The children in the private room finally understood the meaning of "birds of a feather flock together." Watching the couple flaunt their affection, they wished they could ignore the public display, though they couldn't help sneaking peeks. If not for Keira lying unconscious on the floor, the pair would have been a picture-perfect couple.

Yvette, unimpressed, rubbed Jeremiah's hand, noticing a callus at the base of his thumb. She offered a slight smile and looked around at the others. Her innocent expression made everyone she glanced at feel uneasy.

Yvette began slowly, "Do any of you have wishes? Feel free to share; I actually have some free time today." Her gaze settled on Samantha.

Samantha forced a strained smile. "I don't have any wishes," she said, extending a reassuring hand. "I'm beautiful, wealthy, my parents are alive, and my family is happy. I don't need anything." Her sincerity was evident, though she was also apprehensive, noticing Yvette might have been drinking.

Yvette sighed, slightly disappointed, and turned to Jared. "Hey, do you have any wishes, bro?"

Jared jolted, still shaken from the earlier events. He vehemently shook his head, almost in tears. "No, Ms. Zeller, I have no wishes."

Yvette stared at him, confused. Why is he crying? It's not like anyone hurt him, she thought. Cracking her knuckles, she turned to the huddled group, her gaze sincere and demeanor pleasant. "Do any of you have any?"

Everyone recoiled, waving their hands frantically. "No, we don't."

Yvette closed her eyes, a hint of sleepiness in her gaze when she opened them. "Alright, if not, then forget it," she murmured softly.

Jeremiah, noticing her drowsiness, drawled lazily, a faint smirk playing on his lips. His deep, strong voice held a masculine magnetism. "I do. I'm ready to head home and sleep now."

Yvette tilted her head, stared at him, then took his hand, beginning to walk out. "Alright, let's go home and sleep," she agreed.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the room as the couple departed. Yvette paused at the door, turning back. Tension returned to the group. What is Ms. Zeller going to do now? they wondered.

Yvette waved warmly. "I am leaving, bye! See you next time, guys."

Their thoughts were unanimous: Next time? No way. We're not meeting this couple again. They collectively decided to blacklist Jeremiah and Yvette from future parties, deeming them a top-level threat.

Thereafter, the mention of Yvette Chavez resulted in fearful silence. A new saying spread through Betrico: Crossing Jeremiah might offer a way out, but upsetting Yvette meant the end.

Jared breathed deeply, the feeling of suffocation finally lifting. "Wow, that was terrifying. Mr. Chavez's girlfriend is really something. I'm totally impressed," he admitted.

The others snapped back to reality, except for the still-unattended Keira.

Joel added, "When Yvette looked our way, I felt like I was skating on thin ice. I was sweating bullets."

"Don't even mention it. It was so creepy. I felt the same way, and my back is drenched," someone else chimed in.

"I know, right? It's crazy! We should've guessed Mr. Chavez's girlfriend wouldn't be some nobody. She's seriously impressive," another exclaimed.

"Yeah, if it weren't for Ms. Zeller, we'd still be at the mercy of that model," someone else added, relieved.

They finally remembered Keira, lying on the ground. With smirks, they expressed their disdain. Joel, surprisingly, called Keira's agent to arrange transport to the hospital.

Samantha had no time for further discussion. The trip had been worthwhile; she'd met Yvette, a fascinating person. She sensed, however, that Betrico's peace might be disrupted by Yvette's presence.

Smiling, Samantha collected her handbag, waved goodbye, and sped home in her luxury car. Upon entering, she found her father, Tim, reading a newspaper. She slipped off her heels, handing her bag to a maid, and settled into her slippers. "Dad, why are you still awake so late? Isn't the military district busy these days?" she asked.

Tim rubbed his temples; he’d been sitting there for an hour. Seeing Samantha's cheerful demeanor, he asked, "What's going on, Samantha? Why are you so happy today? Weren't you feeling a bit down just the other day?"

Samantha sipped her orange juice. "Oh, nothing much. I just happened to see Mr. Chavez and his girlfriend today. She's pretty interesting," she replied, intrigued.

Tim, already aware of Samantha's relationship with someone else (and fully aware of who that someone was), knew there was no connection between his daughter and Jeremiah. Hearing Samantha's words, he set the newspaper aside. "You said you saw Jeremiah with his girlfriend, is that right?"

Samantha nodded, a mix of admiration and regret in her expression. "Yeah, they were at a gathering today. I have no idea how Jeremiah got so lucky to find such an interesting girlfriend," she said.

Tim was stunned. Can Jeremiah's girlfriend really earn such high praise from Samantha? I know how high my daughter's standards are. It piques my curiosity. Just how outstanding is this girl? He recalled the dessert shop incident; helping her future mother-in-law had been impressive indeed.

Tim said, "What's going on with you and that Zion? Still sulking? Listen, these artsy types love being dramatic. If it doesn't work out, just dump him, and I'll find you someone better and more attractive, alright?"

At the mention of Zion, Samantha's eyes flickered. With a serious tone, she said, "Dad, does anyone in our Mitchell family not manage to tame a wild horse?"

Tim was momentarily speechless.

Samantha continued, "If the little toy gets fussy, I'll let him be for a few days. Don't worry, Dad, I can handle it. If he doesn't listen, I've got plenty of ways to make him behave."

Tim looked at Samantha with satisfaction. It's just a man, after all, nothing to worry about! he thought.

Tim nodded. "Alright, I won't interfere. But if things get tough, just be assertive with Zion. His genes are good, so give me a grandkid and then dump him if you like. Our family can afford to raise the child, you know."

Samantha smirked. Assertiveness was an option. The man loved her deeply but was pretending to be tough. She was curious to see how long he could maintain the act.

The next day, at ten o'clock, in the master bedroom of Skyland, Yvette opened her eyes. She glanced at the empty space beside her, noting a faint, lingering mint scent.