Seeing her sister being humiliated, Rita couldn’t hold back her fury. “Sister! Why are you apologizing? You’ve done nothing wrong! It’s her…” Her eyes darted to Liza, whose composed and confident demeanor only fueled Rita’s anger. Her face flushed red with rage, and in her exasperation, she lost all sense of restraint. “President Gavin,” she burst out, her voice shrill, “my sister was only looking out for you! Do you even realize what’s happening? You’re being humiliated! Liza is sneaking around with this old man, and she even bought him a shop with your money! How can you—” “Humiliated?” Gavin cut her off, his tone sharp and laced with disdain. His gaze darkened as his voice, low and steady, reverberated with authority. “Did you just say I’ve been humiliated?” The sudden intensity in his words made Rita stagger back a step, her bravado crumbling. Her voice faltered as she stammered, “Y-Yes… She’s making a fool of you. Why else would she be out shopping with some old man?” Gavin’s eyes narrowed. His words came slow and deliberate, each syllable carrying an icy chill. “Miss Alora, do you not have uncles or elders in your family?” Rita froze, her breath hitching as she struggled to respond. “When you saw Liza with another man, your mind jumped to the worst conclusion,” Gavin continued coldly. “Is this how the Clint family was raised? Are your thoughts always this filthy? Tell me, what’s wrong with my wife spending time with someone older? Since when does showing respect to elders equate to an improper relationship?” His lips curved into a derisive smirk as his piercing gaze swept over the sisters. “Today, I’ve learned something new—the Clint family’s so-called upbringing is truly unique. You’ve shown me just how extraordinary it is.” Alora’s knees nearly buckled under the weight of his words. Her heart raced as panic set in, and she struggled to keep her composure. “Gavin, I…” she began weakly, her voice trembling. Before she could say more, George stepped forward, his expression unyielding. “Miss Alora,” he said firmly, “our young madam is an innocent and kind-hearted person. The president will not tolerate her being slandered or bullied—especially by the likes of you. “Let me make this clear. If you ever cross paths with Young Madam again, do her a favor and take a different route. Your presence isn’t welcome.” Alora’s face turned pale. Desperation seeped into her voice as she tried to explain, “Gavin, please don’t misunderstand! Rita and I may have jumped to conclusions, but we only did it because we care about you. I never meant to hurt Liza!” Before Gavin could respond, Liza tilted her head slightly, her tone gentle yet pointed as she interjected, “Hubby, Miss Alora is just misunderstood. She’s such a kind and beautiful person—how could she possibly mean harm? I’m sure she didn’t intend to accuse me of embarrassing you or jeopardizing our marriage.” She glanced at Alora, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Besides, Miss Alora is your friend. Surely, she wouldn’t want to sow discord between us. It’s probably the influence of her family. Perhaps some elders in the Clint household have acted in ways that led her to misjudge me. Isn’t that right, Miss Alora?” Alora’s fists clenched at her sides as she fought to maintain a calm façade. Her thoughts screamed in anger, You manipulative witch! I’ll make you pay for this! Alora’s heart felt like it was being crushed under the weight of her emotions. Anger, humiliation, and resentment churned inside her, threatening to overwhelm her. Yet, she managed to force a weak, bitter smile through her tears. “Gavin, if that’s how it is… I’ll leave now,” she murmured, her voice trembling. Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned and fled, her figure disappearing into the distance. Moments later, a man approached her in concern. “Alora?” he called out. Startled, Alora looked up and saw James standing before her. He was one of Gavin’s closest friends and part of their circle of childhood companions. Seeing her tear-streaked face, James’s brows furrowed in concern. “Alora, what happened?” he asked, his voice laced with worry. “Who made you cry like this? Tell me, and I’ll make them pay!” Alora shook her head quickly, brushing away her tears with a trembling hand. “No, James. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” But James wasn’t convinced. His expression hardened, and his eyes flashed with anger. Alora had always been cheerful and strong, the kind of person who rarely let things get to her. For her to be this distraught, something serious must have happened. “Alora, don’t hide it from me,” he urged gently. “You know you can tell me anything. What’s going on?”Before Alora could respond, her younger sister, Rita, came running over to catch up. The younger woman’s face was red with frustration, and she wasted no time speaking her mind. “Sister, why are you protecting her? Why are you letting her treat you like this?” Rita huffed, glaring in the direction they had just come from. Then, turning to James, she blurted out angrily, “Mr. James, do you even know about President Gavin’s wife? That so-called Mrs. Liza is an absolute nightmare! She humiliated my sister and even forced President Gavin to sever all ties with her!” “Rita, stop it!” Alora cut in sharply, but her voice lacked strength. Rita, however, was just getting started. “Why should I? Sister, he has the right to know how that woman treated you!” she snapped before turning back to James. “Do you know what happened? That Mrs. Liza—Liza—can’t stand that my sister is a woman. She’s jealous of her and doesn’t want her anywhere near President Gavin! She’s insecure and controlling. But instead of standing up for my sister, President Gavin just turned his back on her and cut her out of his life completely!” Alora lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “James… It’s not her fault. She’s probably just being protective of her marriage. I don’t blame her.” Her tone was meek, but it only fueled James’s anger. His hands clenched into fists as his jaw tightened. “This is unbelievable!” he exclaimed, his voice rising. “Gavin married such a woman? And now he’s treating you like this because of her?” James’s protective instincts kicked in as he spoke. “You’re like a sister to all of us, Alora. Even if you get married someday, you’ll always be one of us. No one can take your place.” He continued, his tone sharp with disdain. “All of us have wives or girlfriends, and none of them have ever had a problem with you. In fact, we all get along perfectly fine—because they know who you are and respect you. But this woman, this Mrs. Liza, dares to treat you like an enemy? Who does she think she is?”James’s voice grew colder as he pressed on. “You and Gavin go way back. You grew up together! You even shared the same bed when you were kids, under the same blanket. Where was Mrs. Liza then? She didn’t even exist in his life! And now she thinks she has the right to push you out and make Gavin cut ties with you?”