“You… you’re back,” Clara said softly, her face flushed.
“Yes,” Ethan nodded, walking in and staring at Clara’s chest.
Clara felt uncomfortable under his gaze and instinctively covered her chest with her hands.
What was he looking at?
Did he see something?
Her dress was a simple strap dress, not sexy at all. It had a slightly tight design around the chest, making it fit snugly against her skin without revealing anything inappropriate.
But Ethan’s gaze made her wonder if something inappropriate was showing.
Clara looked down quietly… nothing was showing.
Ethan noticed her action and smirked. “Let’s go,” he said, no longer looking at Clara.
How strange.
He stared at her but didn’t say what he was looking at.
Clara followed him.
The party was held at a socialite’s house, which was particularly large with a big garden. The garden was decorated with many colorful lights, making it look very beautiful.
Moreover, Clara realized upon arrival that this wasn’t just a casual gathering of a few friends.
There were many people.
At the entrance, she saw elegantly dressed men and women mingling. It was still early, and there were already so many people. Soon, there would be even more.
Clara felt a bit nervous.
So many people.
“What’s wrong?” Ethan sensed Clara’s tension and asked.
Clara shook her head and whispered, “Nothing.”
But she subconsciously straightened her back.
This was her first official appearance in this circle since marrying Ethan… she couldn’t mess it up.
“No need to be nervous,” Ethan said.
Clara blushed, feeling embarrassed.
Did Ethan notice her nervousness?
Would he laugh at her inexperience?
“If you meet someone you like, feel free to chat. If you meet someone you don’t like, you don’t have to engage with them,” Ethan said.
Is that possible?
In this circle, wasn’t it customary to maintain harmony regardless of personal feelings?
“You are my wife,” Ethan said seriously. “In this circle, no one can force you to endure unpleasant interactions.”
Clara was stunned.
She looked at Ethan.
What did he mean by that?
“They should be the ones trying to please you. You don’t need to please anyone,” Ethan said.
Is that so?
Ethan led Clara inside.
The host of the party saw Ethan and quickly approached with a smile, warmly greeting him and expressing their honor at his presence.
They had sent an invitation to Ethan but didn’t expect him to come.
After all, Ethan was a busy man and didn’t enjoy socializing. He rarely attended such parties unless necessary.
It was a pleasant surprise that Ethan showed up.
Everyone noticed Ethan and, of course, Clara as well.
This circle was unfamiliar with Clara.
Apart from seeing her on their wedding day, they hadn’t seen Clara since.
They initially thought that after marrying, Ethan would deal with the Everett family harshly.
But instead of taking action against the Everett family, Ethan brought Clara to such an event.
Was this a statement of his stance?
By bringing Clara to the party, he acknowledged her status as his wife.
Many people began to reevaluate Clara and the Everett family.
Clara felt nervous under the scrutiny from all directions but tried hard to maintain her composure.
The more attention she received, the more she couldn’t afford to lose her cool.
She couldn’t embarrass Ethan or herself.
Nora stood not far away, watching Ethan and Clara.
Ethan wore a black suit while Clara wore a white dress. The classic black-and-white combination looked perfect. Petite Clara stood quietly and obediently beside the tall and imposing Ethan, looking very well-matched.
Nora’s eyes were filled with intense resentment almost spilling over.
Why?
Why did Ethan attend such an unnecessary party?
He usually declined such invitations.
Was it because of Clara?
Did he understand what it meant to bring Clara to this party?
It meant he acknowledged her status as his wife.
From now on, Clara could socialize as Ethan’s wife, and others would recognize her status too.
Nora had a good relationship with June and knew well under what circumstances Clara married Ethan.
Despite those circumstances, why did Ethan acknowledge her status?
Could it be… that Ethan had fallen for Clara?
The thought of this possibility made Nora’s heart ache so much she could barely breathe.
“Why is Ethan here?”
“Isn’t that his wife beside him?”
“What does this mean?”
“Could it be that Ethan likes his wife? That’s why he’s bringing her out to socialize?”
The discussions among her friends made Nora’s face even more unpleasant.
“Ugh! I don’t understand what the Everett sisters have that makes them so special,” one of them scoffed.
The Everett sisters weren’t particularly stunning or from prominent families… yet they seemed to have a knack for captivating men.
Iris had once beaten many outstanding socialites to become Ethan’s fiancee. After Iris wronged Ethan, her younger sister managed to marry him successfully. Now it seemed she had secured her position as Mrs. Ethan.
This made many beautiful and wealthy socialites very unhappy.
Ethan was the prince charming in Riverton’s high society… his looks, demeanor, family background, and abilities were all mesmerizing. Before he got married, he was the top dream man in Riverton, admired by countless socialites and ladies.
But such a top dream man had been taken by the unremarkable Everett sisters one after another.
How could they be content with that?
If someone like Nora had won over Ethan, they would have accepted it. After all, they couldn’t compare to Nora in looks or high education, let alone family background and abilities… losing to Nora would be understandable.
But losing to the Everett sisters… they couldn’t accept it at all.
“Enough,” Nora said. “Stop talking.”
It was annoying to listen to them.
Already frustrated, listening to them made it worse.
She had thought only Clara would come today. She planned to use some tricks to embarrass Clara… but now that Ethan was here, it would be difficult to make Clara look bad.
Clara represented Ethan’s face to some extent. If she lost face, so would Ethan. He wouldn’t stand by and let that happen.
“Nora, aren’t you angry? Look at Clara… what does she look like?”
“Exactly. Wearing a white dress and having long straight black hair doesn’t make her pure.”
“Ugh! Who knows what tricks the Everett sisters used to win over Ethan.”
The socialites took turns belittling Clara.
Nora felt even worse listening to them.
Could it be that Iris and Clara really used underhanded means to get Ethan?
If she had used those disgraceful methods… would she have won over Ethan herself?
Clara saw Nora and gave her a faint smile.
Nora looked at Clara.
Clara was indeed pretty but not exceptionally beautiful. She could be considered moderately attractive. Perhaps due to her young age, she had baby fat on her face, making her look fair and tender-very cute. Today’s styling and makeup highlighted her purity and cuteness, making her look fresh and radiant.
Compared to the other socialites who were either sexy or elegant, she stood out in her own way… which also made her very eye-catching.