Married At First Sight Chapter 4531
Even if people like them achieved success, it was still hard to truly fit into the world of the wealthy elite.
If River really liked Romina and ran into trouble with the Lafond family, maybe he’d start to appreciate her.
Becoming a daughter-in-law in a powerful family wasn’t easy—being a son-in-law wasn’t any easier. The wealthy guarded their circles like fortresses, and outsiders were treated like threats.
It was even harder to blend into the inner circles of a family’s business empire.
Yantail, the company River ran, was in the same industry as the Lafond Group. Peers in the same field often viewed each other as rivals. That alone made any serious future between River and Romina incredibly difficult.
Still, if River truly liked Romina, he had to hit a wall first. Only then might he remember Ms. Hayward’s loyalty and kindness. She was willing to wait a year or two—when that wall hit, she’d try again.
Maybe by then, River would accept reality and choose someone like her, someone from a similar background, someone who understood him.
River had no idea Ms. Hayward had thought so far ahead. After she left, he found a quiet corner and sat down. Finally, some peace and quiet.
Although it was summer, Eaglioncile’s heat wasn’t as brutal as Wiltspoon’s. Here, only a few days a year were truly scorching. In Wiltspoon, the summer dragged on from May until November.
Tonight, a cool breeze swept through the yard. River leaned back, enjoying the wind. What mattered most was that he could finally take off his emotional mask for a moment.
He didn’t know how long he sat there until he noticed someone approaching. Quickly, he slipped his mask back on and looked up.
It was Romina.
His guard dropped slightly.
She was carrying a tray with a few glasses of wine, walking toward him step by step.
As she got closer, River teased, “What, is the Lacroix family short on waiters? They’ve got Romina personally delivering wine now?”
He shook the nearly empty glass in his hand. “Perfect timing—mine’s almost finished.”
Romina set the tray down on the small table and sat beside him.
“You came alone?” River asked.
Romina replied, “Aren’t you alone, too?”
River smirked. “Where’s your male companion?”
Then he added, “Romina, even though we don’t get along, I have to tell you—Maddox isn’t right for you. Even if he says that woman is just his cousin, their relationship seems a little too close. You never know what’s really going on.”
“If you get involved, people will think you’re the third wheel. You’re too proud to be put in that position. It’s not fair to you.”
Romina brought six glasses of wine. She placed three of them in front of River.
“These are for you—my treat. And stop bad-mouthing Maddox just because he’s not here. He’s well-educated. He knows you don’t marry your cousin. Don’t be disgusting, River. Just because you have a dirty mind doesn’t mean the rest of us do.”
River didn’t admit to bad-mouthing Maddox.
“I was just trying to give you a friendly heads-up,” he said. “But if that’s how you want to take it, forget it.”
Romina narrowed her eyes. “What did you say to my grandpa? He’s been staring at me like I committed a crime.”
River downed the rest of his wine, picked up one of the glasses Romina gave him, raised it toward her, and clinked.
They both drank.
Married At First Sight Chapter 4532
“Romina, I’ve heard your alcohol tolerance is legendary—that you can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Is that true, or just a rumor?” River asked with a smirk, noticing how quickly she emptied her glass.
“What, you want to challenge me?” Romina arched a brow. “You’re probably scared I’ll drink you under the table. Everyone who competes with me ends up passed out.”
River laughed. “You’re probably right. I don’t dare. I’d just end up being your punchline for the rest of my life.”
Romina snorted. “Exactly what I thought. No guts.”
She leaned closer. “Tell me—what exactly did you say to my grandfather? I just know he’s going to give me hell when I get home.”
River grinned. “I told him I’d come to complain.”
Romina glared. “River, you have no shame. That’s my grandfather, not yours!”
River shot back, “You called me husband. That makes us husband and wife. Your grandpa is my grandpa too now. Mine passed away years ago—I’d love to call someone grandpa again. And hey, you’ve got one, so why not share?”
Romina was fuming. She seriously considered throwing a glass of wine at him.
This guy was unbelievable.
“I should’ve slapped you harder,” she muttered.
River smiled. “Yeah, I told him the truth. That my sister-in-law came to visit, you saw me with her, jumped to conclusions, and slapped me in public.”
Romina was speechless.
She scowled. “River, all this because I didn’t treat you to one stupid meal?”
“You refused to apologize,” River replied. “I think you owe me a meal.”
Romina took a deep breath and gave in. “Fine. I’ll treat you to lunch at Eaglioncile Hotel tomorrow. You can order whatever you want—drinks, too.”
River grinned. “One meal isn’t enough. You made me wait so many days—there’s interest to consider. Ten days’ delay equals a month of meals. That’s just fair.”
Romina’s face darkened.
“River, you are so shameless.”
River shrugged. “Then take responsibility. You called me husband, didn’t you? You can’t call me that for free.”
Romina’s anger turned into a sly smile.
She reached out her hand.
River raised an eyebrow, unsure what she meant. Did she want to hold hands?
Not one to miss an opportunity, he reached out and gently took her hand. He even caressed it twice.
“Bad temper, but soft hands. Cute,” he said.
“You have a bad temper, too. And you definitely just took advantage of me,” Romina snapped, yanking her hand back.
