Aristocracy101

Chapter 6

BREAKING NEWS

Second Daughter of the Chen Family, Lilian Chen, found sleeping with an unknown man in a hotel.

Is the untouchable Ice Queen finally about to be melted by love?

Lilian scrolled down through the comments, her stomach tightening with each passing line.

Viewer 1: Wow, the Ice Queen’s tree has finally blossomed. I thought she’d stay single forever.

Viewer 2: Who’s the guy upstairs? Maybe she just wants to experience heaven. I wonder who could capture her heart. The person should teach me some of their skills.

Viewer 3: I have a feeling it’s that boy from the Johnson family. She’s always been all over him like a bee guarding its honey.

Viewer 4: Hah! Didn’t you hear the latest? She was rejected on the spot on her birthday. I think she just wanted to let loose and stop guarding her precious gem.

Her brow furrowed as she kept reading. A sick feeling churned in her gut. She had always stayed chaste, not because of Oliver but because she believed it should be saved for marriage. The idea of being reduced to some tabloid headline—Ice Queen finally melted by love—made her feel like her whole identity was being stripped away.

She was about to close the webpage when a new update popped up.

In regard to the recent news, the Johnson family has announced that Oliver Johnson and Lilian Chen will hold their marriage in two weeks. Any further rumors or slander about the couple will result in a lawsuit for defamation.

Johnson Empire...

Lilian read the update a second time, her heart sinking. Oh, boy. That was all she could think. What just happened?

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

A few hours later, Lilian sat in the living room on the couch, staring at the door. The Chen family was preparing to meet the Johnsons.

Her father was practically beaming when he learned it was Oliver she had slept with. Not that she cared whether he was angry or pleased. What worried her most was how Oliver would see her now. Could she still look him in the eye after everything?

The longer she sat there, the more frantic her mind became. She hadn’t even looked into the incident. And now, every passing second felt like a nail in her coffin, each moment slipping away and making it harder to unravel the truth.

The door knocked, and Gerald opened it, letting the Johnson family in.

"Greetings, my beloved in-laws," Mr. Chen said, descending the stairs with his wife in tow.

"Apologies for the sudden announcement," Mrs. Johnson said with a bow. "We should have called first, but the situation didn’t leave us much choice. That said, we do like your daughter."

"Yes, yes, don’t mind these youngsters. Always rushing into things before thinking of the consequences," Mr. Chen replied, brushing the matter off casually.

Mr. Johnson, a quiet and reserved man, said nothing more than a polite nod to Mr. Chen. He hadn’t spoken since they’d arrived, making his presence a stark contrast to the boisterous energy in the room.

Lilian turned her gaze to Oliver. His eyes, however, were burning with anger. If looks could kill, she’d be dead by now.

"So, we’re thinking of pushing the wedding date to a week," Vivian, Oliver’s mother, said with a bright smile.

"I’m not sure that’s right," Mr. Chen began, stammering slightly. "We haven’t even discussed the bride price. No offense, Mrs. Vivian, but it feels like I’m giving my daughter away for nothing. Surely, my daughter should be worth something, right?"

The words stung. But it wasn’t just about money. It was about his need to reclaim some power, some control in a world where he felt weak. Even though Lilian’s role in this situation was far from ideal, he had to feel like he was gaining something.

This is the one time she’s actually done something right, he thought to himself, pride swelling in his chest despite everything.

Lilian resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands. The way her father spoke was revolting. Before she could speak up, however, Mr. Johnson interjected.

"We’ll bring in five hundred million worth of funds and establish a lifelong partnership with the Chen Group, as long as Lilian is our daughter-in-law."

"Uhh..." Mr. Chen blinked, stunned.

"Six hundred million and a hundred million bride price," Mr. Johnson added, as if it were nothing.

"Deal!!" Mr. Chen practically shouted, his disbelief transforming into uncontainable glee. His daughter—his daughter—was worth this much? He’d always dreamed of a marriage like this. His pride swelled, and for the first time in years, he felt like he was on top again. His grin spread wider, as if he had just won the lottery.

"Fine! Now that that’s settled, I’d love for Lilian to come with me to pick out a wedding dress," Vivian said, flashing a bright smile.

Vivian had always wanted Lilian as her daughter-in-law. She fit all the criteria—gracious, poised, and beautiful. But Vivian knew there was more to it. Oliver was far from perfect. He was a wreck beneath the surface, and she needed someone strong to manage him. Someone with the patience and tenderness of a mother. And in Lilian, she saw that.

"I want my mom to come with me," Lilian said, glancing at her mother, whose eyes were filled with longing.

"Of course, no problem," Vivian agreed readily, but before she could continue, Oliver abruptly slammed the flower vase beside him onto the floor.

Crash!

The room went silent. He turned to them, muttering an insincere apology before walking out without another word.

"Well, how about the day after tomorrow?" Vivian suggested, attempting to lighten the tension with a forced laugh.

"Sure," Lilian replied, the smile on her lips feeling more like a grimace than anything genuine.

She stood, escorting them to the door, her heart heavy. Just as she was about to close the door behind them, she spotted Oliver leaning against the fence outside.

She tried to walk away, but he called after her.

"Lily."

Oh, shit... she thought. He only called her that when he was furious.

"Are you happy now? You’ve ruined my life," he spat, his voice low and filled with venom.

"I don’t understand. I’m also a victim here. I—"

"Just stop!" Oliver cut her off. "I investigated, and I found out the hotel room was booked in your name. The receptionist said it was you who ordered it."

"I didn’t know! You have to believe me. I’m being framed. Check the surveillance footage—"

"You think I’m stupid?" he snapped. "You’d have erased it by now. Just know that I’m pissed, Lily. You of all people should know I hate being controlled. I want to marry someone I love, not someone who has me trapped. You’ve ruined that."

With a final, disgusted look, Oliver walked away, leaving Lilian standing there, her heart shattered. She didn’t know how to process this. Everything was happening so fast, and she couldn’t understand why Oliver was acting this way. Maybe they both needed space to figure out what had happened. But one thing was clear: she couldn’t let this go. She had to find the truth. She couldn’t take this lying down.