Chapter 6

Why was Ian, the retired founder of the Grayson Group and grandfather of Ethan, here alongside him? This banquet was supposedly hosted by the Wiley family, but given their decline, the attendees were nothing more than superficial elites. So why would they invite the head of the Grayson family, a figure so powerful that even his slightest move could shake Yardville? I stood there frowning as I watched them. Ethan stared at me with a cold and disdainful expression, whereas Ian looked at me with a mix of authority and contempt in his eyes, which were all too familiar to me from the past. Jack called my name again twice, but I still didn't respond. His face darkened, and Ivy, who stood beside him, quickly walked over and dragged me forward by the arm. In my previous life, I had only met Ian three times. Each time, it began with him making things difficult for me and ended with him humiliating me. Leah was the granddaughter of Ian's war buddy, and the two old friends had long arranged a marriage between their children. Unfortunately, I intervened, indirectly forcing Leah to leave the country, which made Ian hate me deeply. Even though I personally took care of him after his stroke, tending to his every need, he never showed me a shred of appreciation. But this time around, I wanted nothing to do with Ethan, and I certainly wouldn't try to please anyone from the Grayson family. "Mr. Grayson, this is my daughter, Evelyn," Jack fawned over the Grayson family, his sycophantic behavior on full display. "On the 15th of last month, Evelyn got into Mr. Ethan's car and didn't come home the entire night. The next day, she came back wearing his clothes." I stared at Jack in disbelief. What was he trying to do? Was he implying to Ian that I spent the night with Ethan? How absurd! I thought he was merely trying to curry favor with Ian by leveraging our connection as former classmates, but I never expected he'd go as far as to slander my reputation for the sake of wealth and status. What kind of father did that? Anger and disappointment welled up inside me, making my eyes sting. Unintentionally, I met Ethan's gaze, which held only mockery, as if he was saying, "Evelyn, you really have no shame." He was right. Jack's intentions were clear, and even I found this disgraceful. I tried to suppress my emotions and speak calmly, but Ian beat me to it. He turned to Ethan and asked, "Ethan, is what her father said true?" Ethan glanced at me and said in a deep voice dripping with sarcasm, "Grandpa, no matter what I say, it seems that her father won't believe it. How about we let her speak for herself?" Despite living another life, the decade of love I once felt for Ethan still seemed etched into my very being. Though I could rationally distance myself from him and avoid getting entangled with him, his disdainful words still stung. "Evelyn, speak up!" Jack's impatience grew at my silence. He pressed his hand down on my shoulder, smiling on the surface but with a clear threat in his eyes. "You like Mr. Ethan, don't you? Mr. Grayson is right here. If you say it, we will support the two of you being together." I laughed at Jack's ignorance. Did he really think the prestigious Grayson family could be so easily swayed by a fabricated story, let alone accept an alliance with a crumbling family like ours? There were many other families who tried to get close to them all these years, but none of them succeeded. I shook off Jack's hand, stepped back, and turned to face Ian and Ethan before saying calmly, "It was raining heavily on the 15th of last month. Mr. Ethan saw that I had no ride, so he kindly offered to drive me to a friend's house. "That night, I was with my best friend, Lyla. Mr. Grayson, Dad, if you don't believe me, I can call her over to confirm it." As I finished speaking, the people around us displayed various reactions. I ignored them, nodded at Ian with dignity, and said, "Mr. Grayson, I apologize. Mr. Ethan's kindness was misunderstood, and I'm sorry for causing you trouble. I promise it won't happen again." "And..." I straightened up and looked at Ethan, taking in the face I would recognize even if it were ashes, and said slowly and deliberately, "Previously, I was out of line and forgot the boundaries between men and women, leading everyone to think I liked him. "He's an excellent student with great character. He's someone I admire. He's a role model for everyone, including me." Ethan, I don't want you anymore. I said it to myself. My words were a roundabout way of expressing my stance toward Ethan, but he responded with a cold laugh. I didn't understand why he was laughing and frowned at him, only to see a dark cloud of emotion in his eyes. But at least Ian seemed pleased with my response and even went so far as to compliment me. After the Grayson family left, Jack dragged me to a secluded corner of the garden angrily. "Evelyn, how dare you defy me?" He threw me to the ground and raised his foot to kick me. "Are you asking for death?" Just as I was about to fight back, a familiar voice tinged with amusement rang out. "Wow, did I just witness Mr. Wiley about to assault his own daughter?" I turned my head and saw those familiar, mischievous eyes. It was Liam Tyler, another admirer of Leah and Ethan's archenemy. If Leah was the shadow that darkened my life in my past, Liam was the hidden demon. He would smile at me on the surface while stabbing me in the back countless times, which was why I ended up with no friends. But in my previous life, I didn't meet him until the second half of my sophomore year. Why was he here now? "Mr. Tyler..." Jack stammered, caught off guard at being seen without his mask of kindness. He didn't know what to say. Ivy, quick on her feet, immediately stepped in and helped me up. "Mr. Tyler, you've misunderstood. Evelyn talked back to Jack, and they had a little argument." "It was Jack's fault for losing his temper like that." Ivy helped me to my feet and put on a soft and concerned expression. "Evelyn, don't mind your dad. Are you hurt? Let me take you to a doctor." I shook off Ivy's hand, brushed the dirt off my dress, and walked out with my head held high. Ivy pretended to chase after me, but Jack clutched his chest and groaned in pain. Listening to the commotion behind me, I couldn't help but laugh. In my past life, they used what little familial affection they had to manipulate me, squeezing every bit of value out of me to climb the social ladder, but that wouldn't happen this time. After leaving the hotel, I realized I hadn't brought anything with me. My phone and wallet were all left in the lounge. The early June breeze brushed against my bare legs, and I shivered from the cold. I paced along the street, debating whether to sneak back in to grab my phone and wallet or ask a passerby to borrow their phone so I could call Lyla to pick me up. "Hmm, I thought you were so tough and would be having a delicious meal by now."