Margaret didn't even get to finish her sentence before Alexander interrupted her, his voice icy and sharp.

"Mother, what are you implying?"

Margaret exhaled impatiently. "Am I wrong? Since the divorce, has that woman ever once bothered to visit Liam?"

Alexander's striking features darkened. "No matter what happens, Amy will always be Liam's mother. That fact will never change."

Margaret opened her mouth to argue, but Charlotte smoothly intervened.

"Mother, let's not discuss this now. Mr. Whitmore's birthday dinner is more important."

With a displeased huff, Margaret fell silent.

Meanwhile, a sleek black sedan sped down the road.

Inside sat the Harrington family—Nathaniel, Harrison, and Aurora.

Nathaniel broke the silence first. "There's an emergency at the company. Connor and Isaac can't make it—they'll wait at the Harrington estate for Evelyn's return."

Harrison had already been briefed about the trouble at their businesses. He nodded, then turned to Aurora, his gaze softening with genuine concern.

"Aurora, are you alright?"

She looked drained, exhaustion evident in her delicate features. She shook her head slightly. "I'm fine."

Harrison said, "Since you have the competition coming up, just focus on that. Mr. Whitmore's party can be handled by me and your brother."

Aurora offered a small smile. "Coming to Solmaris this time, my main goal was to see Evelyn. There were some misunderstandings between us years ago—if I don't clear things up, I fear she'll still resent me."

She paused, then added, "Besides, I heard Mr. Pendleton will be at the party as well. He's a legendary violinist, and I'd love the chance to meet him."

Harrison nodded, visibly pleased by her thoughtfulness.

He himself planned to visit Amy after Mr. Whitmore's birthday dinner. Amy's current situation was still precarious—it wasn't the right time to make any public announcements.

With that in mind, Harrison turned to Aurora again. "Aurora, what do you truly think of Theodore Jr. these days?"

Aurora already knew Harrison's intentions, having heard them from Nathaniel. Her answer was calm and measured. "I see Theodore Jr. as an older brother, nothing more."

Harrison was satisfied with her maturity. "Aurora, Evelyn has had a difficult life these past few years. She didn't grow up with the privileges you had. You're the older sister—if there's ever conflict between you two, I hope you'll be the one to show understanding."

He hesitated, then continued earnestly. "Aurora, you're different from Evelyn. Your father was strict with you from a young age. I hope you realize it was because he believed in your potential."

All these years, Harrison had demanded so much from Aurora—sometimes, even her intelligence barely carried her through.

When her father first refused to let her study business, Aurora had been confused. She wondered if he favored sons over daughters, or worse, if he resented her because of her origins.

It wasn't until a conversation with Nathaniel that she finally understood—her father never looked down on her for being a woman, nor did he distrust her for being born out of wedlock.

In truth, Harrison's strictness stemmed from the high expectations he had for her.

But with Amy, he had no such expectations—he let her live freely, without pressure. Deep down, he believed Amy could never truly measure up, that she simply wasn't capable enough. That's why, when it came time to distribute shares, he'd rather leave them to Liam than to Amy.

It was a quiet surrender—an unspoken admission that he had given up on Amy's abilities.