Lucy smiled and nudged Riley, teasing, "Hey, did you hear that? Someone said they’d protect you." Riley crossed her arms and said stubbornly, "Who needs him to protect me?" Zachary frowned and couldn’t help but look at Riley, "Riley, are you okay?" Riley slightly raised her chin and snorted softly, "What could be wrong with me? I’m the eldest daughter of the Hawthorne Family. If he dares lay a finger on me, my brother won’t let him off the hook." Zachary smiled helplessly, "Yes, yes, you’re the Hawthorne’s eldest daughter, no one dares to mess with you. But when you’re out, you’re still just a girl, you need to learn to protect yourself." Upon hearing this, Riley frowned, "Zachary, why are you so concerned about me?" This guy said he didn’t like her, so what was he doing rushing over just now? "You’re Caden’s sister, also my sister, of course, I care about you." Upon hearing this, Riley realized she shouldn’t have any hopes for Zachary. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NoveI[F]ire.net Her eyes instantly dimmed, she bit her lip, trying to suppress the disappointment in her heart, "Who wants to be your sister?" After saying this, she turned angrily and left. Seeing this, Lucy quickly glared at Zachary. "Young Master Sutton, you’d better keep quiet!" Then, Lucy hurriedly followed her. Zachary stood frozen in place, watching Riley’s departing figure, feeling a surge of confusion. Did he say something wrong again? It seemed Riley was unhappy again, was it something he said that upset her? Thinking of this, Zachary furrowed his brow tightly, a flash of regret in his eyes. Riley stormed out of the bar, feeling full of grievance and sadness. She felt her feelings were ignored by Zachary; he simply didn’t understand her intentions. Lucy caught up with Riley and comforted her, "Riley, don’t be angry. Zachary is just a blockhead, he doesn’t understand your feelings." Riley wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "He’s just a jerk. I’ll never talk to him again." Lucy sighed. "Alright, alright, don’t be mad. Maybe he just hasn’t realized his own feelings. Give him some time." Riley remained silent, unsure if she could continue holding on. When would he understand that from the beginning, she never wanted to be his sister, she just wanted to be his girlfriend, to be with him. And Zachary, he rejected her, always mentioning "sister," did he really need a sister that badly? Riley’s grievances surged like a tide in her heart. She didn’t understand why Zachary couldn’t see her true feelings, why he kept pushing her away with the "sister" identity. She stopped and looked into the distance, her eyes filled with confusion. "Lucy, I’m really tired. I don’t know what to do anymore." Lucy held Riley’s hand, giving her strength, "Riley, matters of the heart can’t be forced. But you can’t just give up either. You need to let Zachary see your determination, let him understand that your feelings are not fleeting." Riley lightly frowned, pondering over Lucy’s words. "But, he keeps seeing me as a sister. How can I change his mind?" Lucy smiled, "That depends on your actions. You need to show him a different side, let him know you’re not just his sister, but a woman worth loving." Riley nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. I can’t just give up; I need to show him my true heart." Meanwhile, Zachary was also lost in thought at the bar, distracted from dealing with business. He began to reflect on his feelings for Riley. Did he really only see her as a sister? Why did it hurt him too when he saw her sad? "President Sutton, what are you thinking?" The scene just now had been witnessed by everyone. One of the women couldn’t help but tease with a smile, "President Sutton, was that girl your girlfriend?" Zachary snapped back to reality and quickly denied, "No, she’s just the sister of a friend of mine." That woman’s eyes flashed with cunning, "The sister of a friend, huh? Well, President Sutton seems quite worried about her. Maybe one day it won’t be so simple as just being a sister." Zachary was slightly stunned, feeling a bit flustered. "Don’t say that, we’re just friends." Seeing Zachary’s denial, the woman seemed unsurprised. After all, the men in this night scene were all people who said one thing and meant another. Stella, who had received a call, arrived at the place Silas designated, only to find he was sitting by himself in a corner of the bar, drinking. "President Everett, so late at night, you called me?" Stella gingerly approached, unable to resist asking. "Yeah, sit down and have a couple of drinks with me." As he spoke, Silas pointed to the seat opposite him. Stella frowned slightly; it was the weekend, no work, and her boss hurriedly called her. She thought he’d had too much to drink. Unexpectedly, he wanted her to drink with him instead. "Um, President Everett, my alcohol tolerance is poor, I can’t drink much." Stella said awkwardly, feeling that having her to drink with him was just a waste of time, her drinking skills were pretty weak. "It’s okay, I just wanted someone to talk with." Upon hearing this, Stella was stunned at first, unable to refuse, she obediently sat opposite Silas. Silas snapped his fingers, and a server came over to pour her a drink. "Thank you," Stella said softly, a bit uneasy, after all, it was the first time drinking with her boss. Silas looked at Stella’s nervous demeanor and slightly curled his lips. "You don’t have to be so tense, relax." Stella forced a smile. "Alright, President Everett." Silas gently swirled his glass, his gaze somewhat blurred, "Stella, are you adjusting well at the company recently?" Stella was a bit taken aback. "I’m adjusting well, the colleagues are very friendly." Of course, he treated her well too, but she dared not say those words aloud. Silas paused for a moment and then asked, "How is your relationship with Vivian Lynch?" Stella was slightly surprised, not expecting Silas to mention Vivian Lynch. She thought for a while before replying, "My relationship with Vivian is very strong; she’s my best friend." Stella felt a bit curious, not knowing why Silas suddenly asked about Vivian Lynch. But she dared not ask more and just sat quietly. "But, President Everett, how do you know Vivian?" Silas remembered the first time he met Vivian Lynch at that auction. "The first time I came to Aethelgard, I attended an auction and fancied a painting. It was Miss Lynch who let it go to me, and we then had some connection." Saying this, Silas’s gaze became even more distant.