Married At First Sight Chapter 4519
Romina knew her mother wouldn’t go. She said, “Mom, your health routine really works. When I retire, I’ll follow your lead and start living healthy.”
Mrs. Lafond replied, “You’re still young, nowhere near retirement. Just focus on your work.”
If her kids were old enough to retire, she probably wouldn’t even be around. She didn’t like talking about that kind of gloomy stuff.
The mother and daughter walked downstairs together.
Maddox and Mr. Lafond had been chatting for a while. Mr. Lafond had been going on about health and wellness, and to his surprise, Maddox listened patiently and even chimed in now and then.
Their conversation had gone surprisingly well.
Most young people didn’t have the patience to sit through his health lectures, but Maddox did—and even asked for tips. Mr. Lafond was impressed. If Maddox really became his son-in-law, Romina would be in good hands.
He just wasn’t sure how serious Romina was.
Romina walked up and said, “Maddox, sorry to keep you waiting.”
Maddox looked at her—especially at her—and smiled brightly. “Romina, you look stunning tonight.”
Romina replied confidently, “I always look stunning.”
Maddox grinned. “True. But tonight, you’re even more stunning than usual.”
Romina had only put on light makeup—she already had great features. She normally stuck to business suits, but tonight, she wore a white evening gown with simple jewelry. It gave her a graceful, classy look.
“Alright, let’s go before we’re late,” Romina said with a smile.
“Sure.”
Maddox stood and said, “Uncle, Aunt, we’ll be heading out.”
Mrs. Lafond reminded him, “Alright, Maddox, remember what I said—watch out for Romina. Don’t let her drink too much.”
As they walked, Maddox replied, “I won’t forget, Aunt.”
Romina called back, “Mom, I haven’t even had a sip yet and you’re already telling him to keep an eye on me. Everyone drinks at a banquet.”
She wasn’t planning to get drunk.
She could outdrink most men—her alcohol tolerance was excellent.
When she first joined her company, she chose sales and built her tolerance fast.
Later, her grandfather brought her to live with him. Between all the socializing and business dinners, her drinking skills only got better.
Her grandfather didn’t like women drinking too much, but she was in business—she had no choice.
Mr. and Mrs. Lafond walked the couple to the door and watched them drive off before heading back inside.
“Romina really dressed up tonight,” Mr. Lafond said. “Something’s changed. Maybe it’s love. Maybe she really does like Maddox.”
“Maddox is a great guy. He listened to me ramble on about health stuff and didn’t lose patience.”
“Our own kids won’t even listen to that,” Mrs. Lafond said. “But Maddox is still in the wooing stage—of course he’s polite and sweet. We’ll only know over time if it’s real. Lots of guys are perfect until they get the girl, then turn into someone else.”
She added, “You know what they say—a thousand-mile journey shows a horse’s strength, and time reveals a man’s heart. The real question is whether our daughter actually likes him.”
They sat down on the sofa together.
Married At First Sight Chapter 4520
Mrs. Lafond continued, “When I went upstairs earlier, Romina was still picking an evening gown. That’s definitely not normal. She’s never hesitated like that before—usually she just grabs something and heads out. I don’t think she dressed up tonight just for Maddox.”
No one knew Romina better than her mother.
Mr. Lafond asked, “If not for Maddox, then who? I’ve never heard of her liking anyone. If she did, your father wouldn’t worry so much about her. Do you think we’ve failed as parents? Dad is still running the company at eighty, handling all the major decisions. Our kids are neck-deep in business with no time for relationships, while we retired early, living the good life. Maybe we haven’t helped much at all.”
Mrs. Lafond looked at him. “Feeling guilty about your dad and the kids? Then go back to the company. But with your so-called skills, you’ll just end up doing busywork, and the kids will mock you for being useless. You didn’t retire early for your health—it’s because you weren’t capable.”
Mr. Lafond blushed and coughed. “Come on, give me a little credit. I admit I’m not that capable, but our kids are. Even Dad said he trusts the company in their hands.”
Not just their kids—their nieces and nephews were excellent too. The Lafond family wasn’t lacking in successors.
“At home, who needs face?” Mrs. Lafond teased. “Your own family knows the truth. Besides, I think everyone else already knows what you’re capable of.”
He coughed again and changed the subject. “Let’s not talk about me. We were discussing Romina. Let’s keep things cheerful—it’s good for our health.”
“Alright, so you don’t think Romina dressed up for Maddox. Then who was it for? I haven’t heard of anyone she likes. If she had someone, she wouldn’t be spending time with Maddox now.”
They’d said before there was no spark. Could something have changed now?
“I don’t know who she’s thinking about,” Mrs. Lafond said, “but I still don’t believe it’s Maddox.”
“I heard River is going to the banquet tonight. Do you think Romina could actually be into him? Honestly, River is a great guy. Forget the fact that our families don’t get along—he really is a good match for her.”
“No way,” Mr. Lafond said immediately. “Romina and River are sworn enemies. Everyone in Eaglioncile knows it.”
“But River will be there tonight. Romina dressed up, and she’s going with Maddox. Everyone will think they’re a couple. Maybe she’s doing it on purpose—to show River she’s moved on, that she has someone now, while he’s still single. That’s how sworn enemies operate. As soon as they get the upper hand in any way, they make sure the other person knows.”
Mr. Lafond thought he was onto something.
He still didn’t believe Romina would ever like River, no matter how outstanding he was.
To him, River would always be her lifelong rival.
