Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

Chapter 525

Frank motioned to Chris, signaling him to step outside for a conversation. When Chris caught Frank’s gaze, he

promptly rose from his seat. Such formal occasions were not to his liking.

The crux of the matter was that it was nearly impossible for him to get a word in. The primary objective was to

make up the numbers.

During Sherri’s wedding, Stella and Ava had the honor of being bridesmaids together. They made a great pair, both

talkative and cheerful, effortlessly striking up a conversation with just a few words.

Seeing her brother had departed, Stella wanted to quietly exit, but she needed a pretext. She put her hopes on Ava.

“Mom, I’ll take Ava upstairs to play. You all continue your chat.”

Angie wasn’t mainly focused on her youngest daughter; she wanted to be undisturbed. She dismissed her with a

casual wave. “Sure, go on, enjoy yourselves.”

With the green light from her mother, Stella waved to Ava and gestured for her to join her upstairs for some fun.

Ava turned to Emma beside her and said, “Mom, I’m going to play with Stella.”

Emma smiled and replied gently, “Go ahead, just don’t cause any trouble.”

“Got it.”

Angie observed the interaction between the mother and daughter and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. She was

genuinely impressed by their refined and genteel demeanor. In contrast, Angie couldn’t help but feel she belonged

on the list of male companions.

However, it was probably challenging for her to get upset with such a woman. She wasn’t concerned about the

prospect of Christina marrying into her future mother-in-law’s family because her future mother-in-law was

exceptionally gentle.

As the children left, leaving only the elders, Grace asked directly, “Did Christina say Joseph is a professor?”

Angie nodded. “Yes, Christina mentioned that. She said he’s a professor. Is that not true?”

They were all puzzled about how this misunderstanding had arisen. Perhaps only the people involved knew. Daniel

smiled and explained, “Mr. and Mrs. Yamin, Joseph works for the company’s CEO. We have our own company in

Sapphire City, and he currently manages it. He probably doesn’t have the time to be a professor at a university.

There must be a misunderstanding.”

Charlie was speechless upon hearing this. The difference between a professor and a CEO was substantial.

Angie, too, was taken aback. She wondered why Christina insisted that her boyfriend was a professor when he

wasn’t. Angie began to consider various possibilities, including the idea that her daughter might be concealing the

existence of another boyfriend.

But that didn’t seem likely. Christina wasn’t the type to be fickle. There must be a misunderstanding they weren’t

aware of.

Angie was worried about the latter and asked again, “Are you sure he’s not a professor?”

Emma and Daniel nodded in unison. Their expressions were very certain. Joseph had impressive educational

qualifications, but he was not a professor. He had never aspired to be a teacher since he was young.

Daniel was surprised to see the Yamin family’s and his wife’s reaction. He added politely, “Clearly, there is a

misunderstanding about his profession as a professor. The two children should clarify this themselves when they

return. We can wait a little longer. Mr. Yamin, Mrs. Yamin, if you have any thoughts about this marriage or any

requests, please feel free to ask. We will do our best to accommodate them. Before coming here, Joseph

mentioned many times not to be stingy, fearing that I might mistreat Christina. It’s clear that Joseph cares deeply

for her.”

Angie regained her composure and smiled. “As long as the two children love each other, that’s all that matters. We

don’t need anything else.”

Angie was delighted to hear that the Turner family had come to propose marriage because Joseph genuinely liked

her daughter and wanted to get married soon.

William was also in high spirits. He patted his thigh and sat up straight. He told Charlie, “Mr. Yamin, let me tell you,

my in-laws are straightforward people. We shouldn’t be shy either. We must be straightforward when it comes to

engagement.”

When he said this, Charlie stared at him in disbelief. His daughter was abroad, and the other party’s parents had

come to propose marriage. “Mr. Turner, Mrs. Turner, we have no objections to this marriage. As my wife

mentioned, as long as the two children love each other, that’s all that matters. The Roberts family should

understand Christina’s personality. She has been headstrong since she was young, and it’s challenging for us to

change her mind. So, we need to discuss the engagement gift with the children.”

Charlie knew his daughter well. She didn’t care for marriage, its benefits, or comparisons. That was why he

hesitated to decide on the engagement gift.

The Turner family understood the situation and decided to support their son. “That’s fine, but we’re here today and

should assist Joseph. The children were informed in a hurry, so we prepared this gift list at the last minute. Please

take a look. It’s a

gesture of goodwill with 88 items. You can review it, and if anything doesn’t feel right, feel free to make changes.”

“Let’s not focus too much on the material aspect. These are just tokens of our sincerity and show that we value

Christina.” William added, “Take it. Joseph doesn’t want to mistreat Christina. We will be family in the future, and

we’re willing to accept it. Take this list for now. The marriage is decided, and there’s nothing we can do to change it.

Christina is already with Joseph in Sapphire City. Maybe she’ll bring you a grandchild when she returns. What do you

say, Mr. Yamin? You might want to thank me now. Just remember to reward me for this.”

Grace patted William, who was grinning. He turned, and said, “It’s all for the children’s sake. Let’s accept Mr.

Yamin’s arrangements for now. You can show this to Christina later. Today, our main focus is to settle this matter.

We can discuss the engagement gift later.”

