Chapter 375 Trying To Swallow A Swan Meat
Sienna’s face flushed with humiliation. While she wasn’t surprised by Dave’s behavior—his brashness and lack of gentlemanly decorum in embarrassing the Korean Dignitary and his granddaughter were expected—she hadn’t anticipated the same from Zhane. It wasn’t supposed to be like this with him.
Zhane was known for being reserved and gentlemanly. Though stern and stoic, he never went out of his way to humiliate anyone. The best example was the affair between the Lennons and the Everetts; even when he was tied to Sienna Lennon without his consent and clearly disapproved of it, he chose not to publicly clear the misunderstanding. He didn’t want Sienna to be embarrassed within their close-knit circles or become the target of ridicule.
Because of this, Sienna deluded herself into believing that Zhane had accepted the engagement and might even have some feelings for her, since he hadn’t attempted to damage her reputation. What Sienna didn’t realize was that Zhane simply didn’t care about such trivial matters—and even less so about her.
But now, of course, because he wanted to protect Hera and what Hera thought of him and was afraid that she would really believe that he has a fiancee and being a scumbag for trying to woo another girl while he has a fiancee would surely make him such a scumbag which he didn’t like.
Sienna was seething with anger. She couldn’t believe that Zhane had chosen to support a minor celebrity, who was mired in numerous scandals and controversies, over her. Despite the fact that her family paled in comparison to Zhane’s, it was still far superior to the celebrity’s background. Her family had assets worth millions and could provide significant support and social standing, something the celebrity’s family could never offer. Sienna felt deeply insulted that Zhane would prioritize someone of such dubious standing over her.
Sienna’s fury reached a new peak when she caught the whispers swirling around them. Despite everyone’s efforts to be discreet and subtle with their gossip, Sienna’s heightened sensitivity made her acutely aware of their murmurings. It felt as though she was being publicly ridiculed and trampled upon, her humiliation exacerbated by Zhane’s actions. The sense of being exposed and mocked in front of others only deepened her anger and frustration.
Sienna glared at Dave with such intensity that it seemed as though she was trying to burn a hole through him to reach Hera. Her eyes were wild and filled with a dangerous edge, making Dave even more determined to protect Hera. He instinctively moved closer to shield her, making sure not even a strand of Hera’s hair was visible to Sienna. Dave could sense that Sienna was on the brink of losing control and was terrified that she might lash out and harm Hera in her rage.
"So it looks like the Lennons blew things way out of proportion—or maybe they were the ones who orchestrated the whole charade to make it seem like Zhane was infatuated with their only daughter. They made a spectacle of their supposed romance, showering her with extravagant gifts and leading everyone else to believe in this fabricated love story. Meanwhile, they’ve been reaping all the benefits while keeping other families in the dark," one woman said loudly, her voice rising as she gossiped with her friends seated not far from Hera’s table.
When Sienna glanced over, the woman who had spoken merely sipped her coffee and avoided eye contact, as if she hadn’t said anything at all. The others at the table followed suit, treating Sienna’s reaction with indifference. They perceived her as a mere annoyance, like a frog attempting to swallow a swan meat, and felt she was out of her depth and unable to align herself properly with the situation.
From the opposite side of the deck, someone spoke with clear contempt. "Hmph! I always suspected the Lennons weren’t to be trusted. Thankfully, I opposed any partnership with them from the start. Look at this—the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Even their daughter is ill-mannered and has a foul mouth, unable to distinguish right from wrong. Ugh!" The speaker pretended to clear a bad taste from their mouth, rolling their eyes in disdain.