Chapter 3

At 6:00 pm, the family dinner officially began. Bryce sat between Yara and Yelena, raising his glass to toast the elders. Yara stood up with him, lifting her glass to greet everyone. But when Yelena reached for her drink, Bryce stopped her. "You just got discharged, so you don't need to toast." Yelena glanced at the seated relatives around her, all proper and stoic. Nervousness flashed in her eyes, and she said softly, "But Yara's not feeling well too and is still giving a toast. Wouldn't it be rude if I didn't?" Bryce frowned and took her glass. He respectfully explained to their relatives, "Lena hasn't fully recovered, and the doctor said she shouldn't be drinking. But rules are rules, so I'll drink on her behalf as her brother." With that, he downed the glass in one go. Yara stared at her own half-full glass. Then she glanced at Bryce, who was already helping Yelena sit down. There was a bitter taste in her mouth. She took a deep breath and fought the painful, burning sensation in her stomach. Yara tilted her head back to finish the wine. Under the effect of the alcohol, her stomach twisted in pain like it was churning inside out. Yara bit down so hard her lips turned pale. Cold sweat from the discomfort soaked her clothes, but she didn't make a sound. Because it was a strict family tradition, no one from the younger generation could leave the table before the elders. Yara could only grip the table and force herself to endure the waves of pain. Everyone continued to drink and chat, and no one noticed her. While he entertained the elders, Bryce kept piling Yelena's plate with food until it was nearly overflowing. Martha Bond, Bryce's grandmother, noticed and glanced at Yara's untouched, nearly empty plate. "Bryce, don't just focus on your sister. Serve Yara some food too. She has barely eaten anything. Are the dishes not to her taste?" Bryce turned to look at Yara. When he noticed how pale she looked, he placed a piece of lobster tail onto her plate. With everyone at the table watching her in concern, Yara stayed silent for a moment. Then she picked the lobster tail up and ate it. Yelena was watching intently. Her eyes widened, and she looked as if she wanted to speak. But when she met their relatives' eyes, she didn't dare to say a thing. Martha nodded in approval, then turned to Yelena and said seriously, "Lena, your birthday is next month. I'll host a party and invite some eligible young men from respectable families. "You can take your pick and see if you like anyone. It's best to settle your marriage early. If you wait too long, it'll get harder once you're older." The color drained from Yelena's face, and she looked at Bryce in a panic. His expression had darkened too. But Bryce held onto some reason and turned Martha down carefully. "Lena's still young, and waiting a couple more years is fine. I'll decide on her future husband myself." The elders around the table froze for a second, then started trying to persuade him. "Bryce, we know you've spoiled Yelena since she was little, but she can't stay single forever. With how picky you are, who knows how many more years you'll drag this out!" "After you got married, we've tried to find someone for Lena. We've gone through dozens of options, and you've rejected every single one of them. Aren't you just holding her back?" "Exactly. Yelena and Yara are the same age. They're both 25 years old now, and that's not young anymore! You're already married, and I'm sure Yelena wants to get married soon to start a family of her own." The more she listened, the more anxious Yelena got. For the first time, she worked up the courage to speak her mind. "I… I'm not in a rush to get married. It's fine if I wait a few more years," she said. Amid all the chatter, Richard Dalton, Bryce's father, stepped in and made the final decision. "Yelena, you may be adopted, but your mother and I have always treated you like our own. Of course we want you to find a good match," Richard said. "Now that Bryce has settled down, it's time we plan for your future." "The dinner to look for potential suitors is settled. You should get ready for it when you get home," he added. Hearing that, Yelena froze. Her eyes instantly filled with tears. Bryce's face darkened, and he clenched his hands so tightly that veins bulged out. He couldn't hold back anymore and shot to his feet. His voice was sharp with barely restrained anger as he declared, "I said I'll handle Lena's marriage. I don't need anyone else interfering!" Bryce, the always-composed Dalton heir, had finally snapped in front of the whole family. His outburst in front of the elders caused a stir. Everyone's expression turned sour. "What do you mean, 'Don't interfere?' She's the right age now. If we wait any longer, she'll soon be 30 years old! How can we stay out of this?" "That's right. You've always doted on Lena, but you're married now. You and Yara will eventually have children. No matter how much you care for Lena, you'll have to put your own family first." Fueled by rage, Bryce fired back without thinking. "I'll never have children! If Lena doesn't want to marry, I'll never force her. As long as I'm here, she can marry whenever she wants. Even if she never marries, I'll take care of her for the rest of her life!"