The spotlight pierced through the crowd, illuminating Vivienne as she elegantly approached to the stage, her hand lightly resting on Cedric's arm.Upon reaching the stage, Cedric graciously accepted the diamond necklace he had generously bid on."Mr. Carlson, thank you for your generous contribution to charity. This diamond necklace is now yours," Mr. Church announced.The necklace sparkled subtly under the lights, radiating understated elegance.Vivienne could not hide her excitement at the thought of him placing the necklace around her neck."How envious we all are of Mrs. Carlson. Even a modest necklace would seem priceless if Mr. Carlson were to put it around our neck," the women in the audience whispered amongst themselves, their words filled with a mix of envy and admiration.However, Cedric appeared disinterested in their comments, his sharp gaze scanning the crowd for someone familiar.Mr. Church then announced, "Next, I'd like to invite the CEO of Paramount Inc., Helen,
For five years, he had meticulously carved the piece, every stroke embodying his longing. And now, at last, it lay in her hands."Speaking of this carving, it’s actually a creation of Mr. Carlson," Mr. Church almost revealed too much, his gaze briefly landing on Vivienne's ashen face. He decided against divulging more, feeling some ties were not so easily broken.The audience was astonished.'Cedric crafted the wooden carving? Its sentimental value alone makes it priceless!'While the crowd lamented not bidding on it, Sophie casually toyed with the carving. Suddenly, it slipped from her grip and shattered on the floor.The room fell silent."Oh dear, I couldn’t hold onto it. What a shame, wasting Mr. Carlson’s effort." Her feigned regret thinly veiled her true emotions. The carving’s destruction seemed insignificant to her.Cedric’s pupils constricted, but he remained composed. He lightly commented, "That slip cost 4 million.""So what?" Sophie retorted coldly. "It seems that e
Vivienne's heart stung from Sophie's words, and she struggled to maintain her composure. She forced a smile on her pale lips. "Whether or not I'm officially part of the Carlson family doesn't matter. As long as Cedric loves me and I am the one by his side, that’s all I need."Sophie expected such a response, her red lips curling into a slight laugh. "Exactly, like this necklace. I didn't want it, so it's defaulted to you."Every word from Sophie felt like a deep cut to Vivienne. Everyone had witnessed her longing for the necklace, anticipating Cedric to give it to her. However, Cedric's decision to offer the favored piece to Sophie first was akin to a direct slap in Vivienne’s face."Mrs. Carlson seems unwell. Should we take her to the hospital?" Sophie's tone dripped with sarcasm as she turned away, leaving Cedric without a glance at Vivienne.Sophie Luxford was the one and only Mrs. Carlson.Amidst the bustling crowd, Vivienne sensed the spectators' disdain, fueling her desire f
Sophie was taken aback by Austin’s invitation to dance in front of Cedric. She hesitated for a moment before accepting.As they moved to the dance floor, Cedric watched them intently, his mood visibly darkening. In an unexpected move, he reached out and pulled Vivienne into the dance floor, following Sophie and Austin.The melodious music framed the elegant dancing of the two couples, yet the atmosphere was anything but relaxed. The complex relationships among them—Cedric’s former wife and his current partner, entwined with the eldest Carlson heir—transformed the dance into a display of complicated emotions.Halfway through the song, Cedric let go of Vivienne and approached Austin, who casually declined the implicit invitation with a shake of his head. Feeling awkward, Vivienne was about to return to Cedric when Sophie unexpectedly took her hand."Ms. Kerrigan, how about I accompany you for this dance?" Sophie suggested.Caught off guard, Vivienne attempted to withdraw but found h
"Yes, I’ve always known where Sophie was. I was the one who saved her from the sea five years ago," Austin confessed, his tone unusually stern and cold. "The Sophie you knew, Cedric, was destroyed by you and Vivienne. The woman she is now is different. She's a woman you don't deserve," he added.If not for Austin's vigilance against Vivienne’s actions, arranging for someone to be ready, Sophie would have died in the cold sea.Cedric's eyes hardened as he recalled that fateful day from five years ago, a mix of pain and unspoken emotions evident. He gazed at Sophie, who sat nearby with calm composure, and spoke in a deep, commanding voice. "As long as she remains the same person at her core, she is my wife, your cousin-in-law. It's not your place to judge whether I deserve her or not."Austin met Cedric's gaze with an equally cold look."Time will tell," he replied.Sitting by the fountain, Sophie noticed Austin approaching and glanced at Cedric, who stood alone. With just one loo
"Mrs. Carlson, are you okay?" an onlooker asked Vivienne, who emerged from the fountain looking disheveled. Her plan to humiliate Sophie had backfired, drawing attention to herself instead.Barely controlling her fury, Vivienne feigned injury and distress. "Ms. Luxford, you already hurt my ankle while dancing. Why did you push me into the water?""I was sitting peacefully when you pushed me in," Sophie retorted. Her disheveled appearance was evident as she climbed out of the fountain, appearing more distraught than Vivienne."I would never push you!" Vivienne cried, her voice breaking.The crowd watched, absorbed by the drama unfolding between the current and former Mrs. Carlson.-In the restroom.Sophie faced the mirror, Cedric entering shortly afterward."Since when does Mr. Carlson frequent women’s restrooms?" Sophie mocked, applying her lipstick.Ignoring her comment, Cedric approached and grabbed her arms. Sophie's heartbeat quickened but then steadied. She looked at him
Upon noticing Cedric, Vivienne quickly wiped away her tears, yet her pitiful look had more impact than her crying.Cedric frowned upon seeing her drenched. "What happened?""I was looking for you after resting. As I passed the fountain, Ms. Luxford grabbed me, and I fell into the water," Vivienne fabricated. "She might have felt uncomfortable seeing us together. Earlier, while dancing, she deliberately tripped me. She probably pushed me into the water to vent her frustration."The crowd, sympathetic to Vivienne’s story, whispered and speculated about the strained relationship between Vivienne and Sophie."Mrs. Carlson, I was in the restroom the entire time. When did I push you into the water?" Sophie’s mocking tone came from behind the crowd, surprising those who had assumed she was the one in the fountain.'If Sophie is here, who is the woman in the fountain?!'Vivienne widened her eyes, staring in disbelief at the approaching Sophie. Her heart skipped a beat. 'How could this be
Vivienne clenched her hands tightly under the coat as she bit her pale lips. 'Both he and Sophie haven't pulled their punches today when it came to taking revenge on me!'As soon as Cedric finished speaking, Evander approached and glanced at the disheveled Vivienne in surprise before whispering, "The nanny from the villa just called and said that your son is missing."Upon hearing this, Cedric's previous cold face immediately turned stern. 'Tristan is missing?'Vivienne regained some of her rationality and pulled Evander's arm. "How could Tristan go missing?""I don't know either, Ms. Kerrigan. The maid claimed she had called you several times but couldn't get through, so she called me instead," Evander replied.Sophie smirked mockingly. She suddenly had no desire to stay any longer, so she turned around and walked toward the villa.Cedric frowned and glanced in the direction she had walked toward, and his jawline tightened. "Go and find him.""Yes!" Evander responded instantly.