Stella raised her glass and clinked it against Darcie's. She said, "Thank you, Mrs. Saun." Her smile was friendly, yet it left one wondering if her gratitude was genuine.Darcie returned the smile, her tone kind, "We're family; there's no need for formalities. You're Wenham's daughter and also a kin to Jaylene and me. If you ever need anything, just let me know."Stella nodded and lowered her gaze.After bringing Danny to his seat, Wenham guided Stella to greet the other relatives and friends at their tables.Trevor excused himself for a moment, and Stella was hesitant about following Wenham around. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, she worried about handling conversations. To her surprise, she found little need to speak. As Wenham indulged in a few drinks, he became quite chatty. Stella only needed to greet the people and let Wenham do all the talking.Whenever someone paid her a compliment, Wenham would linger for a chat.After finishing their rounds, they went back to the center
The Hall family owned a lot of businesses in various industries. But with the loss of their daughter in their later years, they found themselves no longer interested in managing them. That was when Wenham stepped in and struck a deal with the Saun family. As a result, all of Freesia's shares fell under his name. Even though Darcie was the primary operator of the company, her stake only amounted to thirty percent, with Wenham retaining the majority.Now that he handed Caline over to Stella, he instantly leveled the playing field for the two of them within the company. Darcie felt a tightness in her chest. She quickly pieced together that this was Wenham's way of expressing his displeasure about the hotel selection and also as compensation to Stella.At the same time, Jaylene's face darkened. She had expressed her desire to be part of Caline's management on multiple occasions, only to be met with Wenham's refusal, citing her health as a concern. Yet, Stella did not even need to ask bef
The room dimmed as Stella, Wenham, and Trevor settled into their seats after descending from the stage. Soon, the soft sound of orchestral music filled the air. Suddenly, the stage lit up, and the backdrop changed. A deep, resonant voice filled the room, and a troupe of performers entered in a precise formation. With the progression of the music, the opera unfolded.Cordelia immediately lifted her head upon recognizing the familiar tune. Once she spotted the performers on stage, she excitedly grabbed Keegan and said. "That's Lancelot Lewie! That's Lancelot Lewie! How is he here? You never mentioned he would be performing!"Keegan gently removed his grandmother's hand from his arm and said, "I can't believe you're fawning over celebrities like a teenager at your old age, Grandma."Cordelia's eyelid twitched. "You little scoundrel. Who are you calling old?" She said. She would have hit him if they were not in public.Cordelia was there to witness the official announcement of Stella b
The man met the curious eyes of the crowd as he approached the table where Stella was seated. Once in front of her, he extended his hand and introduced himself, "Good evening, miss. I am the head chef for tonight, Nathan Turner. I am honored to have prepared this feast for you and your family and friends. I hope the food met your expectations."Stella promptly stood and shook hands with the seasoned chef. "It's nice to meet you, Nathan. The dishes were absolutely splendid. Thank you for your hard work."The chef beamed. "It's my privilege."With a graceful motion of his hand, his apprentices promptly served the dishes from the cart.Nathan elaborated, "This is the special dish I've crafted for you. It's called Bitter Moments to Sweet Delight. I hope your journey ahead mirrors this dish—sweetness will follow after a touch of bitterness.""I can't believe it's Nathan Turner! The heir to the Turner family's culinary legacy, winner of the national Master Chef competition five times in
Michael had turned down the gig with Vermont, even if it meant risking their relationship. He believed he had secured a spot on the Saun family's high-profile event, only to realize he had actually passed up the opportunity to work with the true Saun heiress.He and Vermont had known each other for six or seven years. When they first met, Vermont's fame was nowhere near what it is today. Green Hill Media was just starting to make waves in the industry. Vermont recognized Michael's skills from when he did makeup for his artists. So, Vermont would often reach out to him whenever work was available.Back then, Michael did not have much recognition. He would take on any job, regardless of how much it paid. As his reputation grew, he found that the income of a makeup artist was very different when he was famous. After gaining recognition, the price of his services for A-list celebrities increased many times. He became highly sought after, and outsiders would address him as Mr. Caleb. More
The realization of missing out on an opportunity to work for the true Saun family heiress gnawed at Michael. His face grew pale, and his lips quivered before he managed to speak. "M-Mr. Snyder never mentioned that it was you who wanted the makeup."Stella maintained her smile and her tone. "Once you've made a commitment, you should have the integrity to keep it regardless of who it is, no? Did Mr. Snyder offer you less than my sister did, causing you to change your mind at the last minute? Given your close ties with him, I'm sure he would've understood if you just said something."Michael stood frozen, and his face was still pale. He struggled to answer Stella's prompt.Jaylene pressed her lips together, and she attempted to explain. "Stella, this is most likely a misunderstanding. Mr. Snyder didn't provide a deposit, so Mr. Caleb might have thought that it was a casual mention."Stella turned her attention to Jaylene, and her voice tinged with a hint of irony. "I didn't know that.
Jaylene's face flushed, as she struggled to breathe. The veins on her forehead bulged. Many onlookers were witnessing this situation for the first time, and their reactions were delayed. All the guests were taken aback by Jaylene's distressing condition. Some instinctively stepped back to give her space.Stella frowned. She was prepared to approach and assess the situation, but Keegan had already appeared by her side. Then, he gently restrained her by the wrist. "Don't get too close," he murmured to her.Stella complied, holding her position without moving. The sudden commotion quickly attracted attention. Trevor promptly arrived to disperse the gathering. Witnessing her daughter's struggle, Darcie's eyes reddened. She swiftly embraced her and urgently called for someone to fetch her medicine. Jaylene's symptoms showed no sign of improvement after a few puffs from the inhaler. This caused Darcie to worry even more.Wenham's face was tense at the moment. He comforted Darcie while ins
Leighton's younger brother, Noah, noticed that Leighton stayed behind and let go of his mother's hand. "Dad, I want to stay with Jaylene a little longer," he said.Daryl, who usually found Noah quite obedient, agreed. He then advised Leighton to bring Noah back when he leaves.Leighton did not seem pleased. He glanced at the little one beside him and reluctantly agreed.The Kane family departed quietly without a word, just as they had arrived. The revelation of Stella's status as the Saun family heiress was too shocking. Their main concern now was the potential of rekindling Keegan and Stella's past relationship. With the support of the Saun family, Keegan would undoubtedly have a formidable ally, making it less likely for Chandler to seize control of Vinci Rivera.They needed some time to digest this information. Cordelia and Aurora left with Chandler's family.Soon, the guests gradually departed, leaving very few people. Marshall, who had been quietly observing from a corner, fi