Yeri clenched her teeth inwardly. However, this was neither the right place nor the right time to confront them.
As the banquet progressed, more distinguished guests continued to arrive.
Among them was Calin Ricci, who immediately became the center of attention as she entered with a companion at her side.
"So… she really is engaged?" Daniel muttered under his breath, casting a sidelong glance at Allen, Calin's former boyfriend.
Allen gave a soft snort and lowered his gaze, his expression quickly turning unreadable.
"Why are you looking at me?" he replied coolly. "We ended things a long time ago."
Yeri, too, found her curiosity piqued. She studied Calin's companion discreetly. He was undeniably handsome, impeccably groomed, confident in bearing, and polished to perfection.
Yet there was something faintly unsettling about him, an indistinct dissonance beneath the surface. Whether it was intuition or mere prejudice, she could not say.
Calin soon noticed their group and approached, swaying gracefully in a striking red gown, her arm looped possessively through the man beside her.
"You're all here," Calin said with a radiant smile. "Allow me to introduce my fiancé, Bryce Gate. He's been living abroad for several years and only recently returned."
Tristan raised his glass slightly, stepping just a fraction forward so that he was subtly positioned in front of Yeri.
"Indeed," he said coolly. "I heard Mr. Gate made quite the bold gesture, injecting a substantial sum into the Ricci Group. Admirable. Such generosity speaks volumes. One can only assume it is fueled by deep affection for Miss Ricci."
Yeri stared at Tristan's broad back, momentarily puzzled by his sudden movement.
Why was he shielding her? Yet she could clearly sense the hostility radiating from him.
Was there some unpleasant history between the two men?
Saeki, standing nearby, had also lost his usual relaxed demeanor, his posture sharpening with quiet vigilance.
"The pleasure is mine, Young Master Felan," Bryce replied with a light chuckle, lifting his wine glass. His gaze then slid toward Yeri, lingering a second too long. "And this is… your girlfriend?"
Calin's smile deepened, her expression turning subtly meaningful. She did not answer verbally, merely gesturing as though to say 'I've mentioned her to you before.'
"Yeri Zhi," Tristan interjected smoothly. "My younger sister."
He chose his words with care, fully aware that Yeri had no intention of revealing her engagement to Shin Keir just yet.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Gate," Yeri said, offering a polite nod. She deliberately ignored the man's penetrating gaze.
To any outsider, the exchange appeared civil, pleasant, even. Yet Yeri caught every veiled barb, every deliberate pause, every sharpened smile exchanged between Tristan and Bryce Gate.
The tension was finally broken by the arrival of Zoren Lin.
Dressed in a pristine white suit, Zoren appeared refined and amiable, though the fatigue in his eyes betrayed the long hours he had spent entertaining guests. As the birthday host, he had undoubtedly been drinking since early evening.
"Sister-in-law," Zoren asked in a lowered voice as he leaned toward Yeri, "when will our Young Master Keir be arriving?"
Yeri: "..."
In truth, several of Shin's friends had already been quietly asking the same question.
"Happy birthday, Eldest Young Master Lin," Yeri said first, smoothly steering the conversation away. "Though I would appreciate it if you simply called me Yeri. I came with my mother this evening, her cousin married into one of the Lin family's branches."
Zoren's expression brightened instantly, as though he had just uncovered a priceless connection. "Then does that make you my sister as well?"
Yeri was momentarily speechless. There's really no benefit getting associated with her.
"Eldest Young Master Lin," she replied with polite restraint, "there is no need to think so highly of me."
Zoren was soon pulled away by other guests eager for conversation. Seizing the opportunity, Yeri excused herself as well.
Social gatherings and the subtle politics woven into them were never something she enjoyed engaging in for long.
She made her way to the buffet, selected a few desserts, and drifted toward the right side of the estate, where a vast ornamental pond reflected the lights like scattered stars.
She did not approach too closely, choosing instead to stand in a quieter corner where fewer guests lingered.
As she took a small bite of pistachio cake, a familiar and thoroughly unwelcome figure entered her line of sight.
Yeri nearly gagged.
Leo Nafplion. What was an addict like him doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be in rehabilitation?
As if sensing her gaze, Leo spotted her immediately. His eyes lit up, and he strode toward her with exaggerated confidence, his expression smug and self-satisfied.
Before Yeri could retreat, he was already standing in front of her.
"Well, well," Leo drawled, looking her up and down with thinly veiled disdain and lewdness. "I must say, I'm surprised. What is someone from a third-tier family doing at such an elite gathering?"
The implication was unmistakable.
Yeri did not bother responding. In a crowd like this, she doubted he would dare to cause a public scene. She turned slightly, intending to leave.
