Amara had heard the rumors before. In the past, she might have sighed and thought it a shame about Celeste. But now, she wasn''t as concerned with the fate or feelings of others. She had her own priorities.


    So when Celesteshed out at her with biting sarcasm, Amara calmly retorted, "Even if your brother and I are heading for a divorce, I''m still your sister-inw for now.


    Is this how you treat family? Where''s your manners and respect? Did you leave them somewhere along the way, or did you never have them?"


    Amara''s gaze was icy. If it weren''t for Martin and Andrea standing nearby, and the fact that they had always been kind to her, she might have been even harsher.


    But even at this level, Celeste couldn''t take it. Her eyes widened in indignation. "Amara, what did you just say? Are you implying I wasn''t raised properly?"


    "Let''s not me your upbringing. Your family''s education was fine. Maybe you just couldn''t grasp it."


    Amara rebuked her in subtle manners instead of exploiting directness, surmising that Celeste was smart enough to catch the hidden insult.


    Sure enough, Celeste realized it and raved, "Who do you think you are to judge me? Do you think you''re perfect? Let me tell you..."


    "Mr. Everly is here, Mr. Everly is here, we can start the dinner!"


    At the moment, the front door swung open, and Finnian, ever the impasiveness, dressed in dark suit, stepped


    in, handing a gift to the waiting butler, who took it over and eagerly announced his arrival.


    Though young, Finnian was the de facto leader of the Everly Group. While Kevin still held the title of chairman, Finnian''s shareholding was now greater, giving him more influence.


    Whenever Finnian appeared, he became the focal point of the Everly family. As he entered, Martin, Andrea, and the others flocked to him, showering him with greetings and inquiries, leaving Celeste in the dust.


    Seeing Amara standing alone on the sidelines, Celeste smirked, ready to hurl a taunt. But before she even got started, Amara, fully aware of Celeste''s intentions, ignored her and walked away, leaving Celeste fuming.


    Pausing at the dining room


    entrance, Amara nced back at the living room scene. The Everly n hovered around Finnian, while she his supposed closest rtion, stood apart. Though no words were exchanged, a lot of mocking nces were cast her way.


    Amara was indifferent to the state of her marriage with Finnian but had no desire to be the target of such scrutiny. She turned and entered the dining room.


    After a while, Finnian seemed to


    finish his conversations and led the group into the room. The Everly family''s dining table was long enough to seat twenty, though only a dozen or so were present today, making it more than sufficient.


    In such a family, seating arrangements were dictated by hierarchy. With Finnian seated to the right of the head position, Amara followed and took her ce beside him.


    Finnian wore a gray suit over a ck shirt. As he sat down, he removed his jacket, handing it to a nearby staff member. Throughout this, he didn''t nce at Amara once, and she sat quietly, staring ahead without a word.