“Do you think our son is intentionally ruining his reputation? Do you want us to die without seeing him married?” Vera sighed, rubbing her temples.
“I’ve been longing for a grandchild, Leo. All the other women my age flaunt their grandchildren in front of me. At one point, I even thought I would have a grandchild soon. But Garrett is too stubborn. And now, with all these failed blind dates, people are starting to gossip and say nasty things about our son. How will he find a partner now?”
Garrett was willing to sacrifice his reputation to reject the arranged marriages his parents had planned for him, leaving them feeling powerless.
Leo, in particular, was frustrated with Vera’s constant complaints. “Didn’t he get that woman pregnant? If you’re so desperate for a grandchild, why don’t you accept her?”
Vera snorted angrily and remained silent.
Surprisingly, Garrett’s strategy worked. Vera finally understood that he was determined to marry Laney.
After much contemplation, Vera raised her hands in defeat. “Let’s not be so harsh. Even though this girl is an orphan, what if she turns out to be decent? How about we invite her for lunch and see for ourselves? We have nothing to lose, anyway.”
Leo reluctantly nodded. “Fine. There’s no such thing as a perfect daughter-in-law, after all.”
When Laney entered the Harding family home, she felt extremely anxious. However, she knew her nerves were beneficial. It kept her on guard and cautious. It had taken her a long time to get ready for this day. Since becoming pregnant, she had stopped wearing makeup. But today, she had specifically hired a makeup artist to help with her hair and makeup. She was even wearing her most expensive clothes. After all, this was her first meeting with Garrett’s family, and everything had to be perfect. She couldn’t give them a reason to look down on her.
Garrett carefully held Laney’s arm as he led her into the house, taking one step at a time.
During lunch, Laney remained restless. She chewed and swallowed slowly, trying to eat as gracefully as possible, unlike her usual self. As a result, she felt stiff and uncomfortably full after the meal, like never before. She could sense Vera and Leo’s scrutinizing gazes, observing her every move. Vera elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth and glanced at Laney’s belly.
“Miss Garcia, how many servants do you have in your household? You’re pregnant now, so you need to take good care of yourself.”
Laney obediently nodded and smiled. “Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Harding. I have several maids taking care of me. I also have a nutritionist and a doctor. In fact, I’ve been following a specific diet for pregnant women.”
Although the truth was that the food designed for her was tasteless, and she secretly indulged in other snacks.
Garrett looked at Laney with a sad expression on his face.
“Laney has been practicing martial arts since she was a girl. Naturally, her temperament is different from those spoiled rich ladies who expect me to marry them. She’s sensible and reasonable, which is hard to find these days.”
“But Garrett, do you truly love her? Love can fade over time. What if you fall out of love in the future? If you marry someone from a wealthy background, at least you can maintain the marriage with money. But Miss Garcia doesn’t even have a family. How will you sustain your marriage? Marrying on impulse is unfair to both you and Miss Garcia,” his mother argued.
Disappointed by his mother’s perspective, Garrett clicked his tongue.
“I’ve dated many women before, and I know what I feel for Laney. She’s different. Besides, I have to take responsibility for her. It’s not like the Harding family is struggling and needs my marriage to stay afloat. Why won’t you let me marry the woman I love? And she’s pregnant with my child. Can you really let this child grow up without a father? Mom, Dad, let me make it simple for you. If I can’t marry Laney, I won’t marry anyone else.”
Garrett used both firmness and persuasion to convince his parents.
Vera, his mother, had never seen her son act this way. She sighed and looked at her disappointed son.
Finally, she turned to her husband, feeling helpless. “Well, it’s up to you. I can’t control our child. It seems he’s obsessed with Miss Garcia.”
Leo, his father, frowned deeply, feeling torn.
Vera was a cunning woman who cared only about their image. By giving Leo the decision-making responsibility, she secretly hoped he would force Garrett to comply.
On the other hand, Leo also wanted to be a father and a kind grandfather. That left him with only one option.
“Fine,” Leo finally agreed. “I approve of you marrying her, but on one condition: You have to leave the Larson Group. This way, you can take over the family business and plan for its future development. We initially allowed you to work at Larson Group to gain experience, but you’ve been reluctant to leave the company after all these years, neglecting our family businesses. Now that you’ve chosen to marry Miss Garcia, this marriage alone won’t bring any benefits, so you need to add value to the family in another way.”
Leo spoke solemnly, emphasizing his point.
Garrett knew his father was serious and fell into thoughtful silence.
The Larson Group was founded by Garrett and Brandon when they were young. The Harding family and the Larson Group were competitors in some fields. If he decided to return to the Harding family, it meant that someday in the future, he could end up on the opposite side of the Larson Group. He and Brandon would become rivals. But he had to make a decision.
Right now, Laney was his priority.
“Fine… I promise,” Garrett said, his eyes filled with determination.
Laney had been waiting for Garrett at home for a long time. When he finally returned, she smiled happily at him.
“Mom and Dad will choose the perfect date for us to celebrate the wedding. They love you very much and hope we can live with them after we get married.”
Garrett flopped down on the couch, hugged Laney tightly, and looked into her eyes. She pushed him away slightly, confused.
“How did you manage to convince them? Your parents didn’t agree before. What made them change their minds?”
Guessing that Garrett must have paid a high price for his parents to change their stance, Laney wore a worried expression.
Smiling brightly, Garrett pinched her cheek playfully and said, “Why the long face? Aren’t you happy to be my girlfriend? They are my parents. They wouldn’t do anything to harm me. They just asked me to return to the Harding family and take over the family business. He spoke casually, but Laney’s heart sank.
Perhaps it was due to her fluctuating emotions caused by her hormones.