Unexpectedly, Leo stepped sideways, blocking her path.
As though he had not already disgraced himself at her family estate, as though nothing had ever happened, Leo still carried himself with the same delusion, firmly convinced that she was, and always would be, his fiancée.
"Yeri," he said with an air of entitlement, lowering his voice. "Are you done playing hard to get? I knew it, you're here because you heard I'd be attending, right? Don't be so eager. People might misunderstand. You'd better behave yourself and prepare obediently for our engagement. It's already generous of me to agree to this marriage. Must you be so toxic and follow me around? Let me be clear, I don't like shameless and clingy women."
Yeri finally looked at him. Her gaze was cool and detached, as though she were regarding an inconvenient object rather than a person.
"Move," she said calmly.
Leo smiled, mistaking her restraint for shyness. "You're still angry about last time, I get it. But this kind of place isn't for throwing tantrums. Stay close to me and don't cause trouble. Don't speak when you don't need to. With your upbringing, you clearly know nothing about socializing. Pretending to be clever will only embarrass me."
Yeri was almost tempted to smash the plate she was holding into his face.
Didn't he know his breath reeked?
She suddenly regretted leaving Tristan's side, but she could hardly burden him when so many other guests were clearly vying for his attention and waiting for an opportunity to discuss business.
Sensing that she was not following him, but instead setting her plate down on a nearby table, Leo snapped. He reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Didn't I tell you to stay close to me?"
Yeri yanked her hand back instantly, her face contorting in undisguised disgust.
"Leo Nafplion, mind yourself. We have nothing to do with each other. What you are doing constitutes harassment."
Seeing the hostility and revulsion on her face, Leo froze for a moment, then his expression twisted into something darker. Had there been no witnesses, he would have already turned violent.
"What are you acting arrogant for?" he sneered. "I heard Shin Keir is doing business with your family, is that what you're relying on?"
His gaze swept over her body, leering.
"You certainly came prepared. How slutty. Did you think I wouldn't know he didn't come tonight? If you're not here for me, then what? Don't tell me you're here for someone else? Yeri Zhi, give it up. You can't escape me. Do you understand?"
Yeri took a step back, not out of fear, but because she could not tolerate breathing the same air as him.
Unfortunately, Leo mistook this for weakness, his expression growing smug.
Just as he reached out again, someone stepped between them.
By then, they had already drawn the attention of nearby guests.
"Sir," the man said calmly, "is there a problem here?"
Leo glared at him, assessing him from head to toe. "No problem. She's my fiancée. We're just talking."
"I am not," Yeri said firmly from behind the man. "I don't know him at all."
Her words clearly enraged Leo. Veins bulged at his temples as he pointed at her. "You slut! What are you pretending for? You came here without my knowledge and now you dare deny me? If you're not cheating, then tell me, how did you get in here?!"
Gasps rippled through the onlookers at his vile language. At the same time, suspicious murmurs followed, some casting dubious glances at Yeri, whispering that she looked far too beautiful for a man like Leo, while others speculated about how she might have gained entry.
Yeri stepped forward, her expression composed, unflustered. Before she could speak, another voice cut through the noise.
"She came with me." Tristan emerged lazily from the crowd, wearing his usual nonchalant smile.
"Leo Nafplion," he continued coolly, "do you not know your place? Causing a scene at such an occasion, this is not somewhere for you to harass women at will."
At the mention of Leo Nafplion's name, another wave of gasps followed. In their circle, news traveled fast, and the Nafplion family's reputation was far from spotless.
Yet instead of backing down, the sight of Tristan only seemed to excite Leo further. He began shouting, hurling curses, accusing Tristan of seducing and stealing his fiancée.
Women who knew of Leo's violent tendencies, abusive behavior, and addiction instinctively kept their distance, while others whispered in disbelief, wondering what the Lin family had been thinking by inviting someone like him.
Yeri, who had assumed Leo would at least restrain himself for the sake of appearances or his family was momentarily stunned.
Truly, the shameless are invincible.
"I believe Young Master Nafplion has had far too much to drink," Tristan remarked mildly.
It was a transparent attempt to give Leo an exit. Unfortunately, Leo did not take it.
"Tristan Felan!" he roared. "Just because you have the Keir family backing you doesn't mean you can steal another man's woman! Do you have no shame? Haven't you had enough women already? Are you planning to marry them all?"
He laughed harshly.
"I don't understand why people think so highly of you when you and I are no different! If anything, I think you're sick. You fool around with all kinds of bitches, who knows what diseases you're carrying?"
The guests watching purely for spectacle were utterly stunned.