Chapter 1173

Hannah uttered, “Lacey, you’re all grown up now. We can’t possibly be there for you on every single occasion. There are times when you’ll have to face those events yourself. Furthermore, we’ve been spending all of the previous Harvest Festival nights together. It’s time for you to go to Thisleton Manor.

After all, that’s where your real home is.”

Lacey relented with reddened eyes.

Soon, Zeke and Lacey reached the Thisleton Manor.

It was a lively and merry atmosphere in the Thisleton Manor.

All of the members were busy setting up for the family dinner.

Zeke could see that their cheeriness was merely an act.

In fact, they were upset.

They knew that the main character of the dinner tonight would be an outsider—Lacey.

None liked that an outsider was going to outshine them, especially during a family dinner.

The most grudging one was Clyde Thisleton.

In the Thisleton family, Clyde had always been behind Julian, regardless of age or status.

As Julian was crippled, Clyde was technically the next-in-line for the head of the family.

However, Lacey appeared in a turn of events.

As the eldest daughter of the Thisleton’s, she posed an imminent threat to Clyde’s plans.

In fact, she might end up taking his position as the head of the family.

After all, the capability of the individual was the only factor for selecting the head of the Thisleton family; gender was irrelevant.

Therefore, Clyde had decided to seek an opportunity to strike at Lacey so that she would know not to compete with him.

When Ares realized that Zeke and Lacey had arrived, a joyous expression emerged on his face as he hurriedly came out to welcome them.

His actions upset the Thisleton’s even more.

Ares had never expressed such enthusiasm toward them.

“Lacey, what took you so long? I’ve been waiting for ages. Come, take a seat. The dinner begins now.”

The Thisleton’s and the guests then took their seats.

Zeke had been taken to his seat at the table where Ares and the other elders of the Thisleton family were seated.

Although Ares was not convinced that Zeke was worthy of his title as the Great Marshal, and he did not like the latter being in a relationship with his daughter, but Zeke was now the face of the nation, so Ares did not wish to embarrass him in public.

As for Lacey, she sat with the younger generations of the Thisleton family.

Despite Ares’ love for her, he could not go against the family rules and let her sit at the table with the elders.

Lacey knew no one from the Thisleton family, so she was reserved. The entire time, she hung her head in silence and quietly ate her food.

Her peers in the Thisleton family were all chatting merrily, and they intentionally left her out of their conversations.

After Clyde drank two glasses of wine, he felt courage thrumming in his veins, and he walked up to Lacey.

“Hello, I’m Clyde Thisleton. You are an elder sister to me. Lacey, it’s nice to meet you. Let me toast you.”

Before Lacey could reply, Clyde had finished the wine in one go.

Then, he filled it up again. “Lacey, the family rules state that you’ll have to drink with me for the second glass.”

Lacey quickly explained, “I’m sorry, Clyde. I can’t drink. Why don’t down this glass of water instead?”

A displeased look crawled onto Clyde’s face. “Lacey, are you looking down on me? I know it’s an amazing feat to have built the Linton Group from scratch. But that doesn’t mean you can look down on the Thisleton’s.”

Clyde was trying to ruin her reputation. He was insinuating that her claim of being unable to drink was a mere show of contempt for him.

In that instant, all the Thisleton’s turned to look at Lacey.