At the Shikongo residence, Nathan had just returned home. Without a word, he handed the tiffin box to one of the house workers.
"Warm this up and enjoy it," he said, waving it off casually.
The worker received it with glowing gratitude. "Thank you, Sir."
As Nathan made his way further in, Catty approached him, her eyes lit with hope.
"How was your lunch? Did you like it?" she asked sweetly.
"Lunch?" Nathan repeated, visibly puzzled.
"Yes... I cooked it for you," Catty said, her voice quieting with disappointment.
Realization dawned on Nathan. "Oh! That lunch... yes, yes—it was delicious. Mmm. You really know your way around a kitchen. I made the perfect decision choosing you, didn't I?"
But Catty wasn't smiling anymore. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"No," she said softly. "You told me you wanted to marry me... yet you didn't even tell your family? Are you playing me, Nate?"
Nathan sighed and reached for her hand. "Catty, why are you in such a rush? Just be patient. Come on—watch and see."
He led her toward the hall, her heart swelling with hope. Finally, she thought. He's going to make it official. I'm with my Nate, my best friend. Nothing can stop our love story now.
Just as they entered the hall, Monica intercepted them, grabbing Nathan's free hand.
"I won't let that happen," she said coldly.
Catty halted, her heart sinking. "What do you mean?"
Monica looked at her with fierce determination. "I'll stop you. Both of you."
Nathan pulled his hand back, bewildered. "What the hell are you talking about, Monica?"
Monica didn't answer. Instead, she slid her hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, flashing it before him.
Nathan froze. He remembered her message from earlier.
With a smug smile, Monica winked at Catty and walked off.
Before Nathan could say a word, the worker he'd handed the tiffin to earlier approached—tiffin still in hand.
Nathan stiffened. "Just—give me a minute," he muttered, and rushed over.
"Please, don't let anyone in the house see you with this. Here—transfer the food to a plate. I'll take the tiffin back to my room," he whispered urgently.
"Understood, sir," the worker said obediently.
Meanwhile, Monica was live-streaming her latest knitwear designs using Nathan's phone.
Back in the hall, Nathan returned with renewed resolve. He took Catty's hand, a champagne glass in the other, and clinked his glass gently to capture attention.
"Everyone, may I have a moment? Isn't it a beautiful evening?" he began.
"Champagne? Something big is coming," Daniels teased.
"Well… as you all know, I'm next in line—thanks to Kuku's ancestors who clearly enjoy torturing me," he said, eliciting chuckles.
"He's about to say something important," Kuku Veronica smiled knowingly.
Nathan cleared his throat. "So I've decided to honor their choice. Catty and I are in a relationship, and I want to take it to the next level."
There were gasps and whispers of joy. Some faces lit up with excitement—others dimmed with dread.
"But…" Nathan paused, and silence fell over the room. Monica entered just in time to witness him holding Catty's hand. Her expression darkened.
"She hasn't said yes yet," Nathan added, turning to Catty. She blinked at him, confused.
The joy in the room wavered.
"Why not, Catty?" Kuku Veronica asked gently.
Before she could respond, Nathan raised her hand high. "Because her 'yes' is priceless… and her finger's still bare."
The silence cracked into a cheer. Kuku Veronica clapped. "We have an engagement to prepare!"
"When is it? Let me check my schedule—please, let it be on my off day!" Sofia chirped.
"This Friday," Nathan announced.
Catty gasped. "Engagement?!"
"Yes. Are you happy now?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.
"Very! I love you, Nate!" she beamed.
But Nathan looked away when Monica coughed deliberately.
"We have an engagement, people! My brother's finally getting married!" Monica announced, popping the champagne. The room erupted in celebration—everyone except Monica and her parents, who kept their smiles polite and their thoughts guarded.
Meanwhile, in their home, Vicky and her family were gathered for dinner when a knock came at the door.
Vicky opened it to find Tonia, who nearly tackled her with excitement.
"Tony! What's going on? You look like you just won the lottery," Vicky laughed.
"I kind of did!" Tonia handed her a newspaper.
Vicky glanced down. "What's this?"
"I landed an event to organize—it's in the ad. But that's not why I'm here. I want you to take it. The pay is yours. Use it for your mom's surgery."
Vicky's smile faltered, emotion catching in her throat. "Tony... this is too much."
"No, you know what was too much? When you planned my entire wedding and refused to let me pay you."
"I know you're good at organizing resorts, so I applied on your behalf," Tonia added.
Vicky's eyes brimmed with tears. "Thank you... thank you so much."
"You better go all out—it's a 10K event," Tonia said with a grin.
"10K?!" Evan nearly leapt from his seat.
"…and we'll only need another 10K to cover the rest of Mom's treatment," he added, looking hopeful.
Vicky nodded, overwhelmed.
"Yes," Tonia confirmed. Evan pulled her to join them for dinner, but Vicky stepped outside.
Under the night sky, she whispered, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Father. Please heal Mom."
She held the advertisement close, a glimmer of hope returning to her eyes.