Her reaction, however, made Kevin see her in a new light.
Holding a takeout bag, Kevin's deep, unreadable eyes were fixed on Ofelia. In that moment, he felt Ofelia's sense of grievance and also sensed her inner strength.
For a fleeting second, he saw a reflection of himself in Ofelia. Because they were so alike. "Alright, Ofelia, let's go inside," Kevin said. He had never liked Odelia before, and this incident made him find her even more pretentious and detestable. He reached out, grabbed Ofelia's hand, and pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
This action genuinely shocked both Odelia and Daniel. "What?"
Odelia covered her mouth in surprise. "Ofelia, when did you meet Young Master Hamilton? He... he..." Everyone understood the words she left unsaid.
She wanted to say that Kevin was a notorious playboy, a well-known big spender in Fortune's City, a worthless Young Master.
But considering it was an engagement party, Odelia didn't finish her sentence.
"Odelia, since Miss Velcross is your friend, you should advise her to stay away from unreliable people."
Odelia held her tongue to save Daniel's face and avoid creating an awkward atmosphere. Little did she expect Daniel to say it outright.
Though his words were directed at Odelia, his gaze remained fixed on Ofelia, never wavering.
"Daniel, maybe Ofelia and Young Master Hamilton are just friends," Odelia tried to smooth things over.
"Yeah, friends, girlfriend!"
As a man, Kevin could keenly sense Daniel's hostility towards him, especially since Daniel's eyes were glued to Ofelia.
Kevin recalled their encounter at the Twilight Club and a thought flashed through his mind, though he quickly dismissed it as unrealistic.
"Forgot to introduce you all."
Since Kevin was willing to 'admit' she was his girlfriend to protect her, even with such an 'ugly' face, facing everyone's ridicule, he still stood by her.
Even someone with a heart of stone like Ofelia would be moved by such an act. She took the initiative and held his hand, "Kevin, my boyfriend."
"Your... your boyfriend?" Although Odelia knew Kevin was a notorious playboy, he was still the Young Master of one of the four great families of Fortune's City, the Hamilton Family. How could he possibly like Ofelia?
Especially with such an 'ugly' face!
What kind of spell did this wretched Ofelia cast on him? Odelia was furious inside but pretended to be concerned, "Ofelia, I know your life is tough. You have to work and deliver food part-time to earn money for your uncle and aunt's medical bills. It's really hard, but you can't take shortcuts foolishly."
The phrase 'take shortcuts' was used very cleverly.
Everyone present was smart enough to catch the underlying meaning of her words.
"Taking shortcuts? You should see if you even have the capital for that."
Daniel's voice was cold, almost mocking. He continued, "Young Master Hamilton is always surrounded by beautiful women. You should really take a look in the mirror."
"Yeah, this girl is so dumb."
"She's so ugly, it's hard to even look at her. And she thinks Kevin would like her?"
"Kevin has seen enough beauties. Maybe he wants an ugly one for a change, haha."
"Good point, good point."
The crowd around them burst into another round of gossip.
"Kevin? What nonsense are you up to now? You disgrace me every day with your antics!"
Suddenly, a reprimanding voice cut through the chatter. The crowd parted to make way for an elderly man with graying temples who walked in.
The man was dressed in a suit. Despite his gray hair, he was full of vigor, walking with a firm step. His stern face exuded an intimidating authority.
"Isn't that Old Master Hamilton?"
"Kevin is the most disappointing son of the Hamilton Family. Jaxson Hamilton must be furious about Kevin's actions."
"Who wouldn't be?"
"If it makes me this angry, imagine how mad Old Master Hamilton must be."
...
Listening to their whispers, Ofelia finally realized that the man approaching was Kevin's father.
Ofelia couldn't help but gasp.
Earlier, when she saw Kevin standing alone, she assumed he was representing the entire Hamilton family. After all, it was just an engagement party. Who would have thought Old Master Hamilton would come in person? Now, how was she going to handle this?
"Dad?"
Kevin looked at the man who had walked up to them and greeted him with a calm "Dad," but his arm around Ofelia Velcross shoulder remained firmly in place.
Jaxson glared angrily, casting a glance at Ofelia. His graying eyebrows furrowed sharply. "Today is Daniel and Miss Griffins engagement party. What kind of nonsense are you pulling?"
He pointed a finger at Ofelia. "Haven't you made enough of a display? Bringing out some 'neither human nor ghost' ugly thing to embarrass us."
Ofelia's lips twitched slightly. She knew she had caused Kevin a lot of trouble and felt guilt.
On the other hand, Odelia, standing nearby, had a barely noticeable look of satisfaction in her eyes.
Daniel watched silently from the sidelines, saying nothing.
"Dad, that's a bit harsh, judging someone solely by their appearance." Kevin grabbed Ofelia hand and said, "Ofelia may not be a beauty, but she doesn't steal or rob. She earns her living through hard work, supporting her parents who are in the hospital. How is that shameful? Our looks are given by our parents. Should she die just because she's not pretty?"
"You...!"
Jaxson was taken aback by Kevin's defiance over a woman he considered extremely unattractive. "You speak so righteously, yet you spend my money living it up. This woman's parents are hospitalized, and instead of taking care of them, she's out here with you. What does that tell you?"
"Exactly, Young Master Hamilton, she's clearly after your money."
"But Young Master Hamilton has plenty to spare."
"Who knows?"
"To think someone so ugly could keep Young Master Hamilton interested, she must have some serious skills."
"Such a heavy taste..."
The onlookers laughed and jeered, feeling they had witnessed quite a show today.
"I don't care what her intentions are, as long as I'm happy," Kevin defended Ofelia to the end.
As his words fell, Daniel's face visibly darkened with displeasure.
Odelia said nothing, silently observing the situation, hoping that old Master would step in and get rid of Ofelia.
In this tense atmosphere, Daniel did not offer to help Ofelia, indicating that she meant nothing to him.
Everything, from Odelia's perspective, was moving in the best possible direction.
"You're nothing but a failure. If your mother hadn't died early and left you pitiful, I would have kicked you out of the house long ago," Jaxson spat out.
At the mention of Kevin's mother, Ofelia felt Kevin's grip on her hand tighten suddenly. His strength was immense, as if a sensitive nerve had been struck, and he was struggling to contain his anger.
"So, should I be thanking you?" Kevin retorted.
"You..." Jaxson began, but noticing the displeased expression on Daniel's face nearby, he stopped himself. "I'll deal with you later," he huffed before storming into the banquet hall.
With the show over, everyone else followed suit and entered the banquet hall.
Kevin pulled Ofelia to sit beside him, blending into the crowd.
The engagement party began with the host giving a speech. Elder Madam Howard and the Griffins couple also spoke, followed by Odelia, who shared a touching story about how she and Daniel met through a car accident, drawing envious sighs from the guests.
Then it was time for the meal.
Ever since Ofelia found out she was pregnant, she had been experiencing morning sickness. The sight of the greasy lunch on the table made her feel nauseous, and she covered her mouth in disgust. "Kevin, you stay here. I need to go to the restroom."
She got up and headed to the restroom, but the second floor was crowded and cramped, so she went up to the third floor.
"Ugh... ugh..."
The third-floor restroom was empty. Ofelia felt like vomiting for a while before she finally threw up.
After a moment to recover, she walked over to the public sink area, washed her hands, and cupped some water to rinse her mouth.
Ofelia turned and started to walk out. As she passed through the lounge, the door suddenly swung open. Before she could react, someone grabbed her and pulled her inside, pinning her against the wall with a swift motion.