After her rebirth

Katniss was caught off guard for a moment. She only knew about the engagement between the Manners and Boleyn families, and that was it.

Back in the day, she was too young to think about asking all these questions.

"Arranged by my grandpa? Did you know him?" Katniss's eyes sparkled with curiosity. When she was brought back from the countryside, her grandpa had already been gone for years. During her time with Aurora, she barely heard anything about her grandpa.

Seeing Katniss's curious look, Carlton's old eyes had a touch of nostalgia, "Didn't your grandma ever talk about him?"

Aurora had raised Katniss for so long, but never told her anything about her grandpa, Ezekiel Manners.

Katniss shook her head. "No, my grandma doesn't talk much. She's always busy with her herbs and rarely mentions him. She said he died catching a thief."

In that moment, a lot of thoughts raced through Katniss's mind.

Years ago, the Manners family wasn't even a big deal. How could her grandpa have set up a marriage with Carlton?

"Is that what Aurora told you?" Carlton said, sighing a bit. "I don't admire many people, but your grandpa was something else. It's a shame he passed too soon."

Katniss was stunned. She'd seen photos of her grandparents together. Her grandpa looked like he was in his forties, kind and gentle, with gold-rimmed glasses that gave him a youthful vibe. But his clothes made him look like an average guy.

Why did Carlton say her grandpa was remarkable?

Katniss was even more puzzled.

Seeing Katniss's focus on Carlton, Samuel clicked his tongue and grumbled, "Why are we talking about such gloomy stuff? Today's about Maximilian and Katniss getting engaged. Let's keep it happy!"

He then turned to Katniss with a smile, "Katniss, just say what you want to eat. We've got plenty of money. From now on, everything Maximilian earns is yours. Spend as much as you like!" Spend as much as she likes? No way she could spend it all.

It all had to be repaid!

Only she and Maximilian knew about the fake marriage deal. The two elders treating her like their future granddaughter-in-law made Katniss feel a bit guilty.

Katniss nervously poked Maximilian under the table and leaned towards him.

She signaled him to say something.

Maximilian calmly picked up the tea and moved it towards her.

Then he whispered in her ear, "Just act natural. To everyone else, my grandpa's right. What's mine is yours. Spend as much as you want." Katniss thought he had a point.

The pressure shifted to her.

The two elders saw Maximilian and Katniss whispering, one looking handsome and elegant, the other bright and youthful, like a perfect picture. Just then, Wesley's family showed up.

The moment Wesley saw Maximilian in a wheelchair, he was shocked and a bit annoyed.

Katniss had mentioned the groom's health wasn't great. He thought it meant he was just a bit weak, but now he was in a wheelchair?

Katniss had a rough childhood, and now she was marrying a disabled guy. How could she be happy?

"Hello, I'm Samuel Hamilton, Maximilian's grandpa." Samuel stood up and greeted them warmly, closing the distance naturally.

Wesley shook hands with him.

Looking at the lively old man in front of him, Wesley suddenly felt he looked familiar.

After a moment, it hit him-he'd seen this guy on TV. He was pretty famous and had even been in a parade.

Wesley's smile got a bit strained. If this really was the guy from TV, what were they supposed to do?

Carlton, not a fan of show-offs, walked over, trying to be as polite as possible. "Hello, I'm Maximilian's grandpa, Carlton Boleyn. Please, have a seat."

Wesley's eyes twitched again. That name sounded familiar too, like someone he'd heard about on the financial news.

Wesley whispered to Micah, "Check on your phone if Samuel and Carlton are the ones we see on TV."

Micah's face turned serious as he silently handed his phone to his dad.

Wesley glanced at the pictures and long bios on the screen and was stunned.

He stiffly handed the phone back to Micah.

Katniss quickly introduced Wesley and his family. "Wesley, Daphne, this is Maximilian." Then she turned to Maximilian and said, "Maximilian, they're my uncle and aunt." Maximilian raised his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips, "Wesley, Daphne, I'm a bit unsteady on my feet, so please excuse me if I'm not as quick or graceful as I'd like to be" Even in a wheelchair, his demeanor and handsome face were on point.

Katniss looked at the stern-faced Micah and said, "This is my cousin, Micah."

Micah silently looked at Maximilian for a while, his expression complex. After a few seconds, he extended his hand, "Mr. Hamilton, I've heard a lot about you."

Maximilian's eyes swept over him, calmly extending his hand, "We're family now. No need to be so formal. Since you're marrying Katniss, you would be considered an older brother to me." Micah released his hand, his expression shifting slightly, feeling a bit off.

Was he still dreaming?

Next to him, Katniss noticed someone was missing and turned to ask Daphne, "Where's Saskia? Didn't she come today?"

"Her mother-in-law suddenly fell ill and needed someone to take care of her, so she went over." Daphne sighed. "It was too urgent. Otherwise, Saskia would definitely be here for your engagement."

Katniss nodded, the image of Kieran and Brenda embracing flashing in her mind. She pursed her lips, staying quiet.

How much personal time had Saskia sacrificed to take care of her mother-in-law and husband? Yet she didn't get any gratitude and was even cheated on.

If she were Saskia, she wouldn't let those two off!

After everyone was seated, they quickly got down to business.

"Maximilian isn't in the best health, so Katniss marrying into our family is a bit of a sacrifice for her. But don't worry, I'll treat Katniss like my own granddaughter! I won't let her suffer any grievances!" Samuel held Wesley's hand, his expression serious and his promise sincere.

Samuel, with his righteous aura and earnest tone, was especially convincing!

Carlton pursed his lips, thinking Samuel was being a bit too flattering.

The next moment, he chimed in at the right time, "Marriage is a big deal in life. As elders, we must prepare well for the young couple. We've already skipped the engagement ceremony, but the rest of the process can't be omitted. We've already got some gifts ready. If you need anything else, just let us know. We're open to anything."