Chapter 566 Feels Like a Matchmaking Fest
Yeah, Eva too thought that Emily was something else.
Emily had always been all about her work, diving into it for years without surfacing. In their recent heart-to-heart, she hadn't kept any secrets from her best friend, Eva, even spilling the details of her savings amassed over the years. Emily was now back with a dream to set up her own boutique shop, a perfect venture for her parents to look after.
At first, Eva had toyed with the idea of poaching Emily for her own company once she returned to the States. Since they were best friends and all, she could offer Emily a top-dollar salary.
But before Eva could even broach the topic, Emily shared her own vision of opening a shop, bringing Eva into the loop for some brainstorming.
Eva could hear the fierce determination in Emily's voice to become a small business owner, making her hesitant to pitch the corporate gig.
If it were a handsome paycheck that Emily was after, she wouldn't need to return home at all. Her former boss was known for generosity that Eva knew she couldn't match. His company, a testament to self-made success, was leagues beyond her own fledgling enterprise in stature and maturity.
In the midst of this, a thought seemed to strike Margaret, who asked, "Is your friend too caught up in work to date, or is she just not interested in romance?"
Eva chuckled. "She's simply been too busy."
Post-memory loss, Eva had been clueless about Emily's past, least of all her romantic life. Yet, their recent talks had given her snippets to piece together a clearer picture, particularly when Emily expressed envy toward the sweet gestures Adrian made for Eva, complaining of being force-fed 'relationship goals' and voicing her own cravings for a bit of romance.
With time, Eva felt she could almost read Emily's mind.
"It's not that she's against the idea of dating," Eva mused, "actually, I might know someone who could be a good match for her." Surprise flickered across Eva's face. "Mom, are you really suggesting playing matchmaker for Emily?"
Margaret's lips curled into a soft smile. "Yes, I think she's a girl of good character, and I've just recently met a fine young man."
Eva didn't immediately agree. Despite not subscribing to rigid class disparities herself, she knew others might. Margaret's high society connections weren't likely to be average Joes. What if Emily's family background became an issue? Eva couldn't risk Emily feeling uncomfortable if things didn't work out.
"I'll ask for her opinion when the time comes," Eva said, opting to consider Emily's feelings first.
"Alright, we should definitely get her input on this. If she's willing to talk, then you can pass on the message to me."
Hanging out at the airport wasn't a problem, as the family was together. Ruby and Dylan were naturally looked after by Kim and Margaret, and with Jacob and Kim's bodyguard by their side, they were quite the entourage.
At first, Eva sat stiffly in the chair, but then, finding it too uncomfortable, she leaned into Adrian's embrace, half-reclining as she texted Emily.
She couldn't bring herself to relay Margaret's matchmaking idea to Emily directly, so she broached the subject in a roundabout way.
"During the holidays, does your family ever try to set you up on blind dates?"
It was common for young adults who didn't have time to come home during the year to meet potential partners during the holidays; their relatives were often keen on arranging such meetings.
So, Eva started by asking that, to see if Emily would be averse to the idea of being set up.
Emily replied quickly.
"Don't even mention it, I've had so many people trying to set me up, I'm surprised they have the energy for it. Do they not find it tiring and troublesome?"
In her reply, Emily couldn't help but complain, "When I get older, I'm not going to be setting people up like this. The holidays should be about having fun, not matchmaking. Isn't it just a matchmaking fest?" Her complaint made Eva laugh.
"Hey, do you think if I had gotten married and had kids earlier like you, I wouldn't have to be so bothered today?"
Eva had thought the idea of setting her up was dropped, but Emily brought up the topic of marriage herself.
So, she carefully asked her, "Since that's what you think, then why are you bothered? Do you think blind dates aren't reliable?" "That's for sure; there aren't many reliable guys who go on blind dates. I have never met anyone reliable on a blind date."
"Eva, it's not that I'm against being set up; it's just that there are too many weirdos on blind dates." Emily continued.
As Emily's best friend, Eva naturally didn't want her to marry a weirdo and ruin her life, so she said, "Anyway, you haven't gotten married up to now, so there's no rush. It's a lifelong decision, so you should take your time; weirdos are definitely not an option. But there's something I still want to ask your opinion about."
Eva then mentioned the idea that Adrian's mother had brought up to Emily.
After hearing it, Emily was quite shocked.
"Mrs. Blackwood wants to set me up?"
Just like Eva had imagined, Emily's first reaction was to ask, "Would someone Mrs. Blackwood introduces be interested in someone from my kind of family?"