With the help of the Roberts family, Charlie had no choice but to agree. They would show the gift list to their

daughter later. Fortunately, it was only a list, not the actual engagement gift with 88 items. Otherwise, he wouldn’t

know what to do.

“Alright, we’ll keep it for now.” They had to accept it, as their daughter was already overseas.

Plus, Angie liked Joseph and had been pushing for this. As expected, her wish had been fulfilled.

Angie was thrilled to see the matter resolved. She had been uncertain about the engagement gift, but it was much

easier now that they had agreed to set it aside for the time being and make adjustments if needed. They would first

settle the marriage and deal with the engagement gift later. “Let me tell you, your son is handsome. He’s like my

ideal son-in-law. Come and join us for a meal.”

Angie welcomed them with a smile. However, Charlie was still a bit hesitant. He had usually urged his daughter to

get married, but now that they were engaged, he seemed unsure.

Seeing Charlie’s hesitation, William tried to comfort him. “Don’t be reluctant. Look, Rose is already pregnant, and

she comes home almost every day. It’s like she’s not married at all. She can even stay overnight. And now I have a

son-in-law. She’s very filial and obedient.”

Grace covered her forehead, feeling embarrassed by her husband’s bragging. He usually acted like a proud father-

in-law to Edward, but now he was openly praising him.

Charlie wanted to say that it was not the same. One was Sapphire City and the other was Athana. It would be

strange if they could return in the middle of the night. In the future, they would probably have to come back during

the holidays. The company would also be a problem in the future.

Daniel naturally saw the worry in Charlie’s eyes. “Joseph will solve the problem of separating the two places,

including the company’s matters. You can rest assured that Joseph has considered it.”

Angie’s face brightened upon hearing this. She was impressed by her considerate son-in-law. The subsequent issues

had all been resolved, making her realize the wisdom in arranging for their parents to propose marriage while

abroad.

Her daughter was likely worried that her son-in-law might reconsider the marriage. Knowing this now, Angie wished

she had listened to her daughter’s concerns earlier.

In the courtyard, Frank and Chris were smoking. Chris wore an inexplicable expression as he took a deep drag from

his cigarette, blowing out a perfect smoke ring. Puzzled, he said, “Why are you asking about my sister’s marriage

prospects in the middle of the night? Are you trying to help your brother-in-law find a solution?”

Frank’s cigarette had already burned. He dropped it on the ground and crushed it with his foot. He reminded Chris,

“Don’t forget to sweep the floor. The company is responsible for maintaining cleanliness at home.”

Chris teased, “You’ve had much free time lately. You’ve been working for months.”

Frank didn’t deny that he had played a part in bringing Joseph and Christina together. “One should know how to

repay kindness. The matchmaker helped me find my true love, so it’s only fair that I help him achieve his goals,” he

explained.

Chris was left speechless by Frank’s revelation.

Frank continued, “If the matchmaker ever falls short of meeting his performance targets, consider me for

assistance. No need for thanks.”

Frank kindly suggested, “If you’re not interested in managing the company, you could cozy up to your future

brother-in-law. You’ve already won without doing anything.”

Chris responded, “Could you use language that’s a bit more relatable? Can you communicate normally?”

Frank retorted, “That’s probably why you’re still single. Your comprehension skills need some work.”

Chris seriously wondered if Frank was there to persuade or show off.

As they ascended the stairs, Stella took Ava to her bedroom, and in a friendly and hospitable manner, she invited

Ava to take a closer look at her private living space. This gesture conveyed a sense of openness and friendship,

allowing Ava to gain a more intimate understanding of her environment and a glimpse into her world.

Stella’s room closely mirrored the layout of Ava’s room, and this similarity could be attributed to their shared age

and perhaps similar tastes. Both rooms featured beds that were adorned with an assortment of plush toys and

stuffed animals,

with these cuddly companions filling up the space on either side of the bed. This left only a central area of the bed

unoccupied, making it a cozy and inviting spot in both rooms. The presence of these stuffed animals and toys added

a playful and whimsical atmosphere to the rooms, creating a sense of comfort and familiarity, which was likely a

reflection of the personalities and preferences of the two individuals who inhabited these

spaces.

A small round glass table occupied the center of the room, and a cute Pikachu-patterned carpet covered the floor.

Ava was intrigued by a puzzle on the table and asked, “Do you like this too?”

Stella picked up a puzzle piece and asked, “Are you referring to this puzzle?

“I have an identical one, and I’m almost done with it, though it should have been completed long ago if not for my

busy schedule with my minor and major courses.”

Stella set down the puzzle pieces she had been holding. She didn’t like it much, and with Christina not around these

days, she had been a bit lazy. There was no one to supervise her practice of patience.

“I don’t enjoy it. It’s my sister’s favorite. Whenever I make a mistake, she insists on making me practice patience

and reflect on what I did wrong. It’s almost like she’s here to torture me.”

Ava inquired, “This puzzle serves such a purpose? That’s quite an unusual idea.”

“So you’re the one who put all this together?”

“Yes, that’s right. When I made a mistake, my sister asked me to fight. Now, whenever I see this thing, my head

hurts. After I finish fighting, I see stars in my eyes. I feel like I’m about to ascend to immortality.”

Ava was overjoyed when she heard this. This analogy was superb. The two of them chatted back and forth. She did

not expect her future sister-in-law actually to like to compete in these things. In that case, she must be an

extremely patient

person.