After Layla finished speaking, she shot Wyatt a look that nearly conveyed her eagerness to embrace him. He was, honestly, her ideal. “So what if he’s a bit older?” she mused. “He’s still elegant and charming!” At his age, Wyatt was already mayor, governorship practically within his grasp. She’d already investigated—his family hailed from Betrico. Securing him as a lover wouldn't be unthinkable; power and influence were her targets.

Wyatt avoided her gaze. “This woman must be crazy,” he thought. “What in the world does she see in me?”

Zachary asked, “Yvette, could you tell us what she did?”

Layla felt uneasy at Zachary’s even tone; it didn't sound like a reprimand was forthcoming.

Yvette looked up, glancing at the quietly weeping Layla, playing the victim. With a daring lift of her eyebrows, she replied seriously, “She asked me to help her find a rich and powerful man in Betrico.”

Wyatt struggled to suppress a laugh. Yvette’s deadpan delivery made the statement surprisingly humorous.

Zachary rubbed his temples. He hadn't expected Layla, usually so honest, to reveal her true colors. “She wanted Yvette to introduce her to men,” he thought. “Truly shameless.”

Layla was shocked by Yvette’s bluntness. Flustered momentarily, her strong nerves quickly restored her composure. “No, that’s not what I meant,” she quickly explained. “I just… I thought since Yvette knows some promising young men in Betrico, maybe I could meet them, make some friends. It’s a misunderstanding, honestly, a misunderstanding by Yvette.” As long as she maintained her denial, it would all be Yvette's fault.

Yvette looked at the stubborn Layla and said calmly, “There’s a camera above your head. Want to take a look?”

Layla, who had just been vehemently denying everything, froze. Cold sweat trickled down her back; her hands clenched instinctively. She hadn't known the Chambers residence had a security camera at the entrance. “How come they installed one suddenly?” she wondered.

Zachary, frazzled from his busy schedule, had forgotten installing cameras at the entrance just days ago. But he didn't need to check; he trusted his daughter.

He spoke coldly to Layla, “The camera footage is always available; if there’s a misunderstanding, we can all take a look and clear it up.”

Layla quickly shook her head. “No need, Mr. Chambers,” she said through gritted teeth. “I just remembered something I have to do. I won’t bother you any longer; I’ll be going now.”

She fled the Chambers residence at lightning speed, ignoring curious stares from the staff.

Wyatt and Zachary watched her embarrassed retreat, sharing the same thought: “She brought this on herself!”

Wyatt, having achieved his goals—showing interest in Yvette and friendliness with the Chambers—decided to leave. Further stay would only be awkward. “The father and daughter haven’t seen each other for so long,” he thought. “They surely have a lot to catch up on.”

“Mr. Chambers, Ms. Zeller,” he said, “it’s getting late, so I won’t keep you any longer. I’ll visit again another day.”

“Take care, Mr. Langford,” Yvette replied.

Zachary escorted them to the gate, returning to the living room only after their car had driven away. He looked at Yvette, his eyes lingering with a trace of guilt. “This child became such an outstanding person,” he thought. “How much effort did it take? What hardships did she face?”

He took a fruit platter from a servant, sitting beside Yvette. He placed it before her and gently asked, “How long do you plan to stay this time?” He knew Yvette couldn't be confined to Seacrity; she had her own vast world, and he could only offer silent support.

Yvette looked at Zachary, who seemed much older, hints of gray at his temples. “I’m not sure. Maybe two weeks, a month,” she said. Her exams at Argrol University were her main reason for returning.

Zachary nodded, his voice deeper, a touch of pleading. “Can you promise to stay at home during this time?”

Meanwhile, Layla finally spotted her driver. Once in the car, her pent-up anger erupted. She yelled and screamed like a madwoman, even slapping the driver. He was accustomed to her outbursts; she was a refined lady in public, but possessed a dark heart. He endured it for the high salary.

Finally venting, she looked at herself in the rearview mirror, her eyes bloodshot. She called a number she hadn’t dialed in a long time.

“Winona, where are you? Can you come out? I miss you so much,” she cried, explaining that her family had been keeping close watch, but she’d finally gotten some freedom.

At the Carter residence, Winona was surprised to receive Layla's call. Since the incident, she’d been treated like an outcast. She’d thought they would remain strangers. Perhaps Layla had her reasons.

“Layla, it’s not convenient for me right now,” Winona said. “How about we meet tomorrow morning at the club downtown?”

Layla, secretly pleased, agreed.

Winona looked at Robert, snoring after she’d pushed him aside, feeling disgusted. He'd exhausted himself with drinking and women. She couldn't afford to lose Robert's favor, not for the sake of her baby.