"Why should I say anything? Has Lance ever told me about his friends?" Addison's icy gaze and scornful tone carried a biting edge. She had married into the Johnstons as an orphan, concealing her true identity as a member of the Daves. Yet, in the three years since her marriage, aside from hiding her family background, she had never intentionally kept anything else secret. No one had ever bothered to ask about her past—until now. It was laughable that they had the nerve to interrogate her now. "So, you're suggesting Lance should report everything to you? Who do you think you are?" Virginia retorted disdainfully. "Besides, Lance's friends are business partners. Why would he discuss them with a mere orphan like you? You wouldn't understand anyway. Talking to you would just be a waste of time." Virginia grew more impassioned as she spoke with certainty. "And let me tell you, Lance has never sneaked around his friends like you—" Before she could finish, Lance grabbed her arm, abruptly cutting her off. She turned to him angrily but immediately suppressed her irritation upon seeing who it was. Lance turned his sharp gaze to Addison and asked coldly, "So, you have no regret or apology to offer, do you?" He had already believed Virginia's accusations. It turned out that the man was Keith when Virginia mentioned that Addison had already found another man. No wonder Addison had been so calm when I brought up the divorce. She had already latched onto the CEO of Raven Company. Lance sneered inwardly. Addison was truly beyond his expectations. A wave of anger rose within him as he pinched the bridge of his nose, struggling to suppress the fire in his chest. And that incident—how else could Addison have entered the highly guarded lab unless Keith had helped her? Every suspicious detail about Addison now pointed to Keith.The more Lance thought about it, the angrier he became. His face darkened as he suppressed his reignited rage. Virginia had been right. Addison clearly had a relationship with Keith, one that couldn't bear the light of day. Any guilt Lance once felt toward Addison now seemed utterly ridiculous. Addison chuckled coldly. "Why should I apologize for something I didn't do? "Shouldn't you be the ones apologizing to me for throwing baseless accusations without a shred of evidence?" Lance's gaze turned frosty. To him, Addison's calm demeanor was nothing more than stubborn defiance, and it filled him with disgust. "Isn't Virginia's words evidence? And you still won't admit it?" Addison smirked. "That counts as evidence?" Off to the side, Marilyn listened anxiously. Previously, when Virginia had come uninvited to the Johnston Residence looking for a diamond ring, she'd mentioned that Addison never told the Johnstons anything about her personal life or friends. According to Virginia, Addison had only married into the family for money and wasn't as docile as she appeared. In truth, she never considered the Johnstons her family. At the time, Marilyn believed everyone must have friends in their life. She didn't mind that Addison had her personal space and that she didn't have to share every detail of her life. However, it seemed that Keith, the CEO of Raven Company, was the one who had given Addison that ridiculously expensive diamond ring. Could a mere friend give something so extravagant—especially a diamond ring, a symbol so deeply tied to love and romance? Doubt began to creep into Marilyn's mind. The air grew thick with tension. Everyone's gaze fixed sharply in the same direction, heavy with accusation. Lance's in particular radiated icy hostility, making it hard to breathe. "How much longer do you plan to deny it?" Lance demanded. Addison remained composed, her face serene and her cold eyes betraying no emotion as though entirely unaffected by the scrutiny. She frowned in mild annoyance at Lance's accusation but she wasn't bothered to lift her gaze. If no one was willing to believe her, she wasn't going to waste her time and energy. She didn't feel the need to answer anymore. Just as the standoff reached a boiling point, Steven, who had been silent all this time, spoke up. "Addison, do you really know Keith, the CEO of Raven Company?" His sharp gaze bore a striking resemblance to Lance's, and his sudden question drew the attention of everyone in the room. Virginia smirked. She noticed Steven had addressed Addison without any familial warmth, indicating he likely believed most of what Virginia had said. Addison nodded calmly. "Yes." She saw no need to deny it. Steven's face darkened instantly. "Since you know Keith so well, why didn't you speak up when the Johnstons faced such a crisis?" Addison blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected Steven to focus on this point. "Even Virginia, despite her misunderstandings, tried to secure an opportunity for the family. And how could you do nothing when you know Keith personally? You had even kept it a secret." His tone shifted abruptly, making it clear he believed Virginia's claims. Addison knew Steven had no real affection for her. His earlier kindness, even serving her food, had been a strategic show to block Virginia's entry into the family. His current questioning didn't surprise her. "Are you blaming me? Blaming me for not asking Keith for the authorization?" Addison's tone was calm. "As the Johnstons' daughter-in-law, shouldn't you have the family's best interests at heart?" Though old, Steven hadn't lost an ounce of the commanding aura he'd wielded in his youth. "How do you know I didn't?" Addison countered coolly. "I already sent the authorization to Lance that day."Ask him if you don't believe me." Her mocking gaze landed on Lance. "I gave it to you. You're the ones who failed to seize the opportunity." Lance's face turned grim as anger flickered across his features. But the truth was undeniable—he had torn up the authorization. "Lance, what is this about? "Why didn't you tell me anything?" His tone grew harsher, the anger in his eyes unmistakable. Lance remained silent. "What do you mean by ‘failed to seize the opportunity'? What did you do with the authorization letter?" Steven's voice turned even more commanding. "Lance, answer me! What's going on?" Marilyn, who was standing at the side, began to panic. "How much have you been hiding from us?" The older man and the younger one stared each other down, the tension thick and suffocating. "Today was supposed to be a happy day. How did it end up like this?" Marilyn sighed deeply when Lance still refused to speak. Her heart ached with disappointment. She had invited Addison over to reconnect as a family, hoping to persuade her and Lance to reconcile and avoid divorce. But the situation had spiraled completely out of control.