Chapter 108 Why Do You Want to Marry Me?
All eyes turned sharply to Debra.
"Debra, was it really you?!" Byron looked shocked.
Eric's eyes narrowed, glaring coldly at the panicked Debra.
Evelyn just lowered her eyelids, a lazy smirk on her lips, seeing through all the schemes.
"How dare you slander me?!" Debra shouted, ready to pounce, but Tiffany stopped her. "I'm from the Wellington family! Think about the consequences of tarnishing my name!"
Despite her tough words, she was terrified inside. She couldn't implicate Nicole, or it would confirm her involvement in the drugging.
Debra broke into a cold sweat, realizing Nicole had set her up.
"The Wellington family treats its servants well, but you tried to drug and seduce Eric and Landon! When caught, you tried to drag my daughter down with you! You're despicable! Last time, Debra just scolded you, and now you want revenge! Dream on!" Tiffany grabbed Patrick's arm urgently. "Patrick! Call the police and have this venomous maid arrested! She's slandering Debra!"
Patrick didn't believe Debra would do such a thing. "Someone! Restrain her and call the police!"
"I didn't! Debra told me to do it! She promised me a lot of money so I'd never have to take orders again! Debra, how can you deny it?! You wanted to seduce Mr. Clark! Say something, Debra!" the maid screamed hysterically, her eyes red.
Tiffany, wanting to gag her, quickly ordered someone to drag the maid out. She was sure the maid had no evidence.
Evelyn understood the situation but felt it wasn't that simple. Knowing Debra well, she doubted Debra could come up with such a scheme. It seemed more like Tiffany's tactics, but Tiffany wouldn't use Debra. Evelyn suspected Nicole was behind it.
She noticed a slight sinister smile on Nicole's lips. Anger surged, but she suppressed it. Without evidence, she'd look foolish making accusations.
"Mr. Taylor, this incident shows a serious lapse in the Wellington family's management, allowing such a malicious person to cause trouble," Patrick said gravely to Charlie. "This is our fault, and I sincerely apologize."
Charlie smiled faintly but didn't respond. Patrick's face turned ugly.
Edward, not satisfied, said coldly, "No, this is clearly that..."
"Byron, since Patrick has apologized and the person who drugged has been caught, let's leave it at that for tonight," Evelyn interrupted calmly. "Landon and I are fine, and both our families have reputations to uphold. Making a big deal would bring shame to us all. Let's be forgiving."
Edward looked at her in astonishment. Something was off. The old Lily might have let it go, but the current Evelyn wouldn't. He remembered the fierce look in her eyes when Landon was in trouble. Was she planning a more powerful counterattack?
Eric heard Lily call Charlie "Byron," and his mind went blank. 'How do I miss that Lily has such a powerful father?'
"For my daughter's sake, Patrick, let's leave it at that," Charlie said coldly, clearly reluctant.
Debra, realizing she had narrowly escaped disaster, leaned weakly against Tiffany, who quickly left with her.
The birthday party started gloriously but ended in family disgrace.
After that mess, Byron had no mood to celebrate his birthday, meanwhile, Charlie and Evelyn couldn't stick around either.
The Wellington family escorted them out, with Edward walking silently beside Evelyn, wanting to say something but hesitating.
Charlie kept giving Edward dirty looks. If looks could kill, Edward would be toast.
"Mr. Taylor!" Nicole chased after them, looking innocent. "I'm really sorry about tonight. It was a misunderstanding. I didn't know Ms. Brown was your daughter or her relationship with Landon."
Charlie, fuming, kept walking without even glancing at her. "Ms. Adams, so if Evelyn wasn't my daughter, you'd just stir up trouble?"
"I didn't mean that," Nicole stammered, her heart pounding.
Edward remembered how Nicole had accused Evelyn and Landon of having an affair in front of everyone. Her sinister look made him feel like he didn't know her at all.
His lips pressed into a thin line, disappointment washing over him.
"Don't comment on things you don't understand. If it were another girl, how would she explain herself? You're just causing harm," Charlie said, shaking his head and quickening his pace.
Nicole watched them leave, feeling a chill run through her body. Even Edward didn't stay for her.
Outside, four luxury cars were lined up, with William and several bodyguards ready to escort them.
"Lily! Wait!" Byron couldn't hold back, grabbing Evelyn's hand with tears in his eyes. "Lily, why didn't you tell us you were the Taylor family's daughter? Why did you stay by my side as a caregiver named Lily?"
Evelyn sighed heavily. "I hid my identity when I married Edward because of an old family rule forbidding intermarriage between the Taylor and Wellington families. Plus, our families have been business rivals for years. If I had said I was a Taylor, I wouldn't have had the chance to stay by your side."
Charlie and Patrick's expressions were complicated, and Edward felt a mix of bitterness and confusion.
"My girl! You're overthinking it!" Byron, heartbroken, squeezed her hand. "What ancestral rule? I never said the Wellington and Taylor families couldn't intermarry! As long as there's mutual affection, why can't you be together? I fully support you and Edward!"
"Byron, I'm not a good child. I've deceived you for so long. And Edward and I don't have mutual affection. So, even without the ancestral rule, we still can't be together."
Edward's throat tightened, despair in his eyes.
"Byron, now that your birthday is over, Edward and I will finalize our divorce." Evelyn's words felt like a knife to her heart, making her eyes red as she hugged Byron. "Even though I won't be your granddaughter-in-law anymore, Lily is still Lily, and you'll always be my grandpa. I will always love you, and you must stay healthy and live a long life."
Byron hugged her tightly, sobbing.
As Evelyn was about to get into the car, Edward couldn't hold back any longer. He rushed forward, trying to grab her, but she was no longer someone he could approach casually.
He wanted to touch her hand but pulled back stiffly.
"Can you answer me a question?" Edward asked.
Evelyn stopped and looked back coldly.
"When you hid your identity and married me, was it just because of our families' relationship?" Edward's voice trembled, looking at her deeply, as if this was his last chance.
"Yes," Evelyn replied tiredly, almost perfunctorily.
"Why did you marry me?" Edward asked, his eyes red. "You're the Taylor family's daughter, with no financial worries. When Grandpa arranged our marriage, you knew it was a contract and had no future. Why did you marry me?"
