Seeing this scene, Sister Mei silently exited the restaurant, leaving the cozy space to the two of them.

Swiftly, Julia Bluen finished a bowl of spaghetti, even tilting the bowl to drink every last drop of the sauce.

"How was it?" Glades Horne asked with a gentle, affectionate smile.

"Not bad."

"Spicy?"

"Spicy, but still tolerable," Julia replied contentedly as she set down her bowl.

"Rest for half an hour, and then we'll send those photos back to your mother so she knows your sister is doing well and can be at ease," Glades Horne finally gave Julia a straightforward answer. By saying this, he indicated that he was no longer angry with Ruby. Ruby hadn't even officially married him yet; she still had the right to pursue true love. Besides, he was actually relieved that Ruby had run away from the wedding. Otherwise, how would he have realized who his true love was?

Ruby had abandoned him for his own brother, ostensibly hurting his pride. Deep down, however, he found he didn't care anymore. Now, his heart and eyes held only his beloved wife. As long as he could be inseparable from her, a little gossip from outsiders wouldn't cost him anything.

"Glades, I'm sorry," Julia said apologetically, extending her hand to hold Glades Horne's large one. She knew he would never make things difficult for her sister on her account—his gesture of tousling her hair had already conveyed that. Yet, she had been senselessly anxious, which showed a lack of trust in him.

His large hand clasped her delicate, soft one, and Glades Horne smiled. "From you, I don't want to hear 'thank you,' and I certainly don't want to hear 'I'm sorry.'" His love for her was all-encompassing, extending even to those she cared about.

Julia then smiled.

Glades Horne pulled her up, and they walked towards the main hall.

They had just stepped out of the main hall when they saw Chris Bluen, his wife, and Ruby entering from outside the house.

The sight of Ruby stunned everyone.

Even Glades Horne was somewhat astounded.

"Sis!" Julia was the first to regain her composure, quickly letting go of Glades's hand and hurrying towards Ruby. When she reached Ruby, she stopped, looking at her with a face full of delighted surprise, then embraced her, exclaiming, "Sis, you're back! You've finally come back! We were all so worried."

Julia Bluen was genuinely happy. She had just returned from abroad and learned of her sister's whereabouts. To her surprise, just a few hours later, her sister had actually appeared before her.

"Julia." Ruby Bluen also tightly embraced her sister. The others looked on as the two sisters hugged, each with a different expression.

Apart from Glades Horne, whose eyes held a hint of coldness, the other Horne family members had anger in their eyes. Even the Matriarch's gaze darkened somewhat. Even though she knew Glades truly loved Julia, and had always hoped Julia would be her granddaughter-in-law, it didn't mean she was indifferent to Ruby's act of abandoning the wedding.

"Alright, if you sisters want to cry or laugh, go back to the Bluen family and do it there! Ruby, what are you doing here? Do you still have the nerve to see us? What exactly do you want? How could you face our Glades after what you did? What do you take him for? An object? A thing to be discarded whenever you please?" Mila Anderson's expression turned exceedingly grim, her tone sharp, every word an accusation, radiating anger.

Julia Bluen let go of Ruby and turned to Mila Anderson, saying, "Mom, my sister… she must have had her reasons."

Mila Anderson scoffed, "What reasons? If there are reasons, why not speak them out? Is it because she doesn't trust our Glades, or is she intentionally keeping them from him? Wasn't Glades good enough for her? Julia, you've been watching all along. Ask yourself, in what way has Glades not been good to your sister, or even to you? Can you find another man out there who would be this good to you both? Who is Glades? He is the eldest young master of the Horne family, the CEO of Valence Group. When he steps out, countless people fawn over him. The women who admire him could form a line all the way to Beijing, yet he ignores them all. He devoted himself to your sister so wholeheartedly, and what did he get in return? Your sister slapped him hard in the face, and that slap didn't just land on Glades's face but on all of ours as well!"

The anger that had been building for over a month finally found its target, and Mila Anderson vented everything.

Her gaze at Ruby was filled with fury and resentment. Were it not for her considerable self-control, she might have already lost her temper and slapped Ruby herself.

"Mom." Glades Horne came over, his large hand habitually and domineeringly pulling Julia back to his side, wrapping around her waist. His handsome face was calm, without a ripple. Though his eyes were unfathomable, they held no anger. He first glanced at Chris Bluen and Scarlett Taylor, who both looked deeply apologetic, and called out in a deep voice, "Dad, Mom." Then he turned towards Ruby.

Ruby, too, looked at him. The exhaustion on her face was still evident, and her eyes were filled with apology and pain. The two who were once engaged looked at each other; one with an astute gaze that seemed to see through everything, the other with an apologetic expression tinged with evasion.

"You… you're clearly not doing well," Glades Horne said in a deep voice, taking in the haggardness on Ruby's face. He knew Marcel Horne very well. Ruby had run away from their wedding for Marcel's sake. Even if Marcel hadn't informed him at the time, nor called him afterward, it was to protect Ruby. But, at the same time, Marcel would not accept Ruby's love.

Ruby's appearance here today probably meant that Marcel had deeply hurt her, and that's why she had returned from Tibet.

"Not too bad," Ruby managed a weak smile. Her gaze caught Glades Horne's domineering hand wrapped around Julia's waist, and she blinked, a wave of emotion washing over her. Recalling the past, she was certain Glades's true love was Julia. After all, in everything Glades did, Julia's opinion mattered most to him.

"Glades, Ruby knows she has wronged you. She only just returned today and came here in person to apologize, hoping you can forgive her," Scarlett Taylor quickly stepped forward, positioning herself protectively beside Ruby. She offered an appeasing smile as she spoke to Glades Horne.

"Chris, Scarlett, please sit down and have some tea first," Gian Horne called out to his old friends.