Chapter 7
The crowd below clapped and chanted: “Say yes! Say yes!”
Young people’s affection is passionate and sincere. However, my previous life ended so tragically that I’ve developed psychological barriers when it comes to relationships.
I told him: “You’re wonderful, but I can’t be with you.”
He didn’t back down and insisted on getting to the bottom of it, wanting a reason that would make him give up: “Why? Do you already have a boyfriend?”
I was at a loss for how to respond when Benjamin walked onto the stage and stood beside me.
He gently placed his warm hand on my shoulder and said: “She already has me.”
Seeing Benjamin, the boy suppressed the disappointment in hist eyes and said: “If you don’t treat her well, I’ll come back to win her over.”
I stared at Benjamin in bewilderment, not understanding why he would help me like this.
On the way home, I couldn’t help but say in the car: “Mr. Green, thank you for helping me. It’s just that, now I’ll have to…”
Benjamin interrupted me: “I wasn’t helping you. I meant what I said.”
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happened to be my favorite song.
The streetlights flickered on and off, so no one could see Benjamin’s smile.
Benjamin was the youngest scholar and expert. He had originally agreed to work at the University of Washington because he remembered how I had proudly declared I would attend the University of Washington.
Later, when he heard from Weston that I was planning to attend Harvard Business School with those seven men from my family, he submitted his resignation to the University of Washington.
Benjamin was supposed to leave in September, but suddenly received news that I was coming to the University of
Washington.
He hurriedly withdrew his resignation and stayed at the school, counting down the days until the semester began. Finally, he
had waited for me to arrive.
In this moment, Benjamin felt happiness become real, and he would never let go again.
Benjamin carefully lifted my sleeping form from the car.
Just then, we heard several gasps behind us: “Ariana, who is he?”
Hearing someone call my name, I opened my drowsy eyes and saw those seven men standing in formation in front of my house. 2/5
I
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Chapter
Their usually well-groomed hair was messy like weeds, and cach of their eyes was filled with exhaustion and anticipation.
But when they looked at Benjamin, they all sensed danger.
Previously, they thought that since I had grown up with them and was so obedient to them, I would surely choose one of them
to marry.
Anthony’s gaze fell on me, filled with hatred, guilt, and sadness.
Finally, all these emotions transformed into intense anticipation.
I asked them: “Shouldn’t you be at the National Vocational College right now? How did you end up here?”
All seven men guiltily lowered their heads. Samuel mustered the courage to step forward.
He said: “Ariana, we were wrong before. We’ve already broken up with Sarah.”
From their account, I pieced together the full picture of what had happened.
Ever since the Hall family cut off their financial and material support, they began using their identity as “adopted sons of the Hall family” to scam people everywhere.
Anthony even promised business partners that once he inherited the Hall family’s assets, he would give them half the shares. 3/5
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They used the money they scammed to live a luxurious life with Sarah for a while.
However, this circle was small. Word of their scams quickly reached Weston’s ears. Weston personally held a press conference, stating he had no relationship with them.
The people who had previously lent them money instantly became furious and gathered at the gates of the National Vocational College, demanding repayment.
Since moving into the Hall mansion, the seven of them had never experienced hardship again. Left with no choice, they went out to work part-time jobs. But they couldn’t handle the hardship.
In desperation, they thought about selling their valuable possessions.
However, Sarah cried and refused to sell the top-of-the-line computer and phone they had bought her.
Then one day, they woke up to find that Sarah had taken their last remaining money and run off with a wealthy middle-aged man from off-campus.
When they tried to confront Sarah, she mocked them.
She said: “I originally thought you could inherit the Hall family’s assets, so I went to great lengths to get close to you. I never expected you to be so useless.
poor losers like you don’t deserve me wasting my time.” 12:36
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Only then did they truly understand that only the Hall family had been genuinely and selflessly helping them without expecting anything in return.
But they had betrayed the Hall family’s trust and kindness.
Samuel’s eyes were red, and his stubbled face made him look particularly haggard.
He said: “Ariana, we were all deceived by that bitch Sarah, which is why we treated you so badly.”
Even Anthony, who in my previous life would have wanted me dead, now put on an act of deep affection.
B
