From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)-Chapter 618: A Minor Prank with Major Consequences (part two)

Clyde caught the eyes of his niece and nephews. Their expressions were so shocked. They looked as if they were seeing Sadako crawl out of a television and was getting close to them. Dean’s mouth had fallen slightly open, his eyes wide. Jacklin stood frozen beside him, her hand tightening around the glass she held.

Micah was enjoying their reaction when he noticed two other people he never expected to see near the Du Ponts. His smile faded slowly. First was his older sister, Willow, standing beside a woman in a pantsuit. And...The other was Leo McKay.

Shit. Why were they beside Jacklin and Dean?

It wasn’t that he had not expected to encounter them tonight. But the problem was the combination.

Even if Willow encountered Clyde with a girl on his arm, the most she would do was just nod at Clyde and move on. They weren’t familiar with each other. His parents, Elina and Jacob, had at least met Clyde at the hospital. But not Willow.

Then he noticed someone else with curly brown hair. Emile. That explained it.

He shot a subtle glare at Emile. It was definitely his fault. He was sure he had dragged Willow to stand beside them. What a miscalculation!

Why did he assume Emile would not be interested in this event? Hence not attending?

Then his gaze landed on Leo. Such a headache. Why was he beside Emile?

Micah had assumed Jacklin would not be friendly with Leo at an event like this. First, Leo clearly had no idea about the real identity of Jacklin. Second, being too friendly with a young woman would end in scandal for Leo, the actor who was in the spotlight tonight.

He had thought it was such an obvious fact. But right now, the universe was laughing at his naivety to think everything would go as he pleased.

Micah had been the one who had made Leo appear here tonight. But that had been because of Noas, the transmigrator and his system. Yet now, Micah was regretting it. He put on his poker face and stood beside Clyde quietly.

Fewer words, less exposure. Micah believed that if he tried to talk, he would really give himself away.

*****

The moment Jacklin’s eyes landed on their Uncle, she stiffened in shock as if someone had pressed a pause button on her. The easy smile she had been wearing froze halfway across her face, lips tightening at the corners.

Dean and Emile were no better. Dean noticed at once. His gaze followed hers, and the second he registered who was walking toward them, his brows shot up before knitting together. The surprise didn’t last long. It darkened, sinking into something heavier. So...Clyde really had come with Asena.

Emile gasped, clutched Dean’s forearm. "That’s... that little Uncle with..." he whispered.

Dean’s jaw clenched.

"Crap," Emile muttered, panicked. "What do we do? Should we ignore them? No, no, that would look terrible. But if we greet them..." He swallowed. "Ahh... What about Micah? What am I supposed to do about Micah then?"

"Stop panicking," Jacklin hissed through gritted teeth. "Just act normal."

Normal. That was easier said than done when Clyde Du Pont was walking straight toward them with a girl clinging to his arm.

Jacklin forced herself to straighten, lifting her chin and schooling her expression into something polite and distant. When Clyde reached conversational distance, she curved her lips into a neat, clipped smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

"Hello, Little Uncle," she said coolly. Then her gaze slid to the white-haired girl at his side. "And... Asena."

Micah blinked. He lifted his lashes slowly, tilting his head just a fraction, the movement soft and deliberate. "Big sister," he said lightly, in a girlish voice, batting his eyes in an exaggeratedly sweet manner. "Hello."

Clyde simply nodded, expression unreadable. His posture was relaxed, one hand resting loosely in his pocket, the other arm still bent where Micah’s fingers hooked around his forearm.

Dean opened his mouth. Whatever sharp comment he had ready died instantly when Clyde’s eyes flicked toward him. The look wasn’t overtly hostile, but it was heavy and pointed.

Dean flinched despite himself, the words catching in his throat. He cleared it awkwardly and muttered, "...Good evening."

Emile, on the other hand, was a mess. His eyes darted between Clyde and Asena, then back again, clearly torn apart by conflicting impulses. His lips parted, closed, then parted again.

He wanted desperately to scold Clyde. To demand what the hell he thought he was doing, parading around with another woman when Micah...But Asena was standing right there. Looking at him with wide, innocent eyes. He couldn’t exactly embarrass her.

"Oh," Emile finally managed, his voice strained and uneven. "Uh... hi."

Micah barely noticed any of them. His attention had snapped to Willow the moment she stepped into view.

Don’t come over. Don’t look. Please don’t....He repeated the words silently like a mantra, heart pounding harder with every second.

The universe, as usual, ignored him completely.

Willow walked forward, heels clicking softly against the floor, her posture straight and sharp. Her eyes locked onto Clyde with an unmistakable chill, the warmth draining from her expression as though someone had flipped a switch.

Micah felt his stomach sink. He caught the look immediately, the faint curl of distaste at the corner of her mouth, the way her gaze lingered on Clyde with open disapproval. It wasn’t curiosity. It wasn’t caution. It was pure judgment.

He faltered. Had they met before? He was sure they hadn’t. So... was it just the rumours? Or...

"Mr Du Pont," Willow said, her voice calm but cool, each word measured. "Nice to meet you. I’m Willow Ramsy. It should be our first time meeting."

As she spoke, her eyes drifted pointedly to the hand looped around Clyde’s forearm. She didn’t spare Micah, or Asena, a single glance.

Clyde responded smoothly. "The pleasure is mine." He offered a polite smile, faint but courteous. "I’ve heard so much about you. Your brother speaks of you often."

Willow’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Does he?" she replied, not bothering to hide her displeasure. The mention of Micah clearly struck a nerve. Her gaze flicked briefly toward Asena before returning to Clyde. "Are you that close to my brother?"

Her lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "If Micah knew you were here tonight, I’m sure he would’ve come too."

She was clearly pointing out that Clyde knew Micah wouldn’t be attending the auction.