Amara was taken aback. “What happened? Where is Grandfather right now?”

As she spoke, she and Lisa stepped outside. They had barely made it down the stairs when they heard a commotion from outside—voices overlapping, as if a crowd had gathered.

When they reached the living room on the first floor, Amara stopped in her tracks at the scene before her.

The main doors to the Everly family mansion stood wide open. Emma, wearing only a thin jacket and no makeup at all, was kneeling outside the entrance, crying out:

“Dad, please, I beg you-lift my ban and let me host the dinner at home for Finn! Finn is your own grandson—this is the biggest moment of his life, something that only happens once. You have to think of him!”

Emma’s tears streamed down her face, her thin clothing no match for the chill. Kneeling on the cold ground, her nose was red from the wind; she cut a truly pitiful figure.

Of course, the moment the Everly family matriarch knelt down like this and began to sob, the estate’s main gates were closed tight. Family scandals are not meant for outsiders’ eyes.

Just then, Mr. Kevin Everly came out, leaning on his cane. He pointed it at Emma, his anger barely contained. “Get out of here! I told you already—I will always acknowledge Finn as my grandson, but I will never, ever accept Liliana!”

“And don’t even think about coming back into this house! Think carefully about the things you’ve done after all that, do you really think you can still come in?”

Emma’s weeping only grew more desperate at his words.

“Dad, please don’t say that. A husband and wife are a team-how can you recognize Finn but not Liliana? The two of them are going to be married for life. If you keep refusing to acknowledge Liliana, it’ll affect your relationship with Finn, too!”

Mr. Kevin Everly was livid.

“Are you threatening me? My relationship with Finn is none of your business. Now get out of here—stop making a scene!”

He had never imagined Emma would show up like this, causing a spectacle in front of everyone. He could feel his blood pressure spiking.

Amara stared, stunned.

Emma really had no sense of shame. But what was this dinner she kept mentioning?

She quietly pulled Lisa aside to ask in a whisper. Lisa replied in a low voice, “You know the marriage customs here in Wye. The wedding ceremony is held on the official day, but the night before there’s usually a small banquet—the bride wears traditional attire and she and the groom toast the guests.”

“But in a lot of prominent families, there’s another tradition-before that small banquet they host a formal dinner at home, inviting important people from all circles. There’s dinner and dancing, sort of a prelude to the wedding.”

“With the young master’s status, Mrs. Emma Everly believes the pre-wedding dinner should be held at the Everly mansion. If it’s done at a hotel it would look like the family doesn’t value him. So Mrs. Emma Everly is hoping the old master will forgive her and accept Liliana so she can host the pre-wedding dinner for Finn and Liliana at the mansion.”

Amara pressed her lips together and said nothing.

All these banquets and pre-wedding dinners—she’d never had any of that. Her marriage had been a rushed affair meant to bring good luck, not a proper wedding, so most of the usual traditions had been skipped.

Lisa seemed to realize she might have touched a nerve and quickly added, “Ama, are you upset? The Everly family really did handle things badly back then…..”

Amara smiled faintly. “It’s all right. Ours wasn’t a real marriage anyway. There was no reason to follow the usual customs.”

Seeing that Amara didn’t seem to mind, Lisa relaxed. Amara really was someone who could see the bigger picture…