anwhile, Elena found Evelyn and Leo sitting together, enjoying their al.
Leo looked up as she approached. He grinned. "Aunt..."
Evelyn paused when she heard him call soone ’Aunt.’ "Elena, is that you?"
"Yes." Elena laughed softly. "And I’m here to eat with you."
"Co and eat with us," Evelyn said joyously.
"Yes," Leo chid in. "I’ll share my pie with you."
"You keep your pie," Elena said, amused. "I’ll get my own."
She strode toward the buffet table.
The long table was filled with exquisite dishes.
Silver platters displayed roasted lamb, grilled steak dripping with rich sauce, smoked salmon, and colorful salads. Freshly baked bread filled the air with a delicious aroma. The separate dessert section showcased fruit tarts, cheesecakes, chocolate mousse, pies, and pastries.
Elena picked up a plate, checking what to pick.
Just then, a voice ca from behind.
"You are Elias’s so-called wife."
The tone was dripping with contempt.
Elena paused and turned around.
A blonde woman stood before her with her arms crossed. She looked smug and arrogant.
Elena didn’t recognize her.
Vivian stood before Elena. "Do you really think you belong to this elite society, to this family? A nobody like you doesn’t deserve to be a part of the Rowan family."
Elena could sense the jealousy behind her words. She smiled casually as if she weren’t bothered by her remark.
"And an outsider like you gets to decide who belongs to the Rowan family?"
"Outsider?" Vivian bristled at the word. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. "How dare you call an outsider? Do you know who I am?"
She lifted her chin proudly. "I am Vivian Sterling, the sole heir to the Sterling family. And I am Elias’s childhood sweetheart, the woman he was supposed to marry. And you..."
Elena couldn’t hear the rest. Her mind stuck to the words, ’the sole heir to the Sterling family.’
’She is my half-sister.’ A bitter feeling surfaced inside her chest.
"Are you even listening to ?" Vivian exploded.
She hated it when soone ignored her and didn’t answer her.
Elena snapped out of her thoughts, almost startled.
Looking at her pale face, Vivian grew confident. She mistakenly assud she had intimidated her.
"You are nothing to him." She arrogantly pointed a finger at her. "He married you to fulfil his grandpa’s wish. He is only repaying you for saving his grandfather’s life."
At that, Elena’s temper flared.
Her mother had left her and built a family of her own. And now her half-sister wanted to take Elias from her.
Absolutely not.
She would never let Vivian win and destroy her marriage.
"Even if that’s true," Elena scoffed, "he still chose to marry . I am now his wife. His family accepts ."
She smiled coolly. "And he willingly transferred ten percent of his shares to ."
Vivian nearly exploded.
"You... Don’t be so cocky. I am the woman he likes, his childhood sweetheart. Sooner or later, he will kick you out of his life and marry ."
Elena wasn’t angry. Instead, she wanted to laugh.
Elias had already explained everything to her just a while ago. He had made it clear that she was the only woman he had ever desired.
Back then, if he had not found out she had already been with Noah, he might have approached her and expressed his feelings for her.
But she wasn’t disappointed.
The right things happened at the right ti. If he had proposed to her at the ti, she might have rejected him—because her heart was full of Noah. There had not been a space for soone else.
And now, she no longer loved Noah. She wanted to spend her life with Elias and give everything to this marriage. This ti, she wouldn’t let anyone destroy her life again.
"If you two were so much in love with each other, why hadn’t he married you?" Elena asked with a sarcastic smile donning her face. "Seems to you an nothing to him."
Vivian dug her nails into her palms, seething. "He loves ," she shouted.
Elena simply smiled.
The confidence in her expression infuriated Vivian even more.
"He never liked you. You are just clinging to a fantasy."
Each word was a nail piercing Vivian’s heart.
"Stop clinging to a married man. Find soone else. Or you will end up being humiliated."
Vivian wanted to scream. She was so angry that she almost lost her mind. She raised a hand to slap her.
Elena caught her wrist before the slap could land on her face.
It only added to Vivian’s fury. "How dare you?"
Her burning gaze dropped onto the plate in Elena’s hand. She instantly grabbed it and lifted it high above her head.
Sensing her intentions, Elena pushed her away.
Vivian stumbled backward. She twisted her ankle and fell heavily onto the floor. The porcelain plate shattered into pieces.
The noise attracted everyone’s attention.
Vivian’s face turned red. She felt humiliated. And that feeling of humiliation drove her almost insane.
She wanted to scream and tear Elena apart. But when she noticed multiple pairs of eyes on her, she swallowed her anger.
She pressed her lips tight. Then she squeezed out tears in her eyes. "Why did you push ? I only tried to talk."
Whispers erupted around the hall.
"What happened?"
"Did Elena really push Vivian?"
"I saw Vivian raise her hand first. She looked furious."
"Vivian has always had a bad temper."
"Could this be about Elias? Vivian has been chasing him for years."
"Looks like she’s jealous of his wife."
The whispers grew louder. And it only made Vivian more and more furious. She wanted to defend herself and silence everyone. But she saw Elias walking over through the corners of her eyes.
Her whole expression changed. She cried pitifully.
"Why are you so cruel to , Elena? I have never offended you before."
"What is going on?" Elias’s deep voice echoed in the air.
Instant silence fell over the room.
When Elena saw Elias approaching, uneasiness crept into her heart. The scene in front of her was too familiar. It had happened before.
Tessa had frad her like this several tis. She would lie and accuse Elena of hurting her, and every single ti, Noah had believed her without hesitation.
Elena wondered if Elias would do the sa, blaming her without giving her a chance to explain. Would he trust Vivian’s tears over her words?
"Elias," Vivian cried out pitifully. "She pushed ." Her voice broke. "I only tried to talk to her, but she beca hostile toward . You should punish her. She hurt ."
Elias didn’t even spare her a glance. He walked straight past Vivian and stood in front of Elena. Holding her shoulders, he scanned her carefully from head to toe.
"Are you alright?"
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