Chapter 19 The Things You Haven't Noticed

"You're not going anywhere until you give me an explanation!" Sophie screamed, hastening to catch up.

But just as she took a step, Gordon came out to greet Nanci with a broad smile. "Miss Ross, welcome! Please come in. My father is much better today, thanks to you and Mr. Mills..."

The three of them talked as they walked toward the hall, ignoring Sophie.

It was then that Sophie realized Nanci's status. Gordon himself was coming out to meet her.

Since Grandpa Underwood's collapse, the Underwood family had been under the sole control of Gordon, a man of significant stature. Even Edward would show him respect.

Now he was personally greeting Nanci!

What was happening?

Gordon instructed Keith to take good care of Nanci before he went to greet other guests.

Keith nodded, and as he caught Nanci's puzzled look, he casually slipped a hand into his pocket and gestured for her to take his arm.

"Miss Ross, may I have the honor of being your companion tonight?"

Nanci looked at him for a moment and said directly, "Amelia might not have made my role clear to you, but you saw it at the door. Being my companion is not exactly a wise decision."

"Do you mean because you are Edward's ex-wife?" Keith tilted his head, his smile teasing.

Nanci raised an eyebrow. "You know?"

Keith nodded with a smile.

With Nanci still puzzled, he leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "I don't care about that. I'm only interested in whether you might know Dr. Lancy."

Nanci fell silent.

His warm breath on her cheek, the scent of his custom perfume lingering at the tip of her nose, made her ears heat up.

She was about to move aside when she felt a chill down her spine.

Turning her head, she ran into Edward's deep, icy eyes, as if to freeze her in place. Her thoughts lagged, and she turned to Keith. "Did you do that on purpose?"

Keith shrugged nonchalantly when he replied, "I'm just helping you. Of course, I have to play my part!"

Nanci's mouth twitched.

So he knew.

It seemed that one couldn't gauge the minds of the Underwood family with normal reasoning.

As she was in deep thought, Keith, holding her hand, rested it on his arm and looked up to smile naturally at Edward not far away. "Mr. Clarkson, long time no see."

Like Sophie, Edward's was no better.

Edward's gaze was tightly on Nanci's face.

Married for three years, it was the first time he saw her in light makeup, radiant, and he couldn't look away.

He remembered when they registered their marriage. She had come bare-faced, without a trace of makeup, and acted sweetly and sensibly that she didn't want to delay him, so she came on her own.

“How did I never notice before, Miss Ross, that you are so striking?” His cool voice echoed in the spacious hall, as crisp as the chilly winter wind, leaving emotions hard to discern.

Nanci smiled gently and generously, "There's a lot you haven't noticed."

Edward's eyes narrowed slightly as he blurted out, "Are you blaming me?"

He had thought a lot the previous night.

Nanci's words at the Underwood family's door carried resentment, dissatisfaction with their three-year marriage, and grievances about her position in the Clarkson family.

If she were truly cold-hearted, she wouldn't secretly send medicine to his grandmother.

Now, her deliberate defiance might be an attempt to draw attention.

Her accommodating nature, having worn on her, was no longer satisfying. She wanted an opportunity to change her position in the Clarkson family and in his heart.

Nanci asked, "What do you mean?"

“What do you want? Just say it. Don't make me guess. You know I don't have the leisure to ponder a woman's thoughts."

It took Nanci a while to realize. Did he think she was deliberately showing off to catch his attention?

She paused for a moment, somewhat helpless. "Edward, where do you get this confidence from?"

Edward stared at the woman in front of him. She furrowed her brows slightly, her overly delicate face no longer gentle and serene, but filled with a mocking cold smile.

He had never seen her like this before and his voice grew even colder. "If it wasn't to get my attention, why did you choose to deliver medicine to my grandmother when I was there? Why let me see you with Brian? And now, you show up with a man on your arm! What, you want to make me jealous?"

His every word was interpreted through his shamelessly arrogant mindset, almost making Nanci laugh out of anger.

She let go of Keith's hand and stepped forward.

Edward felt her approach, his frown deepening, until she brought her face close to his, stopping just a short distance away. They didn't speak, just quietly looking at each other.

Their eyes met, their breaths mingling.

The surrounding laughter and the clinking of glasses seemed to pause.

Her sweet breath wafted over his face, making Edward's throat tight, prompting him to instinctively step back half a step. "Your tricks won't work! I've said it before. Aside from our marriage, I can agree to anything!"

Nanci also stepped back, tilting her head to look at him. "Maybe I was too kind before, making you get too carried away."

The man's handsome face suddenly darkened, his eyes coldly fixed on her.

"Perhaps in your mind, I still liked you. But from the moment we got divorced, it was over between us. I was willing to help Olivia with her medicine because she helped me. I didn't give you Brian's contact information because I didn't want to. Please don't pull your arrogant and baseless narcissism on me. I have no need to catch your attention."

Edward's face stiffened, about to say something, but Nanci had already walked away with Keith.

He watched her slender figure disappear, his expression growing darker.

When had he ever been treated like this?

Seconds later, he put down his glass and took out his phone, heading to the balcony.

"Cancel all my appointments. I'm heading to Woodlands!" His voice was ice cold, with a hint of anger as he gritted his teeth.

He refused to believe that aside from this hypocritical woman, no one knew of Brian's whereabouts.

On the other end of the phone, Isaac hurriedly responded, "Yes."

But even after hanging up, Isaac hadn't quite grasped it. It was clear that Nanci was connected to Brian, so why were they going the distance to Woodlands to find the Ross family?

“Wasn't Miss Ross always wanting to reconcile with Mr. Clarkson? Had she not seized the opportunity properly and thoroughly offended Edward?” Isaac wondered.

Nanci, in her high heels, continued forward, not quite sure of her direction, her face full of anger.

Keith had been pulled along for quite a distance before he finally couldn't help but grab her and say, "Miss Ross, we've almost left the hall. No one is following. Calm down..."

Nanci stopped, took a deep breath, but couldn't help but blurt out, "What nonsense!"

Keith patted her hand, his voice soothing. "Don't be angry. Getting angry makes women age! There are plenty of good men in the world. Why waste time on him? But I'm different, considering family background, upbringing, and good appearance..."

As Nanci's anger subsided, she listened more closely to his words, which seemed increasingly inappropriate.

Turning her head, she saw his beaming smile.

She withdrew her hand as if shocked, her voice cold and detached. "I just got divorced, and I'm not interested in men anymore! Don't love me. Nothing's ever gonna happen between us!"