Chapter 49 Engagement Is Not A Transaction!

At the sight of Mrs. Winston, Yvonne quickly stood up, nervously greeting her. "Mrs. Winston, you're here."

Mrs. Winston's gaze shifted from Elijah to Yvonne. "Stop lying to me. What exactly is your relationship?"

Yvonne sought help by glancing at Elijah, but he remained calm and unaffected, sipping his tea.

"We don't have any relationship. We're just friends." Yvonne's gaze avoided Mrs. Winston's eyes, and she couldn't meet them directly. "Today, I helped Joseph with a parent-teacher meeting, and Mr. Harper here insisted on treating me to a meal."

"Grace already told me that your relationship is more than casual. After thinking it through, I chose to believe you."

Mrs. Winston reached out and closed the door to the private room, sternly asking, "Yvonne, Elijah, did you do something to Ryan that you shouldn't have?"

Yvonne took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words.

If she said "yes," it would have definitely hurt this kind and gentle woman.

If she went against her conscience and said "no," her conscience would be uneasy.

Ever since she had that deal with Ryan, Mrs. Winston had shown her the love and doting she had never experienced before.

She didn't want to deceive her with lies!

But the thought of soon obtaining $600,000 made her bite her lip and say, "I... haven't done anything to hurt Ryan..."

She and Ryan didn't have anything, so it wasn't really a matter of hurting him or not.

"Elijah, I don't believe Yvonne." Mrs. Winston walked toward Elijah and spoke with a stern tone, "Swear and make a statement, and then I'll believe you!"

Elijah set down his teacup, and his eyes held a playful glint. "Yvonne and I are exactly how you see us."

"What does 'how you see us' mean? Don't try to fool me!" Mrs. Winston persistently pressed.

Elijah looked at Yvonne and chuckled softly. "If I were to tell you the truth, would your heart be able to handle it?"

"Go ahead, I can handle it." Mrs. Winston's face turned pale.

Yvonne hesitated, unsure of how to continue. She gave Elijah a few winks, but Elijah pretended not to see.

"I knew Yvonne before Ryan." Elijah's voice was clear and powerful, with a smile on his lips.

Yvonne lost all her dignity.

"Elijah, thank you for telling the truth." Mrs. Winston's body trembled as she reached out and leaned against the wall, her gaze sweeping over the two of them. "Does Ryan know about your relationship?"

"Ryan and I..." Yvonne was about to confess her relationship with Ryan when Elijah interrupted.

"From beginning to end, Ryan had no idea."

"Fine, I understand." Mrs. Winston turned disappointedly and walked out of the private room.

Yvonne tried to catch up, but unexpectedly, Elijah grabbed her wrist.

"What's wrong? Can't even admit to what you've done?"

"If you give me $600,000, this will all be over!" Yvonne retorted, feeling angry that the money she was about to get had slipped away.

"Dream on if you think I'll pay for the lies you told." Elijah leaned in, smirking. "Let's guess, will the Winston family kick you out now?"

"What's in it for you if they kick me out!" Yvonne retorted, huffing in anger. "Only someone like you can do such a harmful thing!"

"Calm down." Elijah was in an unusually good mood.

Knowing Mrs. Winston's temperament, she would definitely make a decision today.

Instead of being on edge, it was better to be relaxed.

Yvonne helped herself to a bowl of soup and ate it heartily. "It tastes good,” she said, trying to suppress her anxiety.

Before she finished her meal, Ryan's call came in.

Without giving Ryan a chance to speak, Yvonne fiercely retorted, "You didn't answer my calls or messages, and now you're in a rush! It's useless now! Auntie thinks there's something going on between me and Elijah. You better think about how to handle it!"

"My dad still hasn't given me the money. How could you let my mom find out!" Ryan was also very troubled.

"We can't deceive her this time. If Auntie really kicks me out, there's nothing I can do." Yvonne was unwilling to let go of the $600,000.

"Are you stupid? You weren't caught in bed with Elijah, so why did you admit it? Let's quickly explain it to my mom."

The tone and attitude clearly sounded like catching a cheating couple.

"I didn't say anything about Elijah." Yvonne glared at Elijah harshly. "Auntie has already determined that I betrayed you. No matter how much we explain, she won't believe it."

"Let me think again and see if there's any other way. My dad hasn't given me the money yet, we can't end it so quickly." Ryan hung up the phone.

"Just be honest, no more skirting around the issue." Elijah couldn't contain his joy in his eyes.

Just the thought of Yvonne being considered the future daughter-in-law of the Winston family made him uncomfortable. He was waiting for the Winston family to distance themselves from Yvonne.

"Elijah, should I hold you responsible for this loss?" Yvonne gritted her teeth. "Since you admitted our relationship in front of Mrs. Winston, I feel sorry for you."

"Then let it be confirmed." Elijah put down his fork, and his gaze suddenly softened. "From today onwards, move back to Rhode Hills."

The scene of her being driven out of Rhode Hills was still fresh in her memory. How did things turn around so quickly?

Yvonne straightened her back and looked directly at Elijah. "Because of your thoughtless words, I suffered severe financial losses. You must compensate me."

"Wait and see how I feel in the future," Elijah said calmly. "As long as I'm happy, I'll give you anything."

Yvonne was somewhat angry but helpless at the same time.

After finishing their meal, Elijah took the initiative to pay.

On the way to drop Elijah off at the Harper Group, she had several opportunities to mention her transfer to the logistics department but couldn't bring herself to speak.

