Chapter 993
Old Mrs. Hipps, who usually had a spirited and cheerful face, found her smile turning stiff upon hearing the butler's words. Even the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seemed to express a hint of displeasure and confusion.
She slowly retracted her upturned lips and said to the butler, "A guest is a guest. Please let them in."
The entire hall fell silent, and no one spoke.
Sylvia could clearly sense that upon hearing someone from the Sweeney family was coming, almost everyone's expressions turned somewhat peculiar.
The atmosphere became a bit heavy.NôvelDrama.Org content rights.
After a while, an unfamiliar laugh echoed, "Oh, it truly is a joyous occasion, and everyone is here. I heard the real Miss Hipps has returned."
Tristan walked in with a smile, his voice arriving before he did.
Old Mr. Hipps chuckled, "Mr. Sweeney, please come in."
"What wind has blown the two young masters here?" Old Mrs. Hipps replaced her expression with a kind smile. "Though it's night, the sun has been shining all day, and it's still quite hot outside. Come in for a drink to cool off."
The two elders were very enthusiastic and showed no signs of anything amiss.
However, Tristan raised an eyebrow, his eyes carrying a hint of malice. "Then I shall accept your hospitality."
He stepped into the hall, followed by a man who looked almost identical to him.
The twin brothers seemed out of place as soon as they entered.
But they appeared oblivious, scanning the room until their eyes landed on Sylvia.
Tristan's eyes flashed with amazement.
Sylvia stood tall and graceful, her champagne-colored dress accentuating her slender figure and delicate waist. Her exquisite face, with watery eyes, a pert nose, and petal-like red lips, was stunningly beautiful.
Tristan glanced at Marcelo, whose pupils were also filled with shock. What a beautiful woman!
How could there be such a radiant yet not vulgar lady?
Her demeanor was impeccable!
"Young Masters, this is Sylvia, our recently found granddaughter," Old Mr. Hipps noted the men's amazement with a hint of displeasure.
Their gazes were too invasive and uncomfortable.
Sylvia looked up to see two identical twin men.
Tristan was handsome and imposing, always standing out wherever he went. Marcelo, being his twin, shared the same looks and suit, exuding a dangerous and eerie aura that marked them as anything but ordinary.
Noticing Sylvia's gaze, Tristan's face bore a faint smile. "Miss Andrews, pleased to meet you."
His amber eyes were deep and beautiful, his features chiseled, and his every move exuded nobility.
If the Sweeney family and the Hipps family were not arch-enemies with terrible relations...
The Hipps family's young ladies would have already flocked to greet them.
But considering the tense relationship between the families, no one moved.
After all, the Sweeney brothers' outstanding appearances were too captivating.
However, Sylvia had no interest in admiring their looks. After all... she had seen far more handsome men.
Not to mention Franklin, Clare, Simeon, Logan, and Eden brothers... each was exceptionally handsome.
Sylvia responded indifferently, "Pleased to meet you."
"Miss Andrews, welcome back." Tristan approached Sylvia and handed her a gift box. "After being away for so many years, it's wonderful to reunite with your family."
His gaze was intensely fixed on Sylvia.
Sylvia took it without expression and handed it to the butler without opening it. "Thank you."
Polite yet distant, but without fault.
Interesting! Tristan's smile widened into a cold curve. "Miss Andrews, are you dissatisfied with our gift?"
Seeing Sylvia's expressionless face made his blood boil. He suddenly smiled more broadly, finding her cold demeanor increasingly intriguing and arousing his desire for conquest. Sylvia smiled faintly but distantly. Who did he think he was?
"Miss Andrews... It's our first meeting. Won't you honor us with a drink?"
Tristan ignored her indifference and raised his glass.
The thought of the Hipps family's granddaughter falling for him excited him immensely.
Under everyone's gaze, Sylvia couldn't refuse a simple drink.
So she raised her glass and clinked it with Tristan's and then Marcelo's.
