Chapter 3 Marriage Transaction

Valerie had just secured the partnership and immediately earned the recognition of the company leadership.

Originally, there was supposed to be a company dinner that evening, but she declined because of Howard.

After work, she waited downstairs for a long time until a car slowly came into view.

It was a black Volkswagen, with a string of letters on the back, but it looked a bit old.

Joseph eagerly helped her with her suitcase.

Valerie slid into the back seat, sitting next to Howard.

"Is this your car?"

Valerie had wanted to ask since yesterday, "And this is your—"

"The company's car. He's my cousin, Joseph."

Howard was afraid he wasn't being clear enough, "I've been with the Carter Group for a long time. As you can see, I have some influence, so I arranged for my cousin to be my assistant."

"That's great. Overcoming adversity is a real skill."

Valerie's casual compliment made Howard's face change.

Overcoming adversity?

"Is this your only luggage?"

"Yes."

Howard felt a sense of compassion inside.

He stared at the swelling on Valerie's face, and thinking about the information Joseph had sent in the afternoon, his heart filled with even more pity.

"Mr. Carter might regret it now, but it's too late. I'm just a poor girl with a decent job."

Valerie's words were humble, but her demeanor was strong, like a resilient rose in full bloom.

Howard admired such a woman. In some ways, they were no different.

"Where's your home?"

Howard asked, though he already knew, "I prepared some gifts. As your new husband, I should visit your family."

He had Joseph look into Valerie's background: a deceased mother, a gambling father, a spendthrift brother, and—

She had once been engaged to the Smith family.

But none of that mattered to him. He didn't care.

The only thing he cared about was that his woman could not be mistreated anymore.

That would be an insult to him.

In all of Emerald City, no one would dare!

"No need to go back. I don't have a home." Valerie resisted, her eyes instantly welling up.

"Just this once, as a formality. After that, if you don't want to go back, I won't make you."

Seeing Howard's insistence, Valerie agreed. She also wanted to retrieve her mother's portrait.

On Maple Street, at the alley entrance.

When they arrived, Daniel was kneeling on the ground, surrounded by eight men in sharp suits with menacing looks.

"Daniel, we agreed on two hundred thousand dollars. How come you can't pay today? Are you messing with me?"

The leader, with a cigarette in his mouth, stepped on Daniel's face.

He howled in pain, "I'll pay, I'll pay. I was going to, but my daughter just got dumped, and I didn't get the money. Give me a few more days, I promise..."

Before he could finish, the group started kicking him.

Valerie ultimately couldn't bear to watch any longer and shouted, "If you keep this up, I'll call the police!"

"Oh, the little girl is back?"

The man leered at Valerie's breasts and spat.

"How about this, if you become my mistress, your dad's debt is cleared."

"Yeah, yeah, let her be with you. She's got a good body, dresses scantily, and is quite the flirt!" Daniel said without any shame.

Valerie's face turned red in anger, "Dad, what are you saying?"

The men, like madmen, started moving towards Valerie.

Howard pulled her behind him.

Joseph rolled up his sleeves, and in less than ten minutes, the eight burly men were on the ground.

His swift and decisive moves showed he was a skilled fighter.

After dealing with them, Joseph pulled two hundred thousand dollars in cash from the trunk and threw it at them.

"Get lost! If I see you again, you'll be in jail!"

The men, terrified, grabbed the money and fled.

Daniel cursed as he got up, finally noticing the man in wheelchair next to Valerie.

He yanked his daughter over, raising his hand to hit her, but Howard blocked him.

"Dad, aren't you going to invite me in?"

The sentence made Daniel's jaw drop.

Inside, the lighting was dim.

Seeing the box of cash on the table and several boxes of expensive gifts, Daniel shut his mouth.

His eyes darted to Howard's crippled legs, and he arrogantly cleared his throat.

"My daughter graduated from a top university and is now a manager at Aurelia Holdings. And you, a cripple, want to marry her?"

Valerie thought he had a change of heart, but his next words made her lose hope again.

"Three hundred thousand dollars isn't enough. At least five hundred thousand!"

"Dad, he just paid off your debt with two hundred thousand dollars. What more do you want? Do you really think you're selling your daughter?"

Valerie bit her lip, her aggrieved look making Howard uncomfortable.

He tightly held Valerie's hand, signaling her to sit beside him.

Then he gestured for Joseph to put three hundred thousand dollars on the table.

"That's a total of eight hundred thousand dollars, as a gesture of my sincerity."

"If you don't agree, we'll get divorced right now, and you'll owe me twenty thousand dollars."

"I think you can do the math."

Daniel's eyes darted around, calculating how to squeeze more money out of them.

"Marrying my daughter isn't impossible. I'm old and can't move around much. She need to support her brother. You need to give me ten thousand dollars a month for living expenses, and you can take her."

"Deal." Howard's quick response made Daniel doubt his ears.

He stammered a few words, then changed his tone, pouring a cup of tea in a flattering manner.

"Really? Then write me a contract. How do I know you're not tricking me?"

Seeing Daniel's greedy and cunning face, Valerie realized her marriage was just a transaction to her own father.

Valerie's fingers clenched involuntarily, her nails digging into her palms, and tears fell despite herself.

Howard saw Valerie silently crying beside him, her aggrieved look piercing his heart like a needle, and he frowned deeply.