Chapter 289: Chapter 286: The One-Year Agreement (6)

The older woman continued, "Our Young Master is very easy to get along with, so you don’t need to worry."

Nora Ainsworth agreed on the surface, but inwardly, she thought otherwise. ’Easy to get along with? I really don’t see it!’

She couldn’t get the scene from just a moment ago out of her head. She shook her head to clear it.

She started cleaning the kitchen, the living room, and the stairs. When she reached the master bedroom door, Nora Ainsworth suddenly hesitated, not daring to go in.

Feeling awkward, she decided to wait for him to come downstairs or go out before cleaning the room. Little did she know, Quentin Grant had no intention of leaving. He was deliberately waiting inside for her.

It was past nine o’clock. She had finished cleaning everywhere else; only this one room remained.

Nora Ainsworth gritted her teeth and pushed the door open.

He was sitting by the French windows, reading. Dressed in a well-tailored suit, he sat there with sunlight spilling over him, looking as if he were one with the light itself.

"Young Master, I’m here to clean."

"Mm," he responded faintly. "Make sure it’s spotless."

Nora Ainsworth looked around. The room was already immaculate, as clean as could be, yet he still insisted it be cleaned every day.

’Rich people are so demanding.’

Quentin Grant held his book, but his eyes occasionally glanced over at her. Of course, he knew what she was thinking.

Even so, he simply watched to see what she would do. Seeing her clean so earnestly, he couldn’t help but smile.

"Do you play games?"

Nora Ainsworth nodded. "A little."

"What games?" he asked. As far as he could remember, he had never seen her play one.

"Fight the Landlord."

"Nothing else besides that?"

She nodded. "My phone can only make calls, and I don’t have a computer. How am I supposed to play games?"

Quentin Grant put down his book. "I’ll give you a chance. Want to play a few rounds? There’s a competition, and if you win, I’ll get you a computer."

Nora Ainsworth’s eyes lit up. "Really? That’s amazing!"

He nodded.

"Well, why not?" Nora Ainsworth set aside her cleaning tools and walked over. "What game are we playing?"

"It’s a new release. Come here. You can use that one." He pointed to the laptop on the desk.

"What about you?"

"My laptop’s over there." Quentin Grant stood up and placed the laptop he used for work on his lap.

They both launched the game.

She created a new account.

He loaded a good amount of money into the game and was instantly decked out in the best gear. Since his character was a Physician, he was dressed in white robes and wielded top-tier equipment.

She, on the other hand, had no money to spend. All she could do was run around at his feet, watching him fly back and forth over her character’s head.

Nora Ainsworth started leveling up. The first few levels went by quickly, but it soon became exceptionally difficult.

So, she asked meekly, "Young Master, since you’re so OP, could you maybe top up my account a little bit too?"

"If I top up for you, would the competition even be fun anymore?"

Nora Ainsworth shook her head. "No fun at all."

He nodded with a grin. "Good that you know."

So her fingers flew tirelessly across the keyboard as she fought to kill monsters, complete quests, and level up.

When the first quest competition began, Nora Ainsworth couldn’t get through it no matter how hard she tried. Even players at her level had better gear, so they easily defeated her, a commoner in plain cloth armor.

It was the same story even with players at a lower level.

After this happened a few more times, Nora Ainsworth became furious. "This game is trash! It’s completely pay-to-win, not based on skill at all."

Quentin Grant smiled faintly. "I have a way for you to one-shot all of them."

"What is it?"

"Have your character send me a marriage proposal. Once I accept, I can gift you equipment."

Nora Ainsworth was skeptical. "Can you really do that?"

"You think I’d lie to you?"

Nora Ainsworth nodded in agreement. "What’s the big deal? If you’re okay with it, a peon like me certainly has no reason to object."

Quentin Grant explained, "But you have to call me ’husband.’ If you don’t, I won’t accept."

She hesitated. "I can call you that?"

"I’m giving you permission. Why don’t you say it so I can hear?"

Nora Ainsworth squirmed a bit, then whispered, "...Husband."

Quentin Grant replied, completely satisfied. "Mhm, not bad."

She sent the proposal, and he accepted.

An announcement appeared on both their screens: "You are now husband and wife. From this day forward, you must love and cherish one another and not break your vows. To file for divorce, please click on the Matrimonial Hall in the bottom-left corner."

Immediately after, all of Quentin Grant’s equipment was transferred to her.

Nora Ainsworth’s character started progressing without any obstacles.

She leveled up incredibly fast.

For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them, bored out of their minds, did nothing but play the game. Quentin Grant had gone to all this trouble just to hear her call him ’husband.’

If Nora Ainsworth knew the truth, she’d probably cough up blood from the shock.

In the end, he gave her the laptop. He couldn’t help but smile as he watched how excited she was.

「* * *」

Jean Grant’s mental health began to deteriorate. She didn’t dare go out during the day, constantly feeling like crowds of people would surround her and scream at her.

So, she only went out at night.

But at night, as soon as she lay in bed, she would begin to hallucinate, always feeling as though Chloe Marshall’s shadow was hovering before her eyes.

She had nightmares every time.

That afternoon, for some reason, she had a nightmare even in broad daylight.

Startled awake, Jean Grant immediately got out of bed, got dressed, and prepared to go out.

She opened the front door, but her expression changed at the sight of the person standing on her doorstep.

"What are you doing at my door?"

"Jean, I’ve done a lot of thinking these past few days. The one I love has always been you."

Jean Grant shouted over her shoulder, "Someone, get this man away from me!"

Two men in black stepped forward, grabbed Marlon Marshall, and unceremoniously dragged him aside.

Jean Grant slung her bag over her shoulder, got into her car, and sped off.

Marlon Marshall forcefully shook off the men’s hands and let out a heavy snort.

He then got back into the taxi he had arrived in and told the driver, "Follow that Porsche up ahead."

The driver stepped on the gas and followed.

Jean Grant drove to a bar and parked out front. Since it was still the afternoon, the bar hadn’t officially opened yet, and only a few people were inside.

She took a seat at the bar and said to the bartender, "The usual, please."

The bartender, who had seen her come in every day for the past few days, mixed her drink and placed it in front of her. "Your drink, Miss."

She replied politely, "Thank you."

Just as she lifted her glass, a man came and stood beside her.

"A glass of whiskey."

The bartender nodded. "Of course. Just a moment."

Jean Grant recognized the man beside her; she had seen him at parties more than once.

"The current CEO of Ainsworth Group Enterprises?"

Nicholas Ainsworth turned his head. "Ah, if it isn’t Miss Grant."

Jean Grant remained seated with her arm on the bar and chuckled. "Not long ago, Ainsworth Group Enterprises was on the verge of collapse and its stock was plummeting. But the moment you stepped up to take your father’s position, you managed to turn the tide. Now that everything’s stabilized, it just goes to show your abilities are anything but ordinary."