"I thought you didn't like nightclubs?" Lucien inquired.

Ella smiled and replied, "I've just never been to one, and I want to experience it before I get married."

Lucien's expression turned doting, and he said, "Then I'll accompany you."

Cendy seemed pleased with the turn of events. She turned to Eden and Jonas, saying, "We can go to the Imperial. You guys are familiar with the place, right?"

"I'm cool with it," Eden responded with a disinterested expression.

Jonas chimed in, "I'm with Eden, of course."

Cendy teased, "People who don't know might think you two are having an affair."

Jonas faltered for a second, "I'm straight!"

"You are. What about Eden…?" Cendy laughed.

Eden gave Cendy a sidelong glance, seemingly not bothered by her remarks. However, it was evident that Cendy brought a lot of joy wherever she went.

"Cendy? Doris? Will you join us too?" Cendy called out casually.

Ella trusted Cendy's organizational skills for arranging the nightclub outing. While Cendy might have some faults, her ability to gather people for events was impressive.

Hedy and Doris exchanged glances. Hedy replied, "I'll have to ask my dad since my house is very strict."

Cendy couldn't hide her disdain for Hedy's response. She knew the kind of person Hedy was, always trying to appear like a good girl. Cendy felt Hedy was insincere, desiring the attention of every man, and she found it even worse than Lydia, who only liked Winston.

"I'll go if my sister goes, and I won't go if she doesn't," Doris expressed her stance, making it appear as if they were as close as sisters could be in the eyes of others.

Cendy reminded Doris, "Go ask your parents. And don't forget to ask your brother Kim too."

Doris agreed with a simple "Okay," and then left with Hedy.

Cendy was confident that Hedy would definitely go to the nightclub outing.

Ella spotted Winston nearby and called out to him. Winston approached with his glass of wine, noticing that many people were gathered.

"What's going on?" Winston asked Ella.

Ella explained, "Cendy is organizing a nightclub outing later. Why don't you come along?"

Winston glanced at Cendy, who was currently holding Bowen's arm and pretending not to notice Winston's gaze.

"Everyone else is going together," Ella insisted. "You've only just returned home, and it would be good to get to know the people here better."

Winston agreed, saying, "Yeah, alright."

Throughout their upbringing, Winston had always been subservient to Cendy and even Ella. He rarely refused anything they asked of him. Having gone through the tragedy of her past life, Ella had come to truly appreciate what a good person Winston was.

Why did Cendy let him slip away?

"That's great! Doris and I are all set too. I already told my dad we're going," Hedy said as she joined the conversation. She then whispered, "My brother said he has some evening commitments, so he won't be joining us. He told us to have a good time on our own."

"In that case, let's keep an eye on the time and get going," Cendy directed. "Jonas, you arrange for your side of the family to provide us with transportation."

"Sounds good." Jonas nodded.

To outsiders, it seemed like Cendy and Jonas were on good terms, but in reality, they didn't have much interaction. They merely knew each other because they were part of the same social circle.

Cendy had a disarming nature, and no one would be offended by her suggestions, so everyone agreed without any issues.

Ella also gave a word to her parents, and a huge group of people, in twos and threes, went to The Ella felt uncomfortable in the luxurious environment of the Imperial nightclub. However, she endured and entered the private room.

Cendy had arrived earlier and was already holding the microphone, singing energetically. She was a decent singer, but her true talent lay in livening up the atmosphere. As everyone else entered the room, they became infected by Cendy's energy, and the awkwardness among the unfamiliar guests lessened.

Many people present didn't know each other well, but Cendy's performance helped break the ice. After she finished singing a song, the atmosphere in the room became more relaxed.

Seeing that everyone had gathered, Cendy suggested a toast, declaring the theme to be "It's good to be young." Ella couldn't help but smile, feeling that it was indeed true. She felt ten years younger, realizing she had the opportunity to do many things she hadn't done in her previous life.

"Cheers," Cendy exclaimed, and everyone raised their glasses and drank.

After the toast, Cendy went to order songs for the karaoke session, and Jonas also selected a couple of songs.

The two bantered back and forth, playfully teasing each other. Cendy remarked, "Jonas, you've been at the nightclub all day, haven't you sung enough?"

Jonas retorted, "Says the one who acts like she doesn't come here often."

Cendy smirked, "Yeah, but you practically live here. Can't you just get out of my way?"

"True, I'm just providing the venue. This is your get together. You're the host. You should show some hospitality."

Cendy jokingly accused, "And I thought you were a gentleman."

"I am," Jonas grinned. "I just like to save my manners for Eden."

"See? I knew there was something between you two…"

Jonas didn't bother to explain and changed the topic, suggesting they sing a song together. Cendy agreed, asking which song to sing, and Jonas suggested "You Belong to Me."

Cendy teased, "You don't have a crush on me, do you?"

Jonas gave her a blank look and responded, "This is like… the breakup song. Didn't you know that?"

Cendy seemed to believe it and replied, "Really? Well either way, you better not catch feelings. I have a boyfriend."

Jonas smiled sarcastically as he noticed Winston sitting quietly next to him. Winston also noticed Jonas' glance and looked over, their eyes meeting. Surprisingly, Winston's gaze also connected with Cendy's, and she immediately looked away, avoiding his eyes.

As the intro of 'You Belong to Me' played, Cendy and Jonas stopped their banter and began singing emotionally. The atmosphere in the private room became lively as others started to toast each other, regardless of their relationships. It was a drinking party meant for socializing, and everyone had to put on a facade, interacting with one another in disguise.

"We have more in common than I thought, Eden. Since we were the first tie in decades for the Outstanding Youth Award, I'll toast you," Lucien smiled and raised his glass.

In front of outsiders, regardless of his relationship with them, he always maintained the image of a humble and respectful son.

Eden didn't refuse and picked up the wine glass. He then glanced at Ella and teased, "You'll toast to me before your own fiancée?"

His bitter tone as he called her Lucien's fiancée didn't sound pleasant. Usually, he called her 'Miss Ford.'

Ella was instantly reminded of the kiss she had shared with Lucien in the back garden of her house. She realized she had nothing to be ashamed of. After all, this was supposed to be a marriage of convenience.