After saying her piece, Sophie Allen responds with just a cold laugh before turning to leave.
Emily Allen wants to catch up with her, but she pauses.
Even if she beats up Sophie now, it’s only her own face she would be damaging!
Emily realises that what Sophie said was not wrong. If not for that video, Sophie wouldn’t have had any leverage over her, and she would not have ended up in such a humiliation!
She never imagined that Ryan Richard, behind her back, was such a womanizer.
With that thought, she turns to walk towards Ryan, but Mia Stewart quickly grabs her arm.
"Let’s get you changed into another dress. Sophie may have left, but we can settle accounts with her later. Let’s finish the birthday banquet first." Mia hurriedly tries to soothe her daughter. She would have preferred Sophie to leave sooner.
Even though she badly wants to teach Sophie a lesson instantly, she feels that this, a public place, is not the best time to do so.
Mia Stewart is no pushover; she would never let Sophie Allen get off scot-free!
"Mom, why should I bother about the birthday banquet anymore? So that I can be made more of a laughingstock?" Emily retorts, her expression grim as she shakes off her mother’s hand.
Ethan Allen strides over and speaks in a lowered voice. "Sophie, this time it’s Ryan who has done wrong. If anyone should be embarrassed, it should be the Richard family. Everyone has seen what kind of man Ryan is. This is not the time to be harsh to yourself; you have Ryan to shield you!" Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn novel⟡fire.net
Ethan had initially thought highly of Ryan Richard, but after this incident, and with his family’s interest at stake, he has no choice but to let Ryan take the hit for the Allen family.
Having said that, he walks over to Stone Richard and Wendy Matthews, a cold smirk on his face. "Mr. Richard, Mrs. Richard, given what has happened, your family owes us an explanation, doesn’t it?"
Stone Richard’s face reveals how immensely awkward he feels. A quiet man by nature, he nods and says, "Mr. Allen, I’m sorry. It’s our Ryan who has erred. I apologize to both your daughters and for ruining Emily’s birthday banquet this way."
Wendy Matthews, however, glares at Ethan Allen skeptically and argues, "If it weren’t for your daughter Emily hounding our Ryan, my son wouldn’t have wanted her as a girlfriend in the first place. How can there be talk of betrayal now? He’s free to do what he wants!"
Stone Richard slaps Wendy Matthews, saying angrily, "You’re still making excuses for our son? With the video being disclosed in public and you making such outrageous remarks, it utterly makes me sick! It’s your good boy you raised right here!"
Wendy Matthews clutches her face, her complexion flushing with fury as she bites back, "You’ve never cared about your son, keeping mistresses while I had remained ignorant. Don’t blame me. This behavior of your son’s is a direct reflection of yours— "
"You!" Stone Richard is left speechless, feeling as though the reputation he took a lifetime to build has been destroyed by his wife and son.
At this moment, Ryan Richard, dragging his injured body, limps over, an expression of utmost disgust on his face.
Ethan Allen glances at him scornfully, saying coldly, "Ryan, you owe our Emily—and everyone else here—a proper explanation!"
With his face turning stony, Ryan Richard doesn’t say a word, akin to the eerie calm before a storm.
Seeing Ryan , Ethan briefly panics, worried that Ryan might do something to further disrupt the evening.
He quickly suggests, "Mr. Richard, perhaps you should take your son to the hospital first. We can discuss privately later if needed."
Stone Richard’s expression loosens as he nods in agreement.
At the hotel’s entrance.
Sophie Allen, dragging her weary body, descends the steps to walk in the rain.
She allows the drizzling rain to wet her entire body.
At this moment, by the roadside.
A black Maybach is parked, appearing as though it has merged with the night.
The car window rolls down, and a man silently observes the woman standing at the entrance, his expression slightly dark.
The next instant, he opens the car door, opens a black umbrella, and walks in the direction of the woman...