Her red lips sipped the wine lightly before setting the glass down gently.
Tristan noted her subtle expressions and smirked slightly.
"What? No dance at this family gathering?"
His thin lips pressed tightly. "It seems there's no chance to invite Miss Andrews for a dance!"
Marcelo rarely spoke but couldn't help glancing at Tristan. It was clear his twin brother was very interested in this woman.
"Mr. Hipps, on such a joyous occasion, why not relax and dance?"
Usually silent, Marcelo surprisingly requested music for dancing.
Clare's face darkened slightly.
But... a guest is a guest. The Sweeney family and the Hipps family already had tense relations.
Directly refusing would be very disrespectful...
As he hesitated, Old Mrs. Hipps
laughed softly. "Play some music and clear the dance floor. The Sweeney brothers should enjoy themselves. A dance will make everyone happier at this family gathering."
At her command, the housekeeper ordered the servants to bring in sound equipment and dimmed the lights in the hall.
Tristan walked up to Sylvia with satisfaction and made an inviting gesture. "Miss Andrews, may I have this dance?"
Sylvia's eyes flashed coldly before returning to calmness. "Sorry, Mr. Sweeney, I only dance with my husband."
Tristan wasn't angry; instead, he looked at Sylvia with interest. "Your husband? Or is Miss Andrews just making an excuse because she can't dance?" Annika stood nearby and noticed some people already slipping into the dance floor and starting to dance gracefully.
Jealousy filled her as she saw Sylvia attracting everyone's attention.
Hearing Tristan's words, Annika
couldn't help but approach. "Yes,et
Sylvia, Mr. Sweeney is our guest and even brought you a gift. It's quite rude not to honor him with a dance."
Pretending to be pure? It's just a dance, not losing your virtue.
Annika hoped Sylvia would make a fool of herself since she likely had no artistic talent coming from such a small place like Larro.
Tristan smiled at Annika briefly before turning back to Sylvia.
He suddenly moved closer to Sylvia until they could feel each other's warm breath.
To others, their posture seemed intimate, but Sylvia knew her face had turned stiff.
This Tristan was even more shameless than she had imagined.
Daring to get so close in front of the Hipps family members...
Though the lights were dim and many people were dancing, it was still too audacious.
She sneered and raised an eyebrow at Tristan. "Mr. Sweeney, if I refuse again, it would be too disrespectful. Let's dance!"
She extended her hand with a coldly seductive smile.
Tristan took her hand and led her onto the dance floor.
However... what Tristan didn't expect was that while everyone else danced gracefully to elegant waltz music...
Sylvia began dancing an intense samba! Tristan was caught off guard.
He almost didn't react in time and even stepped on Sylvia's foot!
She did it on purpose! She wanted to embarrass him!
Tristan came from the powerful Sweeney family; he was talented in many arts including dancing. He wasn't limited to just one dance style!
So he quickly adjusted his steps to match Sylvia's samba rhythm.
But just as he caught up with Sylvia's pace...
She changed again!
With a graceful spin, she switched to cha-cha!
This woman!
Damn it!
She wasn't following the music; she was deliberately dancing randomly!
Tristan gritted his teeth in frustration. He had initiated the dance invitation forcefully...
Now in the dance floor, he found himself being led by this woman instead of leading her!
The young people in the dance floor were stunned.
They forgot they were dancing and stopped to watch Sylvia's
mesmerizing moves-sometim net
spinning like a fairy, sometimes fluttering like a swallow... S
Every move she made was exceptionally elegant and charming.
Anyone could see that Sylvia was an excellent dancer!
Tristan was known for his playful nature among noble circles; dancing and singing were second nature to him.
Now being led by Sylvia was astonishing for everyone present.
Just as Tristan adjusted to Sylvia's cha-cha rhythm...
She changed again!
This time she switched to folk dance!
A style completely mismatched with waltz music! Yet she performed it so flawlessly that it blended perfectly without any discord!