Before Elijah got out of the car, he reminded her, "Go back to Rhode Hills after work."

As she started the car, Ryan called again.

"Yvonne, my mom insists on distancing herself from you and wants to make a statement in the media!" Ryan sounded extremely anxious this time.

Yvonne had already expected this.

"I completely understand auntie's actions. Mr. Winston, I can't help you now," she said.

"My dad's money will soon be transferred to my company's account. I can't give up at a time like this." Ryan still didn't give up hope. "What did Elijah say to my mom? Is there any chance of salvaging the situation?"

"Don't fantasize anymore. Elijah said that he and I have been together for a long time." Yvonne felt helpless. "You can be intimate with other women outside, and auntie can choose to ignore it. But it's a different thing when it comes to me."

"Come home and try to make a statement in front of my mom, see if there's any possibility of reconciliation." Ryan was becoming frantic.

Looking at the time on the car's display, Yvonne said, "I still have to go to work. I'll go see auntie after work."

"Fine, let's settle it like that." Ryan sighed with worry.

Back at the FA Center Company's logistics department, Yvonne felt the envious gazes from her colleagues.

"Yvonne, you're amazing! You actually participated in this year's RD design competition," Victoria said with a playful smile. "The director of the design department just asked me how you got a golden invitation card. How would I know?"

Yvonne opened her computer and found the official website of the RD competition, where all the entries were published.

Only two people from the country participated, herself and Grace.

Her work was placed in a prominent position.

She had a feeling that Elijah helped her.

She took a screenshot on the computer and sent it to Elijah, but he didn't respond.

Owen and her colleagues from the design team sent congratulatory messages one after another.

A person who wasn't recognized by the company is now able to participate in the industry's top competition!

It's fair to say that this has dealt a blow to the person who transferred her to the logistics department.

For the whole afternoon, Yvonne had a gratifying feeling.

When they finished work, Paul said sarcastically, "Our logistics department cannot accommodate such a capable person like you."

Ryan called her three times in a row, urging her to come to his house.

She had made up her mind to fully explain the situation to Mrs. Winston upon seeing her.

She didn't want to disappoint the person she respected the most.

When she arrived, Mr. Winston was not there. Mrs. Winston's previous warmth disappeared, and she wore a stern expression while sighing constantly.

Ryan quickly said, "Mom, Elijah didn't make things clear today. He only dated Yvonne. That’s it."

Mrs. Winston looked at Yvonne, who nervously smiled and said, "Auntie, can you calmly listen to me until the end?"

"Come with me to the study!" Mrs. Winston opened the study door and blocked Ryan in the living room. "You are not allowed to come in."

Ryan kept signaling to Yvonne with his eyes.

After closing the door, Mrs. Winston had a serious expression. "Ryan didn't tell me the truth. I'll ask, and you must not lie to me."

"Auntie, go ahead." Yvonne feigned calmness.

Mrs. Winston said sternly, "Do you like Ryan or Elijah?"

Yvonne confessed directly, admitting, "I don't like either of them."

"Why did you pretend to date Ryan?"

"It was a deal between me and Ryan. I cooperated with him by pretending to date, and his company successfully received funding from his father. Of course, he was supposed to give me a reward."

Mrs. Winston had shown Yvonne a level of elderly kindness she had never experienced before. She didn't want to deceive her anymore.

"You can’t treat an engagement as a transaction! You all really treat marriage as a joke!"

Mrs. Winston got angry and slammed the table.

"I'm sorry, auntie. I was wrong. I shouldn't have collaborated with Ryan to deceive you," Yvonne apologized with her head down.

"You are both despicable! From now on, I won't let Mr. Winston give Ryan a single penny!"

Mrs. Winston covered her chest and rubbed it, "Yvonne, I treated you like a daughter, but you played tricks on us!"

Seeing Mrs. Winston's emotional state, Yvonne didn't dare to defend herself again.

"The engagement ceremony was so grand, but now it's just humiliating!" Mrs. Winston said angrily. "For the sake of the reputation of the Winston family, I won't make these ugly matters public, nor will I publicly sever ties with you in the media. Take care of yourself in the future!"

"Aunt, thank you," she said.

Mrs. Winston angrily turned her head away.

Yvonne bowed deeply to Mrs. Winston before leaving the study.

When Yvonne walked out, Ryan whispered, "Did you convince my mom?"

"Mr. Winston, I can no longer collude with you to deceive your family. Our cooperation ends here," Yvonne said and left.

"You're giving up on $600,000?" Ryan was about to chase after her, but Mrs Winston's voice stopped him.

Just as Yvonne started her car, Elijah called. "Are you off work?"

"I am. I'll go to Sunshine Community first to pick up some clean clothes, then I'll head over," Yvonne said, hiding her involvement with the Winston family to avoid any further trouble.

"I ordered dinner. It will be delivered to Rhode Hills in forty minutes. Don't be late." Elijah's voice suddenly softened.

"Okay." Yvonne ended the call.

On the other end, Elijah held his phone, still lost in their recent intimate moment.

He realized that as long as he didn't touch a nerve with Yvonne, they could get along harmoniously.

The phone rang, it was Ryan.

Even before answering it, Elijah knew what it was about.

"Elijah, you spouted nonsense in front of my mom and made things difficult for me! Is it worth destroying years of friendship for a woman?" Ryan questioned.

"I only told the truth and never intended to make things difficult for you," Elijah calmly responded. "You can find any woman to play this game with you, but not Yvonne."

"What exactly is your relationship with her? You haven't fallen for her, have you?" Ryan sneered.