"Your uncle is the eldest son of the James family, and by rights, he should inherit the business. But look at him! He''d be better off without that brain of his."


    Mr. James Sr. coughed in anger. Teresa quickly handed him a ss of warm water, which he sipped to calm his temper.


    As the wedding ceremony concluded, the lights in the hall brightened.


    The bride and groom changed into new outfits.


    Noah swapped his white suit for a ck one, while Cynthia exchanged her wedding gown for a red reception dress for the toasts.


    As the couple began making their rounds to toast the guests, Noah finally saw Nic when they reached the table with the James and Taylor families.


    Upon seeing her father, Nic did what she always did-she stretched out her little arms, asking to be held.


    Noah paused for a moment, then set down his ss and lifted her into his arms.


    "Nic, why are you here?" he asked gently.


    "Grandpa, Grandma, and Mommy brought me. They said Daddy was here, so they brought me to find you," Nic replied in her innocent, childlike voice, not yet knowing how to lie.


    Noah wasn''t foolish. He immediately understood that the Whites, not ready to give up, had tried to ruin his wedding.


    However, the ceremony had gone smoothly, and the Whites hadn''t caused a scene, so they must have been dealt with.


    Noah''s gaze instinctively shifted to Bet.


    "I had my bodyguards escort the Whites upstairs. We''ll send them home after the wedding is over. It''s your and your new wife''s big day; don''t let irrelevant people spoil it."


    Bet said casually, swirling the wine in his ss.


    "Thanks," Noah said reflexively.


    If Bet hadn''t intercepted the Whites and protected Nic, today''s wedding would not have proceeded so smoothly. With so many of Istra''s prominent figures in attendance, any public disruption would have been a massive embarrassment for the Thompson family.


    as


    Both Mr. Thompson Sr. and Tobias valued their reputation above all else; they would have killed him.


    "We''re family. No need for thanks," Bet said, pping Noah on the shoulder.


    Although the Whites hadn''t managed to disrupt the wedding, Nic''s sudden appearance still sparked a fair amount of gossip.


    Cynthia, though maintaining her gentle and smiling demeanor, was surely unhappy inside.


    But since she had decided to rekindle her rtionship with Noah, she must have been prepared for the reality of being a stepmother to his daughter.


    The festivitiessted all day, and by evening, the Thompson and Scott families had finally seen off all their guests.


    Noah and Cynthia, the exhausted newlyweds, should have gone directly to their new home to rest. After all, the main event—the wedding night—was still ahead.


    But since the divorce, Nic had been living with Karina at the Whites'' house. And while no one there dared to mistreat a Thompson grandchild, they certainly didn''t show her much warmth.


    Nic, though young, was sensitive. She could tell who liked her and who didn''t.


    During her time with the Whites, she cried for her father and begged to go home every day.


    Karina spent most of her time trying to console her. When she couldn''t, she would just hold Nic and weep, saying, "I''m sorry, Mommy is useless. It''s all Mommy''s fault."


    Having not seen her father for so


    long, Nic was desperate for him. Now that she had him, her little arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, and she refused to let go.