The Billionaire Who Saved Me

There was nothing strange about Wilda’s obvious surprise. It was human. In fact, if Wilda had reacted differently, that would have been strange.

Wilda seemed confused. You could almost say she was dazed when she forced her eyes to blink once. Then she asked Garrett to make sure her ears were still working well. Or to make sure that Garrett didn’t misspeak.

“W-what? What did you just say?”

With that question, Wilda turned away. She looked at Elice, who looked pale. It was exactly the same as Wilda’s expression. There was almost no difference.

“I want to marry Elice.”

Without feeling bothered or offended, Garrett repeated his words. This time he even raised his tone a bit.

Wilda turned back to Garrett. She took a deep breath, as deep as she could. She needed to be calm for this very surprising thing.

“Do you want to marry Elice?”

“Yes. I want to marry her. I know it’s too sudden, but that doesn’t mean I’m not serious. More than that, this can even be said to be an action that shows my seriousness,” Garrett said then. “And I sincerely hope that you will give us permission.”

In many cases, it was usually the bride-to-be who needed time to think and consider. But this time, there seemed to be an exception. For instead of Elice having to think, it was Wilda who decided to make Garrett wait.

*

“You didn’t come home last night, Garrett.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Garrett came home at the right time when lunchtime arrived, and had a few reasons prepared in his head. But first, he owed his mother a hug.

Garrett approached Norah, who greeted him for not coming home last night. He gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the head.

“It’s the youth, Norah. They often get together with their friends. And Garrett needs his rest too. Gathering with them will let him relax a bit from his work.”

As Garrett was about to explain his reason, Daphne, who was sitting in the main seat at the dining table, unexpectedly spoke up. She made both him and Norah look at her. Garrett decided to address Daphne as well. He gave his grandmother similar attention before joining them for lunch.

Norah took a deep breath. Daphne’s words were true. But that didn’t mean that Norah accepted them right away.

“You could at least let me know, Garrett,” Norah said. “I was just worried that something bad might happen to you.”

Garrett nodded. Admitting the mistake and apologizing was the quickest way out of trouble.

“Forgive me, Ma. It won’t happen a second time.”

He did not want to defend himself, but what happened last night was really out of Garrett’s control. He hadn’t planned it.

“Alright.”

Norah let out a short breath and nodded. She looked at her son, who was beginning to enjoy his lunch. And the middle-aged woman found that the curiosity she had been suppressing since last night was becoming more pronounced. She could not hold back any longer.

“So…”

There was something different in Norah’s tone that made Garrett look away from the plate in front of him.

“… since yesterday I have been wondering. When are you going to introduce me to Elice?”

Garrett cleared his throat briefly. Luckily, he wasn’t chewing at that moment. Otherwise, it was certain that he would choke on it.

“What your mother asked is correct, Garrett.”

Daphne joined the conversation and seemed to speak without taking her eyes off her food. She was still quietly and leisurely enjoying every grain of rice on her plate.

“You should have brought Elice to this house,” Daphne continued casually. “Introduced her to Norah and this family. Because it’s a little strange that you took Elice out in public and didn’t bring her here. Perhaps we feel that Brenda’s birthday invitation is more important than this family.”

Garrett’s jaw went up and down in surprise. He briefly cleared his throat. Suddenly he felt dry inside.

“I’ll try to make it soon. After all, we both work and it’s hard to find the same free time.”

Saying that, Garrett immediately praised himself in his heart. Able to give an answer, uncertain promises, and reasons in one breath. Unfortunately, Garrett was well aware that he might not be able to bring Elice to the big house anytime soon. Not if Wilda didn’t give him the answer he wanted.

However, unaware of the turmoil in Garrett’s mind, Norah seemed satisfied with the answer she got. This was evident from the blossoming smile on her face.

“I will wait.”

Just like Garrett, who also waited. And he prayed. Hopefully his waiting would end the way he hoped it would. Because if not, he didn’t know what he would tell Norah as an excuse.

Garrett sighed. He continued to eat, his eyes glancing unintentionally at Daphne.

Concentrating on her food, Daphne seemed to have a trace of a smile on her face. A smile for whom Garrett didn’t know. A smile that made Garrett wonder.

Because if there was a child and a mother who both speculated about the possible future, there was Daphne who seemed to have predicted what that future might be. So, it didn’t seem strange that Daphne immediately contacted Carolus in her room after lunch.

