Not long after finishing the first one, Malcolm lit another cigarette. Ethon had already left.
The atmosphere in the hall was quiet and peaceful.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for Ethon because Shyla was still standing on the stage, scanning the crowd expectantly.
When Ethon came out of the bathroom, he found people eyeing him, while also giving way to him.
The light was shining brightly on Ethon. He looked all around without any expression on his handsome, chiseled face.
Under the stark gaze of every one present, Ethon slowly made his way to the stage.
Shyla looked at Ethon affectionately, her adoration for him clear on her face. She was both anxious and excited, wondering what would happen next. She thought Ethon would compromise and accept their marriage.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. There have been some misunderstandings about my marriage to Miss Tang. I have never been in a relationship with her, and I don't like her either. She is a great person, but I have been in love with another girl for many years. Hope you can bless us and forget about this announcement..." Ethon stood in the middle of the stage with his eyes looking firmly at the people around. There was no hint of hesitation in his manner.
No one said a word, although there were hushed sounds of people looking at each other in shock and some gasping. What was going on? How many more turns was this party going to take?
Shyla's eyes widened. When she realized what was happening, she felt so embarrassed she lowered her eyes. She fiddled with her own fingers, starting to sweat. How could Ethon be so blunt in front of so many people?
Did he really have to embarrass her? Further, wasn't this an insult to her and her father?
Her face looked pale and lifeless under the shining light. She stood frozen in place. Slowly, she lifted her eyes up at Ethon...one could now see the hatred surfacing in her pretty face.
"Ethon, what do you mean?" Shyla asked in disbelief. The drama had just started to unfold.
Monica, who was standing among the crowd, was stunned too. Her mouth was wide open. She had never expected her son to go against her.
She felt both shame and embarrassment. She was overwhelmed by Ethon's anger and frustration. The wrinkles around her eyes came together as she narrowed her eyes and looked at Shyla on the stage...clearly, the girl was feeling disappointed and insulted.
"Don't you know what I mean? You already know I have a girlfriend, and her name is Fiona..." Ethon squinted his eyes as if he couldn't believe her pretense. He walked closer to Shyla, glaring at her angrily.
The expression on Ethon's face was frightening, making her feel a shiver run down her spine. Unable to hold herself together, she started weeping. The girl had been wronged, after all.
Joshua couldn't stand his daughter's embarrassment anymore. He rushed onto the stage and pulled her behind him. He then looked down at Monica, roaring at the top of his lungs, "Mrs. Yu! Is this how you have brought your son up?" He then turned to Ethon. "You know what, Ethon? Shyla never wanted to marry you anyway. It was your mother who begged her to marry you. I didn't expect you to be so shameless and ungrateful..."
The air seemed to have chilled in the hall. No one moved. Joshua's revealing words made everyone present uneasy.
Malcolm walked out of the bathroom to find everything at a standstill. There was a slight smell of smoke on his slender fingers. Spotting Ethon on the stage, he figured out what had happened. He smiled deeply to himself and asked Joshua, "Mr. Tang, why are you angry? My wife did something wrong. She didn't discuss it with our son and decided to fix his marriage without telling him. It's not Ethon's fault. Don't be angry with him."
Malcolm spoke with indignation, urging Joshua to forgive Ethon.
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