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Chapter 73 - [Bonus ]Don\'t You Dare

Lina\'s expression completely changed. Everyone knew. She always maintained her features well, especially in this house with its rigid rules—never disrespect guests, never frown at them, or heaven forbid, glare their way. It wasn\'t the way a woman should behave.

Lina did everything she shouldn\'t. Her lips curled in irritation, her eyes sharpening, and her face reflected disgust.

"What is this ambush?" Lina asked, her voice like hellfire.

Lina turned to her grandfather. Seeing his unwavering expression, she realized he wasn\'t the one who invited Everett. Lawrence couldn\'t have. Lina knew he hated Everett. Which only left one option—her grandmother.

Anything Rina Yang decided, Lawrence saw to it the decision was made. In modern terms, Lawrence was a simp. The biggest simp of them all.

Lina knew she was glaring daggers at her grandmother.

"What is the meaning of this, Grandmother?" Lina sharply asked, turning to the woman in question.

Rina flashed her granddaughter a warning look. In this country, women rarely took their families\' surnames, as they\'d do in the West. The Yang Clan was such a prominent figure, it\'d be impossible not to—especially when Lawrence\'s older brother was the Imperial Emperor in the capital city of the East.

"You wronged a pitiful young man with a bright future," Rina said. "I am here to make amends."

Lina was stunned silent. All her life, she was taught by her mother to please the Yang Matriarch and Patriarch. Never disrespect Rina, whose older sister was the Imperial Empress. Never disrespect Lawrence, whose older brother was the Imperial Emperor.

Royal families controlled the world now. They were the government who handled the laws, the people, and the lands. Lawrence was a powerhouse of his own and Rina was the fort holding everything in place.

"Grandmother," Lina uttered like it was going to be the last thing she\'d ever say.

Lina reminded herself to remain calm. She had worked her entire life pleasing her grandparents and the Yang Clan. She had sacrificed her interests for things they picked out for her.

Lina loved art, but they loved the violin, so she was a child prodigy with many awards. Lina loved board games, but Lawrence loved chess, so she was a national champion. Every step she had ever taken in life, she had taken for them.

"Everett is the victim because he paints himself as one," Lina stated.

"Enough," Rina warned, her voice shaking with disbelief that her granddaughter would dare disrespect the guest in front of her. Every single rule of this house was being threatened.

"He ambushed me with the paparazzi so the world would think we\'re dating, so that he could force me into marrying him. Mother meddled with my affairs and allowed Uncle to publish the photos," Lina argued, but was still mindful of her tone.

Lina tried to be respectful. She tried to get her side of the story out because it mattered just as much as Everett\'s.

"You are being incredibly unpleasant right now," Rina scolded, flashing her a disgruntled gaze. She was used to Lina\'s obedience.

If Rina wanted Lina to study dance, Lina would be a ballerina. If Rina wanted Lina to smile, Lina would have a pageant-winning grin. If Rina wanted Lina to marry someone, then Lina would put on the white dress.

This was the granddaughter Rina had gotten for the past twenty-two years. And she wasn\'t going to expect anything else.

"Now sit," Rina snapped at her granddaughter. The warmth in her voice had turned cold as ice. She wasn\'t going to take \'no\' for an answer.

Lina\'s eyes flashed with a warning. Her nose flared and she bit down on her tongue. Hard. She wanted to draw blood, to taste the metal in her mouth so it\'d shock her senses and calm her nerves.

When Everett was standing there with a victim complex, how was Lina possibly going to behave?

"Lina," Lawrence softly said, placing a hand upon her shoulder.

Lina was firm as a tree in the middle of a snowstorm. She was the tree whose branches still had leaves despite the winter wonderland.

Lawrence helped her to the couch, using slight force. He knew his granddaughter had a fiery side to her. She always drowned the flames with obedience. She couldn\'t let the ember grow, but with each day she was forced to play the perfect granddaughter, the fire got stoked.

"I\'m not here to force you, Lina," Everett softly told her, offering a gentle smile whilst she took a seat.

"It seems we have a misunderstanding," Everett began, his gaze shifting to Rina, who sat to the left, on a lone armchair by herself.

"Your parents had a misunderstanding when they said you were intentionally born," Lina muttered under her breath, looking anywhere but him.

Everett heard that. The entire family did.

"Lina!" Rina sharply reprimanded, her mouth twisting with irritation.

Lawrence instantly came to soothe the situation. He had his two favorite people in the whole world at war with each other.

"You\'re not being ambushed. Not with me on your side," Lawrence reminded Lina, softly patting her on the upper back.

Lina responded by shifting away from him. She didn\'t want his gentle affection now. She knew he was not on her side. He was on his wife\'s side, the woman he loved with all of his heart.

"Don\'t lie to me," Lina said to Everett. Then, her gaze wandered to the entire family.

"All of you," Lina sneered. "You raised me to be a child genius, so stop treating me like a fool."

Everett was alarmed. A child genius? He didn\'t know about that? He wanted an intelligent woman, not a wise woman. There was a difference. One liked to hold good conversations, the other liked to lead it. He wanted a submissive housewife.

"And you," Lina sharply said to Everett. "Go find some other heiress to harass."

Lina shifted back in her seat, ignoring the warning glare of her grandmother and the loud sigh of her grandfather. Lina was horrified at disappointing them. She had built her self-worth on pleasing the entire family.

Now, Lina understood what Kaden meant. People didn\'t think she was sweet because she was kind. They called her sweet because she was everyone\'s favorite.

"Because I\'m already married," Lina said.

Everett shot out of his chair, his eyes wide.

Lina stiffened, feeling chills crawling down her spine, like little bugs.

"Don\'t you dare," Everett warned.

Lina innocently tilted her head. She batted her lashes and flashed him a smile. Ah, this man was easy to provoke.

"That\'s right," Lina said, glancing at her parents. She realized everyone was seated but Evelyn.

"You finish that sentence and I can promise you, you\'ll regret it!" Rina said, her voice like a knife ready to cut someone. She, too, rose to her full height, which was only an inch taller than her granddaughter.

Lina raised her chin. For the first time in her life, she was going to defy her grandmother. And for good reasons. She would no longer tolerate people making decisions for her.

"I\'m married to Kaden DeHaven." Lina\'s gaze traveled across the room, making a point to look everyone in the eyes.

"And none of you can change my decision," Lina said, dropping the bomb right into a fiery pit.