Married At First Sight Chapter 4479
Romina said, “Brother, River and I are sworn enemies. If you want to deal with an enemy, the first step is to learn everything about them. That’s how you defeat them.”
“Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never lose a battle. This isn’t about romance.”
Donovan replied, “I’m just making a point. I’m not forcing you to be with him. I just think that if you looked at him from a different angle, you’d see he’s actually pretty great. A lot of women like him.”
Romina pouted. “So what? I don’t like him. I don’t care how many women do—he’s not my type.”
Then, after a brief silence, she added in a softer voice, “Besides, it’s not like he likes me anyway.”
Donovan smiled but dropped the subject. “There’s a business reception Saturday night. You’ll have to attend—I won’t be going.”
“Saturday night… Today’s Wednesday. Got it.”
Romina had attended countless business events. She was well-seasoned. Even if she had to step in last minute, she’d still handle it like a pro.
Donovan added, “River might be there too.”
Her expression immediately soured. “Who’s organizing this reception? Don’t they know River and I can’t stand each other? It’s either him or me. I don’t want to be in the same room as that guy.”
They had run into each other at a few banquets before. It always ended in chaos. And to top it off, she hated how popular River was—everyone, men and women alike, seemed to adore him.
“It’s hosted by Mr. Lacroix. His family runs a business unrelated to ours. He’s respected in Eaglioncile’s business world. He invited both our family and Yantail.”
Since there wasn’t any direct competition, Mr. Lacroix wasn’t worried about offending either family.
And both the Lafond family and River would show Mr. Lacroix some respect. Even if they didn’t get along, they’d keep things civil.
Romina said, “River’s sister-in-law is in town with her kids. He might be busy showing them around and skip the event.”
She hoped he wouldn’t show up.
The Lacroix family was undergoing a business transformation. She wanted to work with them, and this reception was her opportunity to speak directly with Mr. Lacroix. Missing it wasn’t an option.
But seeing River? That was something she really wanted to avoid.
“The party’s in the evening—it won’t clash with his family time,” Donovan pointed out. “His sister-in-law’s just visiting. He’s probably done enough already. He’s not going to drop everything to play tour guide for days.”
“He can just send a driver with them.”
“By the way, what’s his sister-in-law like? And how does River treat her?” Donovan asked, curiosity getting the best of him.
Romina answered without hesitation, “She’s super easy to get along with. Her name’s Serenity. She asked me to call her Sister Seren. I really like her.”
“And her two kids are just adorable. I’ve never seen kids that smart and sweet. I especially love Bethany—she’s River’s niece. She’s only one, already walking, though she only speaks in short two-word phrases. His nephew’s name is Maverick. You can tell their family absolutely dotes on them.”
“If they were my niece and nephew, I’d spoil them too.”
She continued, “River treats his sister-in-law with a lot of respect. She’s not much older than him, so obviously she didn’t raise him or anything, but he still respects her deeply. That probably means he really looks up to his older brother.”
Married At First Sight Chapter 4480
River respected his older brother so much, he was also kind and respectful to his sister-in-law.
Donovan asked, “Sounds like River’s family is pretty solid. Are they from Wiltspoon?”
“Yeah, Wiltspoon. That’s like two or three thousand kilometers from Eaglioncile. Super far.”
Romina had never been to Wiltspoon.
The Lafond family didn’t do business there, and she was too busy to go there just for fun.
Donovan suddenly had the urge to investigate River’s family background.
Romina could guess exactly what he was thinking.
“Don’t bother, Brother,” she said firmly. “There’s zero chance of anything happening between River and me. You don’t need to send someone to Wiltspoon to dig into his background. We’ve been at odds for years. Neither of us will ever back down or give in.”
“If we ever got together, we’d be arguing all day—at work, at home. I don’t want to live in constant chaos.”
After a moment, she added, “I’ll ask Grandpa if Maddox Johnstone is still single. I’ve met him a few times. Grandpa thinks highly of him and says we’d be a good match. He’s my senior, and we actually get along. If he’s single, I’ll give it a shot. That way you won’t have to worry about my love life anymore.”
“I’m serious—I don’t want to become an old maid and give you a headache.”
She figured if trying things with Maddox kept her brother from pushing River on her, it was worth a shot.
Among all the young men Grandpa had introduced to her, Maddox had left the best impression.
Donovan was tempted to say something but held back. River hadn’t even realized his own feelings for Romina yet, let alone hers.
Letting Romina interact with Maddox might trigger something in River—make him recognize his feelings and start pursuing her.
Donovan would love to watch that unfold. Two sworn enemies slowly falling for each other? It would be quite the spectacle.
Love and hate—so closely intertwined.
Who knew what the future held?
Not every colleague is a mortal enemy. If two people fall in love, the rivalry disappears. That would be good for both the Lafond and Yantail families. Better to gain an ally than add another enemy.
Romina caught her brother’s strange expression. “What’s with that look on your face? You’re acting weird.”
“It’s nothing,” Donovan said quickly. “Just thinking. It’s your life—you decide. As long as you’re sure you won’t regret it.”
“Well, get back to work. I’ve got a pile of things to finish.”
Donovan had only stopped by because he heard she’d returned to the office with a sour mood.
He left quickly after that.
Romina turned back to her work, fully focused.
She had to work late tonight. All thanks to River.
Well, she had to take some of the blame too. If she hadn’t been so impulsive, she wouldn’t have gotten into this mess with him.
From now on, she decided, she’d pretend not to know River whenever they crossed paths. She’d avoid him at all costs.
No more incidents like today.
At the same time, River had arranged for his sister-in-law and her two kids to stay comfortably. Her bodyguard and the children’s nanny had also arrived from the airport and were brought to River’s home.
