In the quiet villa, Gavin lowered his gaze, his tone calm but carrying a hint of curiosity. “Mrs. Liza Stone, don’t you have anything you’d like to ask?” Liza blinked, caught off guard. “Ask about what?” A faint smirk tugged at Gavin’s lips as he replied, his voice laced with sarcasm, “About how the head of the Stone family happens to be an illegitimate child. Isn’t that worth your interest?” Liza raised an eyebrow, utterly perplexed. Why would that matter to her? Every family had its share of troubles. Liza’s own upbringing was fraught with struggles, leaving her with little energy to delve into the messy dynamics of someone else’s household. Besides, being born as an illegitimate child wasn’t something anyone could control. No child would choose that path if given a choice. In fact, most would likely prefer being born into a modest family rather than bearing the burdens of illegitimacy in a powerful and wealthy one.Liza had already heard fragments of Gavin’s past from the butler. She knew about the cruelty he endured growing up under Lady Edna’s hand. There were stories of neglect—of days without food or water—and punishments that isolated him from the world. This mistreatment seemed unimaginable for someone from a wealthy family, yet it only highlighted how sorrow often shadowed those in high places. Despite her own struggles, Liza’s past seemed slightly kinder in comparison. She at least had her second uncle, who genuinely cared for her and shielded her from the worst of her family’s indifference. Gavin, on the other hand, had faced his challenges alone. It was rumored he had a younger brother, born of the same mother but treated with undeniable favoritism. Lady Edna showered her younger son with love and granted his every whim. It was even said she had attempted to wrest power from Gavin, hoping to transfer the family’s inheritance to his younger sibling. When Liza first heard this, she couldn’t help but wonder if there had been a dramatic family twist, like the classic trope of heirs being swapped at birth. How else could one explain such drastically different treatment between two sons from the same mother? As these thoughts crossed her mind, Gavin leaned back lazily against the freshly cleaned sofa, his expression cool and unreadable. The butler chose that moment to return, bowing slightly as he addressed Gavin. “Young Master, Madam asked me to relay a message before leaving. The Reed Family is hosting a banquet at Mingfeng Hotel, and Old Master Reed has personally extended an invitation to you…” The mention of Old Master Reed caught Liza’s attention. She glanced at Gavin, noting the subtle narrowing of his peach blossom eyes. If the invitation had come from anyone else in the Reed Family, Gavin might have dismissed it without a second thought. But Old Master Reed was different. He had once done a great favor for the Stone family, and now, by extending this formal invitation, he was placing himself in a position of humility. For someone like Gavin, declining such an invitation wasn’t an option. Old Master Reed stood out as the only rational figure in the entire Reed Family. Recognizing Gavin's silence and neutral demeanor, the butler continued, his tone cautious but informative. "The Reed Family is hosting this banquet to showcase a dress designed by Ruby Co," he explained. "It’s a one-of-a-kind piece, and they recently acquired it. They've invited prominent figures from the upper class and elite members of the fashion industry. It seems they’re aiming to break into the luxury fashion market." At the mention of "Ruby Co," Liza stiffened. The Reed Family bought one of her designs? Fate seemed to have a peculiar way of intertwining their paths. Over her career, Liza—under her pseudonym Ruby Co—had created only a few exclusive, limited-edition pieces, and she sold even fewer. Among them, one stood out as her personal favorite: Time Flows. Before she could dwell on her thoughts, the butler continued, “The dress in question is called Time Flows. In recent years, Ruby Co hasn’t released many designs, and completed pieces are even rarer. When Time Flows was unveiled, it sparked a bidding frenzy. But then, unexpectedly, the competition went silent, suggesting it had been purchased at an astronomical price. It turns out the buyer was the Reed Family.” Hearing this, Liza’s mind raced. Though the Reed Family’s fortunes had waned in recent years, their legacy still gave them the means to make such a significant acquisition. Yet her thoughts couldn’t help but linger on one glaring inconsistency. Time Flows. The very piece the butler described had been her proudest creation. She remembered hesitating over whether to sell it at all. Ultimately, her attachment to the design won out, and she decided to keep it for herself. As far as she knew, Time Flows was still stored safely in her home. So where had the Reed Family gotten their version? The unsettling possibility of a counterfeit surfaced in her mind. Could they have obtained a fake and now planned to flaunt it at a grand event? Amusement sparked in her thoughts. How interesting it would be to expose the forgery during their banquet. Her mischievous expression didn’t escape Gavin, who glanced at her with a knowing smile. “You want to go?” he asked casually, his tone teasing. Liza froze, caught off guard. She quickly remembered that Gavin already knew her secret identity as Ruby Co, and her attempt to maintain an air of mystery felt futile. Her eyes darted to the floor for a moment before she admitted, “I do. I’d like to see this ‘legendary’ Time Flows for myself.” Her agreement came without hesitation, her tone carrying a touch of defiance. Gavin chuckled softly. “What a little troublemaker.” It wasn’t difficult for him to deduce her intentions. From her tone and expression, it was evident she suspected something amiss with the Reed Family’s Time Flows. While Gavin couldn’t care less about the dress, he saw no harm in letting her have her fun. The Reed Family had been treading on thin ice lately, frequently testing his patience. A small lesson wouldn’t be unwarranted.