Be My Man, Mr. Jenkins By Flora Julius
Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Josie did not expect that answer from Adriane. It shocked Josie that Adriane would still be so determined to marry Arthur after she had tried so hard to

scare Adriane.

Stunned, Josie’s eyes did not leave Adriane until she put on the gown layer by layer, slowly. Again, Josie was bewildered. This time it was because Adriane had put on that troublesome gown that had layers of petticoats and complicated clips without any mistake by herself.

Josie wondered, “How could she possibly wear this dress without my guidance? That is impossible!”

Adriane glanced at Josie’s pale face and chuckled silently. She had worn tons of gowns in her past life. It was a piece of cake for Adriane. After years of practice, Adriane could put on any complicated gown with ease.

Then, Adriane spun in a circle, showing herself in the gown to Josie. She asked with a smile on her face, “Do I look pretty in this?”

Josie did not answer. Adriane did not mind either. She was ready to go since she already had makeup on and had her hair done. All she had to do was wait in the lounge for someone to take her to the engagement ceremony venue.

Adriane picked up her phone and tapped on something. Then she placed it back in her handbag.

Anxiousness almost overtook Josie when she saw Adriane had no intention of leaving. She thought, “What’s wrong with her? Has she given up on running away?”

Josie calmed down and pretended to be concerned about Adriane’s future, “Arthur doesn’t like to be near women. He has become cold and brutal after the accident. You are young. Do you really want to ruin your life by marrying him?”

Adriane looked at Josie silently. Josie could not see through Adriane’s thoughts from the calm look on her face.

y now.”

Josie gulped. Nervously, she whispered, “I can arrange a car to help you escape if you want to run away n

Adriane might look calm on the outside, but anger was rolling deep in her.

Josie’s words triggered a memory of Adriane’s past life. She remembered herself stumbling out of Jenkins‘ manor and coincidentally met a kind driver who was willing to help her escape.

Now thinking about it, it was not a coincidence at all! Everything was part of Josie’s plan, or to be precise, it was Alexander’s plan.

The smile on Adriane’s face was brighter as rage boiled in her. She looked pretty and elegant with that smile on her, but the words that came out of her lips were cold and emotionless, “I’m not running away.”

The rising anxious feeling in Josie was killing her. She hated Adriane for being so stubborn.

Josie kept pestering Adriane for some time. At last, she could only watch as one of the Jenkins‘ maids led Adriane out of the lounge to the ceremony

venue.

Jenkins had a big family. They lived in a manor that had countless mansions in it. Albert, the patriarch of the Jenkins family, lived in a five–story mansion in the middle of the manor. The area of his mansion was more than ten thousand square feet. However, his sons and grandchildren lived separately in their mansions located in the Jenkins‘ manor. From above, the manor looked like an enormous and luxurious residential area with all kinds of facilities..

In the hall on the first floor, guests in suits and gowns chatted and laughed while the top symphony orchestra invited by the Jenkins family played melodious music. It was the venue of the engagement ceremony.

The Stewarts looked the happiest among the guests. They had broad smiles on their faces.

Adriane’s foster father, Edward Stewart, her foster mother, Rebel Stewart, talked to the guests. Her foster sister, Juliette, who was two months younger than her, was beside them.

The Stewarts were rich, but they were nothing compared to Jenkins. Juliette had few chances of attending luxurious events like this.

So, she chose a red gown and spent five hours doing her makeup and hair. With makeup on, her beautiful face attracted countless gazes.

11:23 Tue, 27 Jun

Chapter 3

Several wealthy young girls, who were Juliette’s peers, complimented her when they saw her, “Julie, you look stunning today”

Juliette lowered her head and smiled shyly, “That’s very kind of you, but I’m not the one getting engaged today.”

The girls lowered their voices and said, “Who cares if your sister is the one getting engaged today. She is only an adopted child. It’s not like she is the true descendant of the Stewarts like you.”

“Yeah, I heard she majors in sports? I guess she might rip her gown with her muscles.”

“It’s better for her to be stronger. It will help her take care of Mr. Arthur.”

