Mr. Sunderland, it’s nothing serious. Just now, Yvette and her friend couldn't find seats, so I invited them to sit with me. Suddenly, this girl, Ruby Scott, accused my daughter without knowing anything. Who is she to accuse my daughter? Zachary said.

Ruby, who had been frozen, turned pale. She could only keep her head down, unable to understand what went wrong. Hadn't Winona claimed Yvette was disfavored by her father and expelled from the Chambers family? If that were true, why would Zachary defend Yvette here, disregarding his status? Ruby pondered.

Ruby despised both Yvette and Winona. She remained silent, then caught sight of Andrew approaching. A ray of hope emerged. Is he here for me? My prince charming? she wondered, her heart pounding, her pallor giving way to a blush.

Jaiden, Nellie, Rebecca, and other students watched Andrew, expecting him to be Ruby's savior. Only Simon, Zachary, and Bordie knew otherwise. Everyone believed Andrew was heading toward Ruby. Nellie and Rebecca anticipated a spectacle. Jaiden, over seventy, remained neutral, having no desire to mock a stranger.

Andrew stopped before Ruby, who excitedly asked, "Mr. Mitchell, are you here for me?" But Andrew bypassed her, approaching Yvette. Ruby's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible…" she whispered.

Yvette leaned against the wall, her gaze cold and indifferent. Her beautiful face remained expressionless. Andrew, like Jeremiah, was accustomed to her aloofness. He rubbed his chin, ignoring the onlookers, and said playfully, "Come on, let's sit together. Someone ordered me to look after you." He grinned cheekily.

Yvette's expression flickered subtly before returning to its usual indifference. Andrew then turned to Bonnie, who cowered in a corner. Where's her usual boldness? he wondered. "Come over here, Bonnie. Sit with us."

Bonnie, startled by the attention, felt overwhelmed. I'm not Yvette, she mused. Bracing herself, she shouted, "I'm coming!" Her voice echoed, her nervousness masked by her loud announcement. Blushing, she hurried to Andrew and Yvette.

Simon, unfamiliar with Ruby's behavior beyond Patrick's usual dealings, found her impulsive and impatient. With a stern expression, he said with dignity, "Ruby, didn't I instruct the student council to reserve several seats?"

Ruby, ignoring her humiliation, answered respectfully, "Mr. Sunderland, we reserved seats for you in the front row, beside yours."

Simon looked at Ruby, then Yvette. His voice was cold and authoritative. "Ruby, as student council president, why wasn't Yvette, a competition participant, provided a seat?"

Andrew scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? She did it deliberately."

Ruby's face fell. Andrew, whom she'd considered her savior, was Yvette's ally, mocking her. Yvette's relationship with her father isn't as strained as I thought. Even Mr. Sunderland is defending her! she wondered.

Ruby decided to play the victim. Her eyes reddened, eliciting sympathy from some students. "Mr. Sunderland, Yvette's seat was a student council mistake. I'm sorry," she apologized, then turning to Yvette, repeated her apology. Her reverse psychology worked.

"Ruby's pitiful. It's a small thing," one student commented. Others echoed their agreement.

Simon, aware of the potential fallout from making a student cry, and given Ruby's apology, decided to let the matter drop. "All right. This was an oversight. Learn from your mistake," he stated.

Ruby nodded, wiping her eyes, her voice trembling. "Understood, Mr. Sunderland."

Simon then smiled kindly at Yvette. "Yvette, come sit with me. I reserved a seat for you in the front row. Your friend can join us."

The auditorium fell silent. Bonnie, certain Simon meant her, felt incredibly lucky.

Jaiden, surprised by Simon's unprecedented courtesy toward Yvette, suspected something was amiss. He'd known Simon for years and knew this behavior was unusual.

Ruby, her fingernails digging into her palm, seethed. The front-row seat was for Yvette? What right does she have? she thought. She remained silent, unable to voice her resentment. Zachary, Andrew, and Simon all wanted Yvette beside them. Everyone awaited her decision.

Suddenly, another voice rang out from the entrance: "Sorry, I was delayed due to an incident."