know you and build a relationship. Why are you in such a hurry?"
Jerry realized that from the moment he saw Sylvia to the moment he went looking for her, less than ten minutes had passed—barely enough time for anything to happen.
Rainey didn't really want anything to occur between them; she just wanted to spread the news about Francis and Sylvia getting married. She understood that pressuring Francis would be detrimental to everyone involved.
Francis said nothing.
He saw Jerry and got up to walk over.
Jerry noticed his pale face and instructed Felix to take him to the hospital immediately.
He and Hope also went.
In the car, Hope said, "I looked inside just now and saw Sylvia."
Jerry's brow twitched. "It was a setup. Sylvia being inside is normal."
"No." Hope shook her head, "When I first saw her in the banquet hall, she looked very innocent. She has feelings for Francis but didn't seem like someone who would use such schemes."
"But I saw her smug smile just now." Jerry hugged her. "You said it yourself, she has feelings for Francis. Marrying him would make her happy."
Hope was somewhat relieved.
She knew tonight's scheme, and Rainey must have helped Sylvia.
Otherwise, it would be hard for Francis to fall into the trap.
So, it was good that Elissa didn't marry into the Peterson family.
Elissa was about to sleep after watching a movie when she got a news alert that Francis was hospitalized.
Following that was the news of his engagement to Sylvia from the Hamilton family.
She didn't delve into it. Whatever happened to Francis had nothing to do with her anymore. But she still felt a bit bitter.
Maybe it was disdain for how quickly he found another marriage partner.
She put down her phone and took a comfortable bath.
After her bedtime skincare routine, she lay down to sleep.
But she didn't know why she couldn't sleep, tossing and turning until dawn.
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