Rising from the Ashes (Andrew) novel Chapter 3220

At the Reyes residence, Elaine welcomed Andrew and the other two ladies with a warm, smiling face.

Elaine covered her mouth and laughed softly. "This is my first time seeing this foreign young lady here. Andrew, are you not going to introduce her? She is absolutely stunning, truly a sight to behold."

Andrew coughed lightly and said, "Ms. Theron, this is Nyx Kerrigan. Nyx, this is Valerie's, uh, stepmother."

When introducing Elaine's identity to Nyx, Andrew hesitated, unsure how to phrase it.

Elaine shot him a playful glance and giggled. "Oh, don't feel awkward. Yes, I'm Valerie's stepmother, but we're the same age, and I'm still very young."

Nyx gave Elaine a polite nod. She was not good with words and did not like pretending. Instinctively, Nyx could not care less about Elaine. In fact, Elaine was exactly the type of person Nyx would dislike.

After all, Elaine had originally been Valerie's best friend, and they had grown up together. But in the end, she married Valerie's father. Anyone who understood the situation knew the reason was ambition and climbing higher.

Nonetheless, Andrew did not care about any of that.

"Ms. Theron, where's Valerie?" Andrew asked.

Elaine sighed and said, "When she heard you were coming in person, she's been getting ready. She'll be out in a bit."

Andrew smiled wryly. "Actually, she doesn't need to go through so much trouble."

Elaine rolled her eyes. "That silly girl thinks you're here to propose. This is the first time you're visiting the Reyes family so formally. All those previous times don't really count. Valerie takes this visit very seriously and thinks the wedding is approaching."

Andrew replied, "I will indeed personally bring generous gifts to formally propose later. But this time, I'm here to see Mr. Reyes Senior."

Elaine was not surprised and nodded. "Finnegan is here. I've already sent someone to notify him. But whether he'll agree to see you is another matter."

Consequently, Finnegan was often a topic of amused conversation in Chetvinde. When it came to being a womanizer, he never lost. His fondness for young beauties was a lifelong, unwavering hobby.

Andrew greeted respectfully, "Mr. Reyes Senior."

Finnegan waved a hand. "No need for formalities. Sit, let's talk. I can guess part of your purpose here. But you'll have to convince me. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the Reyes family to stand on your side."

Andrew smiled. "You're indeed a man of humor and wit. You don't move without a guarantee. Very steady."

Finnegan laughed again. "I'm glad you know that. Anyway, you're planning to confront Mr. Vazquez head-on. The Reyes family doesn't want to suffer for it. I need some assurances, or I won't be comfortable.

"On top of that, Valerie is madly in love with you. You could say half of the Reyes family's influence is already in your hands. I can't just give you the remaining half for free, can I? At the very least, I need to weigh this carefully."