Leo Crowe led Wren Wynter to the main residence.

Wren Wynter’s heart was filled with apprehension, and she took a deep breath.

Leo Crowe was a little amused. "Are you that scared? The Master won’t eat you."

"Just a little nervous." Wren Wynter offered a small smile.

She followed Leo Crowe inside to find Julian Hawthorne reading a book, with Shaun Quinn beside him.

"Master, our Junior Sister is here."

Julian Hawthorne ignored Leo Crowe, instead picking up his teacup and handing it back to Shaun Quinn.

"Number Two, this tea is even worse than the last batch you brought. Don’t bring it to me again."

"Yes."

Shaun Quinn respectfully took the cup, turned, and poured the tea into a nearby trash can.

’Bad tea should be thrown out.’

’The same goes for people.’

Wren Wynter’s throat went dry, but she walked forward with practiced ease and knelt before Julian Hawthorne.

Julian Hawthorne remained unmoved, but Shaun Quinn’s expression flickered. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but held back.

"Master, our Junior Sister has been on the road all day. Why don’t you let her rest first?"

Leo Crowe, unable to bear it, decided to speak up.

But the words had barely left his mouth when he met Julian Hawthorne’s warning gaze. He could only shrink back in disappointment.

"I’m not the one making her kneel. What are you telling me for?!"

"I chose to kneel. Third Senior Brother, please say no more."

Julian Hawthorne’s face darkened. He snatched a nearby teacup and hurled it in Wren Wynter’s direction.

"So you know your way back now? Weren’t you so defiant before?!"

Wren Wynter remained silent.

She knew perfectly well that Julian Hawthorne wouldn’t actually hit her with the cup. He was just venting his frustration.

"Master, please don’t be angry. Have you forgotten what First Senior Brother told you?"

"Bullshit! I’m a doctor myself! You think I don’t know the condition of my own damn body?"

Julian Hawthorne shot Shaun Quinn a look of pure exasperation.

He was already seventy-three years old. Last year, Ho-ran Park had given him a physical and discovered his blood pressure was dangerously high. Before leaving the mountain, Ho-ran had specifically instructed him to get angry less often and to stick to a bland diet.

Julian Hawthorne hated it most when his eldest disciple nagged him. The moment Ho-ran was gone, he went right back to eating and drinking as he pleased, enjoying himself immensely. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

At seventy-three, his hair was gray and white. He wore a pair of old-fashioned, round-framed glasses. His face was full and weathered, but his eyes were remarkably shrewd.

"Third Brother is getting married tomorrow, and First Senior Brother will be back for it. When he examines you then, we won’t be able to help you hide anything."

"That’s right, Master. We wouldn’t dare lie to First Senior Brother," Leo Crowe added, waving his hands frantically.

Julian Hawthorne’s face turned red with anger. He put his hands on his hips, pointing first at Shaun Quinn and then at Leo Crowe.

"Fine, fine, fine. The two of you... you think you’re all grown up now, huh? Daring to tell me what to do."

All the fight went out of Julian Hawthorne. He sat down and glanced at Wren Wynter, who was still kneeling silently on the floor, then waved a dismissive hand.

"Number Three, get her out of here. I’m tired of looking at her. It’s annoying."

Overjoyed, Leo Crowe rushed to pull Wren Wynter to her feet, then practically fled the main residence with her in tow.

"Junior Sister, don’t be sad. The Master’s bark is worse than his bite. He’ll probably have cooled down by tomorrow."

Wren Wynter nodded, forced a smile as she said goodbye to Leo Crowe, and returned to her room.

The next morning, as a bridesmaid, Wren Wynter had to change into the dress prepared by the bride’s side.

It was a long, purple, off-the-shoulder gown. At five-foot-nine, Wren Wynter looked tall even in flats. Her curly, chestnut-colored hair was held up in a simple twist with a hairpin, a few loose strands framing the bangs at her forehead.

So as not to upstage the bride, she wore only light makeup, but it was enough to give her an especially cool and noble air.

