Chapter 31: A Cliched Approach

Chapter 31: A Cliched Approach

“Well well well.” The video stopped playing and someone stepped out of the crowd and clapped.

The Young Man was tall. He looked to be just about Ethan’s age. His lips quirked into a mischievous smile, and he whistled loudly.

“What a great show you have pulled off,” he said. “I didn’t know this party would be so interesting. Thank heavens, I didn’t miss the flight.”

The crowd’s murmur quieted down as the new man stepped in front of Cole. “But believe me, Young Man. I was a bit disappointed. Even a bad scriptwriter would come up with something better. Did you think everyone in this hall is a fool?”

“What do you know, Mister? This isn’t anyone’s problem.” Cole retorted. “This is between me and Mrs. Anderson.”

“Then wait until you are alone with Mrs. Anderson and her family before you take this kind of action. This is a cliched approach, Young Man. And every sensible person in this hall knows what you’re aiming at.”

“Ethan. Do you know him?” Eve whispered to Ethan.

But the slight frown on Ethan’s face told her that the mysterious man was as a stranger to him as he was to her.

“Mister, I implore you to keep out of this.” Cole retained his haughty look. “This matter doesn’t concern you.”

“I don’t believe so.” The man shook his head. “This matter concerns me as well as everyone else in this hall. Because you gave us that liberty by airing your issues here.”

“First of all, your narrative doesn’t add up.” The man clicked his tongue and sighed. “You claimed that this Young Lady forced you to have an affair with her. You also claimed that you have been dating her best friend whom you claimed to be swapped with her at birth. And you now claimed that she sought to destroy your true love by making sure her life becomes miserable. Come on, even I am having a headache.”

“That’s right. I don’t think he even knew what he was saying.”

“Every girl will give anything to be Mr. Anderson’s wife. How is it possible that Mrs. Anderson was interested in him and even had an affair with him?”

“I think this Young Man is confused. Is it not that the asylum has broken loose and psychopaths are now living among us?”

The more the crowd murmured, the more angry they became.

“Come to think of it.” The mysterious man went on. “You said Mrs. Anderson forced you to do this without your own will. And you said openly that you agreed to have an affair with her. Your tongue didn’t slip even though your so-called Mia is here. Who believes such nonsense?”

“Even if you had an affair with her, you wouldn’t air it here in public. No sane man alive will ever think of doing such a thing. And are you a baby that Mrs. Anderson can force you to do things without your consent? Even women nowadays know how to stand up for themselves.”

“Ah! This Young Man has been feeding us with blatant lies.”

“I wonder if this is how his family brought him up.”

“No wonder he’s not part of the social circle. No one can tolerate such insolence.”

“It is not all the military families that are excluded from the social circle. Even the Anderson and Maxwell family come from a military background.”

“You’re correct. There must be something wrong with this Young Master’s family. He looks like those that will purposely cause trouble.”

“This girl, Mia, doesn’t settle well with me. Thank heavens she turned out fake in the Maxwell family.”

“The Maxwell household has always presented heirs of great intellect. From a distance, one will immediately know that she’s up to no good.”

“The popular saying is true that even the purest water cannot wash off the black color of a crow.”

The crowd’s angry words filled up the hall and both Cole’s and Mia’s faces turned green.

“From the looks of it, this Young Man and lady seem to hold a grudge against Mrs. Anderson.” The mysterious man added. “This is obviously a plot to shame her in public. I am really disappointed in the authorities nowadays. Is this how you guys carry out your jobs.” He faced the remaining policemen. Most of them had miraculously disappeared.

The policemen lowered their heads and retreated.

“People in the royal circle make waves in this city. Even the authorities don’t dare to defy us. I don’t think you’re only here to take this Young Lady away, you’re in collusion with this Young Man to taint her name.”

As if they’d been caught red-handed, the policemen exchanged nervous glances before they slipped out of the crowd and disappeared, leaving only Cole and Mia standing side by side.

“Once again, I must thank you for this show.” The mysterious man said to Cole and Mia. “But I advice you to enroll in an acting school, because I can see the potential in you two.”

“That’s right. An acting career will be the perfect job for them.”

“But considering their personalities, I don’t think any director will want to hire them.”

“That is if they get to enroll.”

“You’re right. From the looks of it, they lack the brains to study well. They might as well act as clowns in a fanfare.”

The crowd muttered in a light-hearted tone and they laughed and pointed at the couple.

“Tsk tsk tsk.” Eve shook her head and sighed. She looked around but the mysterious man was nowhere to be seen.

That was strange. Did he disappear?

“That’s it! This Young Master has had enough of this bullshit!” Matt fisted his hand and shook it at Cole. “If you don’t leave my sight this instant, I will beat you up and I won’t leave you until you stop breathing. Even my Big Bro won’t stop me this time. I swear you’ll regret trying to humiliate my Sister-in-law.”

“This insolent boy.” Ethan’s grandfather stepped forward. “Are you not the little boy of the Hemsworth family? Your grandfather used to eat up the scraps from our bread in the military days. I will see to it that you are put into your place if you try anything stupid toward my family again.”

“And you this ungrateful kid.” Eve’s grandfather pointed at Mia. “My family did everything for you. Despite your bad manners, we wanted to keep you but you refused to stay. And now you want to get back at my granddaughter for it? This is your last warning. I never want to see you near my family again.”

The crowd dispersed and everyone resumed what they had been doing. Cole and Mia avoided everyone’s eyes.

“You’ve not seen the last of me, Evelyn.” She glared at Eve before turning around with Cole and storming out.

“Argh! This Young Master has lost interest in this party! I’d better go look for the strongest champagne!” Matt whined and walked away.

“Evelyn.” Eve’s father held her shoulders. “If anyone is troubling you, don’t hesitate to tell us.”

“You’re so pitiful, Big Sis. And to think that you were friends with her.”

“From now on, if others bully you, just come straight to us, Big Sis.”

Eve’s eyes strayed from the twins to her mother, and their eyes met.

“Let’s go home, Honey.” Her mother avoided her eyes and said to her husband. Then she also turned to the twins. “Cassie, Carla, it’s getting late. You must sleep early.”

The girls looked disappointed and they followed her out of the hall after bidding everyone goodnight. Eve’s father also bid her goodnight and left.

“Well, I haven’t beat this Old Man yet, so I must stay,” her grandfather said.

“And I will gladly see to your defeat, Old Man,” Ethan’s grandfather replied.

The old men walked back to the table, leaving Eve and Ethan.

“Do you still want to dance?” Ethan asked.