She was right. Sasha and Sebastian didnât mind, but if this were to happen in an ordinary family, the
bride would be looked down upon by her in-laws.
Susanâs cheeks turned pink when she finally understood what her mother meant. She had never
considered that before.
â1-1 didnât know about that. You can call the shots,â she faltered.
After a brief hesitation, Sigrith made up her mind. âMm. What do you need? Iâll have to prepare
household electrical appliances, a carjewelry, and the sort according to traditional customs. I think
your in-laws have prepared those. Why donât I buy you a house?â
A house? Susan was shocked by her suggestion. Thatâs expensive. One house costs at least
millions. After we get married, we7l stay in Oceanic Estate. Who will live in this house, then?
Susan couldnât make up her mind.
Right then, Ian came upstairs. The door to her room was shut, so he frowned and knocked on the
door. âSusan, what are you doing inside?â he pressed.
Shocked, Susan ended the call and hurried over to open the door.
âIan, youâre awake?â
The tall young man stood at the door. Noticing her averted gaze, he brooded unhappily. Why did
she ask that?
âWho were you talking to on the phone? You chatted for so long.â
â1-1 was talking to my mom,â Susan replied as she hung her head low shyly.
The call reminded her of their engagement. After resolving the misunderstanding, they confessed
their feelings for each other and then planned their engagement. Everything had happened in the
blink of an eye.
She dared not meet his gaze.
âYour mom?â
Fortunately, Ian was reminded of the conversation he had with his mother a while ago.
The tips of his ears turned red.
âWhat did she say?â he asked.
âS-She asked if she should prepare a dowry for our engagement. She even suggested buying aâ¦
house for us. By then, we can do anything we want without asking for the eldersâ permission.â
Susanâs head was so low that it was practically in front of her chest.
After revealing the content of her conversation with Sigrith, she couldnât help but blush.
Mom was talking nonsense.
To her surprise, Ian nodded in agreement. âThatâs a great idea.â
âHuh?â Susan lifted her head at once. âDo you think itâs a good idea?â
âYes. We can decorate it however we like and live there. Weâll only visit Oceanic Estate during the
holidays. Whatâs the problem?â
Huh? How could he say that so matter-of-factly?
Susan could barely hide her bewilderment.
Iâd love that, too. I want nothing more than to build our own house together. Imagine how blissful we
can be in our own home. Nevertheless, wonât his parents get upset?
That was what got Susan all worried.
However, Ian wasnât worried at all. He knew Sasha was pretty busy with the clingy Sebastian and
the three children.
Besides, Sasha was also an open-minded parent.
Thus, Ian agreed to the matter. In the evening, he received an unexpected text message.
Matteo: Ian, I heard youâre going to marry Susan. Congratulations!
It was Matteo, who hadnât been in touch with him in a while.
Ianâs lips curved into a grin.
He replied: Yeah. Remember to come home early.
He was referring to the day of their engagement. That day was also their birthday, so Matteo should
be home early for the occasion.
To his surprise, Matteo rejected him outright.
Matteo: Ian, I donât think ill be home in time. Iâve been selected to participate in special training that
will span a few months. I heard that those who complete the training would get to join the SWAT
team. I must grab the chance!
After sending the text, Matteo didnât forget to send a pitiful emoji to beg for forgiveness in order to
emphasize how rare the opportunity was.
A flash of disappointment appeared in Ianâs gaze when he learned that Matteo wouldnât be home in
time for his engagement party.
It was an important day, so he felt sad that Matteo couldnât be there for him.
However, he readily agreed to Matteoâs request as it was a rare opportunity.
Ian: Okay. It would be best if you worked hard, then. Youâve always wanted to join the SWAT team.
After you succeed, you can attend our wedding.
Matteo: Of course!
Matteo didnât forget to send a smiley emoji. Ian was reminded of Matteoâs cheerful smile, and his
mood immediately lifted.
He placed his phone aside after their chat ended.
A week later, Susan was in class when she received a parcel. She unwrapped it to see a custom-
made necklace nestled in a blue jewelry box.
The pendant hanging on the necklace was a pineapple tart with a bite mark made of rhinestones.
It looked pretty ridiculous, but she loved it nonetheless.