Ethan Carter yanked me away from Grandma Carter’s grasp and dragged me out into the courtyard.

“Claire Adams, what did you say to my grandmother to make her treat Isabella this way?”

I froze.

We had entered the house together, and I hadn’t even spoken more than a few words to Grandma.

Seeing my expression, Ethan looked uneasy but quickly masked it with a warning:

“Today’s Grandma’s birthday. Don’t you dare cause trouble—especially don’t make things hard for Isabella.”

Before he could finish, the sound of sobbing drifted from the yard.

“Grandma, I know you don’t like me, but Ethan and I truly love each other. This gift was chosen with such care…”

Ethan’s expression changed.

When we returned, we saw Grandma had already thrown Isabella’s gift to the ground.

The butler, following her instructions, was about to drive Isabella out.

“Grandma! Isabella is my fiancée. What are you doing?”

But Grandma acted as though she hadn’t heard him. Instead, she beamed at me and said:

“Claire is my granddaughter-in-law. That Isabella—who is she? I don’t recognize her.”

I stood frozen in the doorway, caught between advancing and retreating.

Every gaze in the room was fixed on me.

Isabella’s tears streaked her face, her expression twisting in rage.

Swallowing hard, I forced myself forward and gently soothed Grandma:

“Grandma, Ethan and I are only like brother and sister. Please don’t joke like this. If my sister-in-law ends up in tears, Ethan will cry too—and then you’ll be heartbroken again.”

“And besides, very soon, I’ll be inviting you to my own wedding banquet.”

Grandma’s eyes widened.

“You’re getting married?”

“Yes. My father introduced me to someone. Once we meet and settle the details, I’ll marry him.”

“Nonsense! Claire, how can you marry just anyone?”

She pointed sharply at Ethan.

“You, boy! Come here!”

Reluctantly, Ethan stepped forward.

“Grandma, don’t believe her. She hasn’t even met the man. How could she possibly marry him—”

“Kneel!”

Grandma’s stern command cut him off.

Isabella was so stunned she forgot to cry.

“Grandma! What are you doing?”

But Grandma didn’t even look her way. She glared only at Ethan.

“What did you promise me when you were young? That you’d protect Claire for life. And now, after letting her suffer so much, you still have the nerve to stand tall?”

My nose stung. In my past life, Grandma had also defended me this way. Yet even then, when Ethan and I did marry, our union was nothing but misery.

“Grandma, this has nothing to do with him. I never intended to marry him…”

Ethan wasn’t grateful. Instead, he cast me a resentful look before kneeling stiffly.

“Grandma, I’ve always seen Claire as my sister. Even if we never marry, I’ll protect her for life.”

Isabella rushed forward to pull him up, but Grandma’s single glare sent her retreating in terror.

“Miss Moore, this is Carter family business.”

Pale as death, Isabella burst into tears and ran out.

Ethan tried to rise to chase after her, but Grandma struck her cane against the floor, forcing him back down.

“Don’t you dare!”

Still, Ethan eventually bolted after her, leaving the celebration in ruins.

Afterward, Grandma spoke to me earnestly:

“Claire, Ethan’s only lost in a moment of foolishness. That woman clearly isn’t a good person. Give him time—he’ll see her true colors, understand his own heart, and come back to you.”

When Ethan returned, having failed to find Isabella, he overheard her words. For the first time, he raised his voice at the grandmother who had always spoiled him:

“Grandma! I’m not an idiot. I know who I love! In this life, I’ll marry only Isabella!”

Then he turned to me with fury.

“Claire Adams, if you dare keep spouting nonsense to my grandmother, then don’t think we’ll even stay brother and sister!”