Mark leaned in, a sly grin on his face. "Whoever marries into the Hamilton family would be a blessed man. Our families are wealthy, but nobody can compare to the Hamiltons. Well, one family can, but they kicked their son out." "You mean the Duncans? I heard their son left on his own when he was 18," David inquired, his voice icy and controlled. "Anyway," Mark continued with a hint of sarcasm, "your personal taste has certainly improved. From your fragile ex-wife, the servant's adopted daughter, to a billionaire heiress." David's cold gaze sent a shiver down Mark's spine as he clenched his jaw at the mention of his ex-wife. He took another sip of the neat whiskey to maintain his composure. "I'd rather you not mention Kate's name." Mark raised his hands in surrender, unnerved by David's steely demeanor. "Fine. In our circle, nobody liked her anyway." David's frosty eyes seemed to pierce Mark’s very soul. He suspected that Kate had been rejected by his friends due to her low status,
As the event progressed, more and more people began to take notice of Jaxon Steele's presence. He was a well-known actor with a massive fan following, and it was hard not to be drawn to his magnetic charm. Women whispered enviously about his closeness with Sienna, wondering how she had managed to catch his attention when he had never been publicly linked to a woman before. Among those watching them were Eric and Scarlett, Lyra's friends, who had promised to keep David and Sienna apart and cause some trouble for the latter. They were determined to put their wicked plan into motion, but seeing Sienna with Jaxon added an extra layer of motivation for Scarlett. She had harbored a crush on Jaxon for years, and it was incomprehensible to her that he would show interest in Sienna. ‘Why is she the center of anyone’s attention? She is not even that beautiful. I came to this summit for Jaxon, why is he looking at her instead of me?’ Scarlett turned to Eric, her eyes narrowed in determinatio
As the summit participants began to disperse, retreating to their rooms to rest and prepare for the evening's festivities, David Hendrix couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency.He knew he needed to have a private word with Sienna, but their earlier interactions had left him feeling uneasy.Determined to clear the air, he decided to make his way back to the VVIP suite they were supposed to share.Upon entering the luxurious suite, David noticed that Sienna had not yet arrived. As the minutes turned into hours, it became increasingly apparent that she was not coming. Frustration and anxiety gnawed at him as he fought the urge to go searching for her.A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. A hotel staff member entered, carrying a tray of refreshments."Mr. Hendrix," she greeted, "I've brought you some refreshments."David forced a polite smile. "Thank you."As the staff member set the tray down, he seized the opportunity to ask, "Have you seen Ms. Hamilton?"The woman hesitated
Suddenly, Scarlett upgraded Jaxon from a long-time crush to the love of her life."Well, well, well," she sneered, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them. "Isn't this a cozy little arrangement?"Sienna arched an eyebrow, her icy gaze meeting Scarlett's challenge. "What's it to you? We're both consenting adults, and our living arrangements are none of your business."Eric's face twisted into a smug grin. "Oh, I'm sure the press will be interested to hear about this little development."Jaxon stepped forward, his voice laced with disdain. "You two really have nothing better to do than meddle in other people's lives, do you? Pathetic."Scarlett's face flushed red with anger, but she quickly regained her composure, her eyes narrowing. "You think you're so clever, don't you? Just wait until everyone finds out about this. You won't be so smug then."Sienna regarded her coolly, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "You underestimate me. Go ahead and tell whoever you like.
David's heart clenched, and his mood turned even more sour. His voice was icy, the anger simmering just below the surface. "Why are you telling me this, Lyra? What do you hope to achieve?" She was taken aback by his cold tone. "I... I just thought you should know. It seemed important." He gritted his teeth, his anger boiling over. "You know what's important? The fact that I know you're behind Eric and Scarlett's bullying of Sienna. You think I don't know what you're up to? I'm not blind, Lyra." Her voice trembled, and she stuttered in her surprise. "I... I don't know what you're talking about, David." "Don't play dumb with me. You've gone too far this time," he snapped, his voice like ice. "I'm warning you. Stay away from Sienna and stop trying to manipulate the situation. We are here to work and your games are an embarrassment for Hendrix Technologies." With that, David hung up the phone, leaving Lyra in stunned silence. He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure, an
Mark sauntered over to Sienna, a sly grin on his face. Unaware that she was David's ex-wife, he only saw her as the Hamilton billionaire heiress.Sienna recognized Mark instantly – he had treated her like trash when she was married to David, looking down on her because she was the adopted daughter of David's servants.'What is this insufferable being's plan? Let's find out!' she thought to herself.Despite her hatred for him, Sienna decided to play his game to see what he wanted."Good evening, my beautiful lady," Mark said smoothly as he approached her, his voice dripping with charm. "May I have the pleasure of this dance?"She looked at him, her eyes glinting with mischief. She glanced at Jaxon, assuring him that she'd be fine and tacitly warning him not to interfere.Then she put on an innocent act and replied, "Why, of course. I'd be delighted, Mr.…"“I apologize. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Mark Thompson.”“Sienna Hamilton.”As they moved to the dance floor, Mark's arm snaked
'How can he be so shameless? Was he always like this? Was I blind all my life?'"I didn't mean it like that," he stammered, trying to make an excuse."Yes, I did move to Jaxon's suite. Why does it matter to you?" she snapped, her eyes locked on his. "My reasons are none of your business."David's heart sank, and a whirlwind of emotions consumed him – disappointment, jealousy, and a sense of loss. He couldn't quite comprehend what was happening, but he knew that he had overstepped his boundaries."Would it have been better for me to stay with you, an engaged man, rather than with a bachelor?" She challenged, her fury at his audacity reaching its peak.He did not dare to respond.“You can blame your fiancé for not having a reservation of my own.”As the song drew to a close, Sienna abruptly pulled her hand away, leaving David standing alone on the dance floor, his thoughts racing and his heart heavy.He watched as she walked away, the distance between them growing with each step she too
David wearily made his way out of the festivities room, feeling drained and emotionally exhausted from the evening's events.As he walked, a waiter approached him with a tray of wine glasses. David recognized his favorite vintage, a Château Lafite Rothschild, and eagerly accepted the glass.The rich, exquisite taste provided a small measure of comfort, and he downed the wine in one go.Heading straight to his room, David barely had the energy to kick off his shoes before he collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep almost immediately.The morning sun streaming through the curtains woke David with a start. Groaning, he looked at the clock; it was already 8 a.m.He had a splitting headache and was disoriented from the sudden awakening. To his surprise, he noticed that he was naked underneath the blanket.‘Damn, it’s already late!’Remembering that he and Sienna had another presentation for the summit at 10 a.m., he scrambled out of bed and prepared to take a shower.As he grabbe