Chapter 269 Who Is Qualified to Stand by Her Side

Chapter 269 Who Is Qualified to Stand by Her Side

Ethan came over from the staircase. He wasn't walking fast, but each step carried weight, the kind that drew every eye in the room.

He walked up to Abigail, glanced at Chris's outstretched hand, then looked down at his sister.

"Abigail, the first dance. Dance with me."

It wasn't a request.

Chris's hand was still hanging in mid-air.

Abigail looked at Chris, then at Ethan.

She didn't hesitate long.

"Okay."

She walked past Chris and took Ethan's arm.

When the two of them stepped into the center of the dance floor, several men who'd been waiting to ask for a dance quietly backed off.

Chris slid his hand back into his pocket. He stood there, his expression unchanged.

Sophia walked over with a glass of juice and stopped beside him.

"Shot down already?"

Chris didn't answer.

On the dance floor, Ethan placed one hand on Abigail's waist and held her fingers with the other, leading her through a slow turn.

His movements weren't textbook perfect, but they were steady and easy enough for her to follow.

"Nervous?" he asked, looking down at her.

"A little," Abigail admitted. "I'm not very good at dancing."

"It's fine. You can step on my feet if you need to."

Abigail smiled, and her shoulders relaxed a bit.

The music flowed slowly, and soft light fell across them. Ethan led her through a few more steps, then suddenly spoke.

"Abigail."

"Mm?"

"What do you think of Chris?"

Abigail looked up and met his eyes.

"He's been very good to me."

Ethan nodded slightly, as if weighing her words.

"He has helped you a lot," he paused. "But the distance between you two is getting too close."

Abigail's steps faltered.

"What do you mean?"

"Today he put that bracelet on you in front of everyone, and his fingers stayed on your wrist longer than they should have." Ethan's tone was calm. "He's your friend, not your family. That kind of thing should be done by me."

Abigail opened her mouth.

"Ethan, he didn't mean anything by it."

"I'm not saying he did," Ethan cut her off gently. "I'm talking about boundaries. He's helped you, and I'll remember that. I'll pay him back later. But you don't need to accept everything just because you feel indebted. When he offers you something, you can say no. You're the daughter of the Hubbard family. You don't owe anyone."

Abigail didn't answer right away.

She looked down at the silver chain on her wrist.

The three small gems glimmered faintly in the light.

"I understand," she said quietly.

Ethan didn't press further. He led her through another turn, slowing down even more, as if worried she couldn't keep up.

"If anything comes up in the future, tell me," his voice dropped lower. "Don't carry it alone, and don't let others carry it for you. You have me."

Abigail felt a tightness in her chest.

She nodded and squeezed his hand slightly.

At the edge of the dance floor, Sophia hadn't looked away.

She'd watched the entire exchange.

She couldn't hear what they were saying, of course, but from Ethan's expression and Abigail's reaction, she could read between the lines.

"He just gave you a warning," she murmured to Chris.

Chris took a sip of champagne. His expression remained neutral.

"A warning? What did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong." Sophia kept her eyes on the siblings. "He just cares about his sister too much. Think about it—he searched for her for twenty-five years, finally got her back, and now in his eyes, some guy is putting jewelry on her in front of everyone. If it were you, wouldn't you be on edge?"

Chris was silent for a few seconds.

"I'm not just some guy."

Sophia glanced at him sideways.

"In his eyes, you are."

Chris didn't respond. His gaze returned to the center of the dance floor.

Abigail's hand rested on Ethan's shoulder, a slightly uncertain smile on her face. She was getting used to this feeling of being protected—cautious, yet hopeful.

Chris set his glass down on a nearby table.

"I'm not backing down." His voice was quiet.

Sophia hummed noncommittally.

She walked past Chris toward the dessert table and picked up a piece of cake. After two bites, her eyes swept across the dance floor again, and she started thinking.

The song was reaching its peak.

According to the usual flow of these events, there'd be a partner switch during the climax—the men would rotate one position to the right, and the women would accept new partners.

Sophia bit her fork, glanced at Chris's position, then looked toward the dance floor.

She put down the cake and brushed the crumbs off her hands.

"Chris."

Chris turned around.

"What?"

Sophia didn't explain. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the dance floor.

"Get out there."

"Sophia, what are you doing?"

"Don't ask, just dance with me for a minute."

Chris was led to the edge of the dance floor. The music had just hit a key change, the rhythm picking up slightly, and the lighting shifted from warm yellow to pale gold.

Sophia held his hand, pretending to dance but actually steering them the whole time, moving step by step toward where Abigail and Ethan were.

Chris finally caught on to what she was doing.

"Sophia."

"Shut up and don't move."

The music reached that point.

The host announced with a smile from the stage, "Ladies and gentlemen, time to switch partners."

People on the dance floor began to move.

Sophia stepped to the right in time with the beat and let go of Chris's hand.

Then she reached out and pushed his back.

Her touch wasn't forceful, but her aim was perfect.

Chris stumbled forward half a step and stopped right in front of Abigail.

Ethan's hand was still on Abigail's waist. He sensed the movement nearby and turned to look.

Sophia stood two steps away and flashed Ethan a bright smile.

"Mr. Hubbard, switch for a round?"

She extended her hand.

Ethan looked at Sophia, then at Chris, his gaze moving between them.

Abigail stood in the middle, still processing what was happening.

Chris straightened his cuffs, facing Abigail with his usual composure back in place.

"Abigail, do you mind?"

Abigail opened her mouth, her eyes instinctively turning to Ethan.

Ethan hadn't spoken yet.

Sophia had already grabbed his arm.

"Mr. Hubbard, just one round. You can't leave me standing alone on the dance floor, right? That'd be embarrassing."

Ethan looked down at Sophia's hand on his arm, and something soft, barely noticeable, passed through his eyes.

Then he looked at Abigail.

Abigail gave him a small nod.

The gesture was light.

Ethan's hand left Abigail's waist, and he was half-pulled, half-led away by Sophia.

In the center of the dance floor, Chris extended his right hand.