Seeing this, Silas's brother on her other side also raised a glass.

"You might not know this, Lizetta, but I've actually watched your dance performances before. You were absolutely stunning on stage. Let me toast you as well, to forget all the unpleasantness just now, alright?"

The glass was pushed right up to her face, but Lizetta raised her hand and shoved it away.

"I don't drink. I have to drive later."

Andrea burned with resentment at the mention of driving. She immediately chimed in.

"It's fine, Liz. Even if you get drunk, we have a driver at home. Or you could just rest here for the afternoon. You don't have to go back to work—it just takes one word from Mom, right?"

She looked over at Eartha for support.

Eartha wore a refined, elegant smile. She nodded at Andrea before turning to Lizetta.

"Liz, there's no harm in having a couple of drinks with the boys for your first meeting. I've already approved your time off for the afternoon. We haven't even gone shopping together yet. You and Andrea can come to the boutiques with me later. Just forget about work for today."

With her open encouragement, the Porter brothers grew even bolder.

They were practically trying to pour the liquor directly down Lizetta's throat.

Screech!

Lizetta's chair made a harsh, grating sound against the floor as she aggressively shoved it back and stood up.

She swatted her hand out defensively. Silas lost his grip on the glass, sending it toppling over and splashing alcohol all over his dress shirt.

He jumped up with a gasp, completely ignoring the mess on his clothes as he reached out to grab Lizetta.

"Lizetta, are you okay?"

As he leaned in, a wave of pungent, suffocating men's cologne assaulted her senses. It was absolutely repulsive.

She forcefully slapped his hand away, snapping, "Don't touch me!"

Silas stumbled back, his expression a mix of flustered awkwardness and shock.

Conrad's face darkened instantly. He roared, "Lizetta, when are you going to stop throwing tantrums?! Apologize to Silas right now."

Eartha stood up, instructing the maids to fetch a dry towel for Silas's shirt.

"Forget it, forget it. There's no need for apologies. We're all family here. Liz definitely didn't do it on purpose."

Silas quickly added, "I'm fine, Conrad. I just didn't hold the glass properly. It's not Lizetta's fault."

The two of them played the roles of forgiving, magnanimous saints flawlessly.

Conrad grew even angrier. “No, she must apologize."

Lizetta pressed her lips together, her smile dripping with pure mockery.

"I truly didn't expect that in my own home, sitting right in front of my own father, I'd have liquor forced down my throat."

Conrad frowned. "If you didn't want to drink, you could have just told him. You could have politely declined. What gave you the right to splash a drink all over someone?"

Lizetta scoffed. "Politely decline? Did

I not just say I was driving? He

l.ne

practically shoved the glass into my

faces

Are you selectively blind, or de

just choose not to see it?"

Conrad's expression grew exceedingly gloomy. He had been talking to Eartha just a

moment ago and genuinely hadn't been paying attention to Lizetta's side of the table.

He turned his gaze to Silas. "Were you forcing her to drink?"

A flicker of confusion crossed Silas's face, and he shot a look at Lizetta, acting

completely baffled as to why she would make such an accusation.

Sitting nearby, Andrea chimed in at the perfect moment. "Liz, you're misunderstanding Silas. I was watching the whole time. He was just being welcoming. He didn't mean to force you at all."

Conrad clearly preferred to believe the daughter he had personally raised. His face hardened as he glared at Lizetta.

"Lizetta, are you going to blame others for your own atrocious behavior? don't care how your

met

ants raised you in the

past, and never expected people like them to teach you any manners. But you are my daughter now. You've returned to the Madden family, and you need to act like the Madden heiress. You should really learn a thing or two from Andrea..."