"How could she dance with another man in public? What does she take me as?" Freddy grumbled.


    Javier frowned in displeasure. "Stop spewing nonsense. It was Cyrus who forced her to dance. How


    could you me it on her?


    "You should me yourself instead for dawdling. By not iming your ce by her side from the start,


    you gave a chance to the other guys."


    "What are you saying? I was the first to approach her!" Feeling anxious and furious, Freddy shook from


    head to toe. "Your daughter took Cyrus'' hand right before me! You might not have seen it, but I saw it


    clearly with my own two eyes!"


    Freddy attracted the attention of the guests around him after he raised his voice at Javier. Fortunately,


    the ring music drowned out his speech.


    After being confronted, Javier''s expression crumpled. He fixed a piercing gaze at Freddy, whose heart


    sank.


    At that moment, Freddy finally came to understand how frightening and intimidating the chairman of the


    Beckett Group could be. Even Jasper was intimidating enough, not to mention his father.


    When Freddy froze on the spot, Onder hurried over to intervene. "Freddy, Mr. Javier is a VIP and


    your elder. You shouldn''t have spoken to him with that attitude!"


    "Dad, I..." Freddy was about to defend himself when something struck him. After their families agreed


    on the marriage, Onder had been privately referring to Javier as his "inw" to foster a closer bond.


    However, this time, Onder had oddly asked him to refer to Javier as his "elder", which sounded like


    an attempt to distance himself from the Becketts.


    "Mayor Hodgson, your son has opened my eyes today." Javier looked away from the pale Freddy and


    slowly rose from his seat. "This is the first time I''vee across a young man who spoke to his future


    father-inw in a rude tone. I should perhaps thank Cyrus one day for revealing this side of Freddy."


    "M-Mr. Javier, it was a misunderstanding! Freddy didn''t mean it. Mr. Javier!"


    Javier left in the middle of Onder speaking, showing no respect to the Hodgsons.


    "Just wait and see!" ring at Freddy, Onder ran after Javier without thinking. Freddy was left frozen


    on the spot, his expression contorting in resentment.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    After the cocktail party ended, the guests gradually left the Hodgsons'' residence. Simrly, Lauren


    headed to the Becketts'' luxury car with Rory.


    Rory gently addressed Lauren, "Ms. Lauren, Mr. Javier had to head home early as something came up.


    I''m here to pick you up."


    Is Dad angry because... I danced with Cyrus?" Lauren seemed troubled and hesitant.


    Rory, who had witnessed the events that evening, merelyforted her, "Absolutely not. Please don''t


    worry about it."


    "Lauren." Someone called out to her. Turning around, she found Mandy and Cyrus approaching her.


    She quickly greeted Mandy, "Hi, Mrs. Taylor!"


    "What a fine youngdy. I''m growing fonder of you by the minute." Mandy took Lauren''s hand with a


    wide smile and caressed it.


    The observant Rory realized that Mandy wasn''t being courteous; she was truly fond of Lauren, unlike


    Minnie''s shallow and fake act.


    The contempt in Minnie''s eyes was evident. She epted Lauren purely out of greed for the Becketts''


    wealth.