Sarah nodded, “We’ve known each other for many years.”
“He’s quite ordinary,” Holden said bluntly. “You, my dear wife, are very beautiful, but your taste in men is poor.”
Sarah, “…”
Sarah felt deflated.
If any other man had criticized Ronald, she could have brushed it off as jealousy or pettiness. But Holden calling Ronald ‘ordinary’ seemed entirely reasonable. After all, Holden himself, in both looks and status, far outshone Ronald.
However, the fact that Holden could talk about this with a smile indicated he really had no interest in her.
No wonder, in the original novel, Sarah, Holden’s wife, was killed by Ronald and Elisa, and Holden didn’t bat an eye as he promoted Ronald to work for him.
After finishing breakfast, Holden stood up, “Let’s go.”
Sarah followed him to his black Bentley.
Holden drove in silence, not saying a word to her.
Sarah could tell that, while he presented himself as charming and courteous, especially to women, there were moments when his cold nature showed through.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the Smith family estate.
Sarah had fallen asleep in the car, feeling a bit uncomfortable from the air conditioning.
She slowly opened her eyes as Holden parked the car and opened the door, “Get out.”
Sarah followed him outside and was immediately struck by how extraordinary the Smith family estate was.
The estate was nestled between mountains and water, resembling a scene from a traditional painting, exuding a rich cultural heritage and unique charm. The exterior walls of the villa were built with natural stone and wood, giving it a deep, clear texture that reflected a sense of aged elegance and grandeur.
Walking through the courtyard gate with Holden, the first thing that caught her eye was a screen wall with ancient dynasty features. The garden had winding paths and changing scenery, with rockeries, flowing water, and pine trees creating a picturesque landscape. Seasonal flowers surrounded a clear fish pond where koi swam leisurely, balancing motion and stillness.
Sarah, dressed in her elegant gown, walked beside Holden, perfectly matching the surroundings.
“Mr. Holden, I-”
“Call me Holden in front of others,” Holden interrupted.
Sarah quickly corrected herself, “Holden, I’m not very familiar with the people in your Smith family.”
Holden smirked, “Did you forget already? We were here just last month. The people here are the same as last time.”
Sarah stammered, “Oh, right, we were here last month.”
The original novel didn’t detail such trivial events.
Sarah really didn’t know the specifics of what happened last month.
Holden noticed her guilty expression, his eyes darkening.
The last time he and Sarah had visited was for their wedding. Sarah indeed didn’t know many people in the Smith family.
But teasing her was like playing with a stray kitten-quite amusing.
The servants of the Smith family had already come over. They wore uniform black outfits, looked very formal, and politely greeted, “Young Master.”
Sarah thought their way of speaking was like acting, and she wondered if they would call her “Young Mistress” like in TV dramas. Fortunately, there was no such awkward scenario; like Butler Ted, they addressed her as “Lady.”
Sarah followed Holden inside.
A luxurious palace lantern hung from the high ceiling of the living room. The golden silk lampshade emitted a warm and serene light, casting a glow on the furniture. Each piece displayed exquisite craftsmanship. Calligraphy scrolls by famous artists adorned the walls, exuding scholarly elegance.
A woman in her forties, wearing a black dress, sat on a chair holding a cup of coffee. A young girl in a white dress stood beside her. Judging by the woman’s appearance, Sarah guessed she was Holden’s mother.
“Holden, you’re back,” Nicola smiled warmly at Holden, her gaze sweeping over Sarah. “Oh, you’re here too.”
From her tone, Sarah could tell the woman didn’t like her.
As expected, mother-in-law relationships were always the hardest to manage.
Holden nodded coldly, “Where’s Grandpa? I heard he’s not been well lately.”
“He went fishing early this morning and will be back by noon,” Nicola replied with a smile. “Your room is always kept clean. Go and rest. Sarah, now that you’re married to Holden, take good care of him and give him a son soon, alright?”
Sarah thought to herself about how feudal this family sounded, but since she was being paid by Holden, she had no choice but to nod.
Holden’s tone remained cold, “Sarah is still young; there’s no rush for children. Grandma, we’ll go rest in our room.”
Sarah was shocked. She had thought this woman was Holden’s mother, but it turned out she was his grandmother.
Was the upkeep of the rich this effective?
Before she could process this, Holden took her hand.
Sarah wasn’t used to holding hands with a man, and she felt a bit embarrassed.
Holden’s fingers were long and slender, with well-defined joints, and they felt cool to the touch. His hand was much larger than hers, almost completely covering it.
Nicola and the girl in white both focused on Holden and Sarah’s hands.
Holden led Sarah upstairs, his tone warm and doting, completely different from when he spoke to Nicola, “Why aren’t you wearing your wedding ring? Where’s your diamond ring?”
Although the original Sarah was married, she didn’t want to acknowledge her married status, so she hid the wedding ring. As for where she hid it, Sarah had no idea.
Holden, however, wore a simple yet elegant wedding band, which accentuated his long fingers and gave them a hint of sexiness.
Sarah replied, “I forgot to wear it.”
“If you keep forgetting things so easily, I’ll have to punish you.”
Even though Sarah knew that everything Holden did now was an act, it was hard not to be a little flustered talking face-to-face with such a handsome and charismatic man.
Holden had a unique presence. He could make you believe whatever he wanted you to believe about him.
In front of his employees, he was the strict, cold, and powerful boss.
With friends, he was witty and humorous.
With a lover, he was charming and gentle.
No one really knew which side was the real him.
Sarah had a feeling Holden would make a better actor than she ever could.
Nicola watched this scene with a dark expression.
The girl in white next to her was on the verge of tears, biting her lip hard, her eyes glued to Holden’s back.
Sarah followed Holden upstairs until they reached a room, and Holden opened the door. Once inside, the door closed with a bang, and Holden instantly let go of Sarah’s hand, the tenderness and affection on his face vanishing without a trace.
Sarah said, “Mr. Holden, your grandma looks pretty young.”
“She’s not my biological grandmother,” Holden replied. “I thought you remembered that.”
Sarah touched her forehead, “I did, but I had a high fever recently and forgot some things.”
Holden watched Sarah acting in front of him without calling her out.
Sarah asked, “Mr. Holden, could you tell me about your family?”
Holden ignored her and went straight to the bathroom to wash his hands.
Sarah knew powerful men often had a thing about cleanliness, especially after touching women.
She followed him, “Come on, tell me something. We’re just two bored people, let’s talk to pass the time.”
Holden replied, “There are more entertaining things for a man and a woman alone together. Would you like to know more?”
Sarah quickly responded, “No, thanks.”
After washing his hands, Holden dried them off.
Sarah, wanting to retaliate for his coldness, followed suit, “Ugh, shaking hands with a man I don’t like is so annoying.”
Holden replied, “Twenty million.”
Sarah immediately said, “I was wrong.”
Just then, there was a knock on the door.