章 1: Chapter 1 - Mr. Beckett
In the Levine Mansion
Around noon, the bright sunlight poured in through the windows, casting a warm glow on a young girl sitting at her desk, deep in concentration.
Sofia was in her room, immersed in reading reference books on archaeological artifacts. Just as she was getting lost in her studies, she heard the faint sound of servants walking back and forth outside the door.
She put down her book, curiosity piqued, and cracked the door open to peek outside.
Downstairs in the living room, her father, Mr Robert Levine, stood impeccably dressed in formal attire, as if preparing to welcome an important guest. Turning his head to the left, he spoke in a voice that was both authoritative and slightly impatient, "Hurry up, the old man from the Beckett family will be here soon."
The sound of approaching high heels grew louder. "On such an important day, of course I had to make sure Ruby looks beautiful. Just look at her." The voice, unmistakably, belonged to Sofia's stepmother, Anna. Standing beside her was a young girl, slightly younger than Sofia—her half-sister, Ruby.
Mr Levine glanced at his daughter's outfit, approving of her appropriate appearance.
Today, Ruby was wearing a cream-colored satin mid-length dress, paired with a black tweed jacket lined with gold threads. Her shoulder-length wavy hair added to the mature look, though she complained, "Mom, this dress isn't my style at all. It's so old-fashioned."
Anna patted her shoulder gently, soothing her with a soft voice, "Just bear with it. We're meeting elders today. Trust me, dressing conservatively is the right choice."
Ruby pouted but had no choice but to comply.
A handsome, striking face flashed through her mind. It had been six months since she last saw him. How was he doing now? Her earlier displeasure quickly disappeared at the thought.
Mr Levine nervously inspected the house, making sure everything was in order. He caught sight of Sofia looking around and cleared his throat. "Sofia, remember what I told you—don't come out of your room today."
Sofia nodded silently and withdrew her head back into the room. Before she could close the door, she heard Ruby let out a mocking snicker.
Her father had reminded her multiple times not to leave her room today, no matter what she heard. Lunch would be brought to her by the servants.
Sofia sat quietly in her room, gazing out the window. This house had ceased to be her home ever since she was five.
That year, her mother had fallen gravely ill and passed away. In the midst of her grief, her once-responsible father brought Anna into the house, along with a two-year-old child.
In other words, even before her mother passed away, her father already had another family. While her mother lay on her deathbed, her father embraced another woman.
Because of this, Sofia had never believed in love or marriage. She intended to devote the rest of her life to artifact restoration.
Through her window, she saw a Rolls-Royce and a business car drive into the courtyard. After a quick glance, she returned to her reading.
Mr Levine and his family grew restless as soon as they saw the cars enter through the gate. They hurriedly went to the front door to greet their guest.
An elderly man with white hair stepped out of the car. His posture was straight, his weathered face showing signs of age, but his eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and his presence radiated authority.
Mr Levine strode forward with a flattering smile, extending his hand toward the old man. "Mr Beckett, welcome to our humble home. We should have been the ones to visit you, after all."
Mr Beckett extended his hand as well, but after a brief handshake, he quickly let go. "No need. I wanted to see where my future granddaughter-in-law has been living."
His gaze swept to the side, and Mr Levine quickly spoke up, taking the lead in introducing them. "This is my wife and daughter."
Anna gently pushed Ruby forward, and she gave Mr Beckett a polite bow.
Mr Beckett glanced at them briefly, his emotions unreadable—neither approving nor disapproving.
Sensing a subtle tension, Mr Levine forced a smile and quickly invited him into the living room. "Please, come this way."
They entered the mansion in a line, followed by Mr Beckett's bodyguards and assistants.
Only then did Ruby raise her head, her brow furrowed as she looked toward the parked cars, muttering to herself, "Rome didn't come?" Her tone was filled with disappointment.
Leaning over, Anna whispered a reminder to her daughter, "Watch what you say. Mr Beckett is still the head of their family. As long as he agrees, no one will oppose him. Do you understand?"
Since receiving the news a week ago that Mr Beckett would be visiting, Anna had repeatedly reminded her daughter hundreds of times how to behave gracefully, ensuring that she would appear as a worthy daughter-in-law.
Though the two families had a marriage agreement, how they presented themselves in public was of utmost importance.
It was also Anna's first time being so close to Mr Beckett. His sharp, eagle-like eyes sent chills down her spine.
One of the reasons Mr. Daniel Beckett commanded such respect was his rise from humble beginnings. He started a small import-export company with just a thousand dollars, and it had since grown into a vast business empire spanning oil, electricity, finance, and international trade. Even the relatively influential Levine family couldn't compete with his achievements.
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