He must have juste from the base, as he was still in his military uniform. His eyes were lowered, a lit cigarette held between two fingers.


    "Bet!" Ynda''s face lit up as she hurried over to him. "Bet, what are you doing here?"


    Bet looked up at her, his expression calm and gentle. "Mr. Ward mentioned you were here. I had some free time today, so I came to see you."


    Mr. Ward was the estate manager. He had routinely informed Bet about the guests, not expecting him to actually show up.


    Ynda was thrilled that Bet hade specifically for her, the smile on her face widening with undisguised affection.


    She took his arm and said in a soft, sweet voice, "We were just about to have lunch. Come with us. I wonder what Mr. Ward has prepared. I hope there are snow crab legs and boiled shrimp, my favorites."


    Bet didn''t say anything, simply extinguishing the cigarette in his hand.


    He lifted his gaze, his eyes sweeping over the others before pausing briefly on Yvonne, then moving on.


    The private estate was vast, with the residential vis concentrated in the eastern section.


    The group walked along the granite path toward the vis.


    Ynda clung to Bet''s arm, their posture intimate.


    Oscar tactfully kept his distance, following a few steps behind them.


    Yvonne walked with Thomas and his friends, chatting as they went.


    They talked mostly about industry gossip: which blockbuster series was about to start filming, which show was looking for investors, and which top celebrity was rumored to have a secret marriage and child.


    "I heard Ms. Walker just signed on for a popr reality show. Is she officially breaking into the entertainment industry?" the well-known producer asked, ncing at Ynda and Bet walking ahead of them.


    "With the Thompson family as her ultimate backer, even if Ms. Walker were aplete lost cause, they could still ster her onto the A-list," the director walking beside him remarked. He then added with a sigh, "Why can''t she just be content as Mrs. Thompson? Why does she have to storm into our industry and make life difficult for us directors and producers? If we don''t cast her, we risk offending the Thompsons. If we do, it''s a nightmare for everyone involved."


    Thomas listened with a faint smile but didn''t interject.


    The Thompsons were rich, but they weren''t fools. The two families hadn''t even set a date, yet Frank had already had thepany''s legal team draw up a prenuptial agreement.


    Unless Ynda could secure her position as Mrs. Thompson and bear Bet''s children, she wouldn''t see a dime of the family''s vast fortune.


    Her desire to enter the


    entertainment industry was likely because it was the easiest way to make money. With the backing of the Thompson family''s capital, she could cash in as much as possible.


    After all, while the Walker family had influence, they weren''t exactly rolling in money.


    The group entered the vi, chatting andughing.


    The dining room was on the first floor, where a long table was already set with exquisite tableware.


    Once everyone was seated, the butler signaled for the servants to begin serving the food.


    A variety of delicious, beautifully


    presented dishes were brought out, a feast for the eyes. However, there wasn''t a single seafood dish and certainly no sign of Ynda''s favorite snow crab legs and shrimp.


    "No seafood?" Ynda asked, looking at Mr. Ward.


    Thomas also nced over, confused.


    He knew Yvonne was allergic to seafood, but since there were other guests, he had simply instructed the staff to serve the seafood dishes separately to avoid any mix- ups.


    "The young master ordered all seafood to be removed from the menu," Mr. Ward said respectfully, ncing at Bet, who was seated at the head of the table.


    All eyes then turned to Bet.


    With a cid expression, he stated calmly, "I have an injury and can''t eat seafood. If anyone minds..."