“Should we celebrate it?” Abigail finally broke the silence.


    “N-no!” via quickly responded. “There’s nothing to celebrate. What Uncle said is a lie. We have no connection whatsoever.” via then released dwin’s hand from her waist.


    “But, Via?” dwin looked at via, puzzled. They had already expressed their feelings for each other, and via had stated that she had no rtionship with Eijaz. So why was she still refusing?


    “I-I have to go. I have things to do on campus,” via said nervously.


    Abigail and dwin both knew that via was lying. It was clear she was avoiding dwin.


    “I’ll drive you,” dwin said, searching for his car keys, but via shook her head vigorously.


    “No need, Uncle. I can go on my own,” via declined softly.


    “But…”


    “Be careful on the road,” dwin and Abigail said simultaneously. dwin looked angrily at Abigail because his niece was hindering his efforts, but Abigail ignored his gaze.


    via smiled at her friends, silently expressing gratitude, then put on her t shoes, bid farewell, and left the apartment.


    “Why did you let her go alone?” dwin asked abruptly. Clearly, he felt both frustrated and angry at the same time. He wanted to resolve everything with via, but Abigail was intentionally thwarting his efforts.


    “For now, let her be alone, Uncle. She needs time,” Abigail said casually as she walked to the fridge and took cold water.


    “What more time? Before you came, she already said she had no rtionship with Eijaz. We’ve both admitted our feelings. But she still refuses when I mention that we are officially dating now. I need an exnation for her rejection this time,” dwin became emotional again. His impatience was evident. He continued to stare at Abigail, who remained calm when he wanted to explode.


    “Is that so?” Abigail seemed surprised, but dwin knew it was just an act. “Your progress has been fast too. But Uncle promised me that he would follow my way. Uncle must not pressure via. Period,” Abigail concluded without giving dwin a chance to negotiate.


    “But…”


    “Uncle!” Abigail looked at her uncle sharply, demanding his full attention. “via is acting like that for a reason.”


    “Well then, exin! What’s the reason for rejecting Uncle now when our feelings are mutual? Or is it just a made-up excuse?” dwin stared at Abigail suspiciously.


    Abigail ignored him. “We’re having dinner at Grandma’s house.” Abigail stated firmly, with no intention of answering her uncle’s questions. dwin looked at his niece in confusion, but Abigail seemed reluctant to be contradicted.


    Fine, dwin would y along. After all, he had agreed to it earlier.


    “It’s unusual for you toe without via,” his fathermented as Abigail entered his parents’ house through the kitchen door, as she usually did. “You and her are like Siamese twins. Always together wherever you go,” he continued in a mocking tone.


    “via has work. Why, Dad, jealous because I prefer to spend time with her rather than with you?” Abigail looked at her father with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.


    “Should have adopted her back then. Then you wouldn’t have turned into a naughty child. You, just a moment without via, start acting strange.” His father replied cynically. “See, she leaves you to go to college, and you immediately start acting up and be a model.” It was no secret that her father strongly opposed Abigail and the world of modeling.


    “I’ve already said this is just a phase. I’ll stop when I’m no longer in demand. Or when I get married, then I’ll focus on my family.”


    “Yes, but when?” Now his mother asked. “Until now, you haven’t introduced any man to us.”


    “Well, I’m still looking, Ma. I’ll make sure, after via gets married, I’ll get married too,” she concluded.


    “Then how long are you going to wait? via’s rtionship with Eijaz hasn’t made any progress. Do you want to wait for me to die before getting married?” Julie Hampton interjected. dwin sensed a sarcastic tone in his mother’s voice, but he didn’t know the reason.


    “Well, Grandma, just pray for via to get married soon. That way, I can also meet my match soon.”


    “But I’m also curious about via and Eijaz. They’ve known each other for quite a while and seem to like each other, but why is there no sign of marriage from either of them? Who’s not ready to get married? via or Eijaz?”


    “Maybe it’s her family,” Julie Hampton interjected. Abigail let her grandmother speak as this was her intention in bringing dwin. She wanted to make dwin aware of Julie Hampton’s views on via.


    “What’s wrong with her family?” dwin asked afterward, as there was no response from anyone at the dining table after his mother spoke. “Do they not like via?” There was a hopeful tone in dwin’s voice.


    ‘Isn’t that good? If Eijaz’s family doesn’t like via, it means dwin doesn’t have to confront Eijaz’s parents.’ dwin thought, feeling pleased.


    “Which parents would willingly allow their son to marry a girl like via,” Julie Hampton replied calmly but made dwin instantly furrow his brow in confusion.


    Abigail’s parents looked at dwin, Abigail, and Julie Hampton in turn.


    “You don’t know?” Julie Hampton stared at dwin with a deep furrow in her brow. dwin reciprocated with an equally puzzled look. “Your uncle truly doesn’t know?” Julie looked at Abigail, who answered his question by pursing her lips and shaking her head. “How is that possible? It’s been five years already.” Julie looked at dwin in disbelief.


    “What’s wrong with via?” dwin now looked at the people around the table in turn. “via is beautiful, she’s kind. And shees from a respected and decent family.” dwin’sment was straightforward. “What do Eijaz’s parents have that makes him reject via? Are they richer than Antony?” He asked, curious and with an uncontroble anger.


    “Well, all of that is true. via has it all. Beautiful face, good character, and a respectable family. But that’s not enough to make her the dreamed-of daughter-inw, dwin. A woman should be able to provide offspring.” His mother’s response stung dwin. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. dwin looked at Abigail, his niece seemed to be clenching her fists and staring sharply at her grandmother.


    “via is not barren, Grandma,” she uttered with a low growl. “Her uterus is intact.”


    “Yes. You are right. But the chances of her having children are small. And as parents, Eijaz’s parents must consider that. It’s better to avoid something uncertain than to regret itter,” Julie continued, seemingly unaware of the chilling atmosphere around her.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    “How can you speak like that, Grandma? via is also your granddaughter,” Abigail retorted.


    “Yes. via is also my granddaughter. But I’m talking about facts, Abby. If I were in Eijaz’s parents’ position, I would also reconsider making her my daughter-inw. I expect my son to have offspring, and she can’t guarantee that.”


    “Do you know that your words are harsh?” Abigail’s tone escted. Her father looked at Abigail sharply. Solidarity with a friend might not be an issue, but being disrespectful to elders was clearly something her parents could no longer tolerate.


    “I’m just stating facts, Abby. If dwin were to ask via to be his wife, I would be in the forefront to refuse. Even though your uncle’s age is not young anymore, marrying someone like via is clearly not an option.”


    “I’m not defying God’s will. But I’m just thinking realistically. She’s your friend, she’s also my granddaughter, but still…”


    “Is it because she’s your step-granddaughter, that you’re acting like this?” Abigail looked at her grandmother in disbelief. She knew this response woulde from her grandmother, but she didn’t expect to feel such sadness for her friend. “What if the roles were reversed? What if it happened to me? Would you say the same thing? That I’m not a woman worthy of marriage?”


    “Abigail!” Her father began to speak up.