Elaine said awkwardly, “This does put you in a difficult position. But Valerie, you should really think it over carefully. I actually think it’s not that bad.”

Valerie raged, “Not that bad? You married my dad, and I could barely accept that. Now you actually want me to marry an old man even older than my dad. Elaine Theron, are you twisted inside? You’re suffering, so you want me to suffer with you, is that it?”

Elaine snorted coldly. “Amari is indeed much older than you. But the problem is, they’re offering a lot. Moreover, Amari is Andrew’s junior apprentice, and you’d better take that seriously.”

Valerie scoffed, “Why should I take him seriously? Who does he think he is?”

Elaine’s tone grew more solemn. “Even if we ignore martial reputation, among our generation, he’s unmatched, and his alchemy skills are otherworldly. Those ten ninth-grade supreme elixirs came from him.”

Valerie’s head spun. “He’s a ninth-grade supreme alchemist? Don’t mess with me. How is that even possible?”

Elaine replied, “I thought it was impossible too, but it’s true. I asked Andrew, and he admitted it.”

Valerie sneered, “You believed him just because he said so? What if he claimed to be a saint? Would you trust that too?”

Elaine snapped back, “I’m not an idiot. I can tell truth from lies, and Andrew really is a genuine ninth-grade supreme alchemist. If our family befriends him through you, that could be advantageous.”

Valerie clenched her jaw and spat, “No matter what you say, I won’t agree. Make me marry Andrew’s junior, some old man? Never. Andrew can go to hell. If I see him again, I’ll kill him for humiliating me like this.”

Elaine sighed, “I knew you’d refuse. Still, think about it.”

Valerie refused outright. “I won’t think about it. I make my own decisions; no one can control me.”

Elaine grew angry too. “Since you’re so stubborn, fine. Just wait for Finnegan to have a talk with you. Right now he’s at the southern border, but he’ll be back soon. When that time comes, I’d like to see if you can still stick to your convictions like you do now and defy him.”

Valerie’s expression changed. Finnegan was a very domineering person. Though he doted on her, he was also absolutely authoritative. Once he truly felt this marriage was viable, Valerie would have no room to resist and would have to marry Amari.

At this thought, Valerie felt numb. She silently cursed at Andrew, believing that he deserved to die. Of all people to set his sights on, he actually wanted to get his hands on her.

She grumbled, “Fine, then let’s wait for Dad to come back. Let’s see if he can force me!”

Though Valerie was worried inside, her words remained sharp. After firing back at Elaine one more time, she stormed off.

Elaine pressed her hand to her forehead. “That stubborn girl. When her temper flares up, no one can control her."

Uriel walked in, smiling. “I told you Ms. Valerie wouldn’t agree."

Elaine said seriously, “Valerie may not agree, but from the family’s perspective, it’s not up to her. Andrew’s value has only increased over these ten years. Most importantly, he now has the qualifications and influence to negotiate directly with our family. If we don’t secure this person, I’m afraid he’ll turn to another family instead. That way, our family will have missed a golden opportunity.”

Uriel’s expression gradually became serious too. “He saw through my body’s problems and said he could cure me. At first, I thought he was just spouting nonsense and seeking attention. But looking at it now, maybe he really does have a way. Ms. Theron, he really does live up to his reputation.”