Chapter 373: Don’t I Have My Pride?

Chapter 373: Chapter 373: Don’t I Have My Pride?

So, what was it?

All eyes in the vicinity focused on them, and the hall fell into a dead silence.

Sean Ellison keenly noticed the strange reactions from the crowd. He subconsciously glanced around, a sudden, inexplicable chill running down his spine, raising goosebumps all over his arms.

A sudden flash of intuition told him to break the silence and try to save himself. "Zane, is this the... Miss Donovan you mentioned before?"

"Yes. She’s the sister of my younger cousin, which makes her my sister, too. You can just call her Serena. Serena, this is Sean Ellison. You can call him..."

"Sean Ellison."

Zane Lynch was cut off mid-sentence, and he stared at his cousin, completely baffled.

"His name is Sean Ellison. Just call him that."

"Oh, okay."

Zane Lynch: "..." ’Something feels off, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.’

Seeing Arabella Donovan agree so obediently, a flicker of a smile crossed Caspian Rhodes’s eyes. He secretly leaned closer to her and asked in a voice only they could hear, "Do you remember that Peacock Blue Glaze Porcelain from Solara Corporation?"

"I remember."

’You mean the antique ceramic that was stolen and sold by that head of PR, Lynch, the one who was drowning in gambling debt? And then he replaced it with a fake in the office to pass it off as the real thing?’

Everyone present simultaneously turned to look at Zane Lynch, their gazes asking: Is that true?

Zane Lynch looked mortified and nodded helplessly.

"That antique was something he had entrusted to Zane."

Arabella Donovan had a sudden realization.

’So it was his!’

"You just said you two started the business together after graduating from college, and you’ve been partners for two or three years."

"That’s right. We were introduced by a friend. We’ve been in business together for almost three years, and it’s always been a great partnership."

As Zane Lynch spoke, he turned to the man beside him and said through gritted teeth, "Isn’t that right, Sean?"

Perhaps it was the doubtful tone in Arabella Donovan’s voice when she mentioned Sean Ellison, or maybe it was her earlier thought—’You think of him as a brother, but he wants to be your brother-in-law’—that completely set off alarm bells in Zane Lynch’s mind.

He was now starting to wonder if the friend who introduced them had ulterior motives, and his attitude toward Sean Ellison had subtly shifted as well.

The poor guest, completely oblivious to what was happening, was bewildered by Zane Lynch’s drastic change in attitude. He had no idea how he’d offended him and could only stammer in reply, utterly confused, "...Yes."

’They’ve only known each other for two or three years. No wonder he wasn’t suspicious at all.’

Zane Lynch’s eyes narrowed, his gaze on Sean Ellison growing increasingly dangerous.

’Suspicious of what? Did this guy really do something shady behind my back? Or could it be... he’s in cahoots with that ungrateful Cassandra Lynch? Is he another one of the fish in her pond?!’

You couldn’t blame Zane Lynch for his wild imagination; he’d been driven to paranoia. It was only in the last six months that his family had come to the stunning realization that this "sister" of theirs, who rarely ever went out, had such an extensive social circle. Everywhere they went, they’d run into one of her simps. It was impossible to guard against!

Arabella Donovan was unaware of Zane Lynch’s inner turmoil. She stroked her chin and sized up Sean Ellison, unable to hold back a few clicks of admiration in her mind.

’Look at that face, that body! The height of a model, the face of an idol. A narrow waist, firm butt, and long legs. Fat guys really are diamonds in the rough. Looking at him now, who could imagine he was two or three hundred pounds a few years ago?’

’A narrow waist, firm butt, and long legs?’ Caspian Rhodes narrowed his eyes and scanned Sean Ellison from top to bottom, his expression turning quite sour.

Everyone else, however, focused on the last sentence.

’Two or three hundred pounds?’ That number sounded a bit familiar. Could it be...

The Lynch and Donovan families abruptly turned to look at Melody Lynch.

Melody Lynch was also baffled by this divine plot twist. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared intently at Sean Ellison’s face, trying to find any trace of him in her memories.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t see any resemblance at all!

Zane Lynch was also stunned. He’d been letting his imagination run wild, but he never would have guessed that his good buddy was the kind soul who had saved his sister’s life all those years ago!

"You..."

Before Zane Lynch could say anything, Melody Lynch cut in, "Have we met somewhere before?"

"Hm?" Arabella Donovan’s ears perked up instantly.

’Did my dear cousin remember? He looks so different, yet she can still recognize him. You two must be true loves, right?’

Melody Lynch: "..." ’No, if you hadn’t reminded me, I honestly wouldn’t have recognized him.’

Sean Ellison was taken aback by her question. When he recovered, he chuckled and said, "Did that car accident a couple of days ago scare you silly? Haven’t we met several times before? Or is my face just that generic that you don’t remember me from our previous meetings?"

Hearing his teasing, Melody Lynch looked embarrassed. "That’s not what I meant. I was wondering if we met a long time ago."

Sean Ellison froze again. After a moment, he asked, a little surprised, "You remember?"

"So you really did recognize me before this?"

The moment Melody Lynch said this, Arabella Donovan couldn’t help but roast her in her mind.

’Isn’t that a stupid question, my dear cousin? He’s the one who had a total transformation, not you. Of course he’d recognize you at a glance.’

Melody Lynch choked, but she still felt a bit indignant. "If you recognized me all this time, why didn’t you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Sean Ellison had calmed down by now and gave a helpless smile. "Tell you that I was the big, chubby guy you met when you were kidnapped? That sounds like I’m trying to take credit. Who goes around claiming credit for a good deed before the person they helped even recognizes them? That’s so tacky, don’t you think? I have my pride, you know."

The onlookers: *Pfft...* ’He’s not wrong. Someone actually did rush to claim the credit, and now he’s claimed himself a spot in the hospital.’

’HAHAHA, this guy’s mouth is really something... He opens his mouth and accidentally lands a hit on a certain someone who’s still lying in a hospital bed. I know he didn’t do it on purpose, but why do his words sound so provocative? But I have to say, if you had just swallowed your pride and spoken up, my dear cousin wouldn’t have been ruined by those two animals, Cassandra Lynch and Howard Gallagher, in the original story. The hero has to take full responsibility for this. To live up to that responsibility, why don’t you just offer yourself in marriage?’

Melody Lynch: "???"

The Lynch Family: "!!!"

The Donovan Family, who were enjoying the show: *Pfft...* HAHAHAHA...

The Donovans, who were gloating while enjoying another family’s drama, turned their heads and saw that someone—Caspian—had, at some unknown point, quietly sidled up next to Arabella Donovan. He was gazing intently at their precious little cabbage, his face a picture of helpless indulgence as he grinned like a fool.

The Donovan Family: "!!!" ’When did he get over there? Get away from our precious cabbage! Back! Back! Back!’