Chapter 18
Miles stepped forward gracefully, giving Heather a polite nod before taking Emily’s hand. Together, they made their way to the dance floor, the center of attention as they began the first dance. The room buzzed with envy as every eye in the ballroom followed their steps.
“Emily, happy birthday. You look stunning tonight, Miles whispered in her ear, his hand resting gently on her slender waist. pulling her close.
“Thank you…” Emily blushed faintly, lowering her guze as she flashed a shy smile. But she kept a small distance between them, a subtle but deliberate gesture.
Miles couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed between them after that charity auction. Emily seemed distant, more reserved, but he couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination or something deeper.
After the dance, Owen and Heather took the stage. Owen, holding a microphone, smiled warmly at the guests before thanking everyone for coming. Then, with a proud expression, he invited Emily to join them on stage.
“Emily, your mother and I have a special gift for you,” Owen announced, holding up two sets of share transfer agreements Three percent of Hastings Group shares and thirty–five percent of Sungate Entertainment shares. From today on, you’ll be the first in charge of Sungate Entertainment
Although Emily had already known for days what her father’s gift would be, she played her role perfectly, her eyes wide with surprise as if she had just heard the news. Her expression was one of pure disbelief.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Owen’s neck before turning to hug Heather. Tears welled up Emily’s eyes, giving her the appearance of someone overwhelmed with emotion, though deep down, there was nothing but cold indifference.
For years, she had believed she was only an adopted daughter of Owen and Heather, always insecure and on edge, especially after Ophelia was found and returned to the fold. Emily had been forced to tread carefully, fearful of her position.
in
But once she learned she was Owen’s biological daughter, her feelings shifted from shock to anger, even resentment. She felt that she deserved this and more. After all, she had lived as a foster child for twenty years. She figured that this was only the beginning of what they owed her.
Down below, the other young heiresses in the crowd watched with envious eyes. While most of them were still in college, scraping by on a monthly allowance of mere tens of thousands, Emily was being handed shares in two family businesses. The jealousy was palpable.
Next, Harry and Nathan stepped forward with their gifts. Harry presented her with a limited edition diamond watch, while Nathan gifted her a stunning crystal tiara. When he placed it on her head, it was like a coronation, and Emily stood there, regal, basking in the adoration.
“Emily, this is my gift to you, Miles said as he approached with a dark blue velvet box. When he opened it, the room collectively gasped–it was a five–carat pink diamond necklace.
Emily covered her mouth in astonishment, her eyes lighting up with delight. The crowd was buzzing
“Emily’s so lucky, isn’t she? someone whispered.
“She really is. With such doting parents, two loving brothers, and now a suitor like Mr. Lewis, it’s like she’s won the lottery in life, another remarked.
Miles’s brow furrowed slightly at the word ‘suitor. If it weren’t for the fact that Emily was about to enter the entertainment industry and needed to keep her relationships discreet for now, he would’ve claimed his place by her side publicly right then and there.
He personally clasped the necklace around Emily’s neck, and she felt as if she were floating on air. Everything about the moment felt surreal, like she was on top of the world.
Taking the microphone, Emily stood at the center of the stage, surrounded by her family and Miles. Her voice was sweet, filled with gratitude as she thanked everyone for their love and support. Her eyes shone with a mixture of emotion–excitement. joy, and a touch of something deeper that she kept hidden behind her perfect smile.
Chapter 15
But just as she was speaking, something unexpected happened. The giant screen behind her flickered, and suddenly, it switched to the Everland Hotel security camera footage.
“Huh? What’s going on?” someone in the crowd murmured. “Did the hotel mess up the feed?” Confused whispers spread through the audience, while those on stage, including Emily, continued to talk, oblivious to the silent chaos unfolding behind
them.
The surveillance footage began to roll, showing a woman in a champagne–colored evening gown pushing open the door to a private room. Inside the room, seated in a wheelchair, was a man whose face couldn’t be seen clearly. But even from the slight angle of his figure, it was obvious that he was no ordinary man–his presence was commanding, unmistakably someone of great importance.
