Wren Wynter didn’t deny it. "Yes."

Seeing herself get sidelined, Tina Wallace puffed up with rage like a pufferfish.

Mrs. Wallace was even more furious. "Lana, how could you? At the very least, Tina is your future sister-in-law. What will your brother think of you for doing this?"

As she spoke, her gaze kept drifting to Wren Wynter. "Some people should have a little self-awareness after a divorce. Don’t go running to someone’s company all day. People who don’t know any better might think you’re trying to get back together."

Tina Wallace chimed in, "Exactly! Take a look at yourself. You’re already divorced, but you’re still haunting this place. Do you really think Brother Kaden would still want you?"

"Oh, please. The best you can do is pick up our junior’s second-hand goods." Leif Shaw shrugged, casting a scornful glance at Tina Wallace and her mother. His words were dripping with mockery for the pair, and he didn’t even spare Kaden Xavier.

"You!" Tina Wallace glared at Leif Shaw, grinding her teeth, all semblance of a well-bred lady gone.

Wren Wynter watched the mother-daughter pair, her expression placid. ’How ridiculous,’ she thought.

Fearing the conflict would escalate, Lucas Lynch quickly stepped between them. He addressed Tina and her mother, "Miss Wallace, Mrs. Wallace, Miss Wynter and her team are here on behalf of Elder Hawthorne to discuss a project. Please show them some respect. If we lose this partnership, Mr. Xavier will hold us accountable. I can’t afford that, and neither can you."

"Elder Hawthorne? Who the hell is that? I’ve never even heard of him," Tina Wallace said scornfully, completely missing the fact that her mother’s face had gone pale.

Mrs. Wallace hadn’t expected them to be Elder Hawthorne’s students.

"Shut up!" Mrs. Wallace smacked Tina.

Tina Wallace shot her an annoyed look, but when she turned, she met her mother’s warning gaze and reluctantly backed down.

"Trash?" A cold smile touched Wren Wynter’s lips, and her eyes turned icy.

’She could tolerate them talking about her.’

’But when it came to her teacher, she would never allow anyone to tarnish his name.’

"You don’t deserve to know my teacher’s name, much less slander him."

The moment the words left her mouth, Wren Wynter slapped Tina Wallace across her perfectly made-up face.

She moved so fast that no one had time to react.

Leif Shaw let out an excited whistle. "Nice one, junior!"

’It took a special kind of talent to provoke their usually good-natured junior into getting physical.’

"You dare hit me?! I’ll rip your mouth off!" Tina Wallace’s face twisted with rage as she lunged at her.

Wren Wynter had spent five years in Aferia. While she wouldn’t say her fighting skills were top-notch, she was far more agile than these pampered socialites.

She easily sidestepped Tina Wallace.

Having lost her balance, Tina Wallace stumbled and fell flat on her face.

"Tina!" Mrs. Wallace cried out.

"BOOHOO, you’re all bullying me!" Tina Wallace sat on the floor, sobbing without any regard for her image.

She had never been so utterly humiliated.

Just then, Kaden Xavier stepped out of the elevator. His suit was impeccable, his expression cold and stern.

He looked up and saw Wren Wynter standing at the office door. His steps faltered for a fraction of a second, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.

As if she’d seen her savior, Tina Wallace scrambled up from the floor. With tears welling in her eyes, she cried, "Brother Kaden, you’re finally back! Look at them! They’re bullying me!"

She pointed at Wren Wynter, the picture of a wronged victim. "This woman hit me! Look at my face, you can still see the handprint! Get someone to throw them out!"

Kaden Xavier’s brow furrowed. His gaze swept briefly over Tina Wallace before landing on Wren Wynter.

Wren Wynter met his dark gaze calmly. Her red lips parted to slowly form three words: "I hit her."

Ho-ran Park and the other two men stepped forward, forming a protective perimeter around Wren Wynter.

’If Kaden Xavier actually dared to lay a hand on their junior because of this woman, there was no way they were signing a deal with the Xavier Group today.’

’They would never agree to it, even if their teacher reprimanded them later.’

Tina Wallace shot Wren Wynter a smug look.

Little did she know that Kaden Xavier would turn to her and ask coldly, "Who are you?"

The air was instantly thick with embarrassment.

Leif Shaw was the first to break, bursting into laughter. He clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he was crying.

"HAHAHA! And here you were, talking about marrying him, but he doesn’t even know who you are! Turns out it was all in your head!"

Tina Wallace’s face was a mask of humiliation.

She grabbed Kaden Xavier’s arm, looking utterly pitiful. "Brother Kaden, have you forgotten? It’s me, Tina! You sent me a message yesterday telling me to come to the company."

Kaden Xavier’s frown deepened. "I sent you a message?"

"Yes, look!" Tina Wallace hurriedly pulled out her phone, opened her chat history, and held it out. "See? Didn’t you send this?"

Kaden Xavier took the phone and glanced at it.

The profile picture on the screen was his, but the message...

"I didn’t send this."

Tina Wallace was stunned. "What?"

Kaden Xavier handed the phone back, pulling his arm from her grasp. His tone was glacial. "I’m not interested in you. Don’t come here again."

Tina Wallace froze, looking as if she’d been struck by lightning.

Mrs. Wallace was also dumbstruck, her mouth hanging open.

"N-no... impossible..." Tina Wallace stammered. "Auntie Helen said you liked me... She said we were going to be married soon..."

"You can marry her, then. You’ll still get into the Xavier Family," Kaden Xavier said, his patience gone, his words merciless.

Wren Wynter was used to Kaden Xavier’s coldness.

He never went easy on people he disliked, and he was not one to show pity just because someone was a woman.

Even Leif Shaw, a master of the sharp comeback himself, had to admit that Kaden Xavier had just scored major points.

Tina Wallace’s face went from white to red, then to a sickly green, before finally settling on a shade of deep purple.

Kaden Xavier fixed his gaze on Lucas Lynch, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Show them out."

"Yes, Mr. Xavier." ’My boss is so damn cool right now,’ Lucas Lynch thought.

He immediately stepped forward and gestured towards the exit. "Miss Wallace, Mrs. Wallace, if you please."

Tina Wallace looked like she was about to say something, but her mother held her back.

Though reluctant, Mrs. Wallace knew that making a bigger scene would only lead to further humiliation.

Before leaving, Tina Wallace turned back to shoot Wren Wynter a venomous glare, one that looked like it wanted to skin her alive.

Wren Wynter acted as if she hadn’t seen a thing.

Once Tina Wallace and her mother were in the elevator, she finally spoke, her expression calm. "She was your mother’s choice, after all. Was it really okay to send her away like that?"

"There was nothing wrong with it." Kaden Xavier’s gaze softened, the hard edge in his voice gone. "I’m sorry to have kept you waiting."