Her fake smile sharpened. “River, if I called you husband, then you can’t call me wife for nothing, either. Husbands are supposed to give their wives spending money. I’ve got my eye on some jewelry, a few limited-edition bags, and tons of designer clothes. So… cough it up, husband.”
River’s smile froze.
This woman was dangerous.
She turned the tables on him in an instant.
Married At First Sight Chapter 4533
Seeing River at a loss for words, Romina smiled triumphantly.
Then River pulled out his phone and said, “Give me your bank account. I’ll transfer the money now. Go buy whatever you like tomorrow—but you’d better bring me the receipts. I need proof you used my money to shop and not to spoil some pretty boy like Maddox.”
“He’s not even as good-looking as me, Romina. You really need better taste. If you’re going to support a gigolo, at least make sure he’s hotter than I am.”
Romina was speechless.
“River, are you jealous?”
She looked at him, amused.
“Do you secretly like me? Seeing me with Maddox tonight made you jealous, didn’t it? The moment you laid eyes on him, you started going after him—slandering him, trying to drive a wedge between us. I’m not wrong, am I?”
River chuckled. “You called me ‘husband’ first. Since you did, it’s only natural I take responsibility for you. As your ‘husband,’ I’m obviously going to get jealous when my wife flirts with another guy in front of me. I’m not that big-hearted. The fact I didn’t punch Maddox says a lot.”
“And no, I’m not secretly in love with you. If I ever fall for you, I’ll make it loud and clear. I don’t sneak around.”
Romina was speechless again.
She deeply regretted calling him “husband” that day. Now he threw it in her face every chance he got, and this jerk had completely leaned into the role.
“Wife, send me your bank info. I’ll wire you the money now. Go buy everything you want.”
“Husbands make money for their wives to spend. That’s how the York men are—we spoil our wives. Romina, you’re my wife now. That’s your good fortune after eight lifetimes of karma. You should know—back home, tons of girls are dying to marry me.”
River wasn’t exaggerating.
In Wiltspoon, plenty of girls wanted to marry him. Of the nine young York men, only three were still single—and they were wildly popular.
Back when Grandma was in charge, she handled all the matchmaking. Her standards were so high that barely any rich daughters made the cut.
Now that she was too old to keep up with it, the remaining bachelors were free to date whoever they wanted.
That was great news for the daughters of Wiltspoon’s wealthy families.
They finally had a shot at pursuing one of the three eligible York men.
River had come all the way to Eaglioncile partly to get away from the swarm of suitors.
Thousands of kilometers away, few people knew his exact location, and they wouldn’t chase him that far.
There were no elders nagging him to get married and no crowd of socialites surrounding him either.
Though plenty of powerful women in Eaglioncile were captivated by his looks, they were practical when it came to marriage.
They’d only consider men whose family backgrounds matched theirs.
Even if River was successful now, in their eyes, he still came from an ordinary family.
Married At First Sight Chapter 4534
Seeing River at a loss for words, Romina smiled triumphantly.
Then River pulled out his phone and said, “Give me your bank account. I’ll transfer the money now. Go buy whatever you like tomorrow—but you’d better bring me the receipts. I need proof you used my money to shop and not to spoil some pretty boy like Maddox.”
“He’s not even as good-looking as me, Romina. You really need better taste. If you’re going to support a gigolo, at least make sure he’s hotter than I am.”
Romina was speechless.
“River, are you jealous?”
She looked at him, amused.
“Do you secretly like me? Seeing me with Maddox tonight made you jealous, didn’t it? The moment you laid eyes on him, you started going after him—slandering him, trying to drive a wedge between us. I’m not wrong, am I?”
River chuckled. “You called me ‘husband’ first. Since you did, it’s only natural I take responsibility for you. As your ‘husband,’ I’m obviously going to get jealous when my wife flirts with another guy in front of me. I’m not that big-hearted. The fact I didn’t punch Maddox says a lot.”
“And no, I’m not secretly in love with you. If I ever fall for you, I’ll make it loud and clear. I don’t sneak around.”
Romina was speechless again.
She deeply regretted calling him “husband” that day. Now he threw it in her face every chance he got, and this jerk had completely leaned into the role.
“Wife, send me your bank info. I’ll wire you the money now. Go buy everything you want.”
“Husbands make money for their wives to spend. That’s how the York men are—we spoil our wives. Romina, you’re my wife now. That’s your good fortune after eight lifetimes of karma. You should know—back home, tons of girls are dying to marry me.”
River wasn’t exaggerating.
In Wiltspoon, plenty of girls wanted to marry him. Of the nine young York men, only three were still single—and they were wildly popular.
Back when Grandma was in charge, she handled all the matchmaking. Her standards were so high that barely any rich daughters made the cut.
Now that she was too old to keep up with it, the remaining bachelors were free to date whoever they wanted.
That was great news for the daughters of Wiltspoon’s wealthy families.
They finally had a shot at pursuing one of the three eligible York men.
River had come all the way to Eaglioncile partly to get away from the swarm of suitors.
Thousands of kilometers away, few people knew his exact location, and they wouldn’t chase him that far.
There were no elders nagging him to get married and no crowd of socialites surrounding him either.
Though plenty of powerful women in Eaglioncile were captivated by his looks, they were practical when it came to marriage.
They’d only consider men whose family backgrounds matched theirs.
Even if River was successful now, in their eyes, he still came from an ordinary family.