He asked the butler to assign rooms and arrange dinner. Then he turned to his nephew and asked gently, “Hey buddy, do you want to eat here at Uncle River’s place tonight or go out?”
Married At First Sight Chapter 4481
Maverick thought for a moment, then asked, “Uncle River, is your cooking better than Uncle Tatum’s? If it is, we’ll eat at home. If not, then you have to take us out. Mom said every place has its own special dishes, and I want to try the local food here.”
River smiled and replied, “Uncle River knows how to cook, but I can’t compete with your Uncle Tatum. He’s loved cooking since he was a kid and learned from a lot of top chefs. I’m good, but he’s better. So, let’s go out to eat. I’ll take you to a hotel this afternoon. The food there is delicious and showcases Eaglioncile’s local flavors.”
“Okay!” Maverick cheered and clapped his hands excitedly.
Bethany, standing nearby, saw her brother clapping and joined in, beaming with joy.
Serenity said, “It’s all the same to me, but cooking at home is kind of tiring.”
She figured River didn’t usually cook. She had checked out his kitchen and noticed the fridge was nearly empty—just a few things for breakfast.
She assumed he ate breakfast at home and had lunch and dinner out, especially with all his social commitments.
“River, does your company have a cafeteria?” Serenity asked.
River nodded. “Yes, there are two—one for regular employees and one for management. Our cafeterias go through a lot of fresh produce every day. Sister-in-law, does your company deliver fruits and vegetables to Eaglioncile? If so, I can talk to our purchasing department about sourcing from you.”
It would be great to keep the business within the family.
But he also realized the distance was a problem. If her business didn’t already serve Eaglioncile, it might be too expensive to ship just for his company.
However, if large-scale distributors already buying from her were delivering here, he could arrange for his company’s order to be bundled with theirs, lowering shipping costs.
Serenity said, “Grain moves from the north to the south, and vegetables from the south to the north. Most of my produce goes north. I haven’t had any orders from Eaglioncile.”
She continued, “It’s just too far. Even if your company orders a large quantity, it’s still not enough to justify the cost. Plus, is your company covering meal expenses or just offering a subsidy?”
River replied, “We offer a subsidy. The company covers 70%, and employees pay the remaining 30%. For the management team, meals are fully covered.”
That’s because management is considered top talent—and top talent gets better treatment.
He added, “Honestly, even if my company needs a lot, it’s still not worth ordering from so far away. Your produce is better than what we get here, but the price is slightly higher. Add shipping on top of that, and food costs go way up.”
Yantail’s cafeteria runs on fast-food-level pricing standards here in Eaglioncile. Raising costs would mean employees paying more too—and they might not go for that.
“The swelling on your face has gone down,” Serenity suddenly remarked.
River touched the spot Romina had slapped. “She went nuts and smacked me before I even knew what was happening. She totally did it on purpose.”
Serenity chuckled. “You and Romina have been butting heads for years now, haven’t you?”
Married At First Sight Chapter 4482
“Since I started at Yantail, Romina and I have been going at it. It’s been five years. But I’ve got to admit, she’s smart and capable. Having someone like her around definitely keeps life from getting boring,” River said with a laugh, clearly holding a grudging respect for her.
“If we weren’t in the same industry, I’d really admire her. She’s got a strong presence in Eaglioncile’s business scene. Plus, she’s a Lafond—her family is well-known. A lot of old-school bosses see her as the ideal daughter-in-law. Young up-and-comers love working with her but don’t want to date her. Maybe it’s because she’s too good. Guys feel like they’ll get overshadowed if they’re with her.”
River figured most men in Eaglioncile just couldn’t match up to Romina.
They admired her but didn’t want to be in a relationship where their ego might take a hit.
So, she’d been on a few blind dates, but none worked out.
“That’s because they’re not good enough for her. A woman like Romina will end up with someone truly exceptional. Do you really like her, Sister-in-law? You just met her today, but it feels like you’re already on her side,” River said, clearly irritated.
“I’m family. Romina’s the enemy—my mortal enemy!” he added dramatically, patting his face. “She hit me, remember? If she weren’t a woman, I’d have fought back. I swear, I’d flatten her.”
Serenity smiled and said honestly, “I really like Romina. She doesn’t seem as awful as you’re making her out to be.”
River sighed. “She’s a good person, I’ll admit that. But somehow, she only shows her worst side to me. So, yeah, I think she’s awful.”
Serenity teased, “You think she’s so awful, and yet you had the nerve to ask her to buy you a meal?”
River was stunned.
How did she know that?
He had called Romina behind Serenity’s back.
Did Romina really call his sister-in-law to complain about him?
River defended himself, “She hit me. Isn’t a meal the least she can do to make up for it?”
“She apologized and even helped ice your face,” Serenity replied with a grin. She couldn’t help but feel like these two were just bickering soulmates.
“Sister-in-law, don’t look at me like that,” River said, feeling nervous. “I swear, Romina and I are mortal enemies—sworn rivals. There’s nothing romantic there. Don’t start playing matchmaker. I’d be a wreck if I actually liked her.”
When other brothers got serious about someone, the girlfriend would eventually meet the sister-in-law, and they’d usually hit it off.
River was clearly on edge, thinking Serenity was here to push him toward marriage. And from her perspective, any woman she met might be a potential match for him.
“Why are you so jumpy? I just think Romina’s nice, and I get along with her. Even Bethany likes her. After she slapped you, Bethany still wanted her to hold her. River, you’re not getting any younger. You’re already 31, and in another six months, you’ll be 32. If you don’t settle down soon, Second Aunt’s going to worry herself sick.”
River immediately stood up, scooped up Bethany, grabbed Maverick’s hand, and said, “Sister-in-law, please call my brother. I’m taking the kids out to play.”
He had no interest in listening to any more talk about getting married.