Rogue

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Evangeline did not refuse Dexter’s kind gesture. She understood Dexter well; if she declined, he would be unhappy, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

After Dexter finished running the bath, she entered the bathroom.

The bathtub was filled with water and scattered with rose petals, while snacks and drinks were placed on a nearly counter, showing considerabl thoughtfulness.

Evangeline rinsed herself first before soaking in the bathtub and eating.

When she finished and came out of the bathroom, Dexter was still in her room, and the room was

filled with sleep–enhancing incense.

She walked to the bed, lay down, and said to Dexter, “Go back to your room. I’m going to sleep.”

Dexter glanced at the bothersome wall with a deep, thoughtful look and said, “Eva, let’s knock down this wall”

“Don’t even think about it. Go back to your room now. I’m going to sleep. Evangeline refused without hesitation and even gave him a nudge with her foot to urge him out.

Dexter reluctantly went back to his room.

Evangeline didn’t go to sleep immediately. Instead, she took out her headphones, opened her phone, and secretly watched videos until late at night.

In the following days, Evangeline and Dexter continued to go out and enjoy various activities to relax and unwind.

Laura and Bradley had not brought up introducing Evangeline to any potential matches again. In fact, Laura had even changed her stance, telling Evangeline that marriage was not necessarily a good thing and that she could remain single for as long as she wanted. She even said that as long as both Evangeline and Dexter were healthy and safe, marriage was not a concern.

Evangeline was surprised by this change in their attitude, but she didn’t ask for the reason. After all, it was good news for her that they had given up on finding her a partner.

Soon, it was time for William’s ninetieth birthday celebration.

As William was elderly and it was not suitable for him to be burdened, the celebration was held at his own home rather than at a hotel, to avoid the hassle of traveling back and forth.

The Rouse family, being a prestigious and well–established family, had a large manor in the flourishing part of Lyrendia.

The manor included a grand old mansion that William, being nostalgic, couldn’t bring himself to

have demolished.

Surrounding the old mansion were newly built villas, as luxurious as palaces, with one designed specifically for hosting events.

The birthday banquet was held in that villa.

All the influential families of Lyrendia had sent representatives to attend.

By the time Evangeline and Dexter arrived, many guests had already arrived. Some were strolling around the manor, while others mingled in the banquet hall.

Many families had sent younger members to attend, likely hoping they would make connections with influential people or meet potential romantic partners. If they found someone they liked and whose family background matched, a marriage alliance could be arranged.

The Johnson family was one of the top prestigious families in Lyrendia, so many people knew about Dexter and Evangeline.

Their arrival drew everyone’s attention.

Upon seeing them, people couldn’t help but show captivated expressions.

Evangeline wore a fitted blue–gray evening dress adorned with tiny diamonds, which sparkled under the lights as she moved.

The dazzling dress didn’t overshadow her own brilliance. Her stunning features, enhanced by makeup, were striking and captivating. But her gaze was aloof and dignified, showing no hint of worldly or trivial traits. Instead, she had an aura of untouchable grace.

Especially noticeable were her well–defined arms, which, though slender, were muscular and seemed formidable, deterring anyone from approaching her inappropriately.

After watching her performances on two outdoor variety shows, the people present had no romantic interest in her.

Though beautiful, she gave off an impression that she might suddenly start crawling on all fours or give them a hard slap at the slightest disagreement.

They didn’t even dare to entertain explicit thoughts about her. Before such ideas could form, her intimidating presence and weird behavior had already invaded their minds, making it impossible to imagine anything explicit.

Dexter, in a well–tailored suit with a tie that matched Evangeline’s dress, appeared even more refined and elegant.

Soon, some people came over to greet them. “Evangeline, I’ve watched both of your recent variety shows. You were amazing, especially in Xtreme Survival. You brought honor to our country! You’re now my top idol!”

And me too, I watched your show as well. Evangeline, you’re incredible!”

“Evangeline, can we add each other on WhatsApp? I’m interested in combat arts too and would love to have a chance to discuss it with you.”

Dexter smiled gently and said, “I’m sorry, Eva has social anxiety disorder. She doesn’t like making friends and is afraid of interacting with strangers. Please keep your distance from her. Don’t scare.

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The few people were taken aback and thought, ‘Evangeline has a social anxiety disorder? She seems quite the opposite! Her combat ability is so impressive that it’s hard to believe she would fear social interactions. After following her live broadcasts for so long, we never noticed that she has social anxiety disorder.

“Exactly, I have social phobia, so please don’t get too close. It scares me.” Evangeline nodded seriously.

The guests were left speechless. With her saying so, they had no choice but to back off.

They shifted their focus to Dexter. Someone said while smiling. “Mr. Johnson, are you representing. the Johnson family alone today? It’s rare to see you at public events. Are you planning to take over the family business? How about we exchange contact information for future interactions?”

These people’s real aim in approaching Evangeline was to get to know Dexter.

Although Dexter had not yet taken over the Johnson family business, he had attended some high- society events with his parents, as had Evangeline. These people had no direct interactions with the Johnson family, but they were all familiar with who they were.

They naturally knew that Evangeline was adopted while Dexter was the heir.

They admired Evangeline but were more interested in connecting with Dexter, the future head of the Johnson family.

“Eva, they are so scary.” Dexter took Evangeline’s hand and hid behind her. However, being taller than Evangeline, he could hardly hide..

Evangeline patted the back of his hand and then looked at the crowd of eager onlookers. “My brother is timid and especially shy around strangers. Don’t get too close or look at him so eagerly, as it might frighten him. If you scare him into illness, I won’t let it go easily.”

The guests were once again left at a loss for words. As they were about to say something, Evangeline said, “We are here to celebrate Mr. Rouse’s birthday so let’s not cause any trouble that might affect the celebration.”

The guests exchanged glances and, ultimately, had to retreat reluctantly.

After moving a distance away, they began to discuss in low voices.

“Is Dexter the only heir of the direct line of the Johnson family? But with him like this, he’s not fit to take on the Johnson family’s responsibilities.”

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“I agree. He doesn’t even handle basic social interactions well. If he takes over the family business, how will he manage?”

“The Johnson family is flourishing now, so everyone is eager to befriend him. But when his family declines and he needs to beg others, let’s see how he manages.”

“I think the Johnson family will fall under his leadership.”

“Let’s wait and see. When the Johnson family falls, they won’t be so arrogant. We actively sought to establish connections, but they treated us with such disregard. They are really ungrateful.”

“They’ll have to swallow their pride and beg us sooner or later.”