Chapter 218 Has Liam Recovered?
The reason Tessa breathed a sigh of relief was simple.
Today was her engagement party, but her fiancé wasn't Liam, the man who had once saved her life.
The people who came to the engagement party today all seemed to be blessing and congratulating her, but they were actually criticizing and gossiping about her behind her back.
Just moments ago, she had overheard them calling her "ungrateful" behind her back.
So Liam's arrival was very important to her.
After all, if even Liam himself didn't blame her, what right did others have to criticize her behind her back?
Liam's presence was the best proof that she wasn't ungrateful.
As long as she had a few people spread the word after the engagement party ended, public opinion would quickly shift.
People would think that if Liam could attend the engagement party, he must have been the one who suggested calling off the engagement.
Not what everyone currently believed - that the Young family had rejected Liam because he was disabled.
That's why Tessa immediately felt relieved when she learned Liam would arrive soon.
But her expression quickly changed to one of grievance and shame.
"Ms. Richardson, you just returned to the Richardson family, so you might hear some gossip too. But actually, I want to tell you that Liam and I never had much of a relationship to begin with. I didn't let him down. Even if that incident hadn't happened, we wouldn't have gotten engaged anyway."
Amelia nodded, showing understanding.
"We believe in freedom of marriage nowadays. Who you get engaged to is your right."
Tessa looked at her gratefully and said, "Ms. Richardson, you actually understand me. Maybe we'll become friends in the future."
But Amelia just shrugged.
"I'm afraid we can't be friends."
"Why not?"
"Tessa, you really have a short memory. You've forgotten who's responsible for what happened to Efrain? By the way, why didn't he come today? Is he too ashamed to show his face? Looks like Efrain still needs to learn a thing or two from you about being shameless!"
Tessa's expression froze instantly.
She had thought Amelia was a fool who could be easily deceived, but she hadn't expected that all those gentle words earlier were actually Amelia playing her.
Her face darkened immediately.
"Ms. Richardson, what are you trying to say?"
"Nothing much. I just want to tell you that people who do evil will eventually get what's coming to them."
With that, she patted Tessa's shoulder and walked away.
Tessa's face turned red with anger.
Felicity was right - Amelia was a sneaky bitch.
Just wait until she finished today's engagement party.
Once she had taken care of this major life event, she would deal with the Richardson family.
Amelia went back to the restroom to wash her hands before coming out.
When she returned outside, Tessa's fiancé Mark had also come out.
He was indeed handsome, and his white suit made him look even more refined.
He was also good at talking, making the guests laugh heartily.
Tessa stood beside Mark.
He entertained, she laughed.
They seemed like a perfect match.
Amelia could tell that Tessa did genuinely like Mark to some degree.
But how much was that bit of genuine feeling worth?
The Young family are only capable of loving themselves.
Just then, someone brought up something.
"Mark, I heard you participated in the government-organized hacking competition two weeks ago?"
Mark nodded.
The person immediately asked, "Are the results out yet?"
Mark shook his head and said, "Not yet, but it should be soon, within the next day or two."
The person immediately flattered him, "You've been talented in this area since childhood. The championship must be yours this time. When the results come out, you'll have double happiness!"
Another person said, "It's just a shame the results aren't being announced today, otherwise it would truly be double happiness."
Mark modestly said the championship might not be his, but his expression subtly showed confident pride.
Tessa beside him was also smiling brightly.
Mark's success brought her honor too.
Unlike certain people who would be disabled for the rest of their lives.
Good thing she had cut ties with Liam back then, even if it meant being criticized.
Someone who didn't know asked, "What's this championship for? Is the prize money huge?"
Someone immediately laughed and said, "It's not about the prize money. This is a government competition. I heard that the champion can go directly into the Cybersecurity Bureau as a senior official."
At these words, everyone's eyes on Mark became more serious.
Felicity laughed proudly.
"If he really wins the championship, Tessa can just relax and enjoy life at home from now on."
Though Billy didn't say anything, his usually stern brow relaxed a bit.
Mark's family background was average, and Billy hadn't thought much of him before.
But Tessa liked him, so he had no choice.
It wasn't until this competition, when Mark said he was confident of winning, that Billy's attitude toward him changed.
Some people praised Mark, and naturally others put down Liam.
"Good thing Tessa has good judgment, otherwise..."
Though they didn't mention Liam's name directly, everyone there understood.
The person meant: Good thing Tessa ended up with Mark, otherwise her life would have been ruined with Liam.
Hearing this, quite a few people instinctively looked at Amelia.
