Chapter 462
Because of my well–known research achievements–and the very public scandal that I was once embroiled in with Grace I had become somewhat of a public figure.
It didn’t take long for some of the guests at the banquet to recognize me. From there, word soon went around that I was a divorcée who had once been married for four years.
While we lived in modern times, society was still more forgiving of men’s faults than women’s.
A man could get divorced, remarry, or jump into a new relationship without anyone batting an eye. This was especially so when the man had status and influence. In fact, people would think it was expected of him and even believe him capable.
However, this wasn’t the case for a woman. It didn’t matter how outstanding she was. Once she had been married before, she would be labeled a divorcée-“used goods“. People would intrinsically believe such women didn’t deserve a good man, nor a good life.
Just like now, the majority of the guests felt a man like William could have done far better than a divorcée.
Feeling the shift in everyone’s gazes, William’s eyes darkened immediately.
He was already treating me with special care and believed I was perfect in every way. But from that moment on, with every conversational toast he made, William was even more attentive toward me.
He did so deliberately and conspicuously so that everyone knew how highly he thought of me and how much he liked me. He made sure there was no doubt in anyone’s mind—to him, I was the best woman in the world.
Anyone who looked down on me was looking down on him too. They might walk away with their life should they cross him. But William made sure everyone was aware he would make them suffer a fate worse than death should they be foolish enough to
upset me.
Sensing this, no one present dared look at me judgmentally again. After all, William was like a titan in high society. Even the Hardwells didn’t dare confront him directly, much less the others.
Irvin could only watch as William held me in his arms and acted so protective of me. He felt a suffocating pain in his chest.
He didn’t want to admit it, but he had no choice. Right now, William was more powerful than him. More than that, William’s feelings toward me seemed genuine. He truly cared for me.
Irvin knew someone in William’s position didn’t need to use his marriage as a sacrifice. If he had proposed to me, it was because he truly wanted to marry me. And if he treated me well, it was because he truly liked me.
This realization stung. In his lowest and weakest state, Irvin had encountered such a strong adversary as William.
If I had gotten together with Noah, Irvin would’ve been jealous. He would’ve felt bitter. But he wouldn’t have been worried.
Irvin knew I only saw Noah as a little brother. There was no way I would ever fall for him.
But with William, he was scared. He was afraid I would actually come to love the man.
Irvin had always been proud and confident. He had always thought himself unbeatable. The only time he had respected someone and found himself paling in comparison was when it came to William–especially now, in a situation like this.
This frightened him. It terrified him so much that Irvin couldn’t resist seeking me out when I was alone.
“Could you wait for me, Emi?” he blurted.
Stumped by his abrupt and nonsensical request, I stared at him with a confused expression. I had no idea what he meant.
Irvin stared back at me. He recalled how in the past, he wouldn’t have needed to say anything. Just one look from him would
have been enough for me to know what he was thinking.
His heart squeezed with an unbearably bitter sorrow. Without realizing it, we had somehow grown this far apart. We were like
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strangers now. The wordless connection we once had was gone.
This pained Irvin so very much.