CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 145: MEMORIES (45)

"When did you start waiting?" Florence Fuller walked up to Ethan Harper and asked.

"Just a little while ago."

"Do you want to go outside first?" Florence whispered to him, "It’s been a while, my feet really hurt."

"Then let’s go outside first."

Ethan Harper escorted her, and the two left the banquet hall.

The venue for the banquet was an estate. Some guests were arranged to stay here tonight. The back of the estate was full of roses, lush and red despite being out of season, yet the scent wasn’t overwhelming at all.

"Sit down, let me see." Ethan Harper took off his suit jacket, spread it on the steps behind her, and helped her sit down.

Florence looked at him. He was only wearing a shirt and a black vest underneath, and as he squatted down, the fabric of his shirt stretched tight around his arms.

Florence reached out to pinch his shirt. Her ankle was grasped by him, his large hand warm and strong, and then he took off her pearl high heels with bows, placing her feet on his lap.

"Do they not fit?"

Florence shook her head, "I haven’t worn high heels for this long before." She moved her feet, feeling a bit sore and soft.

"I just overheard them talking. They were all guessing when the newlyweds here would get divorced."

"Hmm?" Ethan was puzzled.

"Aren’t we all here to congratulate them on their marriage? But behind their backs, people are betting on when they’ll divorce because of social class disparity." Florence sighed.

She was there drinking juice by herself when a few women approached, saying hello and commenting on her dress and gemstone necklace.

They were probing her identity based on her attire. Florence, not familiar with them, didn’t engage in deep conversation, and somehow the topic shifted to the evening’s hosts.

In their words, the Lushington Family seemed to have raised an heir who was both talented and good-looking, only to marry a woman with no background.

They laughed and said that this marriage wouldn’t last long, speculating on when the bride would be thrown out.

At that moment, Florence seemed to see the resentment caused by jealousy in their eyes.

They seemed to think that such a good man should be matched with a well-bred daughter of a noble family like them.

"So what were you thinking then?" Ethan asked.

"At first, nothing much." Florence leaned down to look at Ethan, "But later, I started thinking about you."

Ethan looked at her, smiling, "Me?"

"Your family?" Florence pursed her lips, "Is the Harper Family really that impressive?"

"No."

"Liar." Florence said, "Lots of people here, men and women, know Aunt Monrose. They all seem to want to greet her, and... they want to introduce their daughters to you, don’t they?"

"They want to introduce them to the Harper Family, not me." Ethan said.

Florence looked at him, "But it’s still you."

"Then let me ask you... what if..." Ethan met her eyes, "What if... I’m just an ordinary Ethan Harper without any status or background, would you still be with me if you met me?"

Florence replied sincerely, "I’d be with you just for your looks."

Ethan was momentarily unsure whether to be angry or laugh.

"Then let me ask something too." Florence said, "What if... what if... after we get married, I would also be gossiped about like tonight’s hostess?"

Though she said ’if’, the mention of marriage made Florence blush and her gaze waver.

Ethan stared at her, "I can’t control others’ words, but I can guarantee you that the only person I choose is you."

Florence’s heart thumped sharply, and she bit her lip, lowering her gradually reddening face.

Seeing her shy demeanor, Ethan leaned in and whispered, "I mean it."

Florence buried her head and waved her hand at him.

After that, the two didn’t return to the banquet hall. After a short while, they went to the lounge prepared in the hall to wait for Abigail Monrose, who soon found them in the lounge, and they left together.

In the car, Abigail sighed, "It’s been a long time since I’ve attended a dinner party, I’m quite exhausted." then looked at Florence, "How about you, how do you feel?"

"Mmm, it’s nice."

"The first time might be unfamiliar, but you’ll get used to it with time." Abigail looked at her, "Aunt just wanted to take you out to see."

Florence understood Abigail’s intention, nodding to her, "Aunt Monrose, I understand."

Abigail held Florence’s hand, gazed at her kindly, and finally murmured, "Good child."

On Sunday, the three of them strolled around Southport City and flew back to Cloudsea in the evening.

On Monday, Florence didn’t go to school. She went directly to the boys’ dormitory building around seven in the evening.

She was looking for Thomas Tennyson.

She had gotten Thomas’s number and had already called him before coming to the university, stating she would come to find him.

She didn’t see him downstairs, and the few students passing by glanced at her. After almost five minutes of waiting and preparing to call again, Thomas Tennyson lazily walked out from the dorm building wearing a coat.

Florence looked at him.

"You looking for me?" he said nonchalantly, "But it’s not good to linger; I already have a girlfriend."

Florence spoke coldly, "I want you to apologize."

Thomas was puzzled, "For what?"

"For what you said!" Florence’s gaze hardened, "Don’t you know what you’ve seen, is it so easy to start rumors?"

A flicker of panic crossed Thomas’s eyes, though he maintained his composure, "What rumors, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Florence opened her phone, and showed campus web forum posts with his alternate account, plus his first comment under another post from the semester’s start.

"On the first day of this semester, I was brought here, and that night a comment appeared in another post calling me an illegitimate child, then more rumors came that I was kept. Thomas, if I wanted to ruin you, your university career would have a blemish. You got into here ranked top ten in the province. You don’t admit it, fine, I can submit this evidence against you and those who helped spread rumors to the lawyers. When this matter spreads across the university, it won’t look good for you."

Thomas originally had a composed expression, but seeing her phone expose all his accounts, even finding deleted comments made him pale, "You...you!"

"The same way you spread rumors about me online, is how you should apologize. Otherwise, I’ll make sure everyone in the university knows about this." Florence said.

"I’ll apologize to you now!" Thomas said uneasily, "Can you... Not on the school’s forum?"