Arthur Jenkins, the fourth son of Albert Jenkins, was a reputable man before that tragic accident. Others called him Mr. Arthur. The once respectful way of addressing him had turned into a mocking title for him after he lost his ability to walk. There was no more respect and admiration when others call

him Mr. Arthur now.

Juliette put on her kind disguise and said, “Please don’t make fun of my sister.”

She was enjoying the flattery.

Suddenly, the hall fell silent.

Sensing something was going on, Juliette slowly lifted her head and looked at the stairs. She could see Adriane, dressed in a white gown on the second floor. Beside Adriane was Albert, Arthur’s father. With one hand holding onto Albert’s arm and the other lifting her gown, Adriane walked down the stairs gracefully.

Adriane’s eyes were glistering, and her skin was shining. Her delicate facial features caught the attention of the crowd. The elegant gown made her look more stunning than usual. Each part of her body was like it was tailor–made for the gown. She was like a blooming rose in winter and like an angel. descended from Heaven. Almost everyone was mesmerized by her beauty.

Adriane might be only eighteen that year, but she was 5.5 feet tall. She had elegant collarbones and a beautiful curve. Her height did not make her look. bulky. Instead, she looked like a model. She looked pure and alluring at the same time.

Even Juliette, who had spent hours dressing up, appeared like an ugly duckling in front of an elegant swan, like Adriane.

Those girls who had just made fun of Adriane, saying that she would look hideous in the gown, were embarrassed about their ignorance. They were silenced and dazzled by Adriane’s beauty.

They glanced back at Juliette, blaming her for not telling them Adriane was that pretty. Just because Adriane was the Stewarts‘ adopted daughter, the Stewarts seldom took her to any events. Even those girls from wealthy families felt that making friends with Adriane, who was only a foster child, would only make them look like a fool. They had never expected that Adriane would be such a beauty. If they had known it, they would not say something like that just now.

Juliette was Adriane’s foster sister. She knew Adriane was pretty, yet she still let the girls condemn her sister. It made those girls hate Juliette’s despicable behavior now. They felt Juliette was not as innocent as she was. She must have worn the red dress on purpose to snatch the limelight from her sister, who was the one getting engaged that day.

Some of them were mad at Juliette and ignored her, making her feel embarrassed.

Jullie was also annoyed that Adriane took away her limelight. She shot a deadly glare at Adriane as she clenched her fist.

Rebel, Juliette’s mother, sensed her daughter’s moody feelings and patted her hand lightly on Juliette’s, gently reminding her not to lose her composure in public.

Then Rebel whispered to Juliette, “No matter how beautiful she looks, she still has to marry a crippled man.”

Those words from Rebel calmed Juliette down. She had a smile on her face as her mood elevated, thinking of Adriane’s miserable life after marrying Arthur,

*Yes, Mr. Arthur is now a useless man. Rumor has it that he is brutal and cold. Adriane will never have a happy life marrying a man like that.

But we are different. Albert Jenkins had given us lots of wealth and luxury in return for marrying Adriane to that disabled son of his. We can enjoy life or even travel somewhere with that money.>

Chapter 3

The more Juliette thought about it, she began to feel sorry for Adriane, but there was still a smile blooming on her face

Albert was in a custom–tailored suit. He had an amiable smile on his face as he walked down the stairs with Adriane. The patriarch of the Jenkins Family was not the stern and conservative old man she thought he would be.

Adnane’s spirit brightened when she saw the astonished faces of the guests.

Standing in the banquet hall on the first floor, Albert gave a welcoming speech. Then he expressed his deepest apology to the crowd, saying that Arthur could not attend the engagement ceremony because of his health condition.

Hearing that, Juliette lowered her head and snickered.

“My dear adopted sister, you’ll have to marry a useless, disabled man who can’t even attend his engagement ceremony. What a shame!” she thought.

Juliette was not the only one thinking that. The other guests had the same thought that even some of them cast Adriane the look of pity. Albert suddenly realized that Adriane might feel wronged, and it worried him. He turned around to check out on Adriane, but all he saw was confidence and not the slightest hesitation on her face. It made Albert admire Adriane’s calm and mature reaction.

Just as the engagement ceremony was about to begin, there was another commotion outside the hall.

Someone exclaimed, “Mr. Arthur is here!”