From Broken Bride to Tycoon's Trophy Wife

Chapter 6

The Wilson family in Harbor City was known for its medical real estate business, but the Lu family in New York had a much larger empire, their assets worth many times more.

After handling everything with Nolan, Lucas turned to me, his expression serious, though I could see a flicker of nervousness. "Lily, don't misunderstand. I'm not usually like this."

I smiled softly, reassuring him. "I think you handled it perfectly."

With Nolan's persistence, I knew things wouldn't have been so easy without Lucas stepping in. I was done with the mess.

That evening, Lucas organized a dinner to introduce our families and finalize wedding details. It was also the first time I would meet his mother, and I felt the nerves creeping up. My palms were sweating, but Lucas squeezed my hand under the table, offering a soft, "Lily, don't worry. My parents love you."

When both families arrived, the atmosphere was surprisingly warm. Mrs. Lu greeted me with a beaming smile, and before I could process, she handed me a jewelry box.

"Lily, I've heard so much about you from Lucas. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you in person. You're even more beautiful than I imagined."

I was taken aback, not expecting such warmth. Lucas had mentioned me to his parents often?

When I paused, lost in thought, Lucas gave me a nudge. "Open it," he encouraged.

I figured it might be a watch or a handbag, a typical gift for such an occasion. But when I opened the box, my mom gasped from beside me. "Is this... the Lu family heirloom jade bracelet?"

Inside the box was an exquisite imperial green jade bracelet, worth nine figures, or so the financial reports said. I froze, overwhelmed, and quickly tried to return it.

"This is too valuable, I can't accept this," I stammered.

But Mrs. Lu smiled and placed the bracelet on my wrist herself. "It's a gift for my future daughter-in-law. No amount of money is too much for you."

With that, she gently covered my hand with hers, her voice soft. "Because you're worth it."

Later that evening, when I returned home with my parents, I was surprised to find Mr. and Mrs. Wilson sitting in our living room. My mom sighed and said, "Back then, your grandfather insisted on sending you to Harbor City. The Wilson family promised they'd take care of you. We always thought you and Nolan would end up together."

She paused, looking at me. "We don't know what happened between you and Nolan, but you've been a part of their family for years. It wouldn't be right to turn them away at the door."

I understood where she was coming from and assured her, "Mom, don't worry. I'll handle it."

I personally brought tea to the study where Uncle and Aunt Wilson were waiting. When Aunt Wilson saw me, her eyes welled up. "Lily, what happened? I heard you went back to New York to get married..."

I sighed, sitting down. "Uncle Wilson, Aunt Wilson, Nolan and I are over."

Uncle Wilson's brows furrowed in anger. "Did that brat do something wrong? I'll beat him senseless!"

I stayed silent, but Aunt Wilson's eyes shifted, and she softly asked, "Is it because of that Wendy?"

I didn't answer, but my silence spoke volumes.

Aunt Wilson lowered her head, deeply ashamed. "Lily, we've always treated you like our own daughter. I can't even look you in the eye after what Nolan's done..."

I understood. Aunt Wilson had been so kind to me over the years. I couldn't let Nolan's actions come between us.

"Aunt Wilson, no matter what, I still respect you deeply."

After hearing the full story, they didn't try to persuade me to go back to Nolan, though I could tell they were disappointed.

Once they left, Charlotte bombarded me with messages.

"Lily, check out these screenshots!" she wrote. "Wendy has lost her mind!"

I opened the message, and the bitterness hit me hard.

[Some people pretend to be innocent, but they're already planning their marriage to another man without even breaking up with their boyfriend. You're a real piece of work, huh.]

The image attached was an old side profile photo of me. And in the comments, Wendy added:

[You guys don't know, her new husband is old and ugly. She's just after his money.]

Charlotte was livid. "I argued with her and then blocked her. She's a total bitch."

I didn't want to let Wendy ruin my mood. I was focused on the joy of my upcoming wedding.

"Don't let it get to you," I reassured Charlotte. "I'm getting married in three days, and I can't wait to have you there as my bridesmaid in New York."