“You do talk quite a bit, ” Desmond chimed in with a sly, amused smile, taking a sip of his drink. ” Mr. Schroeder, I presume? ” Vance glared. ” What entitles you to interfere repeatedly in my family’s private matters?”
“Your family? ” Desmond scoffed. ” My apologies, but I only acknowledge Rebecca as your lawful wife. As for the others present, what roles do they play, exactly? Take this lady, for instance. Does contemporary society still condone the archaic notion of concubines? ” Catherine whined, irritated, “Vance…” Vance’s expression darkened ominously. ” Mr. Schroeder, I have no desire to escalate this into a confrontation in such a setting, but I will not tolerate anyone bullying those under my protection. If you have grievances to air, perhaps we can address them privately afterward. ” D
“Are you proposing we settle this with a fight? ” Desmond was unshaken by the veiled threat. ” Rushing to her defense like a knight in shining armor? Yet it strikes me as profoundly ironic. You’re prepared to clash over your lover, while I’m standing here advocating for your wife. Doesn’t that inversion feel utterly bizarre?”
“It’s not your place to advocate for anyone, ” Vance retorted sharply, his usual poise fracturing under the strain. ” Regardless of the accuracy of your characterizations, neither of them has anything to do with you.
But for your egregious rudeness, I wouldn’t mind giving you a piece of my mind. ” Vance had been driven to the brink of his endurance, otherwise, this paragon of calm restraint would never have uttered such overtly confrontational words. Desmond was undeterred by the provocation. ” Are you so sure you can handle me?”
“Try me, ” Vance replied icily. Catherine tugged at his sleeve. “Forget it, Vance. Why bother with a dancer? We can’t go down to his level. ” Rebecca could barely suppress a laugh at Catherine’s inflated self – importance.
Just then, a ripple of excitement stirred through the assembled guests. Joyce and her husband, Sean Mueller, had made their entrance, accompanied by a poised young woman who could only be Tracy Mueller. ” They’re here, ” Catherine whispered, rising to her feet with eager anticipation. ” And it seems they’re heading our way. ” In a gesture of collective courtesy, the group stood as one, including Rebecca and Desmond. Joyce smiled from a distance. ” You look stunning today. I could hardly recognize you. ” Catherine beamed with excitement, leaning toward Vance. ” Is Mrs.
Mueller complimenting me? ” But Vance sensed an undercurrent of discrepancy, especially since Desmond’s expression betrayed subtle amusement. Moreover, the warmth in Joyce’s gaze seemed disproportionate for someone like Catherine, whom she had met only fleetingly. Rebecca smiled, knowing Joyce was addressing her. Just as she prepared to step forward in greeting, she tripped over something and stumbled forward. ” Rebecca! ” Joyce gasped. Desmond was a bit too far away to help, while the closest people to her were Catherine and Vance.
Vance reacted with lightning reflexes, seizing Rebecca’s arm and hauling her upright with a firm pull, though the momentum caused her to collide squarely with his chest. Catherine rushed over to help Rebecca, explaining anxiously to Joyce. ” I’m sorry, Mrs. Mueller. Our companion here has a problem with her leg. She didn’t mean to make a scene. She has a limp. Look… ” Catherine lifted the hem of Rebecca’s gown, exposing her scarred calves for all the surrounding guests to see.
A wave of visceral humiliation surged through Rebecca, shattering the tentative confidence she had mustered to reengage with the world outside her isolation. Panic clawed at her as she frantically tugged at her dress, desperate to cover her legs. Desmond’s features contorted with fury, but Joyce moved first, her brows knitting in disapproval as she advanced decisively. She displaced Catherine with gentle firmness, encircling Rebecca’s waist in a protective embrace. ” Are you alright, dear?” Rebecca inhaled deeply, drawing comfort from the subtle, floral fragrance emanating from Joyce – a scent that evoked an inexplicable sense of security and solace. She shook her head, her voice shaky. ” I’m fine. Thank you ” Joyce patted her back soothingly, then turned to her husband. ” This is Rebecca, the special friend I mentioned before. ” Sean appeared momentarily lost, trying to place the name amid his recollections.