But as she thought about it, Mrs. Lafond had to admit—his theory did make some sense.
Married At First Sight Chapter 4521
“No matter who she’s dressing up for, we don’t need to stress over it,” Mrs. Lafond said. “Our daughter’s almost thirty. She knows what she’s doing—what she should and shouldn’t do. We’ve stopped worrying about her since she was a teenager.”
She believed fretting over her children’s relationships was bad for her health, and frankly, she was tired of overthinking it.
Anyway, their kids were grown. They could handle themselves.
“Honey, how about we take a trip to Wiltspoon in a few days?” she suggested. “I’ve heard it has a lot of great tourist spots.”
Mr. Lafond immediately agreed. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Even though they claimed not to worry about Romina, the real reason behind the trip was to learn more about River’s background.
A family that could raise someone as outstanding as River had to be something special.
They weren’t the type to obsess over class or wealth in marriage. They valued character and capability. In their minds, a person with good values and ability could overcome any background, even poverty.
After all, many rich families today started from nothing. They just got lucky that their ancestors laid the foundation.
Mr. and Mrs. Lafond were open-minded parents. They didn’t interfere in their kids’ personal lives or demand a “perfect match.” They also had confidence in their children’s judgment.
If someone could earn their child’s admiration, they had to be decent.
For them, it was more about having things in common. People who didn’t live in the same world usually didn’t share the same mindset.
Romina had no idea her parents were planning a trip to Wiltspoon.
She and Maddox didn’t take his car—they left it at her house and had her driver take them in hers to the Lacroix family residence.
On the way, she was unusually quiet and seemed a little tense.
Maddox noticed and looked over at her. “Are you nervous?”
This wasn’t her first formal event, so it seemed unlikely.
“Nervous? No way,” Romina replied quickly. “This isn’t my first banquet. I just feel a little uncomfortable in this dress. I’m more used to suits.”
Maddox chuckled. “Yeah, suits are definitely more comfortable than evening gowns.”
Maybe he was just overthinking it.
Romina was no rookie. She had been in business for years and had handled plenty of high-stakes situations.
He figured he must’ve misread her.
Trying to shift the mood, Romina asked, “You’ve been pretty busy lately, right?”
Since he was her date for the evening, it made sense to keep the conversation going.
“Yeah, very busy,” Maddox said. “But so are you. The Lafond family is thriving.”
Romina smiled. “My parents think highly of you. They really like you.”
Maddox’s family saw Romina as the ideal partner—strong family, capable, refined, and someone who could handle both business and home life.
He did have some feelings for Romina, though mostly because his family liked her. When she’d reached out for dinner, he didn’t hesitate.
If sparks flew tonight, great. If not, they could still stay friends.
Their families had business ties, so maintaining a good relationship was still valuable.
Truthfully, Maddox’s ideal partner was more soft-spoken, graceful, and family-oriented—someone who didn’t need to be a powerhouse, just someone who would care for the home, share life with him, and be there with a hot meal at the end of a long day.
Married At First Sight Chapter 4522
But the elders in Maddox’s family always reminded him—he was the only son. His wife had to be strong enough to support him and smart enough not to covet the Johnstone family’s fortune.
“She’s got great character and strength. My parents really like her too,” Maddox said.
Romina smiled. “That’s because you actually listened to their talk about health routines. Most people run away when they hear that.”
Maddox laughed. “Well, their methods must work. They look younger and younger every time I see them. When your mom’s standing next to you, people would think you’re sisters.”
Romina sighed. “She keeps telling me to start taking care of myself. Says if I don’t, I’ll look older than her one day. It’s kind of brutal.”
“We definitely can’t lose to the older generation,” Maddox joked.
Romina leaned back. “I could never compete with her. She’s stress-free now, and I’m under pressure from every direction—business and life. You know how my grandpa is always pushing me to get married. He’s worried I’ll end up alone.”
“But it’s not like I’ve been avoiding marriage because I couldn’t. If I wanted to settle down, I could’ve done it right after college. Back then, I had plenty of guys chasing me—and some of them were actually great.”
She had just been too young and not ready for marriage.
Then, once she grew into her role as a strong, independent woman, she found she liked the freedom. She didn’t need a relationship to feel fulfilled.
Maddox, hearing her talk about her college years, suddenly thought of a junior he had a crush on back then. She was a couple years younger than him. By now, she was probably married.
Most people tied the knot in their mid-twenties.
He wondered—what if he had pursued her back then? Would he already be married now?
But back then, he was arrogant. Even though he liked her, he never made a move. He just showed up around her, waiting for her to make the first move.
She never did. Maybe she just didn’t like him. Or maybe she thought he was just another spoiled golden boy with too many admirers.
As the car rolled into the Lacroix estate, Maddox shook off the thought.
The mansion was lit up, with the butler out front directing cars.
The younger generation of the Lacroix family waited in the yard to greet guests, no matter their status.
But every guest invited tonight was someone important in Eaglioncile—wealthy, noble, or both.
The Lacroix family had an excellent reputation in town, and people respected them.
Romina’s eyes landed on a Maybach parked ahead.
She instantly recognized the license plate—it was River’s.
After years of clashing with him, she knew everything about him, even his license plate number.
But there was one thing she didn’t know: River’s family background.
He never talked about it. Ever.
Once, someone asked why he left Wiltspoon, such a major city with so many opportunities, to come all the way to Eaglioncile.
River’s answer?
He said he couldn’t make it in Wiltspoon anymore and had to get away from everything—to start over.
Was that the truth?
Who knew?