Alice sighed deeply. In front of her, right on the table, was the invitation that Ashton had handed over earlier.

In hesitation and anxiety, Alice was engulfed in dilemma. She was unsure whether to hand over the birthday invitation or just discard it. But on second thought, she decided it was better not to let her father come to such a big event.

Alice was worried; she feared that Rapael would bring up all sorts of things and disrupt the atmosphere. Truly, Alice wasn't ready yet. She needed the right time and all kinds of readiness to introduce her father to her husband's extended family.

In the silence, while she...