Chapter 42

The noisy hall instantly fell silent, the air thick with tension. Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound. Old Master Hampton's eyes blazed with anger as he glared at Theodore, his expression seeming to say, "Look at your good daughter." Amelia, fraught with worry, scanned the room desperately. When her eyes landed on a pale figure nearby, they lit up with hope. She hurried over to Celeste, whispering urgently, "Mrs. Williams, please understand. We deeply regret what happened just now. That girl is not truly a daughter of the Hampton family. She must have been distressed by recent news." She continued, "The marriage alliance with the Williams family is of utmost importance to us. We would never allow an outsider to marry into our family. The one truly engaged to the Fourth Young Master is our own daughter, Eleanor." Eleanor's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name. She knew of this engagement. In her previous life, Catherina had refused the marriage, and the eng