As Vivian was deep in contemplation, Cullen made his entrance. After exchanging pleasantries with the Crystal and Mack family mbers, Niall gestured toward her cousin. "This is my Aunt Huxley's daughter, Vivian Ridgewood."
Cullen's eyes flicked briefly to Vivian as he offered a courteous smile. "Nice to et you."
Vivian had only seen Cullen through the digital lens of Niall's Instagram posts until now. eting him in person made her instantly understand Niall's choice. The n who had pursued Niall in the past were already exceptional specins—successful, influential, and impressive by any standard. Yet compared to Cullen, they all fell short. Whether it was his accomplishnts, educational background, family lineage, or even his physical appearance and bearing—none of Niall's previous suitors could compete.
She had believed those past admirers represented the pinnacle of eligible bachelors, but Cullen's presence shattered that notion. There was always soone more exceptional, and standing beside Niall, they created a picture of perfect compatibility.
Despite this acknowledgnt, the knowledge of Cullen's complicated history with Veronica weighed on Vivian's mind. She lowered her gaze respectfully and murmured, "Hello."
After completing his rounds of greetings, Cullen settled onto the couch with natural elegance.
News had circulated through Youtopia's social circles since last year about Niall finding a boyfriend in Porter—one who had facilitated the Crystal family's smooth entry into Porter's exclusive elite circles.
By coincidence, an old acquaintance of the Crystal family from Youtopia was visiting Sophia today. Initially, they had dismissed rumors of the Crystal family's effortless integration into Porter's elite society as exaggeration.
Though Niall was undeniably accomplished, with nurous young elites from Youtopia pursuing her over the years, the Crystal family's status back ho was rely mid-tier among the wealthy. For Niall to marry into Youtopia's upper echelon would have been ambitious enough—penetrating Porter's most prestigious social circles seed impossible.
Yet after witnessing the luxurious villa the Crystal family now called ho and eting Cullen himself, their skepticism evaporated. As they stared at him with barely concealed astonishnt, Niall calmly introduced them: "They're so old friends of the Crystal family."
Cullen acknowledged them with a polite nod, shaking each person's hand with perfect courtesy. With his arrival complete, everyone migrated to the dining room for their al.
Vivian was approaching completion of her master's degree. Huxley had brought her to Porter hoping that she might secure employnt and, with Niall's assistance, perhaps find a suitable partner.
Cullen had consistently treated the Crystal and Mack families with genuine consideration. After dinner, observing Cullen's apparently positive mood, Huxley seized the opportunity to broach the subject of Vivian's future.
Vivian, uncomfortable with the idea of imposing on anyone, attempted to intervene. "You really don't need to go through the trouble—"
Before she could complete her protest, Cullen regarded her with a asured smile. "It's no trouble." After a brief pause, he continued, "Vivian, right? Do you have any specific expectations for the kind of position you're seeking?"
Vivian hadn't anticipated such considerate attention from Cullen. Was his devotion to Niall so profound that it extended to those in her orbit?
During dinner, she had overheard Bonnie ntion Cullen's jealousy regarding Niall's nurous admirers. To eliminate potential competition, he had reportedly transferred substantial shares from one of his companies to Niall.
She had thought this gesture adequately demonstrated his commitnt to Niall. Yet she hadn't expected Cullen's dedication would extend to soone like her—rely a relative he was eting for the first ti.
She'd also heard that Cullen and Veronica's divorce wasn't finalized, and that he and Niall weren't married yet. When Bonnie casually addressed Cullen as "brother-in-law," Vivian had felt a twinge of discomfort. But now, faced with Cullen's unexpected courtesy, she found herself reassessing her impressions.
Having always lived in Niall's shadow and lacking her cousin's natural confidence, Vivian wasn't accustod to such direct attention. Cullen's focused inquiry left her stamring, struggling to articulate a response.
Niall gently tapped Cullen's arm. "Don't scare her."
Cullen's expression softened into a smile. "Alright." He turned back to Vivian. "Once you've decided, just have soone let know. Don't worry about it."
Vivian quickly nodded. "Okay."
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