Chapter 480
Zachary found himself in a sudden state of panic. Hastily, he said to Jonathan, “Mr. Youngblood, there’s been a misunderstanding. Zendaya is still quite young and immature. Please forgive her.” As he spoke, he turned to Zendaya, who remained confused on the ground, and scolded her, “Quickly, apologize!”
Zendaya was overwhelmed with a profound sense of injustice. “I’m the one who got slapped, and now I’m expected to apologize?”
However, the person she was facing was none other than Jonathan, leaving her with little choice but to yield. Indeed, in Jonathan’s presence, the importance of the Xanthos family seemed to diminish significantly.
Additionally, the information she had received indicated that Rosalie had moved out of the Youngblood Residence and was now living in a small rental house, possibly indicating that she had been dumped by Jonathan. “So why was Jonathan still protecting Rosalie? Could it be that he brought her to this banquet today?” she wondered.
Zendaya’s heart was filled with questions, but no one was providing her with answers.
With embarrassment, she got up from the ground, reluctantly preparing to apologize and put an end to the matter. However, Rosalie intervened, saying, “No need, I don’t need this apology.”
Zendaya was stunned. She muttered inwardly, “What does Rosalie mean? I was about to apologize, but she…”
“Indeed, Rosie doesn’t need this apology,” Jonathan added.
“Rosie?” Zachary was taken aback. “I had heard Jonathan used to call Rosalie that a long time ago. Later, it seemed that Jonathan started dating her, and I hadn’t heard him address her like that again. So now… What does it mean for him to call her that again?” Zachary had many questions swirling in his mind.
Zendaya’s embarrassment deepened. Initially, she had planned to apologize and leave immediately, but with the apology option off the table, she couldn’t just exit the scene. Consequently, she found herself compelled to remain there, her face swollen on one side, enduring the curious stares from bystanders, which was causing her considerable discomfort.
Yvette stepped forward and suggested, “Although Ms. Leighton has declined the need for an apology, it’s clear that Zendaya was in the wrong. How about this? On behalf of the Xanthos family, we’ll make a charitable donation in Ms. Leighton’s name to aid disaster-stricken children. What do you think, Ms. Leighton?”
Yvette’s proposal not only resolved Zendaya’s awkward apology predicament but also earned the Xanthos family a good reputation. It was a win-win situation for both.
Zendaya immediately agreed without hesitation. It was just a matter of spending some money, a small price to pay to escape the awkwardness.
However, Rosalie’s gaze shifted to the plate in Jonathan’s hand. “This is for me.”
“Yes,” Jonathan replied.
“And what about yours?” Rosalie inquired.
“I had a little something earlier,” Jonathan responded.
The two of them chatted as if no one else was around, completely disregarding Yvette and the Xanthos family’s siblings.
Yvette’s expression immediately changed.
Under normal circumstances, no one would dare to ignore her, who was the second daughter of the Hamilton family.
“Well, then. Let’s go ahead and eat. Fill our stomachs first,” Jonathan suggested as he placed the plate of food he was holding on a small table nearby. Then he sat down with Rosalie.
Meanwhile, the other three remained rooted in place.
“What’s the matter? Do you intend to stand there indefinitely?” Jonathan asked lazily.
Only then did Zachary promptly ushered Yvette and Zendaya away.
Naturally, the three of them had no intention of staying any longer at the banquet. They had become the laughingstock, and staying would only further humiliate them.
However, just as she was about to leave, Yvette couldn’t resist looking back for another glimpse at Rosalie and Jonathan. She mused, “Rosalie… Does she still have Jonathan as a supporter? Is their breakup real or just a facade? If Jonathan is indeed standing up for Rosalie, it will be difficult to take any action against her.”
The thought of being forced out of the entertainment industry because of Rosalie filled Yvette with anger with nowhere to
vent.
Unfortunately, she had to maintain a facade of politeness and restraint in front of Rosalie, concealing her true emotions. Thinking about that, Yvette harbored a deep sense of hatred.
“If only I had known… Back then, I should have been more ruthless and made sure Rosalie perished in prison!” she cursed inwardly.
“Zach, does this mean everything’s fine now?” Zendaya inquired, wearing the expression of someone who had narrowly escaped a disaster. With no need for an apology and no financial repercussions, it was a relatively face-saving outcome for her in an embarrassing situation.
On the contrary, Zachary furrowed his brow. In his perspective, Jonathan wasn’t known for being merciful, especially toward those who had crossed him.
However, the recent turn of events, with Zendaya humiliating Rosalie and Jonathan responding with just a slap on the face and a few words, made it seem as if he had lifted her high up and then gently set her back down.
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“Did he genuinely let the matter go so easily?” Zachary felt uncertain, but at that moment, he could only caution Zendaya, saying, “Perhaps. But in the future, be cautious not to provoke Rosalie again. We don’t want to risk dragging the Xanthos family in trouble.”
Zendaya curled her lips disdainfully. “She’s only relying on Jonathan’s support. Without him, what is she worth? Hmph, wait until Jonathan grows tired of her! I’ll teach her a lesson!”
“That’s enough!” Zachary scolded in annoyance. “Haven’t you learned your lesson today? Do you want the other leg to be injured too?”
Zendaya’s face instantly flushed red, and she fell silent.
Yvette looked at Zachary with a hint of concealed concern. She had noticed a hint of nostalgia in his eyes when he first saw Rosalie.
“Nostalgia… What was he reminiscing about? Was he reminiscing about his past with Rosalie?” she wondered silently.
Yvette would never allow Zachary who she considered hers to think about another woman. She had to be the only one.
Rosalie lowered her head, savoring the food on her plate.
It was evident that considerable effort had been put into the cuisine served at the banquet. The ingredients were of premium quality, and the chefs prepared the dishes with great care. The flavor was undeniably excellent, of course, if one ignored the curious glances that had fallen upon her.
Initially, as Jonathan’s companion at the banquet, Rosalie had already attracted attention, and with the incident with Zendaya earlier, onlookers periodically sent curious looks to Rosalie.
Of course, all of those were overshadowed by the intense gaze of Jonathan who seated beside Rosalie at that moment.
After taking a few bites, Rosalie looked up and found herself unable to resist, saying, “The food here tastes quite good. Would you like to get something to eat as well?”
“I’ll give it a try,” he replied, leaning over and taking a bite from the small steak on her fork.
Rosalie was momentarily surprised and then realized that she had already taken a bite of the small steak from the same fork.
“It does taste really good,” he remarked, a faint smile gracing his lips.
She felt a sudden unease and turned her head away. However, out of the corner of her eye, she unexpectedly caught sight of something at the entrance of the banquet hall and froze.
Two individuals were walking into the banquet hall, drawing the attention of many.
Furthermore, both of them happened to be people Rosalie knew. Calvin and Fiona.
As she watched them slowly make their way into the banquet hall, Rosalie couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. On a previous occasion, when she had brought the documents from the firm to Kayden for a signature, she had also witnessed Calvin and Fiona’s arrival in a similar manner.
