Never!

Thanks to his so-called mediocrity, she didn't feel any pressure whenever she was with him. She was able to get along with him, joke with him, and even argue with him. It was also because of his "mediocrity" that she felt like they were from the same world, and that she was able to put her trust in him.

There had been a lot of ups and downs in her life. She had gone from a girl with a well-known and rich family to a girl with a small house in the middle of nowhere. And to be honest, she preferred the latter one.

It was said that jade was the apple of the eyes of people from wealthy families, but the truth was, people from wealthy families all had two faces: one was ugly, while the other was gorgeous and fake.

What was the difference between Zac and those people?

"I'll only do what I need to, and I'll act how I should. Nothing more." Essie's voice was cold and distant, and there was a trace of bitterness in it. She fixed her eyes outside the window, refusing to even look at Zac.

Zac didn't like seeing such an expression on her face, and he didn't want her to treat him as a mere passer-by. He grabbed her shoulders, turned her over, and forced her to face him. "I never lied about anything but my identity to you. To be honest, I didn't feel like I had to hide my personality from you or play any games with you. I tried to be myself and let you see who I was. Nothing has to change between us. Without the Rong family, I am still the same homeless guy with nothing to offer who has been raised by you, and you are still my queen," he said.

"Does that make it okay?" Essie sneered.

"From now on, you're in charge of our finances. I'll just leave some pocket money for myself for drinking, and other than that I'll just be like a pauper." Zac gently touched the tip of her nose, his eyes full of love.

Essie sighed lightly. Although she was still a little uncomfortable and resentful, she decided to let it go.

If she quarreled with him, and gave him the silent treatment, Valery would feel very happy, and she didn't want that.

She needed to show off how happy and sweet they were and make Valery even angrier.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

It was Mary.

"I have something to tell you." She looked extremely serious.

Zac frowned slightly. "Have a seat, Mommy."

After Mary sat down on the sofa, Zac took a seat opposite her with his arm around Essie.

"What do you want to say?" he asked in a low voice.

"We have been friends with Valery's family for generations, and almost everyone in the upper class circle knows that Valery is pregnant. If you suddenly announce your marriage to another woman, how will Valery be able to show her face to everyone?" Mary paused. "So, what I'm saying is, the registration of your marriage cannot be announced to the public."

An angry look flashed across Zac's eyes. The moment Valery found that she was pregnant, she immediately started to spread the news all over the city, even telling random passers-by about it to share her "good news". She deserved to be disgraced.

"I can keep it a secret until the baby is born, but I will only do it under two conditions, and you have to promise me that you will follow them." Zac was absolutely expressionless. It was as if the person sitting opposite to him was not his own mother, but a business partner.

This came as a total surprise to Essie.

"What are your conditions?" asked Mary.

"First of all, Essie and I have registered our marriage, and she is my legitimate wife, so everyone in our family and Valery's family has to respect her. Second, I will not be marrying Valery, so please get rid of that id

re you call her aunt?" Daisy said, glaring at Essie.

Marci smiled and said, "She's a friend of Zac. Why shouldn't she call me aunt?"

The moment Ivy saw Essie, her eyes lit up and she screamed excitedly, "You are the beautiful designer on the show Beauty on Runway! I am such a big fan! I like your designs very much. They are all so beautiful. My birthday is coming up. Can you design an evening dress for me?"

"Sure! It would be my honor," Essie said with a smile.

Daisy pouted and said, "Zac, you are already going to have one wife and one concubine. Where does that leave Leila? She came back from America before she could even finish her studies because of you." Daisy was a young photographer who had just returned from France after finishing her studies there. She had a good relationship with Leila, so she had to speak up for her.

"Daisy, don't talk nonsense," Marci said, shooting her a warning glance.

"Our family isn't compatible with Leila's family, so how can Zac be with her? It doesn't matter how great they were together. It's all in the past," Ivy sighed.

'I'm afraid it is not in the past!'

Essie muttered in her heart. They were childhood friends. The relationship between the two of them was much stronger and deeper than the ocean. How could they be torn apart so easily? They were simply caught in a dilemma now, and once the situation was fixed, Essie would have to step aside.

But none of that mattered to Essie. Everything was clear in her mind, and she was well-prepared for what would happen. The moment he said the word, Essie would leave and disappear from his world forever.

Allen and his wife were determined to just watch everything play out. It was none of their business anyway. They were not supportive of the fact that his nephew had brought an outsider woman into their home, but all they wanted was to be onlookers and wait and see what would happen. However, they knew that it was going to be a good show.

The main dining room was astonishingly big, and the dining table was pretty huge. Albert sat at the head of the table, Mary was seated on his left side, and Zac on his right. Essie was just about to take a seat next to Zac when she heard Mary's gentle voice calling out to her. "Essie, sit next to me. Let's have a chat." The smile on her face looked very gentle and kind, but Essie knew very well that what she actually wanted was for Essie to make room for Valery next to Zac.