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Besides those accumulated over generations, many were acquired by Old Master Summers from various countries. This showed that Old Master Summers was a man of culture and taste, who, whenever he saw a painting he liked at an auction, would not hesitate to spend a fortune to bring it home.

Mrs. Farrell realized what it meant to be a century-old family upon seeing these paintings. A century-old family, even if it fell on hard times, would have a fortune accumulated over a hundred years that was enough for others to look up to.

While admiring the paintings, Mrs. Farrell didn’t forget her beloved daughter, and had Jade Carlson take a look as well.

Jade felt somewhat impatient inside, but still smiled and agreed on the surface.

On her way downstairs, she saw Nathaniel Summers smoking by the corridor window.

Apparently finding it stuffy downstairs, he had specifically run upstairs, opened a window, and smoked leisurely.

“Nathaniel,” Jade greeted him softly, her gaze landing on the cigarette between his fingers, “you rarely used to smoke.”

Nathaniel Summers hardly smoked, but recently seemed inseparable from his cigarettes.

He smiled faintly, flicked the ash off his cigarette, “You said ‘used to’, people change.”

As he said this, he turned his face to look at Jade, “I didn’t expect you to come today. I see Mrs. Farrell thinks highly of you; that’s good too. With her backing you, you’ll have a promising future wherever you work.”

Jade smiled and said, “A promising future sounds too grand. I’m just handling some private matters for Mrs. Farrell at the moment…”

Her words seemed modest, but upon closer listening, they hinted at something intriguing—it meant she had gained a high degree of trust from Mrs. Farrell.

Nathaniel didn’t react much, as if he had other things on his mind. Hearing her, he simply nodded slightly, “Mhm, that’s quite good.”

Jade didn’t receive the praise and appreciation she waited for and felt a bit dejected.

Seeing that she hadn’t left, Nathaniel asked, “What is it, something on your mind?”

Jade was truly hurt; although she had approached Nathaniel with a purpose initially, after being together for a year, she had also invested her feelings. How could this man cut ties so abruptly?

He was so heartless!

But it didn’t matter—once today’s business was accomplished, there would come a time when he pleaded with her!

With that thought, Jade’s mood improved, and she asked Nathaniel with a beaming smile, “Nothing much, just wanted to ask if you’ve noticed anything different about me today?”

Nathaniel laughed softly, then seriously looked her over from head to toe, eventually resting his eyes on the necklace around Jade’s neck, “The necklace is quite nice.”

“Thank you, I like it a lot too,” Jade replied before passing by Nathaniel.

In her mind she thought: Nathaniel Summers, choosing to give up on me will be your greatest loss, and you will regret it!

…

Over in the banquet hall, Purple Summers was introducing her classmates to Atra Blanc.

“Zara Jameson, whom you’ve met before, and this is Jane McCain, her mother is a well-known designer and the founder of the Lanvi Fashion brand.”

Zara Jameson and Jane McCain said to Atra in turn, “Happy New Year, aunt.”

Atra Blanc replied with a radiant smile, “Happy New Year.”

Then she gave each of them a red envelope.

After the younger generation had paid their New Year’s respect, they went to the dance floor to dance and have fun. Jane McCain, while teaching Purple Summers to dance, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Purple, your mom looks so young! She doesn’t look like she’s forty at all, calling her ‘aunt’ feels unreal to me.”

Zara Jameson chimed in, “When I first saw her, I thought she was Purple’s sister.”

Jane McCain then asked, “Has she had a facelift? No, that can’t be it, facelifts wouldn’t give such a good complexion; could it be photorejuvenation? Hyaluronic acid?… Don’t be mad, just treat it as my nonsense.”

Jane was so shocked that she misspoke.

Of course, Purple wasn’t going to blame her and proudly said, “My mom comes from a family of traditional medicine practitioners, so she knows plenty of ancient methods for maintaining beauty.”

The two girls sparkled with excitement, “Teach me, teach me!”

Purple was about to say they were too young when she suddenly caught a whiff of an unusual scent.

She paused for a moment, then turned her head to look—

There were only guests chatting and laughing, and servants moving swiftly as the wind.