"I heard Charlie even tried to convince her to stay when she left, and he didn't date anyone else for half a year after that. It's obvious she holds a special place in his heart."
"You better watch your back!"
Emily fell silent for a moment before asking, "Do you even still have those millions of dollars?"
Noreen froze. "What?"
Emily scoffed. "If you have this much free time, you should probably make sure your boyfriend hasn't gambled away all your money!"
Without giving Noreen a chance to explode, Emily hung up.
Putting her phone away, she looked up to see the host of the banquet, Milton Marsh—the owner of the Marsh Group—walking arm in arm with Melina. He was addressing the crowd. "My daughter, Melina, just returned from studying abroad. I hope you'll all look out for her. She's my only daughter, and she will be the sole heir to the Marsh Group..."
Melina.
Emily stared at the girl, who was beaming happily beside her father. She could finally see her face head-on, and she was undeniably stunning.
The banquet was in full swing, with guests eagerly congratulating the Coopers. Emily glanced at Charlie, who was also watching Melina, before she turned and walked away.
*
The drinks flowed freely at the reception. It was past ten, but the guests showed no signs of winding down.
Charlie received a text from Emily saying she had finished working late and was already home, telling him not to rush.
He was looking at his phone when Melina approached, handing him a glass of wine with a gentle tone. "After five years abroad, I still think J City is the best. Everywhere I look, I see familiar sights and familiar faces."
Charlie took the glass with a faint smile. "As long as you're settling back in."
The corners of Melina's eyes curved like a hook. "Nothing here has changed. I wonder if old feelings can pick up right where they left off, too?"
She was blunt. "I know you've probably dated a lot of women since I left. I don't care."
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