CHAPTER 480: BEING FOLLOWED

"I—"

Melissa suddenly tightened her grip around the straw as all eyes in the room turned toward her.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Her gaze darted around the room in silent plea before finally landing on Camilla, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Camilla...?"

The solemn, heavy atmosphere in the room instantly shattered with Melissa’s interruption, replaced by a much lighter mood.

"You didn’t say anything wrong," Camilla replied, her cool demeanor softening as she took in Melissa’s bewildered expression.

"Not a single thing."

Though she usually carried an air of quiet aloofness, her smile now bloomed with unexpected warmth and radiance.

Sinclair’s lips curved slightly in response, his sharp features softening at the edges.

The chilling tension that had clung to him earlier gradually dissipated.

The oppressive atmosphere in the private room finally lifted.

But if she hadn’t said anything wrong... why was everyone staring at her?

Melissa’s face grew even more puzzled.

"Melissa has always been like this," Taylor suppressed the coldness in his eyes caused by Harrison, casting a calm glance at Vicente as he spoke in a gentle tone.

"You can still back out now."

"Brother, what do you mean I’ve always been like this?"

Though Melissa didn’t fully grasp what her brother was implying, she knew it wasn’t a compliment.

Her expression immediately soured.

"Like what?!"

Vicente watched as Melissa’s almond-shaped eyes widened, her soft features puffing up in indignation, before shifting his gaze back to Taylor.

"Too late for that," Vincent chuckled softly, his voice laced with helpless amusement.

"I’ve realized I’m already blinded by affection.

No matter what she does, I find it endearing."

"Blind indeed," Taylor remarked, though a glint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.

"Brother!!"

After Vicente finished speaking, Melissa turned her full ire solely on her older brother.

"If you’re going to badmouth me, at least have the decency to do it behind my back.

That’s basic respect!"

Taylor’s gaze swept coolly over Melissa.

Instead of responding directly, he spoke in a measured, unhurried tone.

"Did I hear you just call me old?"

Melissa: "..."

The reminder instantly deflated her bravado, but she refused to back down so quickly in front of the others.

"I—I was just stating facts."

Pathetic little coward.

Vicente shook his head at his girlfriend’s lack of spine, though his eyes brimmed with undisguised affection.

Amusement glimmered in Taylor’s eyes as he poured himself a drink, took a deliberate sip, and finally spoke in that infuriatingly gentle voice.

"Vicente is only a year younger than me."

Vicente arched an eyebrow.

*These siblings really do love using me as their human shield.*

Melissa turned to Vicente, her defiance crumbling in an instant.

*Talk about friendly fire.*

This is it!

The meal came to an effortless close.

As the group descended the stairs, Ramsey, who had been waiting in the car, immediately stepped forward to greet them.

"President Luther, Madam," he said respectfully before nodding toward the other three.

"President Taylor, Miss Taylor, Mr. Vincent."

Taylor studied Ramsey for a moment, then gave a slight nod.

His dark eyes narrowed slightly as they flicked toward Sinclair and Camilla.

"We’ll take our leave now," he said smoothly.

"If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call."

Sinclair’s gaze remained unreadable, his silence deliberate.

Camilla, however, smiled warmly.

"Don’t worry.

If we really need help, Sinclair and I won’t hold back."

Taylor didn’t press further.

Vicente gave the couple a polite nod before escorting Taylor and Melissa to his family’s luxury hotel in Luville.

Once inside the car, Melissa immediately turned to her brother, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"Brother, you have no idea how much I missed you all this time!"

Then, without missing a beat, she leaned in conspiratorially.

"Hey, do you have a photo of that young lady from the Bernardo family?

Show me!"

"Bro..."

Watching Melissa chirping away as she trailed closely behind Taylor, the handsome man’s face was filled with helpless amusement.

Well then.

His girlfriend was about to leave with another man, and he even had to personally see her off.

Meanwhile, inside the Rolls-Royce Ghost. Sinclair lowered his gaze, calmly fastening Camilla’s seatbelt for her.

Camilla, enjoying her husband’s attentive care, glanced up at Ramsey.

"Did something happen?"

There was indeed something. But he hadn’t shown any signs of it—how did Madam know?

Unlike before, Ramsey didn’t answer directly.

Instead, his eyes flickered toward Sinclair in silent inquiry.

Madam was pregnant now, her body more fragile than before.

Without Mr. Luther’s permission, he didn’t dare speak carelessly and risk troubling her.

Camilla immediately understood Ramsey’s hesitation and turned to the man beside her.

"Sweetheart, keeping things from me will only make me overthink and worry even more."

Her voice was soft, yet it left Sinclair no room for refusal.

Sinclair lifted his gaze and gave Ramsey a cool nod.

"Go ahead, tell her."

A chilly evening wind swept through the night, casting an even colder and more solemn hue over the already silent darkness beyond the window.

"Yes," Ramsey replied, his voice tight with tension after receiving his boss’s permission.

"Our team has detected a group tailing you and Madam ever since the auction ended."

That was precisely why he had rushed over immediately.

His expression was grave, Ramsey continued,

"I’ve already had them surrounded from all sides without alerting them.

We’re awaiting your orders."

While Ramsey remained unaware of what had transpired at the auction, Camilla understood all too well.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she turned her gaze toward Sinclair.

"Is it Harrison’s people following us?"

Harrison?

Ramsey’s mind raced as he quickly retrieved the relevant intel—the heir of the Harrison family, one of the three major dynasties.

I first learned about him when President Luther assigned him to investigate the Bernardo family.

But why is this guy targeting President Luther and his wife now?

"Mmm."

Sinclair held Camilla’s hand, his strikingly handsome face expressionless, yet his usually icy voice softened to its gentlest tone.

"Don’t worry."

Seeing that Sinclair didn’t seem the least bit surprised, Camilla immediately understood.

Apparently, Sinclair already knew—or perhaps had anticipated this all along.

"That man’s pettiness is worse than a needle’s eye.

Miss Bernardo is in for a rough time ahead."

Her tone sounded no different from usual, but a closer listen would reveal the cold edge beneath.

"Then again, maybe not.

That woman isn’t exactly a pushover either."

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have so effortlessly stolen her sister’s fiancé and made the man utterly devoted to her.