After Kitty finished speaking, she looked down slightly, feeling her palms slick with nervous sweat.


    "Oh, a Song, is it?" James asked coolly.


    Kitty wasn''t sure why Mr. Shepherd repeated the question but nodded again, "Yes."


    "Very well," James''s voice softened even more.


    Standing nearby, Mirabe raised an eyebrow at him, staying silent, curious about the drama he seemed to be stirring up with his grand entrance.


    Listening to them, Kitty felt a strange tightness in her chest, unable to figure out what he was up to. After a moment, she sneaked another nce at him and saw his attention shift to the eldest sister''s daughter. She couldn''t read his emotion, but she instinctively frowned.


    Her thoughts drifted to Mirabe, whose features were strikingly beautiful, with long, alluring eyes that were even more captivating than Delh''s in her prime.


    Kitty had always disliked Delh and, by default, her daughter too, disliking their mesmerizing looks that seemed to steal everyone''s attention.


    A young girl was openly gawking at James, which only fueled Kitty''s annoyance. Clearing her throat, she said, "My niece from the countryside doesn''t know any better. I hope you won''t take offense, James."


    With that, she gave a subtle nod to a servant nearby.


    The servant got the hint and quickly said, "Miss Mira, let''s step out for a moment."


    He reached out to guide her away, as if to forcibly escort her out.


    But his hand grasped nothing but air.


    Mirabe, with azy tilt of her head and twirling her phone, finally spoke, "What brings you here?"


    "Just passing through," James replied, unfazed by his own flimsy excuse.


    Mirabe''s cheeks twitched, "Quite the spot to just ''pass through.""


    The cold distance on James''s handsome face melted away as he nodded, "All set with your matters?"


    Mirabe shrugged, ncing around the quiet banquet hall, her eyesnding on Kitty and Austin, both wearing expressions of disbelief. She sighed, "I was almost done, but your entrance really shook things up.”


    "Is that so? My apologies," James paused, noticing the will in Kitty''s hand, and added, "Seems my timing was a bit off."


    By now, everyone could see the clear familiarity between James and Mirabe.


    "Since you''re almost finished, shall we grab a bite?" James suggested.


    "Sure," Mirabe nodded, slipping her phone into her jacket pocket, exchanged a brief word with As, and without another look at Kitty and Austin, headed out.


    James raised an eyebrow and followed her, their side-by-side figures effortlessly in sync, disappearing from view.


    Only then did Austin and Kitty snap back to reality, both stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Mirabe to know James Shepherd, let alone to have such a close rtionship.


    Austin felt a pang of anxiety, realizing things were spiraling out of control. Letting his niece leave now might lead to some serious fallout.


    With that thought, Austin took a step to follow, only to be stopped by As''s hand in the next moment.