Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 413

413 /659

Ariana could have skipped the banquet altogether, especially considering her pregnancy. But thoughts of Allison made her decide it was better to attend after all.

The evening of the banquet arrived swiftly. Lambert, holding Ariana's hand, led her into the venue. Most attendees were aware that Lambert was likely the heir to the Stone family, and thus treated him with a certain level of respect. Even those from the elite circles who hadn't interacted much with him before came over with smiles and greetings, engaging in business-related conversations.

Ariana, however, found little interest in these discussions. She signaled to Lambert that he didn't need to stay by her side and should focus on networking. After all, the purpose of such gatherings was to foster connections across various sectors. Lambert, though not particularly fond of these social obligations, preferred to stay close to Ariana. But she bluntly reminded him that Allison and Fanny, whom she had just met, were there to keep her company. Reluctantly, Lambert walked away, looking somewhat forlorn.

Standing beside Ariana, Fanny chuckled, "Looking at him now, Professor Stone seems quite endearing, doesn't he?" It was a habit of hers to refer to Lambert as 'Professor'.

Ariana shrugged noncommittally, "He's just putting on an act, don't mind him." As they chatted, Fanny suddenly spotted her unfortunate arranged marriage partner and quickly excused herself, dashing off. Ariana watched her retreating figure with a mix of amusement and exasperation, then took a sip of her drink with a resigned smile.

When she turned her head casually, she noticed Allison still standing there, lost in thought. "Allison, are you sure you're okay?" Ariana asked with concern. Since Allison had arrived at the banquet and stood by her side, she had been in a daze, seemingly preoccupied. Ariana suspected it had something to do with Stefan. Indeed, the way Stefan hesitated to approach from a distance spoke volumes.

Allison shook her head softly, "I'm fine..."

She was indeed fine, just a bit troubled.

After Ariana told her about it the day before yesterday, Allison confronted Stefan directly when he returned. Although Stefan was initially confused about how Allison suddenly knew, he eventually told her everything bit by bit. He earnestly emphasized that he had no feelings for her back then, let alone now.

However, the mere thought that they had once been in a relationship still unsettled Allison deeply.

Even though Stefan repeatedly assured her that they had never been intimate, she couldn’t shake off her discomfort.

In this modern age, such feelings might seem absurd. After all, it’s common for men to have had relationships before marriage, and even women are generally more open-minded these days. But Allison was different. She had a strong sense of emotional purity. She couldn’t accept the idea of her partner having been with another woman before her—it made her feel disgusted.

That’s why Allison was in such a bad mood.

After hearing this, Ariana couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Stefan, who had ended up marrying someone with such rigid ideals. It was fortunate that Stefan had remained single for many years after being hurt by the mayor’s daughter. Otherwise, their relationship might not have even happened in the first place.

Ariana chuckled inwardly. Just as she was about to say something, a group of girls approached slowly.