Sylvana's POV
Although I was called downstairs early as well, the Kesslers kept their distance, and almost no one paid attention to me.
Even so, I didn’t mind. In fact, I was happy to be left alone, curled up in a corner with my phone, reviewing research data.
I was so completely absorbed that my grip loosened, and my phone was snatched right out of my hand.
On the screen, a biological reaction under a microscope was still playing, so I was instantly alarmed. “What are you doing? Give it back now!”
But Elowen, who had taken my phone, looked completely unconcerned. “Sylvana, today is a big day for our family. We've been running around for you. Even if you don’t want to help greet the guests, how can you just sit here playing on your phone so shamelessly?”
“My phone… my phone is classified!” I said urgently, ignoring her taunts as I stood up to grab it back. “Give it to me!”
But Elowen was clearly prepared. She stepped backward into the center of the banquet hall, waving my phone and deliberately raising her voice. “Sylvana, even if you look down on us, there’s no need to act like this. Mom and Dad held this reunion banquet so you could integrate into the family faster. Can’t you at least consider the bigger picture?”
“No, just give me my phone back!” I demanded for the nth time.
I was frantic now. The data on that phone was top-level, national confidential material. If it leaked, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Elowen’s eyes lit up, her words turning even sharper. “So, your phone is your life? Can’t you stop staring at it for even a moment? Don’t you know even basic manners? How did you even grow up?”
“Absolutely classless!” Jasper suddenly appeared from who-knows-where and launched into me. “You’ve completely embarrassed our family!”
“You! This is a crime, do you understand that?” I shouted, rushing forward to grab the phone.
But Jasper casually took the phone from Elowen’s hand and looked at me with a smirk. “You want it? Then come and get it.”
I hurriedly wiped away the tears that had spilled from sheer panic and stepped forward.
But just as my fingers were about to touch the phone, Jasper suddenly tossed it over my head.
Elowen, standing across from him, caught it perfectly.
“Sylvana, the phone’s over here,” she giggled, shaking it at me like she was teasing a dog.
The surrounding guests all turned their attention toward us, watching with clear interest.
Drawn by the commotion, my parents frowned and walked over.
Before long, the two of them had toyed with me until my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the floor, completely drained of strength.
My father glanced down at me, then frowned at the siblings. “That’s enough. What kind of behavior is this? Give the phone back to her.”
Elowen glanced at the screen and immediately lost interest.
“Wow, there’s even an ‘Alert’ screen,” she scoffed. “You really know how to put on a show. Do you think you’re some kind of top-secret government agent?”
“Such an act,” Jasper added disdainfully.
Seeing the red "ALERT" screen on my phone, I finally let out a breath of relief.
All of our researchers’ phones were specially designed.
Not only did they outperform commercial devices, but they also had extremely powerful security systems.
The moment my phone was taken, it automatically triggered fingerprint and iris verification.
After Elowen and Jasper repeatedly tossed the phone around, the authentication had long since failed, activating an internal emergency channel that sent an alert to the nearest special security unit.
“I’m terribly sorry, everyone,” my father said smoothly, holding up his wine glass. “My daughter grew up in the mountains and doesn’t understand proper etiquette. Please don’t laugh at her.”
He didn’t spare me a single glance as I lay collapsed on the floor, focusing instead on polite smiles and empty social niceties.
