Lance furrowed his brow and coldly raised his eyes. "I invited Addison. You want to get rid of her?" Marilyn's voice carried an undeniable authority. She had just come down from upstairs, having searched the house for Addison without success. In frustration, she had asked someone, only to discover that so much had happened downstairs. Addison had actually pushed Virginia? Marilyn couldn't believe it. There was no way—Virginia must have staged the whole thing to frame Addison. When she heard from her friend that Lance had already taken Addison outside, her worry grew. She quickly followed the guests' directions to this location. As soon as she stepped inside, she overheard Lance trying to force Addison to leave. Lance saw Marilyn standing in the courtyard entrance, and his expression changed. He wanted to scold her, but the words never left his mouth. "Mom, what are you doing here?" "If I hadn't come, you would have bullied Addison! Just because she's kind, you think you can mistreat her?" Marilyn, uninterested, gave her son a glance but walked straight toward Addison. "Addison, don't listen to him. Let's go." Addison looked at Marilyn, her voice uncertain. "Marilyn, I think it's better if I leave. This doesn't feel right." She had barely gotten away, and now Marilyn showed up. What an unfortunate coincidence. "What do you mean it's not right? You're the daughter-in-law of the Johnstons. If it's not right for you to be at the banquet, then who else is it appropriate for?" Addison bit her lip, still wanting to leave, but Marilyn wasn't letting her. "Marilyn, I've already divorced Lance. I'm no longer a Johnston." "Let's go!" Marilyn pretended not to hear Addison's words and gently took her hand. "You had promised to attend the banquet, so you can't leave halfway through. I know you won't go back on your word." Addison sighed. Lance watched as Addison's act faltered. He spoke coldly, "Mom, don't let Addison fool you. She's not as innocent as you think." Marilyn scoffed coldly, "I can read people better than you. I don't need you to teach me."You brought that vixen to the banquet without even asking me. I haven't forgotten about that." Lance frowned and instinctively wanted to argue. "Virginia isn't a vixen." Marilyn shot him a cold glance. "You've been deceived by her, so of course, you don't see it." You can't see her true face until she sheds her disguise. "Virginia claims Addison pushed her. Don't you give it some thought before believing that? Who would be foolish enough to start a fight at a banquet? That would just get them in trouble. "Addison has put up with your cold shoulder for three years. She's patient; would she be so reckless as to let herself get blamed? "Think carefully!" Lance froze, instinctively wanting to argue back, but his mother's words left him speechless. What could he say? Wasn't it Addison who had pushed Virginia? Before Lance could respond, Marilyn grabbed Addison's hand and said, "Addison, let's go. Don't pay him any mind." Marilyn's gentle grip and warm gaze enveloped Addison, making her feel comforted. It felt ... Addison was stunned. Marilyn's soft voice reminded her of her own mother. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of emotion. Marilyn was standing up for her. The frustration Addison had felt just moments ago because of Lance's actions melted away. She looked at Marilyn and nodded softly. "Okay, let's go." Lance's dark gaze lingered on Addison as she walked away. ... The ballroom was still filled with guests, as though nothing had happened. Addison followed Marilyn into the hall, and all eyes turned toward them in unison. Virginia, standing off to the side, immediately saw Addison. Her eyes burned with resentment as she watched Addison walk in behind Marilyn, her fists clenched tightly.What had Addison said to Marilyn to make her believe and defend her so completely? Marilyn, clearly noticing the stares, tightened her grip on Addison's hand. "Addison, don't be afraid. I'm right here with you." Addison raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Marilyn, I'm not scared." Virginia clenched her fists even tighter. How could Addison smile so brightly? After they entered, Lance walked in as well, his expression still cold. His demeanor revealed nothing of his inner thoughts, which seemed tangled with complexity. When Virginia saw Lance appear at the door, her face immediately changed. She hurried over to him, her tone feigning concern. "Lance! Where have you been? I went looking for you but couldn't find you. I almost got lost!" Her tone was one full of hurt. Lance didn't react the way she expected. His face remained unchanged, as cold as ever. "Lance?" Virginia's heart raced. What had happened to him? Why was he like this now? Lance didn't stop walking. Virginia had no choice but to obediently follow him. After a few steps, Lance suddenly stopped. Virginia, lost in thought, didn't notice in time and bumped into his broad back. "Ouch!" She gasped. "Tell me the truth. Did Addison push you?" Lance's voice was serious as he ignored her stumble. "Huh?" Virginia blinked in confusion before realizing. "Yes, Addison pushed me." Her tone was unwavering. Lance didn't respond. Virginia felt nervous. She wanted to explain herself, but she wasn't sure what Addison had told Lance. She feared that if she tried to explain, she might make things worse by saying something wrong. She stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Lance's gaze shifted to Addison. It was then that he noticed her. She was wearing a black gown, which accentuated her slender, tall figure, giving her a fragile yet cold appearance. She was no longer the gentle Addison he once knew. His eyes narrowed, as though deep in thought. Minutes passed ... Finally, Lance looked away and turned to Virginia. "Stand by me. Grandpa's about to come down." Virginia quickly nodded. "Okay!" Steven descended the stairs with a cheerful smile, looking much better than before. Lance took the lead and walked up to Steven, Virginia following closely behind. Marilyn also brought Addison forward to greet Steven. Steven smiled warmly at everyone, but when he scanned the room and noticed Raymond and Teagan weren't there, his mood lifted even more. Wait! Steven paused; his smile disappeared as he caught sight of Virginia.