Today, Seraphina Ashworth was dressed in a silver silk gown, her unreadable expression making it impossible to know what she was thinking. Her most captivating feature was her innate temperament—cool and peerless, making others hesitant to approach, yet also warning them not to take her lightly.
"Dad, Father-in-law, Mr. Reginald." Paul Ashworth and his wife led Seraphina Ashworth forward. "Patriarch Winters, happy birthday."
"Grandpa, Grandfather, Mr. Reginald." Seraphina Ashworth glanced coolly around the banquet hall before walking directly up to Mr. Ashworth.
"Ah, Seraphina, it's been too long since you've visited my home. You should come over more often," Sheldon Reginald replied with a hearty laugh, his gaze softening as he looked at Seraphina Ashworth.
A faint smile touched Seraphina Ashworth's lips. "Alright. Just don't get tired of me when I show up too often."
"Never. This old man would be overjoyed."
The crowd froze in astonishment, seeing the three elders act so dotingly and gently toward someone for the first time. 'What damn bastard said the Ashworth family's fifth young miss was out of favor?' they thought. 'She's clearly spoiled rotten! The person cherished by all three elders is unfavored? Then what does being favored even look like? You really can't believe rumors.'
"Seraphina, come sit here," Jasper Ashworth said, waving her over.
"Seraphina, you're back and you didn't even come hang out with us. That's not cool," Jasmine Blaine said poutingly, blinking her large, bright eyes.
"I had some things to take care of recently, so I couldn't come find you. A shame, since I prepared a gift for you... Oh well, forget it." Seraphina Ashworth set down her glass of water, teasing Jasmine Blaine. The moment Jasmine heard the word "gift," her eyes lit up, and she immediately started trying to sweet-talk Seraphina. "A gift? No, no, don't be like that, Seraphina! I was just joking! You have to give it to me."
"Seraphina, what about our gifts? You can't play favorites," Aurora Reginald teased from the side.
"Don't worry, there's one for everyone. Just come to my place to get them when you have time." Over the past year, Seraphina Ashworth had refined many elixirs in her personal space. She had already prepared ones suitable for them but just hadn't had a chance to give them out yet.
"Mmm, I knew you were the best, Seraphina," Jasmine Blaine said with a beaming smile.
Seraphina Ashworth shook her head, amused at her cousin's antics. Suddenly, she felt a hostile, jealous gaze on her. Following its line of sight, she found Kiera Winters. Her face, which was normally quite cute and delicate, was twisted with jealousy, making her look utterly hideous.
Kiera Winters hadn't expected Seraphina Ashworth to suddenly turn her head. The moment their eyes met, she saw the frigid coldness in those deep, dark pupils and felt as if she'd been plunged into an ice cellar.
She quickly averted her gaze, but not before shooting one last vicious glare at Seraphina Ashworth. 'Why is she prettier than me?' she fumed inwardly. 'Why are the Reginald and Blaine families so nice to her but so cold to me? This is my house! I'll definitely teach her a lesson today.'
Seraphina Ashworth swept an indifferent glance over Kiera Winters, then looked away and resumed chatting with her family.
After dinner, while the adults were all chatting, the younger generation moved to the garden in the Winters family's backyard.
Seraphina Ashworth and her group were gathered together, laughing and talking. Seraphina accompanied Cecilia Ashworth to the restroom. On their way back, Kiera Winters blocked their path.
Kiera Winters approached with a group of people in tow. "Seraphina Ashworth, we still haven't settled the score from the mall."
"Seraphina, those are from the Sterling family, and that's a Montague," Cecilia Ashworth whispered in Seraphina Ashworth's ear, identifying the new arrivals.
Seraphina Ashworth shot her a cool glance. "What, wasn't last time's lesson enough for you?"
"Don't get cocky. This is my house. I'll make you pay today," Kiera Winters said viciously. "Miss Vera, you all have to help me teach her a lesson."
"Hmm, I don't think that's a good idea. What if something happens..." Vera Montague said with a gentle smile, feigning reluctance. 'This idiot wants to drag me down with her? Not a chance,' she thought. 'But if I can use her to ruin Seraphina Ashworth's face, that would be perfect.' Seeing that Seraphina was more beautiful than her, Vera couldn't suppress her own budding jealousy.
"It's fine, she's just a weakling," Kiera Winters said, looking at Seraphina Ashworth with contempt. "Go get her. If you win, you can take anything you want from my room," Kiera ordered the girls of lower status beside her.
One of the girls stepped forward and said to Kiera Winters with a fawning expression, "We'll go! I don't believe so many of us can't beat one weakling. Besides, we have Kiera to back us up."
Hearing this, several girls charged forward. They were all ordinary Martial Artists, and they reached out to grab Seraphina Ashworth's hair.
Seraphina Ashworth's lips curved into a cold smile. 'Kiera Winters, you brought this on yourself. I suppose I'll have to accept your offer.'
"Fourth Sister, stand aside," Seraphina Ashworth said to Cecilia Ashworth beside her.
The words had barely left her lips when a formidable aura erupted from Seraphina Ashworth. She leaped into action, and with a wave of her slender, pale hands, she took care of the girls in a few swift moves.
"You're all useless! Seraphina Ashworth, I won't let you get away with this!" Kiera Winters roared and charged forward herself. Her cultivation wasn't bad—she had already reached the Warrior Level, which was why her family doted on her.
With the speed of a thunderclap, Seraphina Ashworth struck at the vital points on Kiera Winters's neck.
"What?!" Kiera Winters's eyes widened in disbelief.
'Damn it, how is Seraphina Ashworth so fast?'
Seraphina Ashworth leaped into the air and mercilessly swept a hard kick toward Kiera Winters's stomach. 'She dared to abuse Nina. She must pay the price.'
"Ah! Seraphina Ashworth, what are you doing?!" Kiera Winters was kicked to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. For a moment, she thought she was going to die, and a wave of regret for provoking Seraphina Ashworth washed over her.
"What am I doing? Taking your life while you're down, of course," Seraphina Ashworth said coldly.
Fear, anger, jealousy... A torrent of emotions flooded Kiera Winters's heart. Her face contorted as she shrieked, "Seraphina Ashworth, if you dare kill me, the Winters family will never let you go!"
Seraphina Ashworth was unconcerned. She grabbed Kiera by the neck and whispered in her ear, "So what? I'm telling you, I won't kill you. Tormenting you will be much more fun. Heh."
Now Kiera Winters was genuinely terrified, and she struggled frantically against Seraphina Ashworth's grip.
"Stop! What do you think you're doing?" Mr. Winters arrived, leading a group of people.
"Grandpa, save me! Save me!" Seeing her grandfather arrive, Kiera Winters looked as if she had just seen her savior.