Alliana was already red due to anger.
She was looking for the man's weakness for her mother, yet her mother was kicking her out?
For whose sake was she trying to push this man away!
Alliana turned to George coldly. "I don't need you to defend me." Her beautiful eyes then shifted to her angry mother. "Mother, as the man said, I did not say anything wrong, so why are you getting angry at me instead?"
Annie's face was also flushed red from anger and disappointment.
How could her eldest daughter be this insensitive? There were some things that one could not say because they would only hurt others' feelings!
Pressing down the urge to reprimand Alliana further, Annie closed her eyes to calm her heart.
There were two guests here at the table, yet their family was showing such a crude attitude. It was truly shameful.
Annie ignored Alliana and held George's hand instead. In an ashamed voice, she apologized sincerely.
"I am sorry for what just happened, George. I apologize on behalf of my daughter. It turns out that after so many years, they are not ready yet. This is due to my negligence, an oversight on my end."
Alliana was even more upset. Her face became more stubborn. "Mother, why are you apologizing to him? If he can't endure this much, how can he stay beside you and face all the rumors and aggressions towards you?"
Annie did not look at Alliana anymore. Her daughter was obviously in a state where she would deny everything. Her daughter did not even listen to her at all.
Annie stood up.
"George, I told you that I will tour you around the house, didn't I? I want to show you the ancestral hall."
George hesitantly looked at Alliana and Annie back and forth.
He felt guilty and regretful. The meal was ruined because of him. However, the mother and daughter would just continue to fight in an ugly way if they both remained here. Besides, George was not their father yet, so he did not have any right to make decisions for them.
George sighed. "Alright."
He had to talk with Annie and Alliana later separately when he had the chance. They would become family soon. He really hoped that they could accept one another.
The two left, leaving the three sisters and the silent boy at the table alone.
The tension in the air had not dissipated yet.
Ariana peeked at Alliana through the mesh of her black hat.
Her elder sister remained on her seat, unmoving like a statue, and with a frigid expression on her beautiful face.
Ariana internally sighed. It would be better if they leave their sister alone here for now. Or else, her anger would turn to them.
Obviously thinking of the same thing, Angel was the first one who stood up. "I will be returning to my room first."
She then dragged the boy who was choked up from all the silence towards the staircase.
Ariana gracefully stood up afterwards. She walked past Alliana, paused, and patted her elder sister's shoulder.
"Do not hurry, sister. It will just upset our mother."
Silence.
After all the people from the table left, Alliana was left alone.
She clenched her hand. After a long while, she could not hold her anger in. She took her wine glass and gulped it down. Her white throat was gracefully curved as she tilted her chin up and swallowed.
But the anger and the embarrassment she felt did not dissipate.
Why her mother could not understand her intention? Why she had to be the one who needs to be reprimanded?
She was the daughter! Her mother's family for twenty-six years! And the man whom she brought today had only been her mother's lover for three years yet she chose him!
This is ridiculous!
Her mother had been blinded by the so-called love again! How many times had it been?! Why can't she understand that all she did was for her and for the family?!
Suddenly, Alliana raised her hand and threw glass across the table without changing expressions.
Crash!
The loud sound of glass shattering into a rain of shards echoed in the enormous dining hall.
Like the shattered glass, Alliana felt her heart was also broken.