"Why are you sitting here eating cake all by yourself?" Steven asked as he entered the hall. After exchanging a few words with a friend, his eyes immediately found Yvonne tucked away in a corner.


    She was wearing a simple white dress, sitting quietly by herself, looking so pure and docile it made one want to take her home.


    Yvonne had just finished thest bite of her cake when she looked up and saw Steven standing over her.


    "Did youe alone?” he asked again.


    "With a friend," Yvonne replied, cing her empty te aside and dabbing her lips with a napkin.


    "Everyone invited tonight is a major figure in Istra. Don''t tell me you came with Mr. Thompson? Did he just leave you here all alone?" Steven pressed on.


    Yvonne remained seated and didn''t bother to exin.


    "You''ve been by Bet''s side for so long, and he still hasn''t given you any official status? Yvonne, you''re a smart woman. You should know when to cut your losses. The decision for the James and Hughes families to unite through marriage still stands. You should seriously reconsider. After all, a woman''s youth is fleeting. You don''t want to regret thister."


    Yvonne patiently listened until he finished. Seeing no point in arguing with him, she simply replied, "I never regret my decisions."


    Dyed by traffic, the James family arrivedte.


    As they entered, the first thing they saw was Steven standing with Yvonne.


    "Tsk, a vixen incarnate. All she knows is how to seduce men," Marcia sneered, turning to Teresa, who was trailing behind. "You certainly raised a fine daughter. With her skills, she could have any man she wants. You won''t have to worry about your future."


    Marcia then nced at Mrs. James and her daughter, Caroline.


    "Caroline, dear, you should learn a thing or two from Yvonne. She can have any man she wants with just the flick of a finger. And then there''s you, the proper Miss James can''t even find a husband."


    "Whether Caroline gets married or not, it''s none of your business. Marcia, you should focus that energy on your own daughter. I hear Letitias had four abortions already, each with a different man. She should be careful not to catch something nasty with that kind of lifestyle."


    Mrs. James retorted sharply before grabbing her daughter Caroline and heading toward Steven and Yvonne.


    Teresa, not wanting to stay with Marcia, followed them.


    "Mr. Hughes. It''s been a while," Mrs. James said with a smile as she approached Steven.


    "Mrs. James," Steven replied politely.


    "Caroline, why aren''t you saying hello? You two used to y together all the time as children. You were practically childhood friends. Why so distant now that you''re grown up?"


    Mrs. James pulled Caroline forward, pushing her directly in front of Steven.


    "Mr. Hughes,” Caroline murmured. She was naturally introverted and would blush whenever she spoke to a man, her eyes darting away as she stammered.


    "Miss James," Steven acknowledged with a cool nod, showing no emotion.


    Seeing this, Mrs. James nearly panicked.


    Caroline wasn''t getting any younger. She had been looking at potential matches recently, but they were all unsuitable-either their family background wascking, or the men themselves were In Istra''s high society, the pool of eligible. high-status, and respectable bachelors was small. Steven was the best possible choice for Caroline.