Chapter 114
It was Charles, Sophie, and Vivian.
Charles's right arm was still in a sling, but he looked in good spirits, watching Sophie and Vivian pick out clothes with an indulgent expression on his face.
Sophie wore an expensive new outfit, her face showing a satisfied smile.
Vivian, wearing heavy makeup, clung to Charles's arm and pointed at a pricey dress in the window, acting cute, "Dad, I like that one!"
What a perfect picture of a family of three shopping together.
Obviously, they hadn't expected to run into Elizabeth here.
Vivian was the first to spot Elizabeth sitting in the rest area. The smile on her face instantly froze, then turned into undisguised jealousy and provocation.
Sophie saw her too, and her expression darkened.
Charles's smile also disappeared in a second, as if running into Elizabeth was extremely unlucky.
Elizabeth put down her magazine and looked at them expressionlessly.
Knowing the truth in her heart, facing this scene of fatherly love and filial piety, she felt no bitterness, only cold mockery.
"Well, well, if it isn't Ms. Windsor," Vivian let go of Charles and sauntered over to Elizabeth, looking her up and down. Her gaze fell on Elizabeth's simple clothing, her tone cutting, "What are you doing here alone? Where's Mr. Smith? Don't tell me he dumped you? Well, I guess that makes sense—someone like Mr. Smith, how could he possibly be interested in you?"
"Vivian!" Charles barked, cutting off Vivian's increasingly bold words.
He glanced warily toward the fitting room, then looked at Elizabeth, his tone carrying fake concern, "Elizabeth, what are you doing here? Are you alone? Did you run into some kind of trouble?"
He clearly also assumed Elizabeth was by herself, that Jacob might not be around.
Sophie also walked over, standing beside Charles, looking at Elizabeth with a superior, fake sympathetic gaze, "Elizabeth, I'm not trying to be mean, but girls need to know their place. If you want to marry into a wealthy family, you need to see if you're worthy. The Smith Family isn't a place just anyone can enter. Now you're finding out how hard it is, right? If you really have nowhere to go, for your father's sake, we're not saying we can't give you a meal at home, but..."
She deliberately drew out her words.
The three of them tried to grind Elizabeth into the dust, as if this would highlight their sense of superiority.
Elizabeth quietly watched them perform, her eyes calm and still, as if watching a farce that had nothing to do with her.
She couldn't even be bothered to argue back.
However, in Vivian's eyes, her silence was guilt and weakness.
Vivian became even more complacent and raised her voice, "Mom, why are you telling her all this? People like her just have too high expectations but bad luck; how could she listen? Maybe Mr. Smith is tired of her, gave her some money to send her out to buy things, just to keep her out of sight! Look at her, she can't even afford a decent dress, and can only sit here watching!"
The nearby shop assistants and a few customers looked over, pointing and whispering.
Just then, the fitting room door opened.
Jacob walked out wearing that dark blue suit.
The perfectly tailored suit outlined his tall, strong figure, his features even more defined and striking, his whole being radiating the kind of cold, unapproachable aura unique to those in power.
While adjusting his cuffs, he looked up, his gaze landing precisely on Charles, Sophie, and Vivian, who were chattering away in front of Elizabeth.
His appearance instantly silenced the previously noisy store.
Everyone felt that invisible, suffocating sense of oppression.
Vivian's mocking laughter stopped abruptly, as if someone had suddenly grabbed her by the throat.
The smugness on Sophie's face instantly froze, turning to terror.
Charles's face went pale, and he instinctively took half a step back.
Jacob strode forward, walking straight to Elizabeth's side. His arm naturally wrapped around her shoulder, drawing her into his embrace. His movement carried a strong sense of possession and protection.
Then he looked up, those deep, icy black eyes sweeping over Charles, Sophie, and Vivian like cold blades.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to every corner of the store, with a bone-chilling calm, "Were you just provoking my fiancée?"
Vivian trembled all over, her lips quivering, unable to say a word.
Sophie's face went deathly pale as she looked to Charles for help.
Cold sweat poured from Charles's forehead as he forced out a smile uglier than crying, "Mr. Smith, it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! The kid doesn't know any better, just talking nonsense! We'll leave right now, won't disturb you and Elizabeth..."
"Leave?" Jacob's lips curved into an extremely cold arc. "Did I say you could leave?"
His arm around Elizabeth tightened slightly. His gaze fell on Elizabeth's calm face, his tone softening but with a tenderness that would shock anyone, "Eliza, how did they give you a hard time just now? Tell me about it."
He called her Eliza, so intimately, as if calling his most precious treasure.
Elizabeth looked up, meeting the tenderness in his eyes, and her heartbeat actually quickened a bit.
She knew he was standing up for her.
She gently shook her head, her voice clear and calm, "It's nothing. Just some unimportant people saying some unimportant things. Mr. Smith doesn't need to pay attention. Our time is valuable—let's not waste it on them."
She didn't even name names, directly dismissing them as unimportant people. The contempt and disdain in her words were more hurtful than any heated rebuttal.
Jacob looked at her cold and proud demeanor, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
Fine by him—as long as she wanted, he could crush these people anytime.
"Did you hear that?" Jacob looked back at the ashen-faced trio, his tone returning to ice, "My fiancée is generous and won't hold it against you. But I'm not like that."
He paused, then said word by word, "Charles, I heard you've been up to no good lately at the Windsor Group board meetings?"
Charles's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed.
"And you," Jacob's gaze turned to Vivian, "I heard you've been very idle lately, gossiping everywhere?"
Of course, he didn't have time to know what Vivian had been doing recently, but he could easily guess what kind of person she was. Last time she dared to complain in front of him, who knew how she must be badmouthing Elizabeth behind the scenes.
Thinking of this, his expression grew even more hostile.
Vivian screamed and hid behind Sophie.
Sophie was also trembling.
"Get lost." Jacob finally spat out one word, as if shooing away flies. "Don't dirty my fiancée's eyes by staying here. If I find out you dare show her the slightest disrespect again..."