150A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by a murmur of surprise and confusion. Darwin? The same man Edgar had just publicly scorned? The contrast between the image Edgar had painted and Fiona's glowing introduction couldn't have been starker."Darwin? That Darwin?" a woman whispere
151As Darwin stood by Fiona, speaking with a humility that belied his achievements, the crowd's reaction shifted from surprise to respect, their applause growing louder and more genuine with each passing moment.Edgar, unable to contain his boiling fury, hissed to a nearby confidant, "This is all a
152 Darwin stood firm, facing Edgar, who was visibly shaking with anger."Why, Edgar?" Darwin's voice cut through the silence. "Why do you feel the need to ruin this moment?"Edgar's fists clenched at his sides, his teeth gritted. "Because you don't deserve any of this! You're a fraud!"A ripple of
153Two days later, on Monday, Darwin was standing in front of the mirror in his room, adjusting his light blue striped shirt collar. It was the day he was meeting Lana's parents and he was feeling nervous. He had chosen to wear a simple yet well-tailored light blue shirt along with khaki pants and
154Darwin clenched his fists, fighting the urge to respond in kind. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead.Lana's parents watched the exchange with keen interest, their earlier coldness momentarily forgotten in the face of this new drama. Mrs. Roberts, in particular, seemed almost pleased
155Lana's fury broke through her shock. "Stop it, Edgar!" she snapped, her hands balling into fists. "You're the one who's out of line here!"Mrs. Roberts tutted, shooting Lana a disapproving look. "Lana, dear, calm yourself. We're all adults here. Let's act like it."Lana's breath hitched, and Dar
156Before Darwin could articulate a response, Lana's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Enough!" she declared, her voice quivering with fury and determination. She stood up, her chair scraping against the floor with a sound that echoed like a shot in the quiet room. Her eyes blazed with a
157After discussing, Darwin and James agreed to officially announced the plan.In the quiet of his office, Darwin's phone cut through the silence, vibrating with urgency. He answered immediately, recognizing the number."Hello?""Darwin, it's Lana," came the shaky voice from the other end. There wa