Victoria quickly stepped forward to calm Grandma Sinclair. “Mom, please take care of your health. Even though Liza may be a bit willful, she wouldn’t dare to act out with so many people here today. It’s been so long since she’s been home—she’ll surely come back to see you.” Helen cast a cold, scrutinizing glance at Victoria. This mistress truly had a way with words. On the surface, she appeared to be comforting the old madam, but her remarks painted Liza as unfilial, reckless, and self-centered. It seemed Xavier’s assessment of the Sinclair Family had been right. They were utterly insufferable. Helen chose to remain silent, knowing full well that Little Six wouldn’t miss this gathering. When Liza arrived, she would undoubtedly handle these people in her own way. As time dragged on, the murmurs of discontent in the room grew louder.Though the students refrained from interfering in the Sinclair Family’s drama, Liza’s tardiness gave them reason to grumble. To them, it was a clear sign that she didn’t respect their time or the effort they made to attend. Mr. Sinclair glanced at the clock, his face dark with anger. He clenched his teeth and muttered, “I’ll call her right now and ask if she’s still planning to come. I arranged this celebration for her return, invited so many people, and yet she’s making everyone wait without a word!” Victoria wore a pained expression and addressed the crowd apologetically, bowing slightly. “Students, I’m terribly sorry for taking up so much of your time. It seems Liza might not be coming after all.” Serena stepped forward, her expression sorrowful. Inwardly, she was pleased—Liza’s absence would solidify her image as disrespectful and unruly. Feigning guilt, Serena bit her lip and said, “I’m sure there’s a reason for my sister’s absence. Perhaps… she still hasn’t forgiven me. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. Please don’t hold it against her—it’s all my fault!“I’ve let everyone down. I beg your forgiveness!” Tears rolled down Serena’s cheeks, and her pitiful demeanor tugged at the hearts of the male students. They quickly stepped in to console her. “Serena, this isn’t your fault at all.” “Yeah, this is all on Liza. What does it have to do with you?” “Liza is being unreasonable! Does she think we’re just here to waste time for her amusement?” “When we get back to campus, I’m starting a thread about this. Everyone will know the kind of person she is—letting her elders and classmates wait like this without even showing up!” Suddenly, a soft, trembling voice broke through the chaos. “Dad, I’m so sorry I’m late.” The crowd turned to see Liza at the doorway, dressed simply in a plain, modest gown. She looked delicate, almost fragile, like a flower swaying in a gentle breeze. Her face was pale, her voice quivering as though she were on the verge of tears. “A-Are all of you leaving?” Mr. Sinclair couldn’t hold back his fury and snapped, “You’ve got some nerve showing up here! If you didn’t plan on coming, you could’ve called to inform me instead of making everyone wait for no reason. What exactly do you mean by this?” Serena quickly chimed in, her voice trembling with faux concern. “Sister, is it because you hate me? Is that why you didn’t want to come? But since you agreed, why behave this way? Grandma isn’t in the best health, and Dad is unwell too. They’ve been waiting for you this whole time.” With those words, the heavy accusation of being unfilial fell squarely on Liza’s shoulders. Serena knew Liza’s personality well. She was certain that Liza wouldn’t let such an accusation slide and would retaliate. When that happened, Serena planned to cry and play the victim, ensuring that everyone would gang up on Liza, leaving her with no chance to defend herself. Lowering her head, Serena allowed a sly, triumphant smile to curl on her lips. But just as she thought her plan was foolproof, Liza’s entire body began to tremble, her eyes misting over with unshed tears. “Sister, I’m so sorry,” Liza murmured, her voice weak and quivering. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble. It’s just… the security guards at the entrance wouldn’t let me in. “They told me that the Sinclair Family only has one young miss, and that’s you. They called me a wild girl and ordered me to leave. No matter how much I tried to explain, they refused to listen. That’s why I was late. I’m truly sorry to everyone for the inconvenience.” Helen, observing from the side, was momentarily stunned. Serena froze in disbelief, her face draining of color. What was happening? Was Liza… pretending to be weak?Liza sighed, her tone tinged with helplessness, but inwardly, she was smirking. So this is all it takes to throw Serena off her game? And she still dares to challenge me? As Liza’s gaze swept over the room, she noted the dark, unpleasant expressions of the Sinclair Family members. Their faces contorted as if they were utterly humiliated. She continued softly, “Dad, please forgive me. I had no idea the security guards didn’t recognize me. I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. In the end, it was Third Brother’s bodyguard who stepped in and subdued the security team at the door. That’s how I managed to get inside… “But as soon as I came in, you scolded me…”