Together Apart: Her White Moonlight Has Returned Too-Chapter 2: Your Earrings Are Too Ugly

Winston Valentine stopped in his tracks, turned back to look at her, and chuckled, "I just don’t want you to pick me up now. Is that not okay?"

How could it not be okay?

She really was being a fool.

Vera Yves couldn’t remember how she walked out of The Gilded Age, her clothes drenched on the chest from the drinks, the wind chilling her to the bone. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The following week, Winston Valentine didn’t return to the villa, nor did he call once.

Early in the morning, Vera received many calls, all wishing her a happy birthday. She glanced at the calendar and remembered today was her twenty-seventh birthday.

Old Mrs. Valentine had already arranged a dinner party for her.

The stylist studio people had already arrived downstairs.

After Vera’s styling was done, Winston Valentine still hadn’t returned, the studio staff looked at her cautiously, "Mrs. Valentine, President Valentine’s styling..."

Vera looked at the suit that matched her dress, called Winston, but no one answered. She could only send the studio people back and head to the old residence herself.

Vera chose an off-the-shoulder lotus pink dress, both dignified and subtly sexy.

Old Mrs. Valentine met her at the entrance of the banquet hall, smiling as she held her hand, "Vera, your dress is so beautiful today. Where’s Winston? Why didn’t he come with you?"

"His company..."

"Grandma."

Winston Valentine was in a royal blue suit, beside him was Cecilia Vaughn, in a water-blue long dress, elegantly poised. The two walked side by side, a perfect couple.

The surrounding Valentine Family members exchanged glances.

Why did these two come together?

Cecilia smiled and handed a gift box to Vera, "Sister-in-law, happy birthday."

Vera accepted the gift box, "Thank you."

Old Mrs. Valentine held Vera’s hand as they walked in, the others stayed at the entrance to greet guests. After a few steps, Old Mrs. Valentine glanced at Winston standing at the door, "Winston, come over."

Winston followed them.

Old Mrs. Valentine smiled and took out something red with gold threads from her bosom, placing it in Vera’s palm, "Grandma specially got you both a fertility charm. Strive to give grandma a chubby great-grandchild next year."

Vera thought of Winston’s words, her eyes dim.

Winston smiled and said, "Grandma, there’s no rush, Vera and I want to enjoy a few more years as a couple."

"Couple’s world?" Old Mrs. Valentine snorted discontentedly, "You’re flying around the world all year, where’s the couple’s world?"

Vera gently said, "Grandma, I just want to enjoy a few more years of freedom."

Winston looked at her, smiling sarcastically.

Old Mrs. Valentine patted her hand, "Vera, you studied medicine, don’t you know? If you don’t conceive soon, you’ll miss the best childbearing years, make sure not to delay."

She naturally understood, or why would her mind have been clouded that night, to touch his inverse scale.

After that, Winston held her waist, greeting the guests, Vera kept a gentle smile on her face until her face was almost stiff from it.

Winston suddenly leaned down to her ear, whispering, "Mrs. Valentine, your lipstick is smudged."

Vera looked at him in surprise, hurriedly wiping the corner of her lips, but seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes, Vera’s face turned red, "Winston Valentine, is it fun to tease people?"

"You look better when you’re not smiling." Winston placed the wine glass aside, "Take off the earrings."

Although Vera was puzzled, she obediently took off the earrings that matched her dress.

A servant happened to come over with a gift box, "Third Young Madam, this is a gift sent from America."

Vera looked at the palm-sized gift box, momentarily disoriented, but quickly regained her composure, accepting it with a smile, "Thank you."

A card stuck on the gift box read ’Happy Birthday,’ with a signature of ’Meng.’

"Aren’t you going to open it and take a look?" Winston’s voice turned a few degrees colder, thinking of the gift box locked in the glass cabinet, never opened.

Vera shook her head, "You haven’t told me, why did you want me to take off the earrings?"

Winston withdrew his hand from his suit pocket, picked up his wine glass, "No particular reason, I just thought your earrings were ugly." With that, he strode away.

Vera cursed him for being sick in her heart.

Mrs. Yves, Hannah Hayes, walked up to her and handed her a gift, "Darling, happy birthday."

Vera accepted it.

Hannah Hayes elegantly tidied her hair, "Vera, did you mention the project to Winston? Our family is waiting for the tender results."

The Valentine Group had a project that was publicly tendered, coincidentally in the Yves Family’s field.

"I haven’t mentioned it yet."

"Why haven’t you brought it up? The bid opening is soon."

Vera casually brushed it off, "He’s been too busy lately."

"Are you too shy to speak up?" Hannah Hayes knew her daughter’s nature well, "I’ll mention it to him."

"Don’t mention it..."

"Why not? You’re his wife, we’re all family, shouldn’t we earn money together?"

This project was significant, and based on the Yves Company’s scale, it was hard to swallow it whole. Otherwise, Hannah wouldn’t have specially asked Vera to bring it up to Winston.

Vera naturally knew, but he was always strict about separating personal and business matters, their shallow marital bond probably wouldn’t make him give special treatment.

"Mom, don’t bring it up tonight."

Hannah Hayes looked at her helplessly, "You."

The surrounding lights suddenly dimmed, a beam of light focused on the dance floor’s center.

Hannah Hayes nudged Vera, "What are you standing there for? Go find Winston to dance."

Vera searched for Winston’s figure around her, only to see him holding Cecilia Vaughn’s fingertips, heading to the dance floor. Cecilia looked up at him, her smile radiant.

Hannah Hayes’s expression changed, "Who is that woman? It’s your birthday today, what kind of dance are they doing?"

Vera reassured her, "That’s Miss Six of the Valentine Family, Winston’s cousin."

"Miss Six?" Hannah Hayes racked her brain, finally recalling something, sneering, "What kind of Miss Six is that? Snatching the spotlight isn’t done like that! Winston too, doesn’t he know what occasion this is?"

Saying that, Hannah Hayes was about to rush into the dance floor to pull them apart.

Vera managed to stop her, the two in the dance floor executed every step perfectly.

With the end of the dance, they stepped out of the dance floor together, Winston’s group of playboy friends immediately surrounded them, laughing and chatting warmly.

Seeing this, Hannah Hayes got angrier, dragging Vera in their direction.

Vera didn’t want to deal with Winston, pushed against it, Hannah Hayes looked at her as if she didn’t live up to her expectations, "You’re his wife, what are you afraid of?"

"Winston, who is this? Aren’t you going to introduce me?" Hannah Hayes smiled broadly, using the corner of her eye to size up Cecilia Vaughn, who couldn’t compare in height or looks to Vera.

The idle chatter abruptly halted.

"Hello, I’m Cecilia Vaughn, Winston’s cousin." Cecilia gracefully extended her hand to her.

Hannah Hayes reluctantly shook her fingertips, "Cousin? I wonder which tactless one pulled someone else’s husband into the spotlight at someone else’s birthday party."