Chapter 841
Seeing this, Jett raised his glass and said, "You probably don't know this, but I caught one of your dance performances once. It was amazing. How about we toast to forget the awkwardness just now?"
He extended the glass towards Lillian, but she pushed it away. "I don't drink. I have to drive later."
Anouk, hearing this, got annoyed and chimed in, "Lillian, it's fine. If you get drunk, we have a driver at home. Or you can just crash at home; you don't have to work this afternoon. Right, Mom?"
Anouk turned to look at Ruby.
Ruby smiled gracefully and nodded, then said to Lillian, "Lillian, it's your first time meeting Jett and the others. Having a couple of drinks is no big deal. I've already approved your leave for the afternoon. We haven't gone shopping together yet. You and Anouk can accompany me this afternoon. Don't worry about work."
With Ruby's words, Jett and Gage became even more insistent, almost forcing the drink into Lillian's mouth.
The chair beneath Lillian screeched as she pushed it back and stood up. She waved her hand, knocking Gage's glass, spilling the drink on his shirt.
Gage stood up in surprise, but instead of worrying about himself, he reached out to Lillian. "Lillian, are you okay?"
As he got closer, the strong, unfamiliar scent of his cologne made Lillian feel nauseous. She forcefully pushed his hand away, shouting, "Don't touch me!"
Gage, looking embarrassed and confused, stepped back.
Kenneth's face darkened with anger. "Lillian, how long are you going to keep this up? Apologize to Gage."
Ruby stood up and instructed a servant to bring a towel for Gage. "It's fine, no need to apologize. We're all family. Lillian didn't do it on purpose."
Gage quickly added, "I'm fine. It was my fault for not holding the glass properly. It's not Lillian's fault."
Both of them appeared polite and gracious.
Kenneth, however, was furious. "No, she must apologize."
Lillian smirked sarcastically. "I never thought I'd be forced to drink in my own home, in front of my father."
Kenneth frowned. "If you didn't want to drink, you could have told Gage. You didn't have to spill the drink on him."
Lillian laughed coldly. "Could I have pushed him away? Didn't I say I had to drive and wouldn't drink? He practically shoved the glass in my face. Are you selectively blind, Dad?"
Kenneth's face grew even darker. He had been talking to Ruby and hadn't noticed what was happening with Lillian.
He turned to Gage. "Did you force Lillian to drink?"
Gage looked puzzled, glancing at Lillian as if he didn't understand why she would say that.
Anouk, sitting nearby, spoke up, "Lillian, you misunderstood Gage. I saw everything. He was just being enthusiastic, not trying to force you."
Kenneth, clearly more inclined to believe his daughter, glared at Lillian. "Lillian, are you trying to shift the blame for your mistake? I don't care how your previous guardians raised you, but now that you're part of the Kelly family, you should hold yourself to the standards of the Kelly Group. Learn from Anouk..."
Lillian had reached her limit. She interrupted Kenneth, raising her voice, "Learn what? How to be manipulative? Greedy? Two-faced? Or how to lie through my teeth? I don't have that kind of talent."
Anouk's eyes reddened, and she bit her lip. "Lillian, you have such a big prejudice against me. I've grown up with Mom and Dad. They know me best. How could I be what you say?"
Tears welled up in Anouk's eyes as she stood up, wiping them away. "Lillian, I know you don't want to see me in this house. That's why you caused a scene as soon as you walked in. Dad even postponed an important meeting to have dinner with you. I'll go upstairs and disappear from your sight. Please, just have a nice meal with Dad and stop arguing. I'm sorry."
Anouk, sobbing, ran out of the dining room.
"Anouk!" Ruby called out, but Anouk didn't look back.
Ruby sighed, looking pained and helpless, but said nothing.
Kenneth, seeing this, felt even more protective of Anouk. He thought of how she used to be so bright and cheerful, now reduced to tears and hiding away. His heart ached.
Kenneth, full of disappointment and anger, glared at Lillian. "Anouk did nothing wrong. Ruby and I have already sent her to the Lawson family. How can you be so narrow-minded and not tolerate her?"
Lillian felt she couldn't communicate with Kenneth anymore. She had lost all patience and simply said, "If that's what you think, then so be it."
She turned to Ruby. "I didn't come here for dinner. Since I can't stay, Ruby, give me my mom's belongings."
Ruby looked helpless. "Lillian, look at how upset you've made your father. If you care so much about your mom's belongings, you must be a filial child. Apologize to your father."
Ruby avoided Lillian's request, and Lillian knew she wouldn't hand over the items easily.
Lillian's smile was mocking. "You're not going to give them to me, are you?"
Kenneth, hearing Ruby mention the belongings, snapped, "I don't think she has any filial piety. She only cares about the value of those items. Don't give them to her. She'll just sell them."
Lillian laughed coldly again. She stepped forward, leaning on the table, staring at Kenneth. "Who's really after my mom's things? Some people aren't just greedy for things; they're greedy for people too."
Kenneth's chest heaved, as if she had hit a sore spot. He stood up abruptly, leaning towards Lillian, and slapped her, shouting, "Shut up!"
Lillian's face turned to the side from the force of the slap, and the room fell into a stunned silence.
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