After changing clothes, I went downstairs with William.
He held my hand, carefully guiding me down the stairs as if I were a fragile object.
Something felt off in my heart.
"Someone's coming to the house today."
I asked, "Who?"
He looked down at me, smiling mysteriously. "You'll find out soon."
Soon, we reached the dining room. I saw a girl standing in front of my mother, respectfully presenting a gift box to her.
That figure…
"Hello. I'm William's friend. He didn't tell me he was bringing me here, it was all so sudden, and I didn't have time to bring a gift. But this watch has been passed down in my family for years. I hope you'll like it."
That voice!
In an instant, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cave, as though I had been transported back to the first day of school.
I had too much luggage, and accidentally dropped one piece, startling Charlotte Cooper, who was passing by.
"Sorry, sorry."
Charlotte glanced at me and sneered, "Now anyone can come here. What bad luck."
Then, one of her lackeys rushed over and overturned my luggage, spilling everything on the ground.
From that moment on, she found it amusing to bully me.
The scene of my death flashed in my mind again. Charlotte laughed and shouted, "Run her over, run her over. Anyway, she has no family. No one will even notice if she dies. Hahaha."
Looking at Charlotte's back, my neck felt like it was being squeezed, and my body trembled uncontrollably.
"Lana."
William Spencer, standing beside me, held my hand and stepped forward, blocking my view. He looked at me with unwavering determination.
Feeling the warmth of his hand, my cold, stiff body slowly started to relax.
"William…"
For a brief moment, I wondered if William knew something.
He patted my head, leaned in slightly, and whispered in my ear.
"It's alright, nothing's wrong. You're the heiress of the Spencer family. No one would dare bully you."
My heart skipped a beat.
He knew! He definitely knew!
"What's wrong with Lana? Is she feeling unwell? Should we call a doctor?"
Mom immediately stepped forward, pushing Charlotte aside, her face filled with concern.
William moved aside as well, stepping back calmly, his expression unchanged.
Seeing the worried look on Mom's face, I forced a smile. "It's nothing. Just a little heart flutter. The air here isn't very fresh."
I pretended to sneeze, then muttered, "It smells too strong. My nose can't take it."
The original body couldn't handle strong scents, so the Spencer family had strictly forbidden the use of perfumes.
Mom immediately shot Charlotte a warning glance. "Someone, escort Miss Cooper home."
Charlotte looked surprised but quickly apologized. "Sorry, Auntie. I didn't know Lana couldn't handle these smells."
She cast a pleading look at William, looking utterly helpless.
I couldn't help but glance at William. He had always been indifferent to women, but Charlotte had just said he was the one who brought her here.
Could it be...
This was the "gift" he had mentioned.
William gave me a smile—mysterious and dangerous.
He definitely knew!
I held back my shock and turned to Mom. "I'm fine, Mommy. This is the first time my brother has brought a girl home. We can't make him lose face."
I deliberately said this, and sure enough, Charlotte's face showed a mix of delight and triumph, before she shyly cast William a flirtatious look.
The Spencer family was the wealthiest in town, while the Cooper family was barely even in comparison.
Mom waved her hand dismissively. "Fine then. Take Miss Cooper to freshen up. We don't want her to stink up Lana."
This was a blatant insult.
Charlotte approached William and coquettishly said, "William, I…"
William remained unfazed. "Just do it."
Charlotte's face fell, but she reluctantly followed the maid out.
Mom pulled me to sit down, and the servants began to bring out the dishes, preparing for the meal.
I purposely said, "Aren't we going to wait for Miss Cooper?"
Mom snorted. "Your brother's blind. Why are you blind too?"
Then she turned to William and warned him, "You can play around, but she's not someone you can marry."
William nodded and casually served me some food.
I lowered my head and ate in silence.
It really was just a casual play.
