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Chapter_132
As Winona made her way through the crowd, every eye seemed to be fixed on her, and she relished the attention. Her arrival had been designed to make a statement, and it had succeeded beyond her expectations. But she was not content to simply bask in the glow of her success—today, the show was all about her, and any shadow cast by Yvette would be erased, intentionally or not.
When she greeted Zachary and Nellie with sweetness, and turned to Robert and Yulia with equal charm, she knew exactly how to play her part. Her eyes sparkled with an air of elegance, and her voice was just the right amount of humble to make everyone admire her more.
“Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter, hello,” Winona said, her tone warm and polished, though her inner satisfaction was palpable. Yulia, already swept up in the excitement of the moment, couldn’t resist stepping forward to heap praise on Winona.
“Winona is my ideal daughter-in-law,” Yulia gushed. “Good family background, talented, and now with Richard as her mentor—she’s perfect in every way.”
The compliments flowed easily, and Yulia’s sentiment seemed to reflect the majority opinion in the room. Any lingering sympathy she may have felt for Yvette seemed to evaporate under the weight of Winona’s undeniable poise.
Robert, too, joined in the praise, his eyes glinting with business-savvy calculation. “Ah, Mr. Griffin, you’re as vigorous as ever! The last time I saw you was at the Betrico auction, where one of your paintings fetched 660 thousand dollars. It’s still vivid in my memory! What a shame my company had issues at the time—I would have gone for 3.3 million, maybe even 7 million. I regret it so much!” His words were polished, but beneath the veneer of politeness, there was a clear agenda.
Richard, clearly enjoying the flattery, responded in kind, his smile broadening. “Mr. Carter, you’re too kind. That painting was nothing special. But with Winona soon to join the Carter family, we’ll all be family soon. In fact, I happen to have an earlier piece of mine. If you don’t mind, Mr. Carter, feel free to visit Betrico and pick it up whenever you like.”
Robert was practically glowing at the offer. The business tie between the two families, solidified by Winona’s impending engagement to Victor, had already changed the dynamic. A few years ago, Richard wouldn’t have given Robert the time of day, but now, everything was different.
Victor, on the other hand, seemed entirely focused on Winona. His eyes followed her every move, and though he tried to keep his composure, there was no mistaking the way his gaze lingered on her. Winona, for her part, noticed it immediately, and with a playful glint in her eye, she teased him, pretending not to notice the effect she had on him. She let him wait, feeling his desire burn silently, and when the moment felt right, she glanced at him with a quick, shy look before turning away, leaving him completely hooked.
As the conversation continued, Zachary, who had been silently observing the scene, finally turned his attention elsewhere. He had been waiting for someone—Yvette—but there was still no sign of her. His brow furrowed slightly as he excused himself from the conversation and called over Lucas. “Go check upstairs. Why hasn’t Yvette come down yet?”
Lucas nodded and quickly slipped out of the garden to find her, his expression betraying nothing.
Nellie, overhearing Zachary’s order, couldn’t hide the sneer that twisted her lips. She was more than ready to see Yvette fail. Come out? Nellie thought to herself with disdain. Her face is probably ruined by now. How could she have the nerve to show her face to these guests?
Meanwhile, the younger group of guests had gathered around Winona and Victor, admiring her beauty and her designer gown. The compliments flowed endlessly—each one more extravagant than the last.
“Wow, Winona, you’re stunning today! Who are you trying to charm?” a young woman with expensive jewelry remarked, casting a sly glance at Victor. The implications were clear. Everyone knew about the rumored engagement between Winona and Victor.
“That dress is Louis Vuitton haute couture, right? It must have cost at least 2 million dollars. Absolutely gorgeous!” another guest chimed in.
Winona smiled sweetly, pretending to be modest. “Oh, stop teasing me, you guys,” she responded, blushing lightly, hiding behind Victor. The crowd’s adoration made her feel more powerful with each passing second.
Victor, ever the protector of his “shy” fiancée, quickly jumped in to speak for Winona. “Winona’s shy, you all know that. If you keep going, my wife might just run away, and then what? You’ll have to find me a new one!” he said with an exaggerated grin.
The crowd burst into cheers, admiring the couple as a perfect match. But the mood shifted slightly when someone mentioned Yvette. The air seemed to freeze, and the room went silent for a moment, as if everyone had suddenly realized they’d spoken out of turn.
The girl who brought up Yvette immediately regretted it and fell silent, but Victor’s sharp gaze locked on her. “Why bring her up?” he sneered, his tone dripping with disdain.
The whispers started again, but this time they were louder.
“Yeah, yeah, everyone knows this party is for Winona. That Yvette is just an extra,” one person said dismissively.
“Exactly. Winona, you’re the star today. Besides, it’s getting late, and we still haven’t seen your sister. She’s probably hiding in some corner. Never been to a party like this before.”
“She hasn’t even tasted the desserts or wine here!” another guest added with a laugh.
“She’s a country bumpkin. Aren’t you giving her too much credit by even discussing her?” one of the women joked.
Winona, hearing the cruel remarks about her sister, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction. She had worked hard for this moment—the moment when Yvette’s absence would be felt, when she would be completely overshadowed.
The conversation continued, with more jokes and jabs at Yvette, and Winona couldn’t hide her smile. Her face, however, remained innocent as she pretended to be the gracious and humble one in the room.
But just as she began to enjoy the fruits of her scheming, Lucas returned. His face was stiff, his usual composure replaced with something more uncertain. He looked around the garden, and Zachary, sensing something was wrong, excused himself from his conversation.
Lucas walked up, but there was something off about his demeanor. The room seemed to pause as the news spread quickly: Lucas had gone upstairs to fetch Yvette but returned without her.
Guests murmured among themselves. “Isn’t he just fetching someone? What’s with that look?” The puzzled expressions spread like wildfire.
Most of the guests, already dismissing Yvette as a mere afterthought, began to assume that she had indeed chickened out—unable to face the grandeur of the event, overwhelmed by the pressure. To them, her absence was confirmation of her unworthiness.
Zachary, still distracted by his ongoing conversation, was now fully aware that something was off. His gaze flickered toward the entrance of the garden. He was waiting for a sign, but nothing came.