"Wren! You look so beautiful!"

Joy Lynch had arrived at Moonwater Villa with Ho-ran Park early that morning. She rushed over to Wren Wynter, looking her up and down.

"How come we’re wearing the same bridesmaid dress, but it looks so much better on you?"

"You look beautiful, too."

Wren Wynter lightly flicked Joy Lynch’s forehead.

Her gaze traveled past Joy Lynch and landed on Shaun Quinn.

He was wearing a suit in a coordinating shade, his hair slicked back. His features were so flawlessly, almost demonically, beautiful that even other women would feel inadequate in comparison.

Joy Lynch followed Wren Wynter’s gaze, her own eyes widening in surprise. "Whoa, who’s that gorgeous woman? She’s stunning."

"He’s my Second Senior Brother," Wren Wynter said, pulling her gaze away.

"He’s a man?!"

’I can’t believe someone that beautiful is a guy!’

Joy Lynch clicked her tongue. ’Still,’ she thought, ’First Senior Brother is way more handsome—and masculine.’

Shaun Quinn strolled over, shot Wren Wynter a sidelong glance, and then walked away without a word.

* * *

「At the wedding venue.」

Wren Wynter and Joy Lynch arrived at the wedding venue in Ho-ran Park’s car.

Leo Crowe was at the entrance greeting guests. He stood with Julian Hawthorne and his wife, Linda Lynch, on one side, and Faye Xavier’s parents on the other.

As one of the bride’s bridesmaids, she had to go see the bride first.

Wren Wynter took Joy Lynch with her to Faye Xavier’s room.

Faye was still making the final adjustments to her wedding dress. When she saw Wren and Joy, she hurried over to greet them.

"You both look gorgeous."

Faye Xavier looked them over, then delightedly pulled them down to sit.

"Don’t you worry, Sister-in-law," Wren Wynter said, half-joking. "I definitely won’t let Third Senior Brother get his hands on the wedding shoes too easily."

Faye Xavier suddenly blushed, fidgeting shyly.

Soon, it was time for the groom to come for the bride.

Surrounded by his groomsmen, Leo Crowe arrived to claim his bride, finally finding the hidden wedding shoes after a long search.

Next, it was time for the wedding ceremony.

Wren Wynter sat in the audience, looking up at Leo Crowe and his new wife. Her thoughts drifted back to the day she had married Kaden Xavier.

He hadn’t given her a grand wedding. They had simply signed the papers and had a meal, and that was that.

Wren knew that with the Wynter Family’s downfall, she was no longer its precious daughter—and certainly not worthy of the CEO of the Xavier Group.

’She hadn’t had one then, and she didn’t want one now.’

Her thoughts drifted back to the present. Before she knew it, it was time for the bouquet toss.

Since Wren Wynter was already married, she didn’t join the crowd trying to catch it. Instead, an enthusiastic Joy Lynch rushed up—and actually managed to grab it.

"I want to say something to the man I like! Ho-ran Park, I like you! Go out with me!"

A few of the senior brothers started hooting and cheering, and even Wren Wynter was clapping along.

His face beet-red, Ho-ran Park rushed onto the stage and half-dragged, half-coaxed Joy Lynch to come down.

When it was finally time for the meal, Joy Lynch returned to Wren Wynter’s side with a displeased look on her face.

"What’s wrong? Did my First Senior Brother upset you?"

"Don’t even talk to me about that blockhead. He’s completely clueless! I told him I like him, and he just kept saying we’re not a good match. How would he know we’re not a good match if we haven’t even tried?"

Joy Lynch stabbed her chopsticks into her rice bowl and let out a long sigh.

Wren Wynter chuckled softly, but she felt a tightness in her own chest and decided to get up for some fresh air.

She hadn’t gone far before a figure collided squarely with her.

"Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! I didn’t do it on purpose!"

Wren Wynter frowned, lifting her gaze toward the sound of the voice. Her pupils instantly contracted.

"Seraphina Sutton? What are you doing here?"