"I've had enough of your behavior tonight, William!" Henry Levine's voice cut through the tension. "Release her immediately!"

"I'll return after I've escorted her home!" William retorted sharply.

"You, taking Elise Scott home? In the middle of the Stuarts' charity gala?!" Henry's voice rose dangerously. "Do you comprehend the humiliation you're bringing upon our family?! If Elise hadn't handled the situation with grace, you would have destroyed your own reputation! I have never been more disappointed in you!"

"For once," William replied coldly.

Henry bristled at his grandson's response, his face flushing crimson as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Sir, please calm yourself," Lawrence intervened immediately, having served Henry for decades. "Your physicians specifically warned against agitation due to your hypertension. After your previous stroke, the consequences of another episode could be catastrophic..."

William's expression softened slightly at the sight of his grandfather's distress.

Yet his grip on Elise remained firm.

Seeing the standoff between grandfather and grandson showed no signs of easing, Lawrence attempted to reason with William. "Sir, you're well aware of Master Levine's fragile health. Please don't exacerbate his condition, or the results could be..."

William remained unmoved, telling Henry simply, "I won't be long."

"William!" Henry thundered, his voice shaking with rage. "Are you so determined to watch me die before your eyes?! Just as you witnessed your beloved parents perish all those years ago?!"

Henry's complexion deepened to an alarming shade of purple, his body trembling so violently he appeared on the verge of collapse.

"Master William..." Lawrence stared at William with desperate urgency.

William's fingers twitched visibly.

No matter how resolute his intentions, he couldn't simply walk away.

At that moment, Elise successfully pulled her hand free.

She understood family came first.

Had her mother been alive or her father shown her genuine devotion, she would have moved mountains for them.

"Don't make me bear the weight of a man's death," she told William coolly. "The burden would crush me."

She meant every word—if Henry died because of her, the guilt would overwhelm her completely.

William's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles cracking audibly as he fought for control.

"Patrick," Elise said, turning to Patrick Montgomery without another glance at William. "Would you mind giving me a ride home?"

Patrick blinked in surprise, just as William's head snapped up to stare at Elise.

She was clearly conceding.

She didn't understand why William was so determined to send her away, though she suspected it related to his impending announcement of wedding dates with Victoria.

Whatever his reasons, she refused to be unreasonable about it.

William's near-desperate attempts to remove her from the event must have valid justification—there was no point in taking it personally.

She had already shown proper respect to Charles Stuart by attending and making the expected donation—staying longer served no purpose.

"Of course." Patrick agreed readily. He stepped forward to take her arm, and they departed together.

Once they disappeared from view, Henry snapped at William, "Why are you still standing there?! Return to the ballroom with Victoria! Everyone is waiting for you!"

William strode past him coldly, completely ignoring Victoria's presence.

Undeterred, she hurried to catch up and linked her arm through his.

Behind them, Lawrence slowly wheeled Henry back toward the ballroom but murmured quietly, "Truthfully, Ms. Scott is quite an exceptional woman."

Henry sighed wearily in response, his voice filled with both exhaustion and regret.