Evelyn Ross saw Marcus Valentine enter the room.

He walked straight to table number eight.

Mina Sherwood watched from a distance.

She lowered her voice nervously. "Grace, look at the man at table eight. His looks are acceptable, right?"

Evelyn recalled Marcus's arrogant attitude in San Francisco.

She cleared her throat softly. "Looks aren't important. Character matters most."

Mina quickly defended him. "His character is excellent! At the last gathering, when I was being bullied, he stepped in to help me..."

Her eager defense made everything clear to Evelyn.

She raised an eyebrow. "You like him?"

Evelyn had spent the past month getting to know Mina as "Grace Nan."

She understood this young lady's sharp tongue but soft heart.

Mina's ears turned bright red.

She insisted stubbornly, "Absolutely not! This is just a family-arranged blind date. I'm only here to go through the motions."

Her words said one thing, but her expression said another.

Evelyn smiled knowingly. "Right, just a blind date. You should go over. Don't keep him waiting."

Mina stood up awkwardly.

She walked toward table eight, glancing back to emphasize, "I'm just humoring my family."

Evelyn shook her head helplessly.

Her seat was directly facing away from Marcus.

He hadn't noticed her presence.

Mina approached table eight.

She stood there fidgeting, cleared her throat, and said, "Mr. Valentine, I'm Mina Sherwood."

Marcus gestured for her to sit with a tilt of his chin.

His eyes scrutinized her critically.

Mina felt intensely uncomfortable under his gaze.

She looked down to check if her clothes were proper.

Just as she was feeling anxious, Marcus suddenly scoffed.

"So this is what you look like?"

Mina was taken aback. "You know me?"

"I've heard of you." His tone was indifferent. "Your family background isn't to my taste. But I wanted to see what kind of foolish woman you are. Sure enough, you're an empty-headed vase. All looks, no substance."

Mina's fingers clenched tightly.

Her heart felt like it had been struck, a dull ache spreading through her chest.

She took a deep breath. "Mr. Valentine, is there some misunderstanding?"

"No." Marcus leaned back lazily in his chair.

He wasn't familiar with Mina originally.

But while recently investigating "Grace Nan," he had heard too many absurd stories.

Her best friend was a lovesick fool.

Instead of discouraging her, Mina actually used her family company to help her compete for a man's affection?

Marcus detested foolish people without principles.

Mina's actions had precisely stepped on his biggest pet peeve.

Lately, he not only disliked "Grace Nan" but also held a grudge against this so-called best friend.

How could his cousin be friends with such an idiot?!

The DNA test had long confirmed Grace Nan was his cousin.

But Marcus refused to acknowledge someone so foolish.

He had been suppressing the news.

When he learned his blind date was Mina, curiosity brought him here...

He stood up and straightened his jacket. "You're not suitable. This meal is on me. Goodbye."

With that, he walked away directly.

Mina stood frozen in place, utterly bewildered.

She did have feelings for Marcus.

The Sherwood family was full of internal strife.

Her position was awkward.

At every gathering, she was marginalized and bullied.

It was Marcus who had once stepped in to help her.

She knew this infamous troublemaker of New York actually valued loyalty and principles.

At every event, she would hide in a corner secretly watching him.

She kept her crush completely hidden...

She never imagined she'd have a chance to go on a blind date with him.

Her emotions were in turmoil coming here.

That's why she specifically brought Grace for support.

But what did he just say?

"Sure enough, you're an empty-headed vase. All looks, no substance."

Mina's eyes reddened.

She was beautiful, but her family always looked down on her.

No matter how capable she was, no matter how much she contributed to the company, the elders always treated her like a vase.

This chance to blind date with Marcus was only because the elders thought her face might appeal to him...

Being insulted by her family wasn't enough.

Now Marcus mocked her too.

She clenched her fists tightly, tears of humiliation welling up.

She quickly wiped them away and stood up calmly.

Evelyn noticed something was wrong and came over. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Mina's fists were still clenched. "He didn't like me."

"Then he's blind." Evelyn immediately comforted her. "You're beautiful, kind, and smart. His loss for missing out on you."

Mina took a deep breath. "Yeah, Grace, let's go. We still need to report back."

"...Okay."

Mina drove Evelyn home.

When saying goodbye, she had composed herself.

She smiled. "The day after tomorrow, the lawsuit will definitely be delivered to the company."

"Okay."

Evelyn looked at her seriously. "Mina, thank you. If you have any trouble, you must tell me."

"I know."

Mina waved goodbye.

After leaving the neighborhood, she called her financial advisor.

"The twenty million you prepared earlier, is it ready?"

"It's ready, Miss Sherwood. This is the dowry from your family. Are you sure you want to use it now?"

Mina looked ahead. "Yes."

Grace had been a housewife for years.

She didn't understand family businesses aren't decided by one person.

Mina was responsible for new energy development.

She could give Grace a cooperation contract.

She could also help pursue Zack's company for responsibility.

But Grace seemed not to have considered the后续事宜 thoroughly.

After divorcing Zack, the debt would all transfer to Grace.

Where would she get twenty million?

She couldn't let Grace and Chloe end up homeless!

Meanwhile.

Marcus returned to his study at the Valentine home.

He couldn't help telling his secretary, "So that's her. At every gathering, she stays quietly in a corner. That face is quite memorable."

He had always remembered Mina.

Though quiet and reserved, her face perfectly matched his审美.

Her bright features carried an air of grace and stability.

Exactly his type.

Even when family urged him to marry, her face was the first that came to mind.

But...

Marcus shook his head. "Looks can be deceiving. Such a face paired with that intelligence is truly a waste."

The secretary试探道, "Should we continue reporting on Miss Nan's matters?"

Just hearing the name gave Marcus a headache. "How can there be such a foolish woman in the world?"

The secretary fell silent.

Having been with the Valentine family for years, he knew their nature well.

They were protective!

They could criticize their own, but others couldn't!

Sure enough, Marcus added, "Keep watching. Don't let her be devoured completely.好不容易有个堂妹. However stupid, we must ensure she has food and clothing."