CHAPTER 475: DINNER AT A RESTAURANT

Only after Juliet’s reminder did they finally notice her?

"No need. I’m tired."

Queen shot a fleeting glance at her parents, her eyes brimming with undisguised mockery, before turning on her heel and heading upstairs.

"Don’t call me for dinner."

Though it wasn’t the first time, she still couldn’t bring herself to remain completely indifferent.

With her back turned to them, she bit down hard on her lower lip.

If she couldn’t stop caring, then she might as well remove herself from the scene.

No point intruding on their perfect little family of three.

Mr. Bernardo frowned as he watched Queen leave, his tone laced with exasperation.

"Just walk off like that.

This child—she’s getting more and more willful."

Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?

In Mom and Dad’s eyes, you’ll always be nothing more than my shadow.

Only when I allow it do you get to exist.

Juliet’s gaze lingered on her sister’s retreating figure, a flash of triumph flickering deep in her eyes—though not a trace of it showed on her face.

After all, Mrs. Bernardo was a woman with keen emotional intuition.

She could tell something was off with her younger daughter’s mood.

"I should go check on Queen. What’s bothering her?"

"Mom," Juliet gently held her mother’s arm, her voice soft and soothing.

"Didn’t Queen say she was tired?

Let her rest first. We can talk to her later."

"Besides," she added, her tone turning earnest, "I actually have something important to tell you both."

Hearing this, Mrs. Bernardo glanced at Queen’s retreating figure disappearing up the stairs, then back at Juliet, whose serious expression clearly signaled she had something significant to say.

After a brief hesitation, she nodded.

"What is it?"

Mr. Bernardo chimed in, his lips curling into an amused smile as he regarded his daughter.

"Must be serious if you’re using that tone."

Juliet’s eyes shimmered with emotion as she met her father’s gaze, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Today... Queen and I... we saw Taylor." Taylor?!

The name hung in the air like a sudden chill.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernardo froze, their expressions stiffening for a split second before they exchanged an unspoken glance.

The Taylor boy was already here?

How come they haven’t heard a thing?

It was Mr. Bernardo who reacted first, forcing a casual chuckle as he spoke.

"What a coincidence! I never showed you kids any photos—how did you recognize each other?"

"It was Harrison," Juliet replied, her voice soft yet articulate.

She briefly recounted the incident at the auction house to her parents.

As they listened, Mr. and Mrs. Bernardo’s brows gradually furrowed, their expressions growing increasingly complicated.

They hadn’t arranged anything yet, and the siblings had already crossed paths?

And over a bidding conflict, no less?

The situation was spiraling further out of their expectations.

Juliet observed her parents’ reactions carefully before continuing, hesitating slightly.

"After Harrison and I left, Queen stayed behind with Mr. Taylor.

I don’t know what they discussed alone."

Her face clouded with concern.

"But when she came out, she was... off.

Just like you saw earlier."

Her words subtly pinned Queen’s earlier mood on Taylor.

There was no denying it—Juliet had a masterful way with words.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernardo maintained their composure in front of Juliet, but once they’d sent her off to her room to rest, they resumed their discussion in hushed tones.

"What do you think Queen said to that Taylor boy?"

"That kid has always had issues with our arranged marriage deal with Harrison family.

Who knows what nonsense she might have spouted."

"Since he’s here now, we’d better start making preparations."

Meanwhile.

Taylor, the subject of the Bernardo family’s discussion, was striding behind a waiter with his long legs, heading toward the reserved private room.

Sinclair had one arm draped casually around Camilla as they followed at a leisurely pace.

Their tall, elegant silhouettes complemented each other perfectly—like a match made in heaven.

When they reached the private room, the waiter stopped.

"Sir, we’ve arrived.

This is the place."

"Thank you," Taylor replied politely before pushing the door open without hesitation.

The moment he stepped inside, a figure caught the corner of his eye.

"Brother, you’re finally here! I’ve been waiting forever!"

A sweet voice rang out as the figure dashed toward him at lightning speed.

Taylor extended his arm with practiced ease, pressing his palm against the approaching figure’s face to halt her advance.

"Stand still."

"Brother!!"

Melissa froze instantly, her cheeks squished by his grip, her expression a mix of puppy-eyed pleading and wounded indignation.

"I came all the way here to welcome you—how could you be so mean?"

"You know perfectly well," Taylor replied, utterly unmoved by his sister’s antics, and pushed her face even farther away.

"Locking the stable door after the horse has bolted won’t work on me."

Of course.

Melissa sighed inwardly, resigning herself to standing stiffly in place, shooting Vicente a desperate, wide-eyed look.

Tsk. Watching his own girlfriend fawn over another man—and worse, having to play along.

A faint smirk tugged at Vicente’s lips.

What could he do?

This was his future brother-in-law, after all.

"Taylor, let’s head inside," he offered smoothly.

"Take your time, we have company."

Taylor withdrew his hand from Melissa’s face and turned to look behind him.

Vicente and Melissa also followed his gaze.

A strikingly handsome man with an aloof, aristocratic demeanor stepped forward first.

His mere presence exuded an intimidating aura of cold detachment.

"Sinclair... Sinclair..."

The moment Melissa laid eyes on Sinclair, her body stiffened, her expression freezing in place.

She had dared to ask Calvin for information, but she wouldn’t dream of approaching Sinclair—proof enough of just how much she feared him.

Was her brother seriously bringing Sinclair along to lecture her?

If that were the case, she was utterly doomed!

The thought brought a glimmer of tears to her eyes as she shot a desperate, pleading look at Vicente.

Vicente, catching his girlfriend’s silent SOS, was just about to reassure her— When a soft, melodious voice cut through the tension.

"Melissa—"

Camilla, her lips curved in a faint, gentle smile, stepped out from behind Sinclair’s tall, broad frame and tilted her head toward the anxious Melissa.

"Mind if Sinclair and I crash your dinner party?"

The woman’s delicate features seemed to glow under the lighting, her porcelain skin appearing even more flawless.

"Camilla!!"

Melissa’s previously dull eyes suddenly sparkled with hope, as if spotting a lifeline.

She practically launched herself toward the stunningly beautiful woman with unrestrained enthusiasm.

Camilla was taken aback by the overwhelming greeting and instinctively cradled her stomach with a wry smile.

But before Melissa could reach her, a lean, veined hand with distinct knuckles grabbed the back of her collar, lifting her clean off the ground.