As the security guards rushed out, Connor ordered, “Get this woman out of here!”
The guards immediately surrounded Caitlin, who glanced coldly at Connor and Yasmin’s faces. In a calm tone, she said, “I don’t want to ruin my dinner mood today.”
The implied meaning: I don’t want to make this a bloody fight!
Yasmin shouted, “That should be my line! I don’t want you ruining my mood either! Be smart and leave now, or my bodyguards will make you leave, and that wouldn’t be pretty!”
“You and Connor are so close, right? Well, I know Dylan from Jackson Rapid Group, should I give him a call and ask who actually has the say here?” Caitlin said, bringing up Connor’s father.
Connor was visibly intimidated when Caitlin mentioned her connection to Dylan.
Yasmin, trying to provoke Connor further, said, “Connor, don’t be scared of her! This woman is the best at seducing men. Your father has probably already fallen for her tricks. Who knows, she might even be aiming to replace your mom. Be careful, don’t let any woman like this get away!”
“Her? Trying to be my stepmother? Ha…” Connor couldn’t tolerate that. He could tolerate a lot, but not this. If his father dared to find another woman behind his back, he’d break her apart!
“Bring her to me! Now!” Connor ordered, his patience exhausted.
Just as the bodyguards moved in to grab Caitlin, a cold voice came from behind.
“Stop!!!”
The bodyguards froze, and turned to see Sebastian, holding his son Howard’s hand, walking toward them coldly. Both father and son were dressed in matching deep purple suits, with the same cool demeanor and rebellious eyes.
“What’s going on here, Connor?” Sebastian asked, his gaze icy as he approached.
Connor, upon seeing Sebastian, immediately felt a sense of shrinking. “Mr. Vanderbilt, it’s nothing, just handling a small matter!”
In the past, Connor had lost to Sebastian in a race, and he wasn’t thrilled about it. He was just waiting for the next chance to redeem himself!
“Sebastian…” Yasmin was stunned. She had never seen Sebastian in such bright colors. In her mind, he was always dressed in dark tones, deep and quiet as the night.
“Handling what? Did my child’s mother offend you?” Sebastian asked, stepping forward and placing his hand on Caitlin’s shoulder, staking his claim.
Caitlin subtly shrugged him off and turned to look at her son. Howard immediately ran up to his mother and hugged her leg.
Caitlin smiled down at him, ruffling his hair.
Tonight, Caitlin’s dress was a light purple, perfectly matching Sebastian and Howard’s deep purple outfits. The three of them looked like a perfect family dressed in coordinated outfits.
It was obvious to anyone who wasn’t blind!
Connor was surprised. “Wasn’t it rumored that you and Caitlin have divorced? Then how…”
“My divorce is none of your business!” Sebastian shot back at him. “Tonight, we’re having dinner as a family of three. Let’s see who dares to kick her out!”
His voice was calm, but full of provocation and authority.
It sounded like they might have reconciled!
Connor couldn’t afford to offend him directly. “It was a misunderstanding! Mr. Vanderbilt, please, make yourselves comfortable. I apologize for the inconvenience!”
The bodyguards quickly stepped aside, and Sebastian put his arm around Caitlin’s shoulder while she held Howard’s hand. Together, the three of them walked into the restaurant.
Yasmin watched them, her face turning dark with anger.
She couldn’t get the man she wanted, and now she had to watch the woman she despised having dinner with him. The sight of their happy family made her hate it even more!
“Connor, you just let them go up like that?” she asked, furious.
“What else could I do? I can’t offend Mr. Vanderbilt! My dad has always told me, the one person in New York you can’t mess with is Sebastian.”
“But, just wait! At the next race, I’ll beat him!” Connor was already plotting for their next race.
Yasmin pouted, and Connor tried to cheer her up, “Alright, let’s go up. Tonight’s your birthday, and I’ve prepared a surprise. Let’s go!”
Yasmin had lost most of her mood for the birthday celebration, but now, thinking about it, with Connor backing her, she was fine. She had to make Sebastian know that she had plenty of men pursuing her, and not accepting her was his loss!
Plus, with Caitlin here, she had to outshine that woman tonight!
“I won’t lose to Caitlin!” Yasmin muttered.
“No worries, I promise you’ll be the center of attention tonight,” Connor assured her confidently.
Hearing this, Yasmin’s mood lifted. As long as she stood out, Caitlin would be left as nothing more than a backdrop.
The observation elevator was moving up.
The lights and neon of the city reflected through the glass, casting a brilliant glow on Caitlin and Sebastian.
Sebastian took a quick glance at Caitlin, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I didn’t expect us to be so in sync. We’re all wearing matching colors, looking like a family in coordinated outfits.”
Caitlin also took a look at Sebastian but didn’t speak. Instead, she turned to Howard, holding his little face, and praised him, “Our Howard looks so handsome tonight! What a little heartthrob!”
Howard was delighted to hear his mom’s praise.
Since she thought their son was handsome, he definitely wouldn’t fall behind!
Sebastian leaned against the glass wall and asked, “Caitlin, what do you think of my outfit tonight?”
He waited for her praise, but Caitlin simply responded, “It’s alright.”
“We’re all wearing the same color, why is Howard super handsome and I’m just ‘alright’?” Sebastian was a bit displeased with her lukewarm evaluation. His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at her, “Look again properly!”
“Do you want the truth?”
“Of course!”
Caitlin took another serious look, and then said, “It’s like a purple eggplant.”
That was her review?
Sebastian felt like he’d been stabbed in the chest.
Caitlin continued, “It’s like a yellow cucumber painted green!”
It felt like another stab, each worse than the last!
“Ah, but Howard really suits this color. Looks great!”
She looked at their son again, still thinking he looked adorable in it.
“Woman, you-” Sebastian couldn’t handle the double standard in her aesthetic anymore.
The whole vibe was off. He felt like he was being struck by lightning.
A purple eggplant?
A yellow cucumber painted green?
His carefully chosen outfit had been mercilessly trashed by her.
Sebastian could almost spit out blood from the frustration.
He wasn’t willing to accept this. He moved quickly, pinning Caitlin against the wall.
“Caitlin, I’m giving you a chance to reconsider. If you don’t tell me the truth now, you don’t want to know what happens next…”
“What are you going to do?” Caitlin raised her chin, looking him straight in the eyes.
Their gazes locked, neither of them giving an inch.