Virginia wasn't naïve. No matter how rich the man in front of her was, he couldn't compare to Lance. She knew exactly where Lance stood in Halton. "Sorry, I have some things to take care of. If you'd like to get to know me, we can arrange another day," Virginia said with a polite smile. Troy's expression shifted, but he wasn't giving up. He quickly responded, "How about we exchange WhatsApp? We can plan something for another time." Virginia gave him a knowing smile, fully aware of his intentions. She understood that having one more admirer meant more options. If Troy had appeared a few days ago, she would have likely given him her contact. That way, if Lance proved unreliable, she'd have someone else to turn to. But things were different now. She had someone better in her life—Keith. The man in front of her couldn't hold a candle to him. She felt nothing but disdain toward the man in front of her. With a slight smile, Virginia said, "My phone isn't with me." She walked out of the ballroom, leaving Troy standing there. "Oh? Interesting." Troy mused, watching her retreating figure, a playful smirk on his face. He liked her even more now. ... Addison was being pulled along by Lance. His long legs took large strides, and her shorter steps made her stumble to keep up. "Can you stop pulling me? People will think there's something going on between us!" she protested. "Isn't that exactly what you want?" Lance's voice was growing colder, but he didn't slow down. "What I want? We're divorced, remember? I've already signed the papers and handed them to you. So tell me, who exactly are you trying to please here?" Addison snapped. Lance sneered at her words. "You've certainly developed a knack for deluding yourself. Do you really think I want to be dragging you around?" Deluding herself? Addison went silent, feeling both exasperated and defeated. She didn't want to argue any further, but Lance's grip on her wrist tightened, sending a sharp pain through her. "Lance, can you at least be a gentleman?" Addison gave up struggling. She knew there was no point; she had no power over him. If he wanted to pull her, fine, but why did he have to grip her so tightly? Was he trying to hurt her? Lance ignored her entirely, his steps becoming even larger. Addison wasn't the type to get angry easily. She had a pretty calm temperament. But Lance's behavior was pushing her limits. The Johnstons were at the top of the social hierarchy in Halton, so Steven's party was a must-attend for everyone in the circle. The ballroom was packed with guests, and even the garden outside had a number of people chatting casually. "Mr. Lance." Guests who saw him outside hurried to put down their drinks and approached to greet him. But as they got closer, they noticed the storm cloud on his face, the icy aura surrounding him. Everyone took a few steps back instinctively, swallowing their words before they could speak. Who would be bold enough to anger Lance at his family event? As Lance passed them by with a cold expression, they saw Addison being dragged along, practically running to keep up with him. Wasn't that Mrs. Johnston? She used to follow Lance around like a devoted shadow, almost as if she would give him her heart on a silver platter. What could have possibly happened to make her upset him this much? The two of them finally reached a quieter part of the garden, where the sound of flowing water created a peaceful atmosphere. But their arrival shattered the calm. Lance stopped and released Addison's wrist."What do you want to say? Couldn't say it in the banquet hall?" He'd been ignoring her when she tried to speak while running, but now he stopped. Addison's wrist had turned red from his grip, and she confronted him with clear anger. "Say it in the ballroom?" Lance chuckled bitterly, as if she'd made a joke. "How can you even ask that?" "Why wouldn't I?" Addison replied calmly, still not understanding his meaning. "You want me to air all your dirty laundry in front of all those guests? Tell everyone what you've done?" Lance's eyes were full of disgust. "You have no shame and don't care about your reputation, but my family can't afford to have you embarrassing us." Addison's eyes widened. "My dirty laundry? What are you talking about? When have I done anything wrong?" Was he referring to Virginia framing her for stealing the diamond ring? Or was it about the trouble Virginia had caused at the villa? Or maybe how Virginia had been provoking her again at the party? All those things were Virginia's doing, not hers. Why was it suddenly her fault? "You know exactly what you've done. No need to play dumb," Lance said, his face twisted in contempt. Addison raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about. How would I know the things you've pinned on me?" "Clearly, you know," he countered. But Addison quickly shot back, "Then say it—what have I done to make you so angry? "Without evidence, I don't accept anything." "I don't want to discuss this with you today," he muttered and frowned, clearly irritated by her behavior. He cleared his throat and asked, "Who allowed you to sneak into the party? "You told me you weren't coming, and now you're here. What's going on?" Lance's disdain was evident. "Sneak in?" Addison scoffed. "Maybe you should ask your mother how I got here." "Oh, so my mother brought you in?" Lance's tone grew even sharper.Of course, he and Virginia were a perfect match. They thought exactly alike. "You claim you wanted a divorce, but you keep coming back and stirring things up. Addison, this really makes me lose respect for you," Lance said, his voice cold. Addison lowered her head. She'd heard these words too many times already. They no longer had any effect on her. She knew what he thought of her, and she didn't care enough to try and change it. Lance could think whatever he wanted. She wasn't going to explain herself to him anymore. It would only make her more upset. She didn't do things that were bound to be pointless. "Is that all you have to say? If not, can I leave now?" Addison said impatiently. "Leave? Where are you going? Back to the ballroom?" Lance's lips curled in a mocking smile. "You said you didn't want to come, and now you're here. I'll honor your wish; you can leave," he said, his gaze hardening. "This party doesn't need you." He hated women like Addison—who played games and manipulations. If this was her first mistake, he might have spoken to her kindly. But by now, he had lost count of how many times she had crossed his boundaries. He wasn't willing to tolerate it any longer. "You ask me to leave?" Addison smirked. "What? Don't want to?" Lance's face was even colder under the moonlight. He had already made his position clear, and Addison had ignored it, repeatedly pushing his limits. She had no choice but to leave. That was the price for challenging him. Addison raised an eyebrow. "You think I don't want to leave? I'd be glad to." She had been tricked into coming here in the first place, so leaving was actually in her favor. She started to walk away. "Don't you dare to leave!" A voice rang out behind her.