"They're both family," William responded.

Elise frowned. How brotherly was he really being toward Ethan?!

She couldn't help feeling a pang of sympathy for Elizabeth in that moment, who clearly adored William completely.

Despite their occasional arguments, Elizabeth would never tolerate anyone speaking ill of William. There was obvious blind devotion whenever she talked about him. And anything William requested, she would always comply obediently—no matter how reluctant she appeared.

Yet considering how strained Elizabeth's relationship with Ethan remained...

Neither man truly deserved Elizabeth's affection! They simply weren't worthy!

Still, Elise kept her thoughts to herself and instead checked the news on her phone.

There would likely be numerous articles about her circulating these days, and it made sense to monitor the situation.

While most headlines showered her with praise, the media maintained their favorite habit of publishing one critical piece for every complimentary one.

Consequently, alongside articles praising Elise, many mocked Samuel relentlessly. Countless people called him blind for leaving Elise for Sophia, while Amanda found herself caught in the crossfire for her despicable behavior on Solo Show.

Some even speculated that Samuel was the actual mastermind behind everything, given his history. Like all internet rumors, the more it spread, the more it became accepted as truth. Eventually, everyone became convinced that Amanda had merely been made the scapegoat.

However, not only had Samuel failed to generate support for Mitchell Corp despite spending fortunes bribing the production crew and purchasing scripts—he had utterly ruined their reputation instead.

They had certainly overestimated their capabilities, and yet...

Elise's eyes narrowed as she realized Sophia remained completely unaffected even as Mitchell Corp's reputation crumbled.

In fact, netizens were advising Sophia to stay away from a scumbag like Samuel, warning that if he could do this to Elise, he would do the same to Sophia herself.

Elise always knew Sophia possessed cunning, but to think she could emerge completely clean while positioning herself as the victim... It was evident Sophia's scheming and manipulation had reached new heights.

Still, Elise's fingers twitched as she noticed another article: [Elise Scott's Dark Knight Stages Daring Helicopter Rescue!]

She pursed her lips as she tapped on it and scrolled through the attached photographs.

In them, William held her hand, leading her through the crowd of journalists. There was no question it was her in that blue diamond gown—the identification was unmistakable. Her fair skin practically glowed against the gown's brilliance, but after further inspection, one's attention would inevitably shift to William.

Even with the large umbrella obscuring his face, his towering stature, noble presence, and chiseled fingers and jawline were sights guaranteed to make women shriek with delight.

The mystery surrounding him only fueled netizens' excitement, with the hashtag [#elisesdarkknight] claiming top spot in popular searches.

Elise glanced up at William, who lounged casually on the single-seater couch opposite her.

He seemed to sense the subtle movement of her eyes and looked up at that moment, locking gazes with her.

As her heart skipped a beat, he spoke...

"I understand I'm exceptionally good-looking, Ms. Scott, but I must still request you refrain from staring at me like that."

Elise was speechless—was there anyone as narcissistic as him?

He certainly had the right to be, but humility bred wisdom!

"Why?" she huffed in annoyance.

"Because I won't be able to stop myself from kissing you."

His words were delivered with aloof nonchalance, yet the room suddenly seemed saturated with tension.

Elise swiftly averted her eyes.