Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law

Was he sincere or just feigning affection? Regardless of whether it was genuine or not, Rachel Bailey had no interest in musing about Hansen Ruiz now.

The man's mother had come knocking at her door, making her intentions clear: Rachel Bailey would never be Mrs. Hansen Ruiz. She wasn't from a distinguished family, lacked grace and grandeur, and certainly wasn't composed and proper.

"Miss Bailey, although my Hansen doesn't like to toy with women, he has very high standards. Otherwise, he wouldn't still be unmarried at thirty-five." Mrs. Ruiz spoke as if she had seen through Rachel's thoughts. She didn't want Rachel to think of Hansen as some kind of womanizer.

Rachel didn't respond. Hansen Ruiz indeed hadn't been involved in any scandals, and she realized her earlier spiteful thoughts were unjust.

"Miss Bailey, you aren't captivated by my son, Hansen, are you?" Mrs. Ruiz finally got to the point. "That's even better. However, Hansen showing an interest in you is something I don't want to see. So, I am here today to ask you to leave T City, to disappear from Hansen's world."

This is straight out of a prime-time soap opera. Rachel scoffed to herself.

But Mrs. Ruiz had approached the wrong person. Rachel wasn't clinging to Hansen at all. What right did Mrs. Ruiz have to demand that Rachel disappear? If Mrs. Ruiz was truly worried about something happening between her and Hansen, why didn't she confront her own son instead of targeting Rachel Bailey? Was she perceived as an easy target?

"I know it's a lot to ask, Miss Bailey, but I will compensate you." Mrs. Ruiz extended her hand. Floyd Thomas immediately handed her the bag. She took out a check for five million yuan that was already prepared, placed it on the coffee table, and gently pushed it towards Rachel. Looking at her steadily, her tone still gentle, she continued, "Miss Bailey, this is five million yuan as compensation for you. Please take this check, leave T City immediately, and never appear in front of Hansen again. You are also not permitted to contact him."

Upon seeing the check, rage began to burn fiercely within Rachel. Mrs. Ruiz was going too far! She stood up and picked up the check. Mrs. Ruiz's words rang in her ears: "Miss Bailey, if five million is not enough, I can add more. However, I believe you wouldn't earn five million in your entire lifetime. This is not a small sum." Rage flared in Rachel's eyes. So this is what they mean by 'throwing one's weight around with wealth.'

She leaned forward, extending the check back to Mrs. Ruiz. A smile was on her face, but it was filled with extreme sarcasm. "Are you using money to buy your son's freedom? Then, I wonder, Mrs. Ruiz, how much is your son worth?"

At that, Mrs. Ruiz's entire face darkened. Her eyes widened, her dissatisfaction with Rachel skyrocketing. She had offered Rachel Bailey a pay-off of five million yuan, which for Rachel was already an astronomical sum. Considering Rachel's background and appearance, even one million would be an overvaluation. She felt that since Rachel had accompanied Hansen Ruiz to the Wine Party once and had gained some stature in Hansen's heart, she had offered five million yuan. This price was entirely for her son's sake.

Unexpectedly, Rachel countered by asking how much Hansen was worth. Her son was the eldest heir of the Ruiz Family. His worth couldn't be compared even to that of a mega pop star. Perhaps Rachel thinks the money is too little, or does she have feelings for Hansen that run deeper than they appear? Regardless of whether Rachel's words matched her heart, Mrs. Ruiz was certain that Rachel was after Hansen's money.

Even without the status of being the eldest heir of the Ruiz Family, Hansen was still the Chief Assistant of the Valence Group. Naturally, his annual income was more than this five-million-yuan check she had written. If Rachel actually married Hansen, she'd be a true wealthy lady, and a mere five million wouldn't matter to her at all.

This young woman's greed is truly insatiable. Mrs. Ruiz sneered inwardly. Her dislike for Rachel intensified, and she looked down on her even more.

Mrs. Ruiz composed her expression. Watching Rachel, who was still smiling, she found the smile particularly grating. She spoke with a calm voice that was filled with a chill, no longer as warm as before, and laced with sarcasm, "Tell me, how much do you want? However, Miss Bailey, you should be aware of your own worth. Five million yuan already overrates you. Don't be too greedy." If she truly angers me, I won't give a single cent and will have her driven out of T City. If I really want to prevent her from seeing my son, she won't stand a chance.

"Mrs. Ruiz, you believe money can do so much? How many things can it truly buy?" Rachel didn't answer Mrs. Ruiz's question. Instead, she reined in her smile and sat back on the sofa, her face likewise marked with sarcasm. She tossed the five-million-yuan check back onto the coffee table in front of Mrs. Ruiz, as if it weren't a check but a useless piece of paper.

Mrs. Ruiz had deeply insulted her dignity. It was Hansen who had pursued her, yet Mrs. Ruiz didn't lash out at her own son. Instead, she chose to target Rachel, trying to manipulate her and dispose of her with five million yuan. Rachel Bailey might not hail from a prestigious family, but she was upright and principled. She liked money but was ethical about acquiring it, preferring to earn it through her own efforts. Let alone the fact that she hadn't accepted Hansen; she had no right to sell his freedom. Even if she were Hansen's girlfriend at that moment, she would never betray their love. In her heart, true love was priceless and could not be bought with any amount of money.

"I don't care how much money can do, Miss Bailey. You should know that while money isn't everything, you can't do anything without it," Mrs. Ruiz snorted. "Miss Bailey, I saw earlier that you are a straightforward person, so why beat around the bush now? Tell me, how much do you want? As long as I can satisfy your demand, I will."

"I won't take a cent of your money, Mrs. Ruiz. Not five million, not even fifty million. Mr. Hansen's freedom is not mine to manipulate, and I have no right to sell it. Even if it were within my power, I would never sell him out. He is a person, an individual with the right to freedom and his own thoughts, not an object to be measured and valued with money." Rachel felt a deep sorrow for Hansen, who had such a calculating, autocratic mother. No wonder the man hid his identity and came to T City to become an Assistant, preferring to work for himself rather than taking over his family's business.