Chapter 414

Amelia had never witnessed Samuel and Benjamin clash like this before, leaving her utterly bewildered.

Everyone knew Benjamin lived in constant fear of Samuel. Even if Samuel declared the sky was purple, Benjamin wouldn't dare contradict him. This unprecedented defiance was entirely Evelyn's doing.

The spectators watched the heated exchange with barely concealed excitement. Amelia couldn't bear the thought of her family becoming gossip fodder, so she tugged at Samuel's sleeve.

"Nathaniel, let it go. Benjamin's right. I must have misread Evelyn's intentions. She wouldn't deliberately kick me. Please don't fight with Benjamin anymore - he's still in that foolish teenage phase."

Amelia rose slowly, exhaling in resignation.

"I'll go upstairs to speak with Evelyn and Nathaniel. We should clear this misunderstanding immediately."

Truthfully, she'd been itching for an excuse to interrupt them. Earlier, she'd feigned illness to keep Nathaniel by her side, only for him to bolt upstairs the moment she "recovered."

The image of Evelyn and Nathaniel alone together pressed on her chest like an immovable boulder.

'Evelyn might be changing out of those wet clothes... Then sparks could fly... No! Nathaniel belongs to me! I won't allow it!'

At least now she had legitimate reason to check on them.

Samuel frowned as his fragile sister ascended the stairs alone, then turned his glare toward his idiot brother.

"Benjamin, what's gotten into you? First you fail at academics, now you're siding with outsiders against your own sister?"

Benjamin found the accusation unfair.

"Samuel, you know I'd die for Amelia! But Evelyn isn't who you think she is. Despite how often I've harassed her on Amelia's behalf, she still helped me when I needed it most!"

"I swear on my life - she's one of the good ones. I'm going up too to hear Evelyn's side. This is clearly just a misunderstanding!"

His motives were twofold: escape Samuel's wrath, and force Evelyn to taste his legendary grilled chicken wings.

Samuel remained seated in the armchair, his aristocratic features clouded with displeasure. He massaged his temples wearily.

"What am I to do with them? My sister pines for a man who'll never love her back, and my brother's a thoughtless fool. Will they ever stop being such burdens?"

The thought made him ache for Celeste. 'If only she were here. My brilliant little sister never caused me such worries. That child was always extraordinary - speaking in full sentences before she could walk, reading novels in kindergarten. The IQ tests placed her in the 99th percentile.'

He remembered coming home from elementary school to find his mother waiting at the intersection with Celeste in her arms. How his baby sister would wiggle free and toddle toward him on unsteady legs, giggling when she fell, dusting herself off before throwing herself into his arms.

Those simple, golden days didn't last, but their memory still warmed him.

'I wonder where Celeste is now... I hope she and Mother are safe.'

Losing them remained Samuel's greatest torment. He despised his childhood helplessness - if he'd been stronger, his mother wouldn't have left in despair. Wouldn't have vanished with Celeste. Wouldn't have...

As Samuel drowned in memories, the party guests clustered in whispering groups, dissecting the drama.