Ethan was displeased. The smile on his face was forced, stretched just enough to pass, while inside, anger simmered steadily.
He stood at the corner of the hall where members of the branch families had gathered, maintaining a composed front. Yet every time his mother's words echoed in his mind, his blood boiled.
'You're pathetic. Not even capable of inviting a girl to accompany you. Do one thing and get yourself killed. At least then I could gain more support from the others in the name of sympathy. And I would be spared from being regarded as the mother of a wimp.'
His fingers tightened around the glass in his hand, the faint creak of pressure almost audible. Still, he held himself back. Causing a scene here would only make things worse.
"Ah, isn't it Ethan?"
A lady approached with a bright, composed smile, followed by a blonde woman whose eyes mirrored Ethan's own.
"Aunt Tessa, how have you been?" he asked, stepping forward to exchange a brief, polite hug.
