Chapter 3: An Uninvited Guest at
the Engagement Party
“Mr. Vanderbilt, are you alright? Would you like me to help you inside?”
Isabella feigned innocence, as if
oblivious to his revulsion.
Oliver instinctively stepped back, his eyes darting disdainfully at the
approaching hands as if fearing
contamination.
With a frustrated huff, his face flushed with anger, he stormed into the hall.
By then, most guests had arrived. Isabella’s lips curved into a subtle smile, anticipating the drama that was about to unfold.
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Inside the hall, the atmosphere was filled with the fragrance of perfumes. and the rustle of fine garments.
Although the gathering comprised only The Sterling’s close friends and relatives, the hall was nearly full, except for the prominent seat left empty at the front. It was reserved
for Alexander, who, to Charlotte’s
dismay, showed no signs of
attending.
Edward Sterling cleared his throat, ready to deliver his opening
remarks.
“Distinguished guests, today marks the joyous occasion of my elder daughter’s engagement. As you all know, Isabella was adopted into our family. However, we have always treated her as our own. Now that she has found a wonderful match, we
share in her happiness.”
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Edward spoke with enthusiasm, but Oliver interpreted his words with a
different connotation.
What glorious match? It was clear they saw him as a gullible fool, a scapegoat to offload their problems
onto.
He was, after all, the CEO of a
publicly–traded company, not
someone to be taken advantage of so blatantly.
Seized by indignation, Oliver abruptly stood, clenching his teeth, and declared, “Mr. Sterling, I’ve changed my mind. If you want my help to save The Sterling, you must marry Charlotte to me!”
Edward was momentarily taken aback, his face betraying a flicker of embarrassment.
“Mr. Vanderbilt, perhaps you’ve had
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too much to drink? We had an
agreement…”
“Stop with the nonsense. Either
marry Charlotte to me, or watch The Sterling collapse!”
His ultimatum turned all eyes
towards Charlotte, standing behind
Edward, who bit her lip in
mortification, having never
anticipated such a turn of events.
“Mr. Vanderbilt, as you know, Mr. Alexander and I…”
“Your so–called relationship with Mr. Alexander hasn’t even started. Don’t use Mr. Alexander to intimidate me. If he really valued you, The Sterling wouldn’t need to beg me for help.”
His words struck a nerve with
Charlotte, who had been linked with Alexander through rumors for years, though she knew her feelings were
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mostly unrequited. Alexander never denied nor confirmed their
relationship, leaving her in a painful limbo.
As the guests were reeling from the shock, the hall’s doors swung open, admitting a group of imposing figures clad in black, their entrance so dramatic that one might mistake them for robbers.
The hall erupted into chaos, the so–called elite cowering under tables, unaccustomed to such disruption. Isabella ducked down too, not out of fear but to avoid drawing attention.
Then, a pair of polished shoes halted in front of her, reflecting her face on their gleaming surface. The camera–so to speak–pans up to reveal Alexander’s icy countenance.
“You, stand up.”
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Isabella obeyed, her demeanor meek as a kitten, seemingly overawed by Alexander’s presence.
“Boss, she’s The Sterling’s adopted daughter,” Sebastian Blackwood, Alexander’s assistant, cautiously reminded, his gaze laced with suspicion. The girl before them, looking terrified and somewhat
dazed, didn’t seem capable of breaching Ascot Group’s servers.
Alexander’s brow furrowed subtly. At his signal, bodyguards closed in.
“Take her.”
Lifted off her feet by the guards,
panic flickered in Isabella’s eyes.
“What are you doing? Dad, mom, help me…‘
She looked desperately towards Edward, who was visibly sweating, bowing subserviently.
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Chapter 3: An Uninvited Guest a…
“Mr. Alexander, what is the meaning
of this?”
At the mention of “Mr. Alexander,” the guests, who had been sheltering in fear, peeked up, their curiosity piqued.
Though many were wealthy in their own right, they paled in comparison to The Windsor. Alexander’s rare public appearances meant few had
ever seen him.
Now, as they beheld his profile–his sharp brows and commanding gaze–he seemed every inch the
sovereign he was, towering above the
realms of Lorchester’s elite.
