Chapter 1700

Rose stood behind Silas, her heart initially unsettled. Her lips were pressed thinly together.

However, she nearly broke into a smile after hearing Silas’ remark.

Silas possessed a formidable ability to dismantle a convict in court and ruthlessly exploit someone's

vulnerabilities with his words.

"Nonsense! I've never had my face done!" Lydia retorted, hastily covering her stiffened face, a mix of

shame, anger, and guilt consuming her.

Silas shook his head. "It's not your fault for aging, but it's not right to run around scaring people off

with that face either.”

Lydia seethed with outrage, feeling her blood boil at his audacity.

"Who are you to Rose?" Jamie interjected, clinging to her mother and demanding an answer.

"Who am I to Rose?" Silas mused, touching the inside of his cheek with his tongue before turning to

Rose with a serious expression. "Ms. Emerson, she wants to know my role in your life."

Rose met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.

"If you don't say anything, then I'll take the liberty of calling myself your boyfriend," Silas announced

with a wide smile, a gentle glint in his eyes.

"What?" Lydia's and Jamie's jaws dropped.

How could this sophisticated man be Rose's boyfriend?

Rose's cheeks flushed instantly. She looked down shyly, afraid to look at him.

Silas’ expression softened as he reached for her cold hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"I didn’t intervene when you were bullying Rosie earlier because I wanted to witness the extent of

your cruelty and shamelessness. I wanted to see just how low you could stoop,” Silas remarked

coolly, his demeanor exuding a chilling presence.

"And you didn't disappoint me. It's truly eye-opening to see both of you devils in action,” he added,

his eyes narrowing slightly.

Rosie?

Rose blinked away the moisture from her eyes, feeling a warmth spreading in her chest.

Lydia gritted her teeth. "This concerns only the Emersons. I don't think this has anything to do with

you."

"Rosie is mine, so that makes her problems mine as well." Silas rubbed his cheeks, his gaze sharp

enough to deter anyone from meeting it directly.

"Sir, my mother has never spoken an untruth about her.”

Jamie erupted, hurling accusations at Rose once more. "She's the illegitimate offspring of the

Emersons. Her mother seduced my father and bore her out of wedlock. Unable to secure her

position, she birthed this wretch behind my father's back.

"Then, in desperation, her mother brought her to us for protection. We embraced her as family, but

Rose, despite our kindness, turned her back on us after gaining some fame for herself. She wouldn't

even deign to design a gown for me!

"She wouldn't even be here if not for us Emersons. If my father hadn't taken them in, Rose and her

mother would have perished on the streets."

Rose's eyes blazed crimson, her breaths labored while Silas sneered with contempt.

"What does any of this have to do with my Rosie?"

Jamie was stunned.

"She didn't choose to come into this world. She couldn't choose her parents or upbringing either.

But I believe if she could choose, she'd want nothing to do with the Emersons.”

Silas fixed his gaze on Rose, his eyes darkened with understanding.

"If you possess an iota of dignity, leave my presence. Otherwise, I'll ensure you lose even that.”

Lydia realized this man was far more complex than she had assumed. Unable to press her argument

further, she could only tug Jamie away, hastily exiting the villa.

As they reached the car, Jamie erupted in fury. "Mom, that man hurt you. Even if he won't apologize,

shouldn't he at least foot your medical bills?"