Chapter 4

Audrey POV

I easily found my documents in the bottom drawer of the study.

After carefully placing them in my bag, I went downstairs.

I had intended to leave immediately, but my mother's cold, hard voice stopped me.

"Since you're back, have dinner before you go. Otherwise, people will say the Hayes family is cruel, not even feeding their own daughter."

Mom's words were spoken with extreme reluctance. If Julian hadn't been present, she probably would have already told Martha to get a broom and kick me out.

I wanted to refuse, but I caught Julian's pleading gaze out of the corner of my eye, as if he was begging me to cooperate with his act as the "devoted fiancé."

I felt apathetic and nodded, taking a seat at the very edge of the dining table.

Martha soon served the dishes.

The table was piled high with food I disliked, and many spicy dishes.

I have severe stomach ulcers and cannot tolerate any spice.

My family knew this, and Julian knew it even better.

Once, when we were eating out, a bit of chili accidentally got into my soup, and I was in so much pain I broke out in a cold sweat.

That day, Julian, who was always so dignified and composed, lost his temper in the restaurant and even personally took care of me.

From then on, whenever he was present at a meal, there was never a trace of chili.

But now, he looked at the table full of dishes and didn't even frown.

"Julian, try this. I specially asked Martha to make it. I know you've been eating her plain food lately, you must be tired of it."

Lyla picked up a piece of meat and naturally placed it in Julian's bowl.

Julian subconsciously glanced at me. Seeing that I had my head down and wasn't reacting, he smiled and ate the meat.

"Thanks, Lyla. It's certainly been a while since I've had anything spicy."

So, he hadn't changed his palate for me; he had just been enduring it.

I picked up the glass of plain water in front of me, took a sip, and suppressed the faint pang of pain in my stomach.

At the dinner table, my parents constantly served Lyla and Julian, the three of them chatting and laughing as if they were the only family, and I was just a transparent, superfluous decoration.

"By the way,"

Lyla suddenly changed the subject, directing her words at me,

"I heard you're having a solo exhibition next month? And Julian is personally organizing it for you?"

My hand, holding the knife and fork, paused slightly.

That exhibition was Julian's promised "wedding gift" to me.

He said he would use the most magnificent exhibition to showcase my beauty to the world and wash away all the shame associated with me.

"Yes."

I replied indifferently.

Lyla covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes full of disdain.

"You're really brave. If I were like you, posing nude in front of men every day, I wouldn't even dare to leave the house, let alone hold an art exhibition. I truly don't know how you manage to be so... uninhibited."

"Lyla!"

Mom sounded like she was scolding her, but her tone was full of indulgence,

"She has no shame, but don't you dare learn from her! Our family has always been respectable. How did we end up with such a disgrace!"

I didn't retort. I just quietly looked at Julian.

The man who had once draped his jacket over me in front of countless people and shielded me, was now sitting quietly.

Not only did he not refute them as he usually would, but he slightly frowned and spoke to me in an extremely gentle, yet somewhat condescending tone.

"Lyla is young and speaks her mind; don't take it to heart. However... they do have a point. After this exhibition, once we're married, you should stop modeling. A Vance wife shouldn't be out there, letting people judge her."

His voice was soft, but it felt like a dull knife, mercilessly cutting into my heart.

This was his so-called "inspiration" and "art."

It turned out that, deep down, he was just like those who looked at me with prejudiced eyes, believing my profession was low-class, disgraceful, and needed to be hidden.

Every one of his previous defenses was just an act to make Brandon comfortable with breaking off the engagement.

I put down my knife and fork and stood up.

"I'm full. Please enjoy your meal."

I didn't look at Julian's instantly stiff face, nor did I heed my parents' curses. I walked directly out of the mansion and into the cold autumn night.