Gustin Family.
Cisco Gustin's day was off to a rough start. After finally managing to send Michelle Gates on her way, he stepped into his house only to have a teacup come flying at his forehead, bursting open and sending blood everywhere.
Cisco was momentarily stunned, then shouted in frustration, "Dad! What the hell are you doing?!"
"What am I doing? I'm going to kill you, you ungrateful brat!" Gerald Gustin yelled, his face pale with rage. "I worked hard to secure that project, and you just threw it all away! What good are you if all you do is cause trouble?!"
"Dad! What are you talking about?" Cisco shouted back.
"What did you do at Canadium Pavilion today? Do you even realize that Canadium Pavilion is owned by the second son of the Hart Family? You dared to stir up trouble on their turf! Are you trying to make it easier for me to die?!" Gerald's face was flushed with anger.
Cisco was instantly dumbfounded. Wait, what? Canadium Pavilion is owned by the second son of the Hart Family? So that guy today was the second son?
He and Michelle Gates had actually yelled at him, completely ruining a major project for the Gustin Family!
As Cisco Gustin was being scolded mercilessly by Gerald Gustin, Mrs. Gustin chimed in, "I already know about this. If it weren't for Michelle Gates , you wouldn't have clashed with the Hart family's second son. I told you long ago that Michelle is trouble, but you wouldn't listen!"
Cisco immediately bristled. "Michelle is gentle and caring; how is she trouble? Besides, today's incident isn't her fault! If it weren't for Piper Gates causing a scene, there wouldn't have been any trouble. I'm calling off this engagement!"
Mrs. Gustin's face turned pale with anger. "Son, I've never been wrong about people! Piper is sensible and understanding! Her mother was a business genius back in the day!"
"Setting aside their personalities and backgrounds, when Piper's mother made the marriage pact with us, she left her family's agency as a dowry. If you marry her, that company will be yours!"
Cisco waved his hand dismissively. "I don't care about Piper Gates' company! I only want Michelle! Besides, isn't it Uncle Frederick who decides about the dowry? He can give the company to whoever he wants!"
Mrs. Gustin, exasperated, said, "Cisco! Once Piper marries someone else, it'll be too late for you to regret it!"
"I have no regrets!" Cisco Gustin declared earnestly.
Michelle Gates was more beautiful, understanding, gentle, and kind than Piper Gates. How could he possibly regret his choice?
Gerald Gustin shouted angrily, "I don't care who you marry! If you don't make up for the losses in the Hart Family project, you can forget about being the vice president of the Gustin Family!"
After Michelle returned to the Gates Family, Daisy Ethan immediately approached her and asked, "So, what did Mr. Hart say?"
Michelle smiled awkwardly. "Mr. Hart... Mr. Hart was too busy today, he was in meetings all day. Cisco and I didn't want to disturb him..."
Hearing this, the elder asked, "So you didn't even get to see him?"
"Not at all!" Michelle quickly denied. "Of course we saw him! Mr. Hart has already agreed to attend the birthday party; we just didn't want to bring up last night's little incident and distract him from his work."
Daisy's face lit up with joy. "That's great! Since Mr. Hawke has agreed to come to the birthday party, it means he's not holding a grudge about last night!"
The old man nodded, "That's true. By the way, where's Piper? I haven't seen her all day."
Michelle Gate's eyes darted around as she hesitated, finally saying, "Sister... she went to Canadium Pavilion for dinner with a man today..."
"A man? What man?" The old man was taken aback.
Michelle shook her head. "I didn't see clearly, but he must be some kind of executive. Not just anyone can go to a place like Canadium Pavilion."
"She's still engaged! This is unacceptable!" The old man shouted angrily. "What kind of upbringing is this? Bring her back! Haven't we lost enough face these past few days?"
Michelle sneered inwardly. Piper Gates dared to compete with her for Cisco Gustin? She would make sure Piper knew who was in charge!
---
At the Hospital.
When Piper Gates woke up, her phone was ringing incessantly by her side. She picked it up, her voice soft and weak, "Hello?"
"Piper! Are you still sleeping?" Daisy Ethan's shrill voice nearly blew the roof off. "It's broad daylight! Where are you sleeping?"
