Chapter 7: I Thought You Feared Nothing

Ethan had encountered too many types of women, but Ava's uniqueness made him unable to resist.

Her independence, intelligence, and occasional display of vulnerability all made his heart race.

However, as the distinguished Mr. Davis, being unsettled by a woman made him feel somewhat ashamed.

He couldn't continue to be led around by a woman. Gathering all his thoughts, he coldly said to Ava, "Ava, it's over between us. Leave immediately. I don't want to see you again."

"So eager to chase me away, Mr. Davis. Are you afraid of falling for me? I thought someone like you was fearless," Ava retorted.

Ethan glanced at her sideways, seeing her standing tall and straight, her slender high heels elongating her already long and straight legs. Images of her holding onto his waist in the pool flashed through his mind.

He withdrew his gaze, his eyes cold, and with a clear warning, he glanced at her before turning back into the bustling banquet.

The banquet continued to be lively.

The prelude to the engagement banquet began slowly.

Valerie came over excitedly.

"Ethan, where did you go just now? We've been looking for you for a while, almost delaying our engagement ceremony," she said, gesturing for the waiter to bring the engagement flowers and ring.

With everything ready, Ethan, expressionless, accepted the flowers and stepped onto the stage.

For some reason, as he looked at Valerie in white waiting to be proposed to, his mind was filled with Ava’s figure.

"Ethan, hurry up," Valerie urged.

Ethan took two steps forward, about to begin the proposal, when a very discordant sound suddenly rang out, followed by embarrassing gasps and panting.

The sound instantly spread throughout the entire banquet hall, and everyone's eyes focused on the source of the noise, filled with confusion and surprise.

Then, on the big screen in the hall, instead of romantic scenes, there were rolling pictures of Valerie with a man. The photos showed Valerie's exposed skin covered in red marks, and the ambiguous poses and expressions undoubtedly led to various interpretations.

For a moment, the entire engagement scene was enveloped in sighs and astonishment.

Guests whispered and discussed, and the originally festive atmosphere was shrouded in an inexplicable embarrassment and shock.

A person said, "The Webster family is such a distinguished family. Unexpectedly, Miss Valerie has such a scandalous private life. It's truly astonishing."

Another person said, "Yeah, look at these photos. Each man is different. She's quite horny."

Someone said, "The Davis family originally chose Valerie because of her family background, thinking that they were a good match. Who could have imagined that a so-called socialite would be so promiscuous in private, even frequently having affairs with male models."

These discussions surged like a tide, drowning Valerie in endless humiliation. She stared at the photos in panic, screaming, "Turn it off! Turn off these photos! This is a set-up, someone is trying to harm me!"

With irrefutable evidence, her defense seemed pale and weak.

Ethan angrily threw away the flowers in his hand, his eyes coldly fixed on Valerie. "I thought you were dignified and pure, but I didn't expect Miss Valerie of the Webster family to be so shameless and despicable in private. I really misjudged you."

Ethan's gaze swept through the crowd below the stage, finally fixing on a corner.

Ava had changed into a different outfit, holding a glass of wine, sitting quietly there, enjoying the spectacle.

Feeling Ethan's gaze, she raised her glass slightly to him in acknowledgment, then drained it in one gulp.

"I declare, the engagement banquet is canceled," Ethan declared before leaving the scene without hesitation.

Valerie seemed to have lost all her strength, kneeling on the ground as if her soul had left her.

She looked up at the now-dark screen, her eyes filled with despair. "This isn't me, this isn't me..."