Cassius was trapped in a dilemma with no way out. If he insisted on forcing Sharon to apologize, he would undoubtedly face his father's punishment and make Arthur his open enemy.
Unaware of Arthur and Vanessa's relationship, making an enemy of him was a risk Cassius couldn't afford.
After all, the Maple Leaf Trading House held immense power—even his father, the King, had to show Vanessa respect.
There was also the possibility that his brothers would exploit this situation to pressure him, pushing him further away from the throne.
However, if he asked Celine to apologize to Sharon, it would be akin to openly humiliating the Duke of Everhart's family.
Celine's love for him could easily turn into hatred, leading to the collapse of their engagement.
If that happened, all his efforts to gain the Duke of Everhart's support would be wasted.
'Damn it… How did I end up in this mess?' Cassius cursed inwardly.
Now, he deeply regretted stepping in to defend Celine.
Had he simply stayed back and watched, he wouldn't be caught in such a predicament.
Meanwhile, Arthur, noticing Cassius' pale expression, chuckled softly.
"What's the matter, Second Prince? Have you made up your mind?" He asked playfully, folding his arms across his chest.
In this world's storyline, the Second Prince, Cassius, was never meant to hold a significant or prominent role.
Indeed, he was one of the villains who troubled Sharon, but he wasn't as malicious as Celine or the others. In any case, Cassius had little interaction with Sharon.
By the end of the story, Cassius—along with the rest of the royal family—was executed by Sharon after she ascended the throne.
Because of this, Arthur never saw him as a worthy opponent or a real threat.
Cassius' face grew even paler at Arthur's taunting words.
"I…" He opened his mouth but failed to form a single word.
After a long internal struggle, he gritted his teeth and turned to Celine beside him.
"Celine… Apologize to Sharon," he commanded in a heavy tone.
Celine's eyes widened in disbelief. "Cassius, you…"
Before she could voice her protest, Cassius cut her off sharply.
"This is all your fault! If you hadn't provoked her, none of this would've happened!" He snapped, his voice laced with frustration.
His outburst stunned not only Celine but also the noble sons and daughters watching in silence.
No one had expected Cassius to publicly scold Celine like that. It completely shattered the illusion of harmony between them.
Standing beside Arthur, Sharon covered her mouth in shock.
Like the other nobles, she hadn't anticipated Cassius siding with her and reprimanding Celine in front of everyone.
At the same time, she stole a glance at Arthur, who wore a faint smile—watching the scene unfold as if it were a theatrical performance.
*Slap!*
Celine struck Cassius across the face, her eyes brimming with tears.
In an instant, the atmosphere fell into a heavy silence, so quiet that even the sound of a falling needle could be heard.
"Cassius, I'm so disappointed in you!" Celine seethed through gritted teeth, her voice trembling with anger.
Without giving Cassius a chance to react, she spun around and ran off, tears streaming down her face.
The once lively party descended into chaos—something no one had anticipated.
Arthur, however, maintained his smile, his gaze filled with amusement as he looked at Cassius.
"I didn't expect things to unfold this way. I'm truly sorry, Second Prince," Arthur said with feigned regret, even bowing his head slightly.
The corner of Cassius' eye twitched at his shameless act.
Everything had happened because of Arthur, yet he still had the audacity to act apologetic. That only fueled Cassius' anger further.
Had he not been wary of Arthur, he would have cut him down on the spot.
Without a word, Cassius let out a cold snort, turned on his heel, and strode toward the mansion's exit.
His relationship with Celine was now in ruins, and he wasn't sure if it could be salvaged.
Even so, he refused to let all his efforts go to waste. He had to seek his mother's help to fix this mess.
As Cassius disappeared through the doors, the noble sons and daughters stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.
The star of the birthday party, Celine, had already run out of the hall, and now, Cassius had also left the mansion.
So, what reason did they have to stay?
At that moment, Jason quickly stepped onto the podium and announced, "On behalf of the Everhart family, I sincerely apologize to all of you. Young Lady Celine's birthday party will be postponed, and we regret any inconvenience this may have caused."
He bowed his head solemnly, his expression filled with regret.
Seeing this, the attendees had no complaints. With both Celine and Cassius gone, it was clear that the party could no longer continue.
Many wanted to leave but hesitated, fearing that doing so might be seen as disrespectful to the Everhart family.
However, with Jason's official announcement, they finally felt at ease.
"It's alright, Sir Jason. We completely understand," one of the noble sons said politely.
"Yes, we do. In fact, we are honored to have been invited to Young Lady Celine's birthday party," a noble daughter beside him added.
Following their lead, the other attendees also offered similar words.
Jason, of course, knew they were just being courteous, but there was nothing he could do.
The damage was already done, and the Everhart family had lost face in front of the other noble families.
With that, the noble sons and daughters made their way to the large table where the presents were displayed, placing theirs down.
Although the party had fallen apart, taking back the presents they had brought was out of the question.
Arthur and Sharon followed suit, placing their presents on the table.
Afterward, they made their way out of the mansion and headed toward their carriage.
However, just as Arthur was about to step inside, Jason hurried over and blocked his path.
"Young Master Avaron, could you stay for a moment? My Lord wishes to see you," he said respectfully.
Sharon gasped, her grip tightening around Arthur's arm.
She leaned in and whispered urgently, "Aron, what should we do? Duke Everhart must be furious with you for ruining his daughter's party."
Worry filled her eyes—she didn't want anything bad to happen to Arthur. He was the only person she truly had by her side.
Despite her concern, Arthur remained unfazed. He simply smiled and reassured her, "Don't worry, princess. Just wait here while I meet the Duke of Everhart."
"But…" Sharon hesitated, wanting to stop him.
Before she could say more, Arthur gently pried her fingers from his sleeve and stepped forward.
"Lead the way," he said casually.
Jason let out a small sigh of relief and nodded. "Then, please follow me."
With that, he guided Arthur back into the mansion, where the Duke of Everhart awaited.
Watching Arthur's figure disappear into the grand hall, Sharon bit her lower lip anxiously.
"God, please protect Aron…"