No Wife, No Life Chapter 37

He shot Harper a playful wink, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.

She'd already met his mom, Gloria. And he'd met her mom, Alvina. So yeah, they'd definitely met each other's parents.

"Isn't that right, Ms. Orsini?" Caden teased.

Just then, Emily came downstairs and stood next to Alex, holding his hand tight, her head resting on his shoulder, looking every bit like a couple.

Emily glanced at Harper, a faintly provocative smile on her lips.

Emily wanted everyone to know that Alex was her man and that she was the woman Alex loved. The Alex holding her hand was hers, not Harper's.

Harper got the message loud and clear.

With a slight smile, Harper's expression stayed calm, her tone indifferent. "I invited Mr. Elikin."

Alex's face stayed dark, staying silent.

The atmosphere grew tense.

Brad, however, let out a dry laugh and chimed in, "We're all family here. Emily and Alex have decided to get married, and it would be wonderful if Harper and Mr. Elikin could be together too."

The guests were stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief. So, the rumors were true.

The eldest daughter of the Orsini family was dating the eldest son of the Elikin family. And the second daughter of the Orsini family was going to marry Alex.

The Lavien family and the Elikin family were among the top families in Majestic City's elite circles.

Any one of them could elevate the Orsini family significantly. With both the Lavien and Elikin families backing them, the Orsini family was set to soar.

"Congratulations, Mr. Orsini. We'll be counting on you in the future."

"Exactly, Mr. Orsini, please look after us."

The guests kept flattering Brad, raising their glasses to him.

Brad was beaming with pride, basking in the adulation. This was the kind of recognition he had always craved.

Alex shot Caden a glare, his face cold as he shook off Emily's hand and walked away, brooding.

Emily hurried after him, grabbing his arm and whispering, "Alex, are you angry? Did I say something wrong?"

She lowered her eyes, gently tugging at Alex's sleeve, as if she had truly done something wrong.

"It's not your fault," Alex replied coldly, picking up a glass of wine from the table and downing it in one gulp.

The cold liquid helped him calm down a bit.

She sighed softly and began, "Alex, I know Harper resents me. She blames me for intruding into her life. But what can I do? If I could choose my identity, I would rather not have it than have Harper hate me."

"Alex, you know, I really want Harper to accept me. But things have come to this, and I don't know what to do to earn her forgiveness."

Years ago, Emily's mother had been with Brad and gave birth to Emily.

Thus, Emily's lifelong label could only be the Orsini family's illegitimate daughter.

This was a label Emily had always wanted to erase but could never remove, like a tattoo branded on her skin, glaring and shameless.

She lowered her eyes, evoking endless pity.

A wave of warmth surged in Alex's heart.

"Alex, today is my birthday. Could you ask Harper to have a drink with me and let bygones be bygones? After all, we're still family. You don't want things to be too unpleasant with Harper, do you?"

Alex felt a tug at his heart. He didn't want to be at odds with Harper, nor did he want to distance himself from her.

Maybe it was because he felt Harper was crucial to the company, or perhaps it was just a man's possessiveness; he couldn't say for sure.

When he had initially proposed the divorce, he hadn't anticipated things would turn out this way.

Emily handed him a glass of wine, speaking softly, "If I ask Harper to drink, she definitely won't. But if you ask, she won't refuse."

Her eyes were clear, like a pristine spring.

Alex nodded slightly, taking the glass. He glanced over and saw Harper sitting in the corner of the living room, her gaze cold as she looked out the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought.

Caden was nowhere to be seen.

Alex made his way through the guests, ignoring those who tried to engage him in conversation.

He walked straight to Harper.

Hearing footsteps, Harper still didn't turn her gaze.

Alex placed the glass on the table in front of her and then sat in the chair opposite her.

He crossed his legs, his hawk-like eyes fixed on her face.

Just sitting there, Harper could feel the oppressive aura he exuded.

"Have a drink?" he said coldly.

Harper turned her eyes to the glass of red wine in front of her.

The elegant, delicate wine glass held a small amount of crimson liquid. Under the light, the red liquid seemed to shimmer with an enchanting hue.

"Emily's offering it to you. It's her birthday today," he said hoarsely.

Harper chuckled, "So, should I happily toast to her?" 

"Sorry, I can't do that. Her existence is a disgrace to the Orsini family, a wound my mother could never heal. So, Mr. Lavien, what do you want me to do?"

"It's not Emily's fault. She's innocent."

Harper pressed her hand to her forehead, her expression one of speechless frustration and anger.

"Mr. Lavien, how much do you really know about Emily? If I told you she was deceitful, malicious, and a woman who uses underhanded tactics, would you believe me?"

She spoke as she shook her head slightly, her eyes filled with indescribable disappointment.

"You wouldn't believe me. You only trust your eyes and judgment. But you're being deceived by her!" She spoke with conviction.

"I've known her for many years. Emily isn't like that!" Alex said. 

Suddenly, Harper's voice grew louder. She looked directly into Alex's eyes, asking slowly, "Then tell me, what kind of person is Emily? And what kind of person am I?"

Alex remained silent.

In Alex's mind, Emily was undoubtedly the purest and kindest lover in the world! No matter what others said about Emily, he wouldn't believe it. Thinking of this, Harper found herself pathetic.

Why did she even bother arguing?

She stood up, a cold smile on her face, "Mr. Lavien, I'm not interested in the birthday party and I'm leaving. I've fulfilled my promise, and I hope you'll keep yours."

She was referring to First Love. It was her mother's most cherished possession, and she had to get it back.

She couldn't even wait for Caden to return; she was eager to leave. This place made her feel suffocated, and she didn't want to stay another minute.

"First Love was always meant to be yours," Alex said quietly.