The tension over those few dishes didn't just dissipate.

Even though Victoria had instructed the kitchen staff to replicate the meal, the result was painfully average—tasting no different from any standard banquet fare. Roland had already bragged to his friends about the quality of the food, and now, facing a spread that fell far short of his hype, he didn't bother to mince words.

"Why doesn't this taste like it did the other day? Hailey, did you change the recipe?"

Hailey glanced desperately at her parents. The strategy had been meticulous: Hailey would take credit for those dishes, win over the old man’s heart, and secure a lucrative project for the Silva family company. Everything was mapped out to perfection. They just hadn't accounted for my sudden refusal to play the supporting role.

In the deafening silence, Hailey, her palms slick with sweat, was forced to speak. "Grandpa, I... I didn't actually make these."

She cast a desperate, teary-eyed look at Victoria, and then toward Everett, whose hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists beside her.

Predictably, Everett rose to his feet.

"Grandpa, the dishes you enjoyed that day were made by Evelyn. They had nothing to do with Hailey."

Victoria finally chimed in, her voice dripping with feigned exhaustion. "That's right, Dad. It was a mistake on my part, but today? Your dear granddaughter-in-law refused to set foot in the kitchen. I suppose she simply doesn't have any respect for you."

Hailey’s mother, who had been staring at the floor to avoid the confrontation, looked up with a sneer. "Some people just don't belong in our social circle. Even if they manage to marry in, they’re fundamentally mismatched. She wouldn't know the first thing about etiquette, would she?"

I watched them, truly amused. It was almost impressive how quickly they offloaded the blame onto me.

My gaze shifted to Everett. His hand reached for mine, a performative gesture of 'comfort' meant for the audience. The message was clear: *I know this is hard, but just take the hit and keep quiet.*

He stepped in to 'defend' me with a patronizing sigh. "Grandpa, don't be hard on Evelyn. She isn't feeling well today. It wasn't intentional."