Piper frowned, double-checking the caller ID before asking, "Daisy, is there something you need?"
Daisy Ethan's voice was sharp and piercing. "Of course there's something! You need to come back right now! The old man already knows about you and that guy, and he's furious, calling you shameless! You better come back and explain yourself!"
The call ended abruptly, leaving Piper Gates blinking in confusion. What guy? What kind of nonsense were Michelle and her mother trying to pin on her this time?
She checked her well-bandaged wrist, then stood up and hurried out of the hospital room, her mind racing. Behind her, she heard Ray Dunlop's anxious voice calling out, "Ms. Gates! Where are you going?"
"Home!" Piper replied sharply.
Ray watched Piper's furious back as she stormed away. The way she said "home" had the intensity of someone heading into battle.
Pulling out his phone, Ray joked, "President Jasper, Ms. Piper might be off to fight her battles. I've delivered the message, but I can't stop her."
As soon as Piper stepped through the front door, she was met with a tense atmosphere in the living room. The old man shot her a dark look and asked, "Piper, where did you go this morning?"
Piper changed her shoes and walked in, responding casually, "I went to have breakfast."
"Who did you have breakfast with?"
Eileen Stevens opened her mouth but couldn't find the words. If she said it was with Jasper Hart, it would lead to a complicated explanation.
"Who did you eat with?" The old man raised his voice, shouting.
Michelle Gates, sitting nearby, casually chimed in, "Sister, just admit it. Grandpa already knows."
"Really?" Michelle raised an eyebrow. "What does Grandpa know?"
Michelle gritted her teeth. This Piper was truly someone who wouldn't shed tears until she saw the coffin!
"You didn't come home last night before the party, and then you left early this morning. When Mom called you, you didn't even know where you had slept. Grandpa heard everything clearly, and you still won't admit it? Do you want to drive him to his grave?" Michelle's face was filled with exasperation.
Piper smiled lightly. "With someone like you twisting the truth in the Gates family, how could I possibly be the one to upset the elders?"
"Sister! You..."
"Enough!" The old man shouted. "Piper! Tell me! Who did you have breakfast with? Which man?"
"It was me."
A cool, magnetic voice interrupted, and Eileen froze. She turned to see a man in a black suit striding into the living room, followed closely by a serious-looking Michael Stone.
"Uh... Mr. Hart?" Michelle Gates stammered.
The old man immediately had the butler help him stand up and asked, "Jasper, what brings you here?"
"I needed to discuss something with you, sir. I didn't have anyone notify you in advance, so I apologize for the abruptness," Jasper Hart replied with a slight nod.
Daisy Ethan quickly gestured for a servant to pour tea for Jasper Hart, warmly welcoming him, "Mr. Hart! Please, have a seat! What brings you here in person?"
Jasper settled onto a two-seater sofa, turning slightly to look at Piper Gates. "Come here, sit down."
"Oh," Piper said softly as she moved to sit beside Jasper.
It was only then that the old man remembered the previous topic and asked, "Jasper, you mentioned earlier that the person who had breakfast with my Piper this morning was…"
"That would be me," Jasper said, placing his hand on the cup, feeling the warmth of the tea. He gently pushed the teacup toward Eileen Stevens.
Jasper continued, "Ms. Gates felt she hadn't hosted properly at last night's banquet and came to apologize. Hearing that Ms. Gates wasn't feeling well, I couldn't bear to leave her alone, so I invited her to share a meal, letting go of what happened last night."
Piper Gates nearly choked on her tea, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her. Apologizing? How was any of this related to her?
The old man was taken aback. He turned to Michelle Gates and then to Jasper Hart, asking again, "So, it was Piper who came to apologize? Not Michelle?"
Jasper Hart, with his legs casually crossed and leaning back on the sofa, exuded an aura as powerful as a deity. His deep-set eyes scanned the room full of guests before he asked, "Who is Michelle?"
Michelle Gates's face instantly turned crimson!
Just moments ago, she had boasted that Jasper Hart had agreed to attend her birthday party! And now, he didn't even know who she was? That stung more than a slap in the face from Piper Gates!
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