"How could I mind a gift from you?" Rory accepted the present Yilan handed over and said with a hint of apology, "It’s just that you arrived so suddenly today that I didn’t have time to prepare a return gift for you. I feel a bit impolite."
Hearing this, Yilan immediately smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you are being far too polite! I’m already thrilled that you don’t mind Bree and me dropping in so abruptly. There’s absolutely no need for a gift."
Yilan behaved incredibly sweet and obedient, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Rory, appearing entirely like a sister-in-law who simply missed her brother and decided to visit his mate.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Rory shifted her gaze to Bree, who had been sitting quietly with a smile.
"Miss Bree, I heard you’ve been looking for a new mate recently?" Rory’s tone was calm and measured, laced with just the right amount of curiosity. "It seems... you are quite interested in Dax from Starlight Prime Tech?"
The smile on Bree’s face stiffened slightly. Before she could form a response, Yilan, as if a switch had been flipped, excitedly cut in.
"Yes! Sister-in-law, you’ve heard about it too?" Yilan laughed. "Bree is amazing. Her tech company follows a very similar path to Dax’s Starlight Prime Tech. She just wanted to get to know Dax so they could exchange ideas."
At this point, Yilan looked a bit annoyed. "I didn’t expect that Dax to be so ungrateful. He actually refused to become Bree’s mate."
Yilan had no idea that Dax used to be Rory’s matched suitor, so she spoke without any reservations.
At that moment, Bree desperately wanted to reach out and cover Yilan’s foolish mouth. She took a deep breath, cursing Yilan a thousand times in her mind, but maintained her flawless smile on the outside. She softly interrupted Yilan before she could say anything else she shouldn’t.
"Yilan, don’t talk nonsense." She gave Yilan a gentle, scolding look, then turned to Rory, explaining with an earnest gaze. "I simply admire Dax’s business acumen and thought our companies might have potential for cooperation. That’s why I wanted to meet him; I never intended for him to become my mate."
She sighed softly, shifting all the blame onto someone else. "It’s all Sylas’s fault. When he went to see Dax, he probably didn’t explain my intentions clearly, which caused a misunderstanding. I’ve already given him a proper scolding."
Rory listened quietly, her long eyelashes casting shadows that hid the emotions in her eyes. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and smiled. "So that’s how it is. It seems I misunderstood."
Yilan looked at Bree, frowning slightly. Didn’t Bree say something completely different before? However, Yilan quickly rationalized it. Bree was so smart and capable; it was only natural for her to be guarded around outsiders. They were just using Rory anyway, so keeping her in the dark made sense.
Thinking of this, Yilan admired Bree even more. Bree is so clever. She keeps her guard up against outsiders, but she is completely sincere and open with a friend like me.
"Sister-in-law, it really was a misunderstanding on my part. Bree already has several high-tier male mates; she wouldn’t be interested in Dax," Yilan explained to Rory with a smile. "But I heard that Dax is quite handsome, and his current tier isn’t low either. I’m actually very interested in getting to know him."
"Is that so?" Rory looked at Yilan. She could tell that Yilan and Bree might not actually care about Dax himself, but they were definitely after his wealth.
"Yes," Yilan nodded. "I only have two or three mates right now. If I could bond with Dax, it wouldn’t be a bad thing at all."
After saying this, Yilan felt that this was a golden opportunity. Wasn’t the whole reason she and Sister Bree came today to get on Rory’s good side?
This would be the perfect excuse to invite her out.
Thinking of this, Yilan beamed even wider and said to Rory, "Sister-in-law, I actually need to buy a starship. Why don’t we go check out Starlight Prime Tech together tomorrow?"
Hearing Yilan invite Rory to Starlight Prime Tech, Bree chimed in with a smile. "I think that’s a great idea. Rory, you should come with us."
So, these two are trying to get on my good side?
Rory nodded with a smile. "Sure. I just got back to the Central District and need to buy quite a few things anyway. We can check out Starlight Prime Tech tomorrow and go shopping together afterward."
Just as Rory finished speaking, Aren hurried into the room.
"Female Master."
The moment Aren’s tall, imposing figure entered the living room, he didn’t even spare a glance at Bree or Yilan. He walked straight over to Rory’s side.
"Aren, you’re back." Seeing him, Rory immediately smiled, took his hand, and gestured toward Yilan. "Look who’s here."
Only then did Aren look at Yilan. However, his gaze held absolutely no warmth; instead, it was laced with cold detachment and disgust.
On his way back, he had received a message from Jasper letting him know Yilan was here. Aren knew his younger sister all too well. Yilan was just as selfish and calculating as their mother. When he was useful to her, she would sweetly call him "Brother" left and right. But the moment he lost his utility, he was worth less than a stray dog in her eyes.
There was absolutely no way Yilan’s appearance here today was a simple visit.
"What are you doing here?" Aren’s voice was ice-cold, devoid of any warmth, and he didn’t even bother using a polite form of address.
The bright smile on Yilan’s face instantly froze when she registered his hostile attitude. What kind of attitude was this? Did he not want her here? She was his sister—his own flesh and blood!
Yilan’s eyes welled with tears of grievance, her voice trembling as if she were about to cry. "Why are you being so harsh, Brother? I came to see you and Sister-in-law, of course. I heard you were injured a while ago and I’ve been worried sick about you."
As she spoke, she quickly retrieved two bottles of medicine from her spatial ring and held them out to Aren. "Look, I even brought medicine for you. Why are you being so mean? Are you not happy that I came to visit?"
Aren glanced at the medicine she was offering and let out a cold sneer, completely unmoved. He was entirely too familiar with Yilan’s damsel-in-distress act. Back in the Incubus tribe, she had always used this tactic to garner sympathy and get exactly what she wanted.
Aren made no move to take the medicine from her hand, his voice clipping the air sharply. "Since you came to see me, you’ve seen me. You can leave now."
"You... you’re kicking me out?" Yilan stared at Aren in disbelief, her face turning pale then flushed with anger. She tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, looking as though she had been deeply humiliated. "Aren, I am your sister! I came all this way out of the goodness of my heart, and you’re actually throwing me out?"
Standing off to the side, Bree watched Aren show absolutely no mercy to his own sister. A flash of admiration darted through her eyes.
As expected of the most talented incubus of their tribe—even his cold, ruthless demeanor was utterly captivating.
Soon enough, this succubus would be hers. Just the thought of it made her incredibly happy.