Chapter 730

Wasn't Leonie usually the first one to jump into the middle of any excitement? Gwyneth recalled how she'd been complaining endlessly about being bored at home, desperate to get to Starfall City to grill Hawthorne about the wedding. When was it? Had they set a date? Why the delay? Her barrage of questions had been relentless.

Gwyneth had already planned to have Leonie stay with Celia once she arrived. Celia was far more mature and would surely keep Leonie out of trouble, which was a relief since Gwyneth would be too busy with wedding preparations to keep an eye on her. She didn't want to neglect her sister-in-law and have her feel left out.

Mrs. Everhart sighed helplessly. "I don't know what's gotten into that girl lately. She's out from dawn till dusk and won't listen to a word I say. When we told her to come for your and her uncle's wedding, she just said she had something important she couldn't get away from. She promised she'd explain it to you herself and told us to come on ahead."

Gwyneth was speechless. She couldn't imagine what could possibly be more important than the wedding she'd been so excited about.

"It's alright," Gwyneth said. "I'll call her later and see what's going on."

Gwyneth offered a gentle, innocent smile. Standing next to Hawthorne, they looked like a couple destined to be together.

Mrs. Everhart added in a hushed tone, "Now, don't you dare tell her I was the one who complained. You know how she gets."

Gwyneth squeezed Mrs. Everhart's hand, her smile warm and her eyes filled with an envious affection for their mother-daughter bond. "I won't," she promised.

Mr. Everhart chimed in gently, "We're here for a wedding, dear. Stop making excuses for her. She needs a firm hand, and her new aunt is just the person to provide it."

Just then, an aide presented the gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Everhart and their children. It was a beautiful, antique-style wooden box, its craftsmanship hinting at the precious contents within. A member of the household staff stepped forward to receive it.

"Brother, please, come in," Hawthorne said, his voice warm. He stood tall and distinguished, his black suit accentuating his lean, powerful frame.

Victoria greeted the Everharts with incredible warmth and courtesy. As the three of them were led into the main hall, they finally saw the legendary patriarch of the Langford family Thorpe. His commanding, presence immédiately inspired a sense of profound respect.

"You must be Hawthorne's brother and sister-in-law. Please, have a seat," Thorpe said, his voice resonating with authority. The patriarch was an excellent judge of character, and he could see the inherent goodness in both Mr. and Mrs Everhart their sons

beside them, was handsome and possessed a refined, scholarly air. It was clear that a child raised in such a family was a worthy match for a Langford.

He felt a pang of regret that his old friend had passed away too soon to witness this union between their families.

Once both families were seated, they began to discuss the details of the wedding. Gwyneth listened quietly, while Hawthorne occasionally chimed in with a comment or suggestion.

As Hawthorne's older brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Everhart naturally took on the role of his parents in the proceedings. Here in Starfall City, Thorpe was overseeing everything, while Victoria managed the staff and handled all the legwork.

"Gwyneth is the eldest great-granddaughter of the Langford family," Thorpe announced, his gaze fixed on Hawthorne. "Today, I entrust her to you. I hope you will cherish each other and grow old together."

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The patriarch gestured for an aide to bring forward a satin-lined gift box. Inside lay a key crafted from solid gold. Standing beside Thorpe was his personal lawyer. Victoria recognized the man instantly, she had seen him twice before the first time was after Chris was born, and the second was after Celia's birth. On both occasions, the patriarch had sent him with transfer agreements for fifty percent of the Langford family's corporate shares.

Gwyneth wondered why a stranger was present for this family moment, but Victoria knew exactly what his appearance signified.

Thorpe continued, addressing Gwyneth directly. "Years ago, I gave your mother fifty percent of the family's shares. That was for your little brother and sister. But I always kept your portion-your wedding gift-in reserve. For this very day."

With that, the lawyer stepped forward and presented Gwyneth with a similar portfolio. It was a stock transfer agreement, granting her a twenty-five percent stake in the Langford corporation.