Chapter 15

Obvious Disgust

Not many vehicles were returning to the city from the seaside at night. After the hustle and bustle of the
main street dissipated, only a few straggling passersby were seen.

From time to time, the noise of chatter would come from the stalls by the side of the road that had not
yet been closed. Illuminated by the dim yellow street lights, the patrons sat in twos and threes as they
chatted and drank without a care in the world.

Michaela saw all of that through a haze as her mind was busy replaying the previous scene.

Compared with five years ago, Jonathan’s features had become more gentle and mellow. Years of life
experiences had polished off the brashness of youth and made him more sophisticated.

Like a born aristocrat, his elegance and splendor were beyond the reach of most people.



She did not expect that their reunion after many years would be under these circumstances, especially
the way she fled in that awkward manner earlier. Even thinking back on it made Michaela cringe with
embarrassment.

Though she admitted that the powerful aura emanating from Jonathan was enough to frighten an
inexperienced girl like her, she did not see the need to run away in hindsight.



How absolutely embarrassing!



Arriving back at Haversville Pavillion from the beach, at last, Michaela deliberately hid outside after
driving the car directly into the garage. In addition to craving solitude, the more important reason was
that she was at a loss on how to face Lucille.

In truth, she did not care about the wedding’s cancellation, but she could not figure out why Lucille and
Zack did not tell her directly that they were in love with each other.

Why did it have to escalate out of control like what happened today?

Even though she did not like Zack, she could not ignore the fact that the two of them had caused her
irreparable damage.

The scene she saw at Sommer Gardens made her suddenly realize that the well-behaved and sensible
sister she thought she knew was perhaps a stranger.

I supposed there’s no getting around this.

Michaela took a deep breath and was about to open the garage door leading to the mansion when she
heard a man’s angry voice. “Send somebody out to look for her! The stupid girl has completely tarnished
the Lingard family’s reputation. Now that she has learned her lesson, I refuse to believe she will never
step into this house again for as long as she lives!”

A loud bang accompanied the voice. Michaela surmised that he must have thrown something in his fury.

Lucille hasn’t returned home after leaving Sommer Gardens?

Michaela breathed a sigh of relief at that thought. Just as she was about to push the door open, she
heard another gentler voice. “What’s the use of getting all worked up? At this point, why don’t you think
about how to salvage the situation?”



If the wedding tomorrow isn’t held as scheduled, it will arouse the suspicion of the media. An affair
between the groom and the bride’s sister. If this becomes news, the Lingard family will become the
subject of Quakersville’s post-dinner ridicule! Therefore, it is imperative to come up with
countermeasures as soon as possible.

“Why do you keep talking about canceling the wedding?” Jacob shouted, panicked by the thought.
“Where is Mich now? Call her and have her come back immediately! You call yourself a mother? Can’t
you talk some sense into her? Blind indulgence will only harm her!”

Already worked up to the extreme, Jacob exploded with rage when he heard Hannah’s words.

Unfortunately for him, all the relentless coaxing he did in Sommer Gardens went to waste because his
wife and daughter were not on the same page as him. As a result, a perfectly sound marriage was about
to come to nothing, and he could not allow such a thing to happen.

Unbeknownst to him, Michaela heard everything from the garage. She suddenly felt cold all over, and
even her hand that was clenching the doorknob trembled.

She had indulged in the delusion that her father actually cared about her and that because of all the
pressure he faced, his paternal love could not be easily expressed.

Now it seems that everything was in my own head all along. How could he say that about Mom for
agreeing to cancel the wedding! I’m obviously the victim here!




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