Next Man Better Plan novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Stephanie immediately recognized the bracelets value and tried to refuse. “I can’t accept this…”

“I’m giving it to you, so you take it!” Mrs. Vasquez Sr. held Stephanie’s hand firmly, preventing any further protest. “Once you’ve married into the Vasquez family, you are the mistress of the house. Of course, this should be in your keeping. It’s a family tradition.”

With the matter framed that way, Stephanie didn’t argue further. She figured she would just return it when they got divorced.

Mrs. Vasquez Sr. pressed a set of keys into Stephanie’s hand. “Here are the keys to my grandson’s place and the address. Stephanie, I’m entrusting my grandson to you. We’ll be in touch.”

With that, Mrs. Vasquez Sr. climbed into the car, clutching the marriage certificate, ready to go and show it off to her circle of friends.

Even as she sat in the car on her way back, Stephanie was still in a state of shock. She had gone for a hike and somehow ended up married?

The marriage certificate couldn’t be a fake, could it? She hadn’t even been to the city hall, nor had she met the groom.

She quickly opened her phone and checked her official records. Her information had indeed been updated from ‘unmarried‘ to… ‘married‘.

However, perhaps because the change was so recent, the system hadn’t fully updated, and the groom’s name and details were not yet displayed.

Just then, Cecilia called again.

“Stephanie, I just had a talk with my cousin, and after thinking it over, he agreed. Let’s meet at the usual place tonight so you two can see each other, and then you can go to the city hall tomorrow. How does that sound?”

Stephanie was still dazed. “But… I’m already married.”

Cecilia was floored. “Married? Since when?”

“Just now,” Stephanie said, feeling like she was in a dream.

“You might not believe this, but the matchmaking saint at Aeterna Abbey is actually quite effective. A husband literally fell from the sky, and he meets all my requirements perfectly.”

Cecilia asked, “So what’s his name?”

Stephanie’s gaze drifted out the window. “…Right. What is his name?”

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15.02

Chapter 30

Meridian Consortium.

“Sir, here is the financial report for this quarter

Julie, a woman in her thirties, brought a stack of documents into the president’s office. She had joined Meridian Consortium right after graduation and had worked her way up from an entry–level position to become Quennel’s chief executive assistant over the past decade.

“We’re up five percent from the last quarter and ten percent compared to the same time last year,” Julie reported, her manner crisp and efficient.

Quennel, sitting in his executive chair, flipped through the documents. He nodded slightly, clearly pleased with the results.

“Book a table at a high–end private kitchen. I want to celebrate with Steph-” He stopped mid–sentence, the realization hitting him.

He frowned and tossed the report onto his desk, his expression souring.

He had been blocked by Stephanie for a full day and night. During that time, she had vanished from his world as if she had evaporated into thin air.

But she had always been so vibrant, especially during the days when Meridian Consortium released its financial reports. She would text him early in the morning to ask if he had arrived at the office and would often come by in the afternoon to check on the

numbers herself.

If profits were up, they would go out to a private dinner to celebrate after work. If they were down, she would smile and comfort him, saying that the market had its ups and downs and that he had alread