Some eyes showed pity, others obvious mockery.
Anna looked indifferent, just standing quietly in the crowd.
She wasn't worried about Amelia, because soon these people would be the ones humiliated.
Stella, who didn't know what was going on, looked at Amelia worriedly, but saw that Amelia's lips always carried a faint smile.
Not constrained, very natural.
Only then did she relax a bit.
Just then, Amelia's peripheral vision caught someone walking toward them slowly.
She suddenly broke into a smile and called out loudly, "Liam, you're here."
Liam?
Everyone looked shocked.
He actually came?
They all looked in the direction of Amelia's gaze, and when they saw who it was, almost everyone, including Tessa, widened their eyes.
"That's Liam?"
Someone couldn't help but exclaim, "He can walk?"
"What? Liam can walk? Isn't he supposed to be disabled?"
Some people didn't believe it and pushed to the front of the crowd to see, then immediately widened their eyes too.
"It's him! It's really him!"
Not only could Liam walk, he walked gracefully, his steps looking very easy - where was there any sign of disability?
The Young family members all stood there stunned.
"Liam." Amelia went up to meet him.
Liam nodded slightly, his lips curved in a half-smile, his face showing affection.
The Young family members then put away their surprised expressions.
Either way, it was good that Liam came.
Since his legs were healed, others wouldn't call the Young family ungrateful anymore.
This was a good thing.
Tessa told herself.
But she felt inexplicably disappointed.
Billy was the first to walk up and greet Liam.
"Liam, it's been a while. When did your legs recover?"
"Recently." Liam glanced at Amelia and said, "Fortunately Amelia is a miracle physician who cured my legs, otherwise I would have been disabled for life."
Everyone was surprised.
"I heard earlier that Amelia's medical skills were exceptional, that she cured Roman's chronic illness. I thought it was a rumor, but now it seems she really does have medical skills."
"More than just medical skills - the Richardson family found so many famous doctors for Liam back then, but none of them could help. Yet the long-lost Amelia actually cured him."
"If I get sick in the future, I'll find Ms. Richardson too."
"Then you better butter her up good."
"Of course."
From when Amelia appeared until just now, hardly anyone had initiated conversation with her.
Now everyone's eyes on her had changed.
With just a few words, Liam had put Amelia on a pedestal.
Janet listened, her eyes cold.
Francis's eyes flickered, then quickly returned to calm.
Only the Young family members looked rather unhappy.
Liam's few words, while ostensibly praising Amelia's medical skills, actually brought up the fact that Liam had sacrificed his own legs to save Tessa's life.
Billy was at a loss for words.
Tessa stepped forward and said, "Liam, thank you for saving me from under that horse back then. I'm very happy to see you recovered now. I'm also very happy you could come to my engagement party. It's just that we lacked that certain feeling between us. I hope you can let go of any hard feelings, and we can continue being friends in the future."
By stating it directly, she left the guests with nothing to say.
Liam's expression was indifferent.
"Since I came, I've already let go of any hard feelings. I won't hold your past mistakes against you, and our families can still keep in touch in the future."
He emphasized the Young family's mistakes again.
Tessa smiled through gritted teeth.
"Yes, we'll still be friends in the future."
Mark looked at Liam deeply and said, "Liam, if you need any help in the future, just ask. You saved Tessa, which makes you my benefactor."
Liam nodded lightly without saying much.
In his blue suit, he looked noble and handsome, completely stealing the spotlight from today's male lead, Mark.
Compared to him, Mark looked like a nobody.
The guests whispered among themselves.
"Looking at it this way, the Young family still made the wrong choice. Liam is handsome and distinguished - Mark can't compare."
"Of course they chose wrong. The Young family broke off the engagement because Liam's legs were disabled. Now that his legs are healed, how can Mark compare?"
Some disagreed.
"You can't say that. If the Richardson family were still the Richardson family of before, then yes, the Young family chose wrong. But now the Richardson family isn't what it used to be - Quinton's in prison, the Richardson Group went bankrupt. Forget Mark, who here today doesn't have higher status than Liam?"
"That's true too."
"I also heard that the Richardson family was so broke recently they could only live in what used to be their dog house!"
- This rumor had started circulating at some point.
But the person who started the rumor was already in prison.
At these words, everyone stopped thinking of Mark as just a nobody.
"Didn't someone just say Mark is about to join the Phoenicia Cybersecurity Bureau? That's a great position - if he moves up from there, his future is limitless!"
"True, when you put it that way, Liam really isn't as good as Mark."
"The Young family's judgment can't be wrong."