Chapter 893 Madeline Helping the Enemy
Danny went up to console Madeline. “Oh, my. Just sit and relax. You’re acting so anxious that people might think you’re the one marrying today.”
“Ugh. Just go away and stop babbling nonsense.” She rolled her eyes. Following that, he chuckled and continued to ramble on about random topics, which calmed the anxious atmosphere.
Time went by quickly and it was already half an hour later, but Ariel’s mother was still nowhere to be seen. Taking a look at his watch, Danny discreetly called for Ariel to meet him outside the private room. “Is everything fine on your mom’s side? Why don’t you call and ask her?”
That was exactly Ariel’s intention, so she immediately phoned her mother. “Mom, where are you?”
“I’m still at the hotel,” replied Rebecca Caddel, her mother, in a cold tone.
“Didn’t we agree to meet the Griffiths at Gleaming Gold Restaurant? Have you forgotten about that? It doesn’t matter. I’m heading over now to bring you there.”
While saying so, Ariel was about to hang up when she was stopped by her mother. “You don’t have to do that.” Rebecca’s tone was firm. “I didn’t forget about it. To tell you the truth, I have no intention of going!”
“Are you going back on your words? Mom, that would make the others think that we, Whitneys, have no morals.” Ariel was feeling defeated.
“Others? You meant the Griffiths, right? The matter between you two hasn’t been decided yet, and they’re already complaining about us. I think the Griffith Family doesn’t have much morality either. Tell them to say whatever they want to my face.” Rebecca was still acting insufferably arrogant.
Ariel gave Danny a conflicted look before moving away from him and covering the phone’s speaker to express her dissatisfaction to her mom as best as she could. “You’ve been urging me to get married to a rich man for so many years. I’ve finally found such an excellent son-in-law for you, yet you’re here putting on airs. I don’t understand, Mom. What are you dissatisfied with?”
“What are you trying to say? You haven’t even married him, yet you’re already taking his side. Suppose you want to put in a good word for the Griffiths that badly, then fine. I’ll agree to meet them under two conditions. First, Danny International Finance Corporation must be under your name, and secondly, your child must have our last name, Whitney. If they don’t agree to my conditions, there’s no need to meet up for dinner tonight and we can avoid ruining each other’s night.”
“You’re being unreasonable. Who in the world would agree to such an unreasonable—”
Tut. Tut. Tut…
Without giving Ariel a chance to further discuss the matter, Rebecca hung up right after stating her condition.
Meanwhile, Ariel clutched her phone and exhaled a long breath. Throughout her career, she was never afraid of dealing with any sorts of challenging incidents in her field. Yet, the only thing she failed to master was her relationships at home.
“What did Mrs. Whitney say?” asked Danny while leaning in.
She found it hard to tell him, so she kept shaking her head. “Why don’t we call off today’s dinner?”
“No way.” He became anxious and grabbed her hand while asking gently, “You can tell me. What’s the matter?”
She was the woman he had thought about marrying for seven years, so how could he let things slip through his fingers at the very last moment?
Following that, Ariel recited her mother’s condition to him.
“These conditions…” Seemingly lost in his thoughts, Danny muttered while touching his chin with a complicated expression.
Meanwhile, she mistook his actions as being conflicted and was about to escape the scene. “I told you we should call it off. I’ll head inside and apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Griffith.”
“Wait!” He pulled her back and joked, “What are you running away for? I didn’t say I wouldn’t marry you. What’s there to apologize about?”
Sighing resignedly, Ariel reasoned, “Though I grew up abroad, I still know about the Cittadelian customs. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith wouldn’t allow their grandchildren to have ‘Whitney’ as their last name.”
“It doesn’t matter if they agree to it or not. I make the decisions for my son.” Danny touched her long, black hair as if he was coaxing a child. “Just listen to me. Pick up Mom and we’ll tell her that we agree to her conditions.”
“And you’re making a decision without asking your parents? Is this going to work?” While looking toward the door to the private room, the scene of her mother and Madeline arguing with each other appeared in her mind. Then, she suddenly felt inexplicably cold.
“Your husband has his ways. Be good and pick up your mom.” With a confident gaze, Danny patiently coaxed her.
After hesitating for a bit, Ariel was successfully persuaded and left to bring her mother. After all, it was Danny who had previously thought of a way to make Madeline accept her, so she thought it would be the same this time.
Right after she left, Danny ran back into the private room and pulled Madeline into the empty room next door. He then closed the door and began throwing a tantrum for no reason. “Mom, I don’t want to marry Ariel anymore. Women are such troublesome beings!”
Hearing that, Madeline went up and slapped him in the back. “You rascal. What are you talking about?!”
Danny put on an impatient attitude. “There’s no use hitting me because I still won’t change my mind. I heard that in order to be the Whitneys’ son-in-law, the guy must transfer all his assets to their daughter, and their first son must have the last name, Whitney. Don’t you think that’s too much? How can we become in-laws with such a family?”
“Uhm.” Madeline could not quite accept those terms either. “They do sound a little ridiculous. “Money isn’t an issue, but won’t it be embarrassing for the Griffiths if the child has the same last name as their mother?”
“That’s right. What’s more important in this world than our family’s image?” He yelled upon slamming his hand on the table. “I only used seven years to make that company the scale it is now. Although it isn’t difficult to start all over, that’s my first company and I have strong feelings toward it. Moreover, it’s just a wife. It doesn’t matter if I lose her, but to take away my company? In her dreams! And… How can she ask for my kid to have her last name? I just won’t give birth to one, then. I can ask my buddy if we can adopt a child together. Even though that kid isn’t my biological child, at least they would have my last name! Am I right?”
As soon as Madeline heard the word ‘buddy’, she immediately thought of Jamie. Immediately, she dashed over and slapped him on the face. “Hey, stop it! Don’t say that ever again!”
So, this brat has long thought about adopting a child with Jamie and creating a family of their own. If we cancel the marriage with the Whitneys and let Danny marry Jamie, wouldn’t the Griffith Family become the joke of the entire Tissote? No, that can’t happen. Isn’t it just a company and a child’s last name? Nowadays, there are many children with their mother’s last name. By then, we’ll just announce that Danny loves his wife so much that he doesn’t want his in-laws to be the last line of the Whitney Family, which is why they chose to arrange for the child to have their last name. Wouldn’t that save both families from embarrassment? That’s right. Nothing is more terrifying than letting Danny marry a man and bringing him back home!
Sitting down, Madeline tried to persuade her son. “Danny, it’s normal to spend some money when it comes to marrying someone. After this, I’ll personally take charge of the matter and have Alexander help you out. I’m sure you’ll be able to get back on your feet in no time without suffering any losses!”
“Really?” While acting dumbfounded on the outside, Danny was secretly giddy inside.
“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?” Madeline continued, “The last name ‘Whitney’ sounds good too. I’m sure your child will be grateful that you’re so reasonable.”
“Mom, why are you always siding with the outsider?”
