CHAPTER 146: CHAPTER 146: THE NIGHT OF THE BANQUET

The dress on Seraphina Redgrave looks like just an ordinary dress, not even haute couture. But with her fair skin and slender neck, as she gently sways the hem, a dazzling Milky Way unfolds beneath her feet.

Her beauty isn’t the glamour pieced together by jewels, but a kind of natural beauty.

The other girls’ expressions were full of jealousy. How could someone make an ordinary dress look so good?

It was infuriating.

"Seraphina..."

An excited voice rang out, as if they realized something, and didn’t fully call out Seraphina Redgrave’s name.

Seraphina didn’t respond. Instead, it was Serena Lowell beside her who instantly put away her jealous expression and smiled sweetly, "Leo, you’re here too?"

Leo Lynch had come with his family to attend the marriage anniversary of the former head of the Sterling Family. As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Seraphina Redgrave, who stood out among the group of girls, and he couldn’t help but run toward her.

Serena immediately tagged along.

Leo didn’t even notice her, brushing past Serena and standing in front of Seraphina, looking at her intently, "Long time no see."

Seraphina’s eyes coldly regarded Leo.

This Leo, didn’t he know that the moment they met, Ethan Sterling would hold a grudge? Could he not consider his own safety just a bit?

She turned to go inside, and Leo, not caring that his identity hadn’t been verified, immediately followed her.

Serena watched Leo’s figure and felt like her heartfelt devotion had been trampled on. That Sylvia Shaw was truly a damn vixen!

Just go die! Go die, go die!

Seraphina hadn’t even stepped through the door when someone immediately stood in front of her, speaking respectfully, "Hello, it’s quite a distance to the banquet hall from here, please take the shuttle car."

Seraphina turned her head and saw several small pink shuttle cars by the entrance, each adorned with red roses, signaling that tonight was destined to be a beautiful night.

Seraphina nodded and got into the shuttle car. Just as it was about to start, the seat beside her suddenly sank.

"Seraphina Redgrave, do you really not want to see me that much?"

Ever since the two of them parted ways at the Law School at Sovereign College, they hadn’t seen each other again. And when he tried to go back to school to find Seraphina, he discovered the security had become even stricter, not letting anyone without a student ID enter, not even former students.

He waited outside the school but never got the chance to see her.

Seraphina didn’t spare him a glance, "I don’t want to answer such pointless nonsense."

Leo’s question didn’t even make it out before being shut down.

His expression stifled.

The old mansion of the Sterling Family is absurdly large. If the Lynch grandma’s mansion was a miniature version of the Atherian Gardens, then the Sterling’s old mansion was a revival of Aethelgard Palace.

The pavilions and water pavilions, each magnificent and exquisite.

The evening breeze brought a slight chill.

The courtyard, though big, had its limits.

Leo, looking at Seraphina, his eyes full of tenderness, "Do you hate me? Hate me for calling Mia Redgrave three years ago to send you back to the Redgrave Family."

"Stop wasting time with these pointless questions, I can say your real intention for you." Seraphina sat in the shuttle car, smiling sarcastically, "You want to ask what my relationship with Ethan Sterling is, right?"

Right.

Leo felt completely seen through, a bit embarrassed, coughing twice, "Tonight... did Ethan invite you here? Did he give you the invitation?"

After returning from school, he spent a whole night piecing it all together.

Ever since the first time Ethan met him at Kaelor long ago, there was an inexplicable hostility towards him; later at Sovereign College, Ethan nearly ran him over driving into the building; and then every word Ethan said to Seraphina when the three of them met.

Everything was clear now.

But... how could Ethan be with Seraphina? The two of them looked like they didn’t belong together, why...

"Leo, you are truly hypocritical. If you’re too embarrassed to ask, I can help you: Seraphina Redgrave, do you have some improper dealings with Ethan Sterling?"

Seraphina voiced what Leo wanted to ask and then looked at him, her gaze indifferent, "You guessed right."

Leo looked at Seraphina, his usually perfect expression stiffened instantly, the emotions in his eyes turning into inexplicable sadness.

"But not many people know about my relationship with Ethan. You better watch your mouth, otherwise, if I ever get killed by Ethan’s enemies, I’ll curse you even in death."

Seraphina articulated each word seriously, her face expressionless, her eyes devoid of any emotion.

Looking at her emotionless eyes, Leo knew that today’s words from Seraphina were just to keep him from spreading them around.

In Seraphina’s heart, he had already become someone who would talk about anything.

Was it because of that phone call he made to Mia three years ago?

Leo sat beside Seraphina, looking into her clear and calm eyes, feeling a bit sad, "Don’t worry, I won’t say anything outside."

"Oh."

Seraphina responded indifferently.

"You shouldn’t be with him."

Leo knew he shouldn’t say these words, but he still wanted to, "In business, Ethan is notorious for being ruthless. He never leaves anyone with a way out, and countless people have to humbly kneel at his feet just to earn a living. With such a disposition, how would he treat you well..."

"What does it have to do with you?"

Seraphina responded blandly.

"But I don’t want you to suffer," Leo said anxiously, "You should break up with him, Ethan is not a good person, if you came back to Sovereign wanting an ordinary life, then I..."

He was only halfway through when the shuttle car came to a halt.

"Ahem... Sylvia."

At the villa entrance, Selena Quinn, who was greeting guests, saw Seraphina, and immediately tugged her gown as she walked over to Seraphina.

Selena wore a white strapless dress today, her slender waist perfectly outlined by the gown. As she dragged the dress slowly forward, she appeared like a princess stepping out of a castle, deserving of all the beautiful descriptions in the world.

Perhaps because Selena had deliberately applied light pink blush today, her complexion appeared healthier than usual.

"You finally came, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time."

Selena smiled gracefully at Seraphina.

Seraphina’s dress only reached her knees, so she easily stepped off the shuttle car, and Leo also got out from the other side.

"Second Young Master Lynch?" Selena was slightly puzzled upon seeing Leo, but quickly redirected her gaze to Seraphina, "Is he your...escort?"

Seraphina only then noticed that Leo’s suit today was also in navy blue, complementing her dress as if it was a deliberate match.

"No."

Seraphina denied swiftly and firmly.

Leo stood by, his gaze darkened, but he said nothing, smiling gently at Selena, "Miss Sterling."

Although Selena wasn’t of the Sterling family, outsiders still addressed her as Miss Sterling.

"A pleasure."

Selena nodded slightly to Leo, then naturally linked her arm with Seraphina’s, "Come, I’ll take you to meet my parents."

Just as she finished speaking, someone else called Selena away.

Looking at Seraphina apologetically, Selena said, "Sorry, the guests tonight are really too many, let me have someone take you inside first, I’ll introduce you to former Elite Society members later."

"Alright."

Seraphina nodded in agreement.

With permission, Selena returned to greeting guests at the entrance, and shortly after, a maid came to respectfully guide Seraphina into the villa.