Catherine froze, darting a bewildered glance at Vance, as if asking, ” Why is Mrs, Mueller being so nice to Rebecca? ” Vance was equally puzzled, unaware of any connection between Rebecca and the Muellers. Joyce shot Sean a mildly reproachful look. ” Honestly, have you forgotten our son’s lifesaver? ” Recognition finally flickered across Sean’s face. ” Ah, yes the girl from the dance academy, right? Blame my poor memory. ” Catherine and Vance were even more confused. How did Rebecca become the lifesaver of the Mueller family’s eldest son?The young woman, who had walked in with Joyce, extended her hand to Rebecca with a friendly smile. ” I’m Tracy. It’s nice to meet you, Rebecca. ” Rebecca regarded Tracy for a moment, her mind flashing back to Catherine’s earlier boasts. Her lips curled with quiet amusement. Catherine’s face flushed crimson and eventually turned ashen with embarrassment. Adding insult to injury, Desmond chuckled, ” Tracy, you need to step into the public eye more often. Otherwise, people will think the eldest son of the Mueller family has three heads and six arms.”
“Is it that exaggerated?
And when did I become the eldest son? Isn’t that you? ” Tracy laughed. ” No kidding. I’m just the little brother, ” Desmond quipped. ” At home, even Pudding outranks me.”
“Pudding is our pet dog, ” Joyce explained to Rebecca. Rebecca laughed heartily, charmed by the family’s whimsical banter. Although she didn’t know them well, she could feel their heartfelt kindness. Catherine simmered with frustration. Her grievous error in assuming Tracy was a male dealt a crushing blow to her pride.
And recalling how she had just bragged about knowing Tracy so well, she wished the floor could open and swallow her. Worse still, the guy she had looked down upon turned out to be the real heir. Observing Rebecca engage in lively conversation and shared laughter with the Muellers pushed her beyond her limits of endurance. She shouted at Desmond, ” Weren’t you supposed to be just a dancer? And isn’t your last name Schroeder? ” Desmond gave a half – smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ” I bear my mother’s last name. What’s the fuss?” Catherine reeled backward, collapsing heavily into her chair. Desmond was the true heir, and she had just mocked him, which meant she had completely offended the Mueller family. Vance’s business dealings with them were doomed. Her disruptive exclamation inevitably captured Joyce’s keen attention. Still holding Rebecca’s hand, Joyce leveled an accusatory finger at her. ” It was you who tripped Rebecca just now. Who are you? Why did you do that? What are your intentions in ruining my party? ” Catherine panicked, unsure of what to do. Her first instinct was to deny it.
“I didn’t. Mrs. Mueller, don’t listen to baseless accusations. I never tripped her. ” Turning to Rebecca, she spluttered, ” I know you don’t like me, but you can’t slander me like this. Mrs. Mueller, she is framing me. I didn’t trip her at all. Without evidence, you can’t take her word for it.”
“Evidence? ” Joyce scoffed, ” I saw it with my own eyes. Am I supposed to defame you? ” Catherine’s face turned ashen, and she sank into despair, unable to utter another word. But so what?Rebecca knew that Vance would invariably stand by Catherine’s side, even if she ruined his business dealings. Catherine would always be his precious darling.
Sure enough, Vance positioned himself steadfastly at Catherine’s side. Catherine seemed to find her anchor and began to cry, ” Vance, I didn’t mean this. I really didn’t. I just got so excited when I saw Mrs. Mueller that I wanted to go talk to her and be a good assistant for you. Rebecca happened to get up at the same time. It might have been our dresses getting tangled. I just wanted to explain to everyone and hoped they wouldn’t blame Rebecca for being rude. I wanted them to sympathize with her.” In her trademark fashion, Catherine deftly extricated herself from all responsibility, but Vance bought it without a second thought. ” Don’t fret, I’ve got you covered. ” His tone brimmed with such unmistakable tenderness that Rebecca found herself almost admiring the pair’s dynamic. It was a display of devotion so poignant that it could inspire envy. Joyce appeared to finally place Vance in her memory. ” Mr. Bradford, right?”
“Vance Bradford. We met a couple of days ago, ” he affirmed, standing next to Catherine like a pillar of support.
His gaze swept past Rebecca, laden with meanings that she couldn’t grasp. Joyce nodded, turning to Sean. ” Mr. Bradford is discussing a project with you, right? Whether to proceed or terminate it, it’s your call. However, I don’t think much of this woman. My party doesn’t need a guest like her. ” In truth, Vance’s invitation to Arelmoor for these negotiations already attested to his substantial influence and capabilities. Yet he was also notorious as a man enslaved by love, willing to sacrifice everything for his beloved woman.
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