Seth Quinn raised an eyebrow and retorted, "How do you know I haven’t been with any women for over a year? Is your Shelby Family investigating me?"

Although he was well aware of the Shelby Family’s subtle moves to keep tabs on him, he was still angered to hear Autumn Shelby state it so bluntly.

Seeing that he seemed angry, Autumn Shelby grew a little timid.

"You... You’re the center of attention in all of Novaria. Our Shelby Family can find out whether you’re with a woman or not without even having to investigate, don’t you think? My parents just passed the information on to me. Is that so wrong?

For a woman with a fear of marriage, who was abroad doing her best to overcome that psychological barrier, who loves you deeply and looked forward to coming home to marry you—shouldn’t she be allowed to know what the man she loves is up to?"

After she finished speaking, a rare smile played on Seth Quinn’s lips, but it was a faint, mocking one. "Deeply in love? Shouldn’t a woman who’s deeply in love with her man be excited to walk down the aisle with him? How could she develop a pre-wedding phobia?"

Autumn Shelby was flustered for a moment but quickly composed herself. "That’s because your usual attitude made me feel so insecure. That’s why I developed the phobia."

"Is that so? Then if we get back together and I continue to treat you the same way, can you guarantee you won’t develop that phobia again?"

"I..."

"Forget it!" Just as Autumn Shelby started to explain, Seth Quinn cut her off. "There’s no point in discussing this any further. The bottom line is, I’m with Clara Grant now. There’s no future for us. You should go."

"Clara Grant, it’s always Clara Grant! Seth, what’s so great about that woman? I refuse to believe you’ve actually fallen in love with her! Is she prettier than me? Does she have a better body?

Can anything she offers compare to the years of history we have together? Besides, she’s nothing but an outcast who was kicked out of the Shelby Family! What right does she have to steal my man?"

As Autumn Shelby spoke, tears streamed down her face, making her look both beautiful and pitiful in her sorrow.

In stark contrast to her outburst, Seth Quinn remained perfectly calm. He waited until she was finished before speaking coolly, "You might think she’s inferior to you in every way, but I think she’s the best. That’s all that matters."

"And another thing. You brought up family background and status. I don’t think the woman I, Seth Quinn, choose needs a powerful family or a noble title. By being with me, she gains the most powerful background and the highest status there is.

Furthermore, if your parents hadn’t schemed for us to meet more than twenty years ago, I doubt the Shelby Family would be doing any better than the Grant Family is today."

Autumn Shelby froze, shocked that he knew about her parents’ "well-intentioned efforts" all those years ago.

"So, stop making these meaningless comparisons." After saying this, Seth Quinn glanced at the expensive watch on his wrist and frowned before looking back up at Autumn Shelby.

"You should go. Clara is coming over soon, and I don’t want her to see you here and get the wrong idea."

’The last time they just saw each other in passing, she was upset for ages. If she sees Autumn Shelby in my apartment, won’t she be angry for even longer?’

At the thought of Clara Grant, the expression on Seth Quinn’s face softened, and a hint of doting affection warmed his deep eyes.

He might not have even realized it himself, but the sight struck terror into Autumn Shelby’s heart.