In the next second, the radiance on her face vanished, taking the entire light of her spirit with it and leaving her demeanor noticeably dimmed.

  Witnessing this scene, the others all, without prior agreement, wore expressions of helpless uncertainty.

  At such high-society cocktail parties, it was perfectly normal for single gentlemen to attend with a female companion. It didn't necessarily signify an intimate relationship for everyone. Yet, at this moment, the looks passing between those two were soft and lingering, and the girl's gaze towards Bruno was exceptionally tender and clinging.

  The nature of their relationship was plainly, visibly not simple.

  Grace looked at Scarlett with concern, just about to speak when she saw Scarlett suddenly straighten her posture and attire. Then, re-affixing a suitable smile to her face, she walked briskly towards Bruno.

  "Scar—"

  Before Grace's word could fully form, she noticed that even Scarlett's retreating now seemed imbued with a streak of stubborn defiance.

  This made her all the more worried.

  Her close friends were also observing the situation with tense expressions, unable to resist voicing their thoughts. "Is Bruno in a relationship?"

  "No idea, it's all so sudden!"

  "If she really is his girlfriend, what will Scarlett do..."

  Bruno was at that moment greeting Scarlett's parents, Arthur Vance and Madam Vance. His voice, like his person, was gentle and refined. He spoke with perfect decorum: "Uncle, Auntie, my second uncle asked me to convey his apologies. He recently suffered an allergic reaction, and the doctor ordered no alcohol for a fortnight. So, he sent me today to offer his congratulations on your new home."

  Hearing this, Arthur and Madam Vance couldn't help but show surprise and promptly expressed concern. "President Chris had an allergic reaction? Was it serious?"

  "If it weren't serious, he would have come himself today," Bruno stated matter-of-factly. "It was sudden anaphylactic shock, nearly life-threatening. But fortunately, it was a close call. Please don't worry, Uncle and Auntie."

  Only then did the Vance couple nod, somewhat reassured. Madam Vance, noticing the girl beside Bruno, showed a flicker of astonishment. She was about to ask when she saw her daughter approaching and instinctively fell silent.

  They were aware of their daughter's feelings for Bruno.

  Unexpectedly, even though Madam Vance didn't ask, Bruno, out of courtesy, proactively introduced her. "Allow me to introduce you, Uncle and Auntie. This is my fiancée, Fiona."

  His voice was pitched just right, neither too loud nor too soft, and it fell perfectly upon Scarlett's ears, causing the resilient shell she had been maintaining to shatter completely.

  She stopped dead in her tracks behind Bruno, her legs suddenly heavy as lead, incapable of taking another step forward.

  Good news: not a girlfriend.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Bad news: a fiancée.

  It was an even more definitive, no room for maneuver relationship than she had feared.

  Madam Vance saw her daughter's look of shock and the reddening rims of her eyes, her heart instantly aching with pity. Yet, she could only manage a stiff, somewhat awkward smile. "Are you planning to get engaged?"

  "Yes, Auntie. We'll be engaged mid-month. You and Uncle simply must attend," Bruno invited with a smile.

  Madam Vance nodded. Looking up again for her daughter, she found her gone.

  Vance sighed softly. But with Bruno about to become engaged, he couldn't say anything more, only silently pitying his daughter in his heart.

  Scarlett fled back into the villa as if escaping a disaster. Grace, who had been quietly watching her, saw this and immediately hurried after her.

  Following the path to Scarlett's room on the third floor, Grace, fearing she might do something rash, urgently began knocking on the door. "Scarlett, Scarlett, are you in there? It's Grace!"

  "Scarlett?"

  Grace called out while knocking. After just a couple of knocks, the door swung open on its own. Grace entered the room directly, but did not find Scarlett inside.

  She searched the walk-in closet and the bathroom thoroughly but found no trace of Scarlett.

  She retreated from the room and called out several times in the hallway, receiving no response from Scarlett. However, as an outsider, she couldn't recklessly search room by room.

  Moreover, with at least several dozen rooms in the villa, searching them one by one was simply unrealistic.

  Perhaps she just wanted to be alone for a while?

  Grace calmed herself. She went back downstairs straight to the front garden. Her gaze instinctively swept over the crowd exchanging toasts, finally settling on Charles.

  He was holding a tray, serving the guests.

  "Charles." Grace approached him and spoke suddenly, startling Charles. His hand jerked, causing some of the cocktails on the tray to spill uncontrollably.

  "Wh-what is it, Grace?" he quickly steadied himself and asked, looking at her.

  Grace lowered her voice. "Scarlett is upset and has hidden herself away. If you see her, please remember to tell me."

  "She's upset? What happened?" Upon hearing this, Charles's face visibly tensed with concern.

  Seeing his pronounced reaction, Grace couldn't help but watch him intently for a few seconds.

  Feeling her gaze, Charles belatedly became somewhat evasive, his eyes shifting away. "I mean, is sh-she alright?"

  "Who hides away if they're alright?"

  "I'll go look for her." Charles casually set down the tray he was holding on the lawn, then quickly jogged toward the villa.

  Worried about Scarlett, Grace instantly lost all interest in the party. She simply found a quiet corner and sat down casually.

  Once inside the villa, Charles didn't search around aimlessly like a headless fly. Instead, he dashed straight to the top floor. The door leading to the villa's rooftop terrace was slightly ajar. Seeing this, Charles secretly let out a sigh of relief.

  She was still the same as before, seeking out the rooftop to feel the cold wind whenever she was upset.

  The rooftop housed an outdoor swimming pool. Scarlett sat with her back to the entrance, her figure slight as she curled up on a lounge chair, knees drawn to her chest. She seemed enveloped by a vast sorrow, like a poor, pitiful little rabbit.

  Hearing the approaching footsteps, she slowly raised her head. Charles halted his steps, not daring to advance further, merely staring fixedly at her.

  "So it's you."

  Scarlett spoke in a faint, weak voice, her tone tinged with impatience. "It's always you who finds me."

  Hearing this, Charles appeared somewhat at a loss. His lips moved slightly, and he whispered, "Classmate Grace was worried about you, so I..."

  "I want to be alone for a bit." Scarlett buried her head in her knees. Her shoulders trembled slightly as she began to weep silently and without restraint.

  Charles watched her from a distance, heartache spreading in his eyes behind his glasses. Yet his feet never dared to take another step forward.

  Just as Scarlett had watched Bruno from behind.

  A moment later, he turned, intending to leave, but heard Scarlett suddenly call out to him, "Don't go."

  Hearing this, Charles instinctively started to turn back, only to hear Scarlett command him, "Don't turn around either. Just stand like that. Standing there is enough..."

  Charles truly did not move again, standing with his back to Scarlett at a spot less than ten meters away from her.

  Scarlett didn't speak again either, continuing to bury her head and let her tears flow freely and without restraint, as if trying to expel all the grief from her heart through them. And she knew Charles was standing there, and he would not leave.