William sat with a stern expression on his face, positioned to the left of Matthew. He neither admitted nor denied the accusations. From the look on his face, Addison could immediately tell that he was truly angry. William being upset and showing signs of irritation was not a surprise to her. After all, as the head of the Hamilton family, he occupied a position of high status. Those beneath him were used to treating him with respect, catering to him, and doing everything to keep him appeased. Being spoken to in such a disrespectful manner by a younger person like Leon was bound to offend him. If William could still keep a smiling face after that, now that would surprise Addison. His smiles were a mask, hiding something less friendly beneath. Beneath their friendly exterior, they were always scheming, ready to strike when you least expected it. If William were that kind of person, the situation would undoubtedly become much more difficult to handle. "William, I have a question. Is the Hamilton family willing to take responsibility for this matter?"Matthew had stopped eating entirely, his soup untouched. He sat upright, his posture rigid, and his sharp eyes fixed squarely on William. William paused for a moment, his expression laced with both impatience and seriousness. "The Hamilton family ... will not take responsibility," William finally said, his tone firm. With a dramatic flick of his sleeve, he sat back down, his demeanor shifting from the initial politeness to an unyielding toughness. "There must be some misunderstanding here. While it's true that Georgina can be willful at times, her heart is in the right place. The truth of this matter is still unclear and needs to be verified," William said. "When concrete evidence is presented, I will personally bring Georgina to the Daves family to apologize," he added. The only reason William had swallowed his pride and come here in the first place was to maintain a good relationship with the Daves. However, with Leon's rude behavior, he no longer felt the need to persist with this cooperation. As soon as William finished his statement, a loud clatter echoed across the table—someone had slammed their utensils down heavily."Mr. William, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?!" "Have you forgotten what you promised earlier? How can you now suddenly deny everything you said? "Don't you feel the slightest pang of guilt?" Leon was furious, his tone filled with righteous indignation. His brows furrowed deeply as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just moments ago, William had been raising his glass, apologizing on behalf of his granddaughter. Now, he had the gall to turn around and act as if none of it had ever happened? Did he think everyone in the Daves family was blind? Leon deeply regretted not recording William's earlier statements—if only he had, the man wouldn't have the opportunity to backtrack like this. William, unfazed by Leon's anger, chuckled softly. "Well, your words are a bit harsh," William said nonchalantly. "This is merely a minor spat between young girls. Why drag morality into it?" he continued."Young girls often bicker and squabble, sometimes over things they don't even fully understand themselves. As an old man already halfway into my grave, how could I possibly admit responsibility for Georgina under such circumstances?" His tone was light, as if he were discussing a trivial matter, completely dismissive. Leon was infuriated once again. He let out a cold snort. "A minor spat? A minor spat that left my Addy with a fever so high she almost lost her life?! "If it wasn't Georgina who suffered, of course you can sit there and talk so flippantly!" Leon stood up abruptly, his gaze blazing with fury as he glared at William. "If Lance hadn't found Addy in the changing room in time, she wouldn't be alive today," Leon snapped. "If Addy had lost her life, your entire Hamilton family wouldn't be able to escape responsibility! "You should be thanking Lance for saving her life on your behalf!" At the mention of Lance's name, Addison's eyes darkened. So it was Lance who had found her in the changing room and carried her out. He had saved her life. Addison's emotions became complicated, and she didn't know what to say. She was the type of person who hated owing anyone a favor. If someone treated her kindly, she would go out of her way to repay that kindness. If Lance had told her that he was the one who saved her, she would undoubtedly find a way to repay the debt. Addison knew this about herself with absolute certainty. Back when she lived with the Johnstons, every time Steven or Marilyn treated her well, she would return the gesture by preparing elaborate meals or buying thoughtful gifts for them. No matter what, she always found a way to give back for the kindness she received. She didn't like, nor could she tolerate, owing anyone. Even when attending social events with Lance, there were always wealthy wives who would gift her rare treasures, limited-edition jewelry, or designer clothing.Even if she didn't have something of equal value to give them at the moment, she would always make a note of it and return their kindness in due time. Lance would often grow impatient with her during these moments. "There's no need to return every single gift," he would say. "These trinkets are nothing to those women—they're no more than the cost of a casual dinner." "They only give them to you because they want to curry favor with the Johnstons," he would add. "The value they'll gain from aligning with the Johnstons far outweighs the value of the gifts." But Addison never listened. No matter what motives the gift-givers might have had, she firmly believed that favors must be returned. Lance was fully aware of this aspect of her personality. He had to know that if he told her he had saved her life, she would go to great lengths to repay him. And yet, Lance never mentioned it. He didn't ask for recognition, nor did he want her to know.What was he trying to do? Did he not want me to feel indebted to him? "This isn't a minor squabble between girls," Leon said, his voice firm. "No matter what the Hamilton family says, the Daves will see this through to the end." "Today, Georgina must come and apologize in person," Leon declared, his tone unyielding. "And she must make a public statement to all of Kreshill, guaranteeing that she will never treat Addy with disrespect again!" William's expression remained unchanged until Leon finished his first demand. However, when Leon mentioned a public apology, William could no longer contain himself. He let out a cold laugh. A public statement, huh? If the entire city of Kreshill found out what Georgina had done, her reputation would be ruined. Who would marry her then? Not to mention, Kreshill was full of gossip-hungry socialites. Just one word from them, and Georgina's life would be in shambles. There was no way William would allow his granddaughter to be placed in such a position. "This matter is already being handled with goodwill on our part," William said, his voice low and cutting. "We came here to the Daves family in peace, hoping to resolve the matter amicably, to turn swords into plowshares. "But you Daves insist on blowing things out of proportion, refusing to give me any face, and even pushing your demands further and further ... " "If you're going to be so unreasonable, then don't blame me for being unkind," William declared coldly. He didn't think for a moment that the Hamilton family was in the wrong. His words placed all the blame squarely on Leon. "Unreasonable?" Matthew, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke, his voice powerful and commanding. He laughed bitterly. "Unreasonable, you say? That's rich." "Imagine your own granddaughter trapped, terrified, facing mortal danger. Could you remain calm and call for reason?" "Georgina must come here today!" Matthew declared, his tone full of resolve.He gestured dismissively with his hand, his words brimming with authority. "If she doesn't, the Daves family will sever all cooperation with the Hamilton family." With that, the Daves family had issued their final ultimatum, leaving the Hamiltons no room for refusal. Addison sat silently in her seat. She had tried several times to interject, but her uncle and grandfather had stopped her each time. With them around, there was no need for her to say a word. They would stand in front of her, shielding her from the storm and ensuring everything was resolved. All she had to do was sit quietly, like a worry-free princess. At that moment, Addison felt an overwhelming warmth. This was the love and protection of family.