---- Though I was upset, Grandpa and I had relied on each other after my parents passed, and I couldn't ignore his health. Ihad to come up with some other way to cancel my engagement to Michael without affecting Grandpa's health. Ihad just stepped out of Grandpa's room when Tahlia Duvey coincidentally appeared in the hallway, carrying a steaming bowl of soup. Her eyes were red, and she opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking hesitant to speak. "Ms. Kingston, please don't be mad at Mr. Leight anymore. He really cares about you." Her voice was as soft as a whisper, but just loud enough for everyone to hear her. She always made herself look pitiful like this, and as she walked toward me, her steps were shaky as if she might topple at any moment. Sure enough, she suddenly let out a loud gasp, and the bowl fell to the floor with a crash. ---- Tears streamed out of her eyes, and she glanced over at Michael pitifully. I watched this familiar scene unfold with cold eyes. "Tally!" Michael darted over and gently took her hand, clearly feeling sorry for her. "Why are you so careless? Were you scalded badly?" His tone was so gentle, and it was one he had never used with me. Tahlia bit her lip. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back. "It's nothing, Mr. Leight. I was the one who was careless..." Michael turned to look at me, his eyes full of reproach. "Ariel, why do you always bully her? Look at how badly Tally's hurt." At my last birthday, Tahlia had accidentally knocked over my birthday cake and gotten her clothes dirty. ---- Without hesitation, Michael took off his jacket and draped it over her, and my birthday party turned into a stage for her performance. The funniest part was that I had bought a necklace for her, intending for it to be a gift to recognize the work she had done. Who would've expected Michael to confront me the very next day? "Why would you humiliate Tahlia with something so cheap? She cried the whole night, saying that you did it on purpose!" I couldn't defend myself, and he only berated me further. Now, this woman was trying to pull the same trick again.