Chapter 6

"Miss Liliana, Mr. Clark and Miss Marsha have arrived," a housemaid whispered nearby. Ethan was still whining his excuses while a crowd gathered, gossiping nonstop. Liliana only caught the last part and assumed someone was speaking up for Ethan. She didn't even glance back, just kept swinging. "Doesn't matter who shows up, it won't stop me!" Marsha stood there frozen, watching Liliana land every hit like she meant it. Internally, she was shocked—when did that timid country bumpkin get so fiery? Didn't she used to be crazy over Ethan? So why was she beating the crap out of him now? "Mr. Clark," Marsha darted a glance at Wilson, trying to gauge his reaction. His eyes were dark and unreadable, but there was a noticeable chill in them. She perked up. It didn't matter how Liliana changed—Wilson would never go for someone who acted like a shrew in public. "Liliana just got back from the countryside," she said with a staged sigh, her voice soft and understanding. "She probably doesn't know how things are done here. Sorry for all this mess. It's really not her fault." "What a mess she is—zero class!" "Can't believe someone like her got engaged to Wilson!" "Looks mean nothing if she acts like trash. Saying others have bad intentions? Please. She probably set the whole thing up herself. Poor Ethan!" Voices in the room swelled louder, all throwing shade at Liliana. Wilson's eyes flickered. Marsha thought he was embarrassed and quickly added fuel to the fire: "Mr. Clark, maybe you don't know... but she and Ethan were totally into each other. They were pretty much planning a wedding—" His cold stare cut her off mid-sentence, sending chills down her spine. That glare was murderous, and the bystanders immediately hushed, finding the sudden drop in temperature extremely uncomfortable. No one dared say a word—he had that 'don't mess with me' vibe that froze the room solid. A servant, clearly terrified, raised her voice: "Miss Liliana, Mr. Clark is here!" Liliana's hand paused mid-swing. She turned and spotted Wilson standing at the doorway, practically radiating ice. She dropped her arm instantly and, without missing a beat, let out a hurt little whimper and rushed into his arms like a helpless lamb. "Wilson, someone bullied me when you were gone." She looked up at him, eyes wide, lips trembling—nothing like the woman who'd just been throwing punches minutes ago. Everyone stared in disbelief, mouths slightly open. Hadn't she always been the one who kept her mouth shut, even when she was mistreated? Since when did she learn to flip the script so fast—and do it with such confidence? Everyone waited for Wilson to push her away in disgust. Except... he didn't. Instead, he wrapped her in his arms like she was made of glass, comforting her like nothing about this shocked him at all. "Don't worry—I'm here now." He softly patted her head, as if calming a scared kitten. The moment he did that, Liliana seemed even more wronged and softly muttered, "Ethan got handsy with me. He wasn't just being friendly—he knew exactly what he was doing" Wilson kept patting her shoulder gently while his gaze lifted slowly toward Ethan, who looked like he'd been hit by a bus. "You're lying, Liliana!" Ethan snapped through gritted teeth. "You came on to me first!" Liliana had absolutely shown no mercy—first her fists, then her purse, swinging fast and hard. Ethan hadn't even had a second to dodge before he got wrecked."You think you're prince?" Liliana lifted her head from Wilson's arms, her tone sharp and mocking. "With a face like that? You're not even a fraction as good-looking as my fiancé. Honestly, someone like you doesn't even deserve to look at me." Ethan's expression twisted like he'd swallowed a bug—angry and humiliated. He always thought his looks could rival any celebrity, and people lined up to chase him. So what the hell happened? Just a few days ago, she was still all smiles saying she wanted to marry him. Why was she acting like a whole different person now? Wilson's lips tugged slightly, almost imperceptibly, as he said coldly, "You're eyeing my fiancée in front of me?" There wasn't much emotion in his voice, but the underlying threat sent chills through everyone nearby. "Mr. Clark, it was clearly Miss Liliana who threw the first punch!" someone in the crowd protested. Liliana looked over, quickly locking on the speaker in the crowd, voice laced with disdain. "He tried to touch me—what, I was supposed to just stand there and let it happen?" "Did anyone actually see that? Maybe you're just making it up," the person scoffed. She gave a cool, emotionless smile. "Which part of your brain are you using? You didn't see what happened, so what gives you the right to talk like you know everything?" The person shut up instantly. Marsha stepped in with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Liliana, you've known Ethan for ages. He's not that kind of guy. This must be a misunderstanding." "No misunderstanding," Liliana replied, her gaze icy. The second she saw Ethan by the lake, she'd figured it out—Marsha and Ethan were working together again. Thinking back, they'd schemed against her more than once in her last life. Marsha hadn't expected Liliana to be this tough. She frowned. "Liliana," she said with a fake smile, quickly switching focus back to Wilson, eyes full of meaning. "Mr. Clark, Liliana and Ethan have always been close. I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding." Wilson's eyes turned cold as steel when he glanced over. A storm brewed beneath the surface. Wilson:[Close? Misunderstanding, huh?] Liliana instantly felt alarm bells ringing. They were just barely getting over the last rough patch—she couldn't let that go to waste. She tightened her grip around his waist and said anxiously, "I've got nothing to do with him. He literally tried to mess with me just now! He's disgusting!" The storm in Wilson's eyes calmed, just a little. He pulled her tighter into his arms, voice steady but lethal: "Anyone who dares to lay a finger on my fiancée better be ready to disappear for good." His gaze swept across the room—calm, cold, and utterly terrifying. It was clear: anyone with bad intentions, he wouldn't let it slide. Ethan shuddered. Marsha clenched her jaw, shooting Liliana glare after glare when no one was watching. A hick like her—what made her worthy of Wilson's protection? She was seething inside, but she knew better than to go up against Wilson openly. Shooting Ethan a death glare for being useless, she forced a smile and tried to smooth things over. She said some nice-sounding fluff, barely managing to ease the tension. Wilson didn't say much more, but shot Ethan a warning look that said everything. Ethan? Totally overpowered by Wilson's presence. Lucky for him, Old Mr. Johnson showed up just in time to steal the spotlight. Guests swarmed the living room, offering kind words and handing over gifts. "Happy birthday, Grandpa! Wishing you a day filled with love, laughter, and everything that makes you happy." Marsha said sweetly, presenting her gift.