Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 691

Bella understood immediately. Was Sebastian implying that she didn't have a dowry as large as Lillian's?

Bella grew frantic. "Sebastian…"

The way she said his name was tinged with a mix of grievance and anger.

Sebastian continued, "Let's not even talk about the shares and properties from the Mercer family, or the shares and properties from my parents.

"The one-billion-dollar engagement gift my parents gave her—Lillian didn't spend a single cent of it before the divorce.

"The jewelry they gave her, you saw it just now, she returned that too.

"As for the dowry she brought from the Mercer family, just looking at the antiques, I may not be an expert, but I can make a rough estimate. They’re worth seven or eight hundred million dollars.

"The other items are worth at least another hundred million.

"Then there’s the portion that Mr. Mercer and Brandon have now taken back, which is valued at another one or two hundred million, and that's not even counting appreciation.

"On top of all that, there are the jewelry sets Lillian took with her, and the ring she took back from me…

"I don't know how much that ring is worth, but since it's a Lancaster family heirloom, its value can't be insignificant.

"So, Lillian's dowry was worth billions of dollars.

"Are you telling me you want to follow that precedent?"

Instantly, Sebastian's words left Bella speechless.

Billions of dollars for a dowry?

Where was she supposed to get that kind of money?

So far, her only dowry was a large, high-rise condo, and its value was only in the tens of millions. And even that condo was currently mortgaged to loan sharks.

Besides, even if the men of the Mercer family supported her marriage, the most they could offer for a dowry would be ten million, and that was pushing it.

Worth hundreds of millions?

Bella wished she could get her hands on the dowry items Lillian had just returned, the ones her father and brothers had just claimed. But even all of that, according to Sebastian, was only worth one or two hundred million.

How could that compare to Lillian’s billions?

There was no comparison at all.

So this was the difference between being born into a wealthy family and being from an ordinary background.

Even if Lillian was just a useless woman who could only have children and raise them, completely incomparable to a high-achieving professional like herself, Bella was still at a disadvantage when it came to marriage.

"Sebastian, are you… looking down on me because my dowry is too small?"

Bella’s heart sank, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she adopted an expression of fragile devastation.

But this time, Sebastian offered no words of comfort.

"I'm stating a fact."

Bella froze. Whenever her mother used this tactic, Martin would be completely wrapped around her finger, ready to give her anything she wanted. So why, when she tried it, did Sebastian not fall for it at all?

Before she could even start crying, Sebastian spoke again. "Let's just simplify the wedding arrangements.

"We can do everything else according to your wishes, but I don't think my parents have the extra energy to discuss these tedious wedding formalities. And given the Mercer family's current situation, they probably aren't in the mood either.

"Let’s just skip all these conventional procedures, what do you think?"

Bella stood there, stunned. What did he mean by no procedures? No engagement gift, no shares, no properties?

Was he joking?

Without those things, her wedding would be missing its most dazzling part. Plus, word would get out, and people would laugh at her.

Before Bella could say anything, Martin received an important call and was in a hurry to leave. He said to Sebastian appeasingly, "Sebastian, you two can figure out the wedding details yourselves.

Martin knew exactly how much the elder Blakes despised the mother and daughter by his side. He also knew that if they kept pushing, Sebastian's patience would run out, and the marriage would be completely off the table. That's why he had to seize the moment while Sebastian was still willing to go through with the wedding. They could strategize about everything else later. Now was not the time to be making demands.

But none of that mattered. That wasn't her main concern anyway.

Back at the hotel, Bella immediately went to knock on Debbie's room door.

The butler answered. When Bella saw him instead of Lucas, she felt a sliver of relief. After all, that night between her and Lucas… although they hadn't crossed the final line, Lucas was Debbie's plaything. For her to have also dallied with him would make for a rather awkward three-person encounter.

After Bella entered, the butler informed her, "Ms. Harris is just getting ready. I've just prepared her meal. Would Miss Ward like to stay for lunch? I can have the hotel add another portion right away."

Bella nodded. "Yes, please."

She was hungry anyway. At Sebastian's villa, she had filled up on water and was starting to feel famished.

The butler immediately went to carry out her request. Bella sat down to wait, and a few moments later, Debbie emerged from the bathroom. She looked a little surprised to see Bella.

"Bella, what brings you here? You didn't even call to let me know. I would have prepared."

Bella said, "Debbie, it was a last-minute thing. I was worried you might still be sleeping and didn't want to disturb you, so I just came directly."

Debbie smiled. "Not at all. I've been sleeping earlier these past two days, so I've been waking up earlier too."

Early? Bella scoffed internally. It was almost noon. It was lunchtime, and she called that early? So much had already happened at the Blake estate.

Honestly, she was a little envious of Debbie's life. It seemed incredibly comfortable. It was this envy that solidified her determination to marry Sebastian. Only by being with Sebastian could she have the life she wanted. In the future, she would have a child, push Noah out of the way, and take over as the head of the Blake family. Only then could she live a carefree life like Debbie's, with no worries, only money.

"Ms. Harris, how are things going with the money from your friend?"

Since it was a loan from a loan shark, Bella was on the hook for high interest payments, so she was naturally anxious. Now that she was face-to-face with Debbie, she had to ask.

Debbie had probably guessed Bella was coming to ask about this very thing. For her, fabricating an excuse on the spot was laughably easy.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize how complicated and troublesome international money transfers were. I'm still waiting on it myself.

"Lately, I've had to be careful with my spending, worried that I'll run out of money before my friend's funds come through. Then I'd be done for, wouldn't I?

"You know how busy that boy Sebastian is. He's always been very generous with me when it comes to money."