Simon’s hand froze mid-air, the coffee cup hovering as he frowned. He could already guess Nellie's scheme: "Really? She just got Yvette home, and now she wants to embarrass her? What kind of lousy plan is this? Who knows what other tricks she'll pull at the banquet?" he thought.

Initially, Simon hadn't planned to attend. He and Tobias were to return home that day to handle some matters. But watching Yvette happily munching on her chips, he changed his mind. He would go to the Chambers family banquet—just to ensure nothing unexpected happened to her. If Jeremiah were going, Simon wouldn't be as worried. But knowing Jeremiah, he likely wouldn't attend. Crowds were never his thing. In all his years in Betrico, Jeremiah had barely attended any banquets, and events in a small place like Seacrity were unlikely to change that.

Simon sighed, his mind drifting to the past. "Nellie isn't easy to deal with. When she was younger, she was known for being stubborn and spoiled. After your mother passed, she became pregnant with your father's child, causing a scandal among the elite. Mr. Matthew Chambers practically threatened suicide if your father didn't agree to the marriage. Your father eventually gave in. So, Nellie married into the Chambers family, just as she wanted. Over time, she cleaned up her act, and people started forgetting her past."

"These days, she has a solid reputation in high society. But people can change, and you never know their true intentions. If she plans to host both events at the same banquet, be cautious. Better safe than sorry," he added.

Yvette's hand paused on her coffee cup, surprise flickering briefly in her usually calm eyes. She tapped the cup thoughtfully before nodding. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

Later, at 9:00 p.m. in Argrol University's library, Andrew had been pestering Jeremiah for two hours, trying to convince him to go to the bar. Jeremiah remained unyielding, his eyes calmly scanning the pages of a classic novel.

Andrew wore his most charming smile. "Jeremiah, I was wrong. I really didn't know Yvette would leave right after the competition. Come on, be the bigger person, and let it slide just this once."

Finally, Jeremiah closed his book and stood. He was impeccably dressed. His action made Andrew's face light up with hope. But Jeremiah's cold words quickly dashed his excitement. "No," Jeremiah said.

Andrew's smile fell. "All Arnold's fault for insisting that Jeremiah keep an eye on me," he thought. If Arnold found out he went to the bar again, he'd likely be dragged back to Betrico for a severe beating. He'd experienced this once, and had no desire for a repeat.

Desperate, Andrew moved around Jeremiah, suddenly struck by an idea. His eyes lit up. "Come on, Jeremiah! Let me go just this once. Keep it quiet, and I swear, whatever you need, I'm there. I'd even take a bullet for you!"

Andrew almost convinced himself, but Jeremiah's expression didn't change. "No."

Andrew slumped in defeat. "Fine. If he says no, it's no. Jeremiah's just being petty because I didn't tell him about Yvette leaving. Choosing a girl over your best friend. How typical," he thought.

Outside the library, Winona stood alone in the cold night, wearing a white V-neck dress that left her legs exposed below the knee. She had meticulously applied her makeup to attract attention, but in the chilly breeze, she looked pitiful, hugging herself for warmth.

When Jeremiah and Andrew walked out, they spotted her by the door, her face flushed from the cold. As they approached, Winona subtly shifted, pretending not to notice them. She "accidentally" tripped on a small stone, teetering as if she were about to fall into Jeremiah's arms.

But things didn't go as planned. Instead of catching her, Jeremiah smoothly sidestepped, avoiding her completely. Winona's eyes widened in shock, and she tried to stop herself, but she had put too much force into the fake fall. She hit the ground hard, her white dress tearing and getting dirty. The pain was real, and tears welled in her eyes.

Andrew snorted, thinking, "This trick? Winona doesn't realize this act is so overplayed among the Betrico socialites."

Jeremiah didn't even glance her way. He had seen many women—far more beautiful and interesting—and none had caught his attention. Andrew struggled to suppress his laughter, crossing his arms as he watched Winona's performance.

In her usual soft voice, Winona called out, "Mr. Chavez, I've twisted my ankle. Could you help me?"

Jeremiah calmly pulled out his phone, his long fingers tapping a quick message to Yvette, completely ignoring Winona. Winona, though embarrassed, still felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. "Only a man like him is worthy of me. I'll do whatever it takes to win him over," she thought.

When Jeremiah finished his text, he finally glanced down at her. Winona's heart leaped; her face looked even more pitiful. "Mr. Chavez, please help me. My ankle hurts so much," she said.

Without a word, Jeremiah pulled a tissue from his pocket, wiped his hands, and tossed it casually onto Winona's dress. In a lazy tone, he said, "Sorry, I don't pick up trash."

Winona's face turned pale, her hands trembling with rage. "What did he just say? I thought Jeremiah would treat me with gentleness, compassion, affection, admiration, or even infatuation. I never imagined he would be so heartless and cold…" she thought. Never in her life had anyone called her trash.

However, she swallowed her anger, refusing to believe Jeremiah could be indifferent to a woman throwing herself at him. "Even if he's with Yvette, does he really plan to stay faithful to her forever?" she thought. She refused to accept it.

When Winona looked up again, her expression remained pitiful. "Mr. Chavez, if you don't want to help me, that's fine. But why insult me?"

Winona decided to change tactics. She could easily pretend to be the kind of person Jeremiah liked.

Andrew, observing her effortlessly shifting emotions, was almost impressed. "She's like a character straight out of a role-playing game," he thought. But unfortunately for her, this was Jeremiah, and he wasn't playing along.

Jeremiah's expression remained unreadable. He looked down at her, his tone indifferent. "You want me to help you?"

Andrew's eyes widened in surprise. "No way! Is Jeremiah actually falling for this?" he thought.

Winona's heart soared. "So he's not immune after all," she thought. She bit her lip, pretending to stay strong.