As usual, when she felt so light and relaxed, Daphne would lean back in her lounge chair. Let the swing rock her in gentle waves. Wait for her call to be answered.

“Hello, Madam.”

The smile on Daphne’s face didn’t fade as she answered the greeting. “Hello, Carolus. It’s a bright afternoon and I want you to do something for me.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Arrange the wedding,” Daphne replied. “As soon as possible and flawlessly.”

There was silence for a moment. It seemed that Carolus needed time to digest this order.

“Wedding for… Mr. Garrett?”

Daphne’s eyes rolled. “If not him, then who? Do you think I’m the one getting married? Oh, please. I’m too old to get married again.”

“I apologize, Madam. I will prepare it.”

“Good,” Daphne nodded. “The date hasn’t been set yet, but I’m sure it won’t be too long. And at least you should take care of everything. I want a big celebration. Um…” She cleared her throat for a moment and closed her eyes. “A wedding on a cruise ship sounds like an interesting idea. What do you think?”

“A cruise ship? That’s a good choice, Mrs.”

A broad smile appeared on Daphne’s face, showing off her still neatly arranged teeth.

“Even if Garrett and Elice object, at least there will be a party. I haven’t been on a cruise in a long time.”

“All right, Madam. I’ll take care of everything.”

That was all Daphne needed. Carolus’ willingness to fulfill her wishes. For when the call ended, she relaxed again. With both hands resting on her stomach and her body leaning back completely on the lounge chair.

Rocking and rocking. Daphne stared at the ceiling with a wide and satisfied look on her face. It seemed that this Sunday was a perfect day for her.

*

“I never met Garrett before. Have you known each other for a long time?”

That night, while most people were resting, Wilda questioned her daughter in Elice’s room about Garrett. A man who was still a stranger to her. But surprisingly, he had proposed to Elice.

“We’ve known each other since Crestdale,” Elice replied, taking a short breath. Her face lowered as she looked at her two hands clasping each other. And as she sat on the edge of the bed, her mother paced back and forth. “We lost touch after we moved here. But we reconnected some time ago.”

Wilda’s footsteps stopped. One of her hands went up and landed on her waist, rubbing it. She massaged the bridge of her nose with the other free hand. No need to ask, the middle-aged woman must have a headache.

“Do you want to marry him?”

It seemed as if Wilda had decided to stop thinking. Instead of feeling her headache getting worse, it’s better to ask her daughter directly. The person who will undoubtedly start the journey of marriage.

Elice fell silent. For a few moments she didn’t answer Wilda’s question because she couldn’t think anymore. Garrett’s sudden proposal had left her speechless.

“Garrett is a good man, Mom.”

Wilda dramatically closed her eyes. Her hand, which had briefly dropped from the bridge of her nose, immediately shot up. It landed on top of her head.

“Good is not enough, Elice. And you know for a fact there was once a man you called a good man.”

That’s Ariel. Perhaps someday Ariel could receive an award for leaving a lasting impression in the memories of both mother and daughter. Unfortunately, it’s an impression that’s far from favorable.

“He’s not like Ariel, Mom,” Elice said wearily. “And even though we’ve only known each other for about a year, he’s definitely different from Ariel.”

Elice didn’t know where that conviction came from, but she felt it. Everything about Garrett was different from Ariel.

Ariel had indeed looked at her with a look of love, a fiery passion. But like a flame, that love was easily extinguished when there was nothing left to burn.

Meanwhile, Garrett looked at her differently. A calm look, like the morning sunlight. It would warm and fade, but like the sun, this look would come every day.

“So…”

Wilda’s voice brought Elice back to reality. Where something important lay before her. Something that required careful consideration by her rational mind.

“… are you sure you want to marry Garrett?”

Elice wasn’t sure. In fact, she was doubtful. But when Daphne’s pressure came, she had no choice but to erode that doubt. Only half of it remained, which gave her the courage to accept Garrett’s offer to get closer first.

As time passed, Elice realized how Garrett’s presence made her feel safer. She had never expected Ariel to disrupt her life.

Marrying Garrett meant accepting consequences and risks. Marrying him meant being willing to enter another world where power had a strong influence, especially given Garrett’s current position.

Elice’s face lifted. Because if she once believed in Ariel and the opposite happened, maybe the twists of fate in her life would be different this time. Maybe something she doubted in the beginning would prove to be true in the end.

“Yes,” Elice nodded. “I want to marry Garrett.”

*