"Ellie, my dear, is he bothering you?" Her father asked.
She knew exactly who her father referred to as 'he.'
"Ellie, you are quite different from the rumors circulating in my academy. Rumor has it that you are a girl desperately yearning for love—"
Ethan dared not finish his sentence as many sharp eyes bore into him.
"Pay no heed to your brother, he's just a blockhead," Countess Bianca stated, her hand gently holding Ellie's.
"Auntie!" Ethan's pride was wounded by Countess Bianca's words, especially with Cassius present.
Ethan observed Cassius up and down several times, aware that his gaze was inappropriate, but he paid it no mind.
"Do you need something, Brother-in-law?"
Ethan shuddered as Cassius addressed him that way.
"Oh, no. Best wishes on your upcoming marriage to Eleanor. Sometimes, she can be quite annoying."
"Ethan," Ellie warned him with a threatening tone.