Rural Belle & Three Heirs

What did Liam mean by that? Chloe squainted her eyes.

She rushed to catch up with Liam and asked, "Where are you headed?"

Liam didn't even look back. He grabbed his motorcycle helmet and said, "I'm going to teach Hugh a lesson. He dares to bully you, so he's just asking for trouble.."

With that, Liam took off on his bike. Watching him ride away, Chloe felt like she understood Liam a bit better for the first time.

Honestly, Liam was actually pretty kind. She used to think he was just a slacker who only cared about his motorcycle, but now she saw there was more to him. There was an admirable strength, a compelling loyalty that she hadn't noticed before.

Chloe looked at Liam's back with admiration, and at that moment, Grant, who had just come downstairs after taking a shower, happened to see this scene. Suddenly, he had a bad feeling.

Chloe had been working so hard to set him up with Moira. Did that mean she didn't like him? Could she be into Liam? They were close in age, went to and from school together every day, and even had lunch together. It wasn't impossible for feelings to develop.

But Liam had always been critical of Chloe's looks, acting like he wasn't interested in her. But now...

The usually confident Grant felt a pang of insecurity.

That night, Chloe, unable to sleep, held her phone and texted Zara: [Zara, you free? Wanna chat?]

Zara replied: [I'm here, what's up?]

Chloe texted: [This arranged marriage thing is getting more complicated. Grant told me tonight that it's a done deal. I'm so annoyed; I don't want an arranged marriage.] Seeing her friend so upset, Zara, the ultimate bestie, couldn't help but offer advice: [Chloe, nothing is set in stone. What's a done deal? If you don't want an arranged marriage, then fight it. I think your previous strategy was pretty good. Find a partner for each of them. That way, the marriage can't be arranged.]

Zara's suggestion got Chloe thinking again. She had promised Karlie to set her up with Michael, and tonight, she thought Moira and Grant were a good match. Liam and Zara were also hitting it off. If she could match these three pairs, then she wouldn't have to worry about herself, right?

Times had changed. Even if her grandfather wanted to arrange a marriage with the Martin Family, he couldn't force the heirs to marry her, right?

Honestly, this plan seemed pretty solid.

Seeing Chloe's silence, Zara sent another suggestion: [Chloe, throw a party and invite all the wealthy ladies who are interested in the three heirs. With so many options, one of them is bound to catch their eye.]

Reading Zara's message, Chloe immediately had an idea. She snapped her fingers and decided to go with Zara's plan.

The next day, Grant drove Chloe to school, and on the way, she turned to him, her expression serious. "Grantie, I want to talk to you about something," she said.

"What is it?" Grant asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

Chloe took a deep breath. "I've been at Quest University for a few months now, and I want to invite some classmates and friends over to the house. Would that be okay with you?"

Grant's mind immediately went to Philip. If Chloe invited her classmates, would Philip be one of them?

"What kind of classmates?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"Just some girls. They all like me, and I want to get closer to them. If you don't agree, then forget it." Chloe's tactic of playing hard to get was in full swing.

She really wanted to invite her classmates over, and if Grant said no, she could use it as an excuse to pack up and go back home. Not even being able to invite friends over was just too much.

To her surprise, Grant agreed right away. "Sure. It's good to have more friends. If you need anything, make a list for the housekeeper. There's also an outdoor barbecue in the backyard, so you can take your classmates there to grill."

Grant had no idea that Chloe was planning to use this gathering to set he and his brothers up with potential partners.

Karlie was the first to get Chloe's invitation. When she got the invite, Karlie was thrilled. She hadn't seen Michael since their last encounter at the orphanage. She had tried calling him a few times, but he either didn't answer or his agent would say he was busy filming. She was desperate to see Michael again.

Chloe reassured her, "Karlie, I'll call Mic later and ask him to come home early tomorrow night. Make sure you come on time."

Karlie quickly agreed, "Okay, I'll be there on time. Thanks for the invite, Chloe."

After inviting Karlie, Chloe reached out to Moira. When Moira heard that Chloe was hosting a small event at the Martin Family's house to give her more time with Grant, she was ecstatic. She accepted Chloe's invitation without hesitation.

Of course, Chloe also invited a few of her female friends from school, including her bestie Zara.

After school, Rena ran into Chloe on campus.

Rena's family wasn't well-off. Although her parents had found jobs at the Gibson Group through Chloe's introduction, they were just low-level employees with modest incomes. For an event like Chloe's, Rena couldn't even afford a dress.

She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of everyone, so she politely declined Chloe's invitation. "Chloe, I won't be able to make it to your gathering on Sunday."

Hearing that Rena wouldn't come, Chloe felt a pang of disappointment. Rena was the first female friend she made at Quest University.

She held Rena's hand and asked, "Rena, why not?"