Chapter 581: Chapter 583

Chapter 583 When Valeria pitched the idea to Jared, it was almost like she was joking.

Jared was quiet for a few seconds, then said, “Alright, let’s get engaged.”

Just then, Jared received a call from his grandpa.

For years, Jared’s grandpa had been trying to play matchmaker with him and Valeria.

He had always been pushing Jared hard about marriage.

Of course, both his grandpa and Alyssa were worried that Jared couldn’t move on from his past marriage.

They hoped he could forget the past and start anew, and Valeria was their ideal pick.

Over the past years, Jared had been worn out by all the pressure.

Plus, his grandpa’s health wasn’t the best and he used it as leverage to manipulate Jared.

Valeria knew Jared had been searching for Agnes for four years.

But four years passed, and he found nothing.

Probably out of sheer disappointment, he had proposed the idea.

Valeria was silent for a long time.

Jared stared out the window, then turned back and said, “Sorry, forget what I said. Marriage is a big deal for a woman, it can’t be taken lightly.”

Valeria chuckled, pulling out a bottle of red wine from the cabinet, “You know me, my career is my lover. I don’t need marriage or a husband. But if an engagement could bring me great benefits, why wouldn’t I agree?”

She handed Jared a wine glass, “Jared, let’s team up. We can put on a show of a perfect marriage for others. This way, you can put your grandpa and Alyssa at ease, and I can expand my business empire.”

Jared took the glass, but hesitated.

Valeria teased, “Oh, Mr. Whitfield is having second thoughts. Are you scared I’d fall for you, or that you’d fall for me?”

Jared just looked at Valeria in silence.

Valeria confidently flipped her hair, “Don’t worry, love is the most troublesome thing in the world and I have no intention to get involved in it in this lifetime. I won’t fall for you and cause you trouble. As for you, I’m not worried. I could even help you find your true love. You don’t have to hide anything from me, because we’re just making a deal here. We’d make the best partners and allies, we will cooperate for mutual benefit and achieve a win–win situation.”

Jared frowned slightly, still thinking.

Valeria continued, “If you think you’re getting the short end of the stick, I can give you 5% shares of my winery. You may not care now, but in five years, my winery will definitely be one of the top ten in France. By then, you’d know I’ve handed over a gold mine to you. As a businessman, you might refuse a lot of things, but surely not money.”

Jared smirked, “So it all comes down to money for you.”

Valeria clinked glasses with him, “Of course, money is the best thing in the world. It’s the only thing that gives me a sense of security.”

That was a conversation they had two months ago.

Later on, Alyssa found out and intentionally leaked it to the media.

Therefore, rumors about their engagement started to circulate.

At that time, he hadn’t met Agnes yet.

Everything was going according to plan, and they had even started preparing for the wedding.

But now...

Jared coldly said, “She’s already engaged, what else can I do.”

Jared suddenly laughed, “I’ve thought of the worst possible outcomes, even imagined her getting married, having kids, and us living separate lives, never to meet again. But I never thought it would end up like this, her and Ryder...”