Chapter 48: Chapter 48 - Unconditional Support
Upon hearing my words, Woods Walters couldn’t hide his disappointment.
He had been banking on the Soul Nourishment Pill to gain an edge. Giving it to another partner would erase that advantage.
Despite these thoughts, Woods kept quiet and simply nodded in agreement.
I saw straight through Woods’s concerns and chuckled. "Don’t worry, the exclusive distributorship of the Soul Nourishment Pill will always remain yours."
Woods’s face lit up immediately as he quickly nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Raymond!"
Woods wasted no time spreading the news across River City, making it the talk of the town.
...
When I arrived at the Sean family estate that evening, I was greeted by an unexpected sight. Mabel Sean, normally cold and proud, was wearing an apron and humming while bustling around the kitchen with obvious enjoyment.
"Miss, please go rest..." Several servants hovered around her anxiously, clearly worried she might hurt herself.
Her secretary added with a strained smile, "Miss, why are you doing such menial work? The servants can handle this..."
Mabel ignored them completely. For the first time in her life, she’d discovered cooking could bring such pleasure. And it was all because I was coming for dinner tonight, prompting her to personally prepare the meal.
Later that night, I noticed how carefully Mabel had decorated the room—soft lighting, a table filled with various dishes, and a bottle of 1982 red wine.
Mabel had sent all the servants away. In the spacious room, only Mabel Sean and I remained.
"You... made all this yourself?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
How could someone like Mabel Sean, raised in wealth, be so domestic?
"Try it and see how it tastes!" Mabel urged, looking hopeful.
I quickly picked up my chopsticks and took a bite.
After just one mouthful, my face turned green. This was completely inedible!
"Is it delicious?" Mabel blinked excitedly, awaiting my verdict.
Seeing her eager expression, I couldn’t bring myself to crush her spirits. I forced myself to say, "Yes... It’s delicious, really delicious..."
"Really?!" The normally icy beauty now bubbled with excitement like a schoolgirl!
"Really!" I nodded vigorously.
"Then eat more!" Mabel smiled brightly.
I silently despaired.
After struggling through the entire meal, Mabel and I walked around the manor grounds, enjoying the moonlight.
The subtle fragrance wafting from Mabel made my heart race. I secretly glanced at her profile, feeling as though my chest might explode.
Gathering my courage, I carefully reached out to hold Mabel’s hand.
Right at that moment, Mabel spoke up. "Mason."
I panicked and quickly pulled my hand back.
"Ah, what is it?" I asked nervously.
Mabel gazed skyward and asked, "Do you like this kind of life?"
I was startled, not quite understanding her question.
"What kind of life are you referring to?" I asked, confused.
Mabel smiled softly. "Are you tired lately?"
I considered the question before answering honestly, "Maybe a little."
Indeed, my recent schedule had been exhausting, with barely any downtime.
Mabel laughed lightly. "How about I support you then?"
I was taken aback, shaking my head. "Why bring this up suddenly?"
Mabel explained, "If you don’t enjoy this lifestyle, I could support you."
Thinking she was joking, I laughed it off. "Then I’d be a kept man. How could I afford a wedding ring and ceremony?"
Mabel looked at me seriously. "A wedding ring doesn’t have to be purchased by a man, nor does a wedding need to be arranged by you. If you’re willing, I’ll buy the ring and plan the wedding."
Her words left me stunned.
I turned to face Mabel directly and spoke earnestly, "I might be somewhat tired lately, but I feel fulfilled."
"Before meeting you, I was essentially a walking corpse, directionless and without purpose."
"After meeting you, I discovered the meaning of struggle and effort."
Taking a deep breath, I continued, "Miss Sean, give me one year at most."
"In one year, I will come to the Sean family to propose and give you a magnificent wedding."
The atmosphere grew intimate between us.
Our promises seemed to transport us back to younger, simpler days.
But my words clearly touched Mabel.
"Alright," Mabel smiled. "In one year, I’ll wait for you to give me that magnificent wedding."
After I left the Sean estate, Mabel sat alone in the courtyard for a long time.
Her secretary eventually approached and sighed, "Miss, I feel you’ve changed."
Mabel glanced at him with a smile. "How have I changed?"
The secretary replied ruefully, "Before coming to River City, we always admired your intelligence and decisiveness."
"You even said if Mason Raymond proved useless, you would leave River City and reject the marriage proposal."
"But now... You seem indifferent to whether Mason succeeds or not. It’s as if... you’ve transformed from a brilliant, calculating queen into an ordinary girl next door..."
Mabel simply smiled, neither confirming nor denying the observation.
As her secretary noted, Mabel had indeed stopped caring whether Mason Raymond could achieve success.
"I respect Mason’s choice," Mabel said with a gentle smile.
"If he decides to stop striving, I’ll support him."
"If he wants to succeed, I’ll do everything possible to help him."
Clearly, Mason had chosen the latter path.
