The mention of the Patterson Family suddenly made the atmosphere at the dinner table tense.
No one touched their food. Even the clatter of chopsticks against bowls had vanished.
Seth Valentine raised his glass and took a sip. "Zane... what a shame."
His words were the match that lit the fire of anger Annelise Valentine had been suppressing.
"If you think it's such a shame, why didn't you lend the Patterson Family a hand back then?"
Seth Valentine put down his glass and stared at his daughter, his voice laced with anger.
"What's that supposed to mean? I told you everything in the study that day—the things that could be said and those that couldn't! Who on earth did you get this stubbornness from?!"
"Do you think he could have asked for help then? Zane's too proud! He'd rather shoulder everything himself than ask anyone for anything! He didn't ask because he was afraid of dragging us down with him!"