Within less than thirty seconds, two bodyguards appeared, each grabbing one of the woman’s arms and dragging her out of
the room.
As she struggled her face came into full view. To the crowd’s shock, it was none other than Emily–the same Emily who, at that very moment, was standing on stage, radiant in her tiara and looking ever so demure.
A wave of gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Emily, sensing something was terribly wrong, finally turned to look at the screen behind her. There, in full clarity, the footage played out, showing her being tossed into the fountain outside the hotel.
Turn it off… Turn it off, now!” Emily’s voice, usually soft and delicate, cracked into a scream, her face twisted with terror.
The hotel staff scrambled to shut off the screen, but it was as if the computer had been hacked–it refused to respond. The video kept playing, much to Emily’s horror.
“Isn’t that the surveillance footage from Everland Hotel? Wasn’t that the same grown Emily wore at the auction two weeks ago? And that man in the room…Could that be Kenneth?” someone in the crowd whispered.
“Wait, what’s going on! Isn’t Kenneth supposed to be pursuing Emily?” another chimed in their curiosity piqued.
“Yeah. I heard Emily’s gown tonight was a lavish gift from Kenneth for a whopping seven million dollars,” someone else added, excitement bubbling in their voice.
“Come on, it can’t be the same grown. The Hastings family doesn’t have the clout to get close to the Sinclair family. Didn’t you see how Emily was kicked out of Kenneth’s private room right after she walked in?” a skeptic shot back, crossing her arms in disbelief.
The hall was alive with hushed conversations and pointed fingers. Emily had always been the subject of envy, but now, with this video exposing her to the world, the snide remarks came in full force, completely unchecked.
The video, captured by the hotel’s surveillance cameras, played on the screen with unsettling clarity.
Unlike the grainy clips circulating online earlier, this angle left no room for denial. Emily’s face was perfectly visible, and the entire sequence played out so smoothly that any attempt to refute it would be futile.
The footage captured every moment–from Emily confidently walking into Kenneth’s private room to the humiliating scene of her being forcibly removed. There was no escaping the truth now that there was this evidence.
The clip concluded with a jarring “Happy Birthday‘ graphic, accompanied by a shower of animated fireworks, turning the moment from celebratory to a cruel twist of fate.
“Who did that? Shut it off, now! Owen roared, his voice booming through the room, while chaos erupted on stage.
Harry rushed forward, yanking the power cord from the screen, but it was too late. The video had already played to the end and the damage had already been done.
Nathan, ever protective, wrapped an arm around Emily and faced the crowd. “Please, don’t get the wrong idea. This video was obviously staged by someone jealous of Emily.”
Heather tried to keep her composure, but her attempt at a smile faltered. “That’s right. My daughter. She would never… she stammered
But in the face of such damning evidence, their words seemed hollow, powerless against the cold truth playing out on the
screen moments earlier
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Chapter 18
Miles stood aside, his expression unreadable as he stared at the distraught Emily. She was still the same woman he had known, but something about her felt foreign as if she had become a stranger overnight.
Ophelia’s words echoed in his mind, “Maybe she’s found someone else, seeing as how useless you are…”
The video left little to question. There was nothing else that could explain why Emily had gone to Kenneth’s private room that night.
Emily noticed the change in Miles‘ demeanor, her heart sinking. She opened her mouth to explain, but he didn’t give her the chance. Miles had already made up his mind, and right now, all he wanted was to leave.
“Miles…” Emily called out in a panic.
But he shook off her hand, storming off the stage without a second glance. Emily, in desperation, rushed after him, oblivious to everything else happening around her.
Just then, a loud ripping sound echoed through the hall, cutting through the noise. Emily froze, horrified as she realized what had just happened–Nathan had accidentally stepped on the long train of her grown, tearing it from thigh to underarm in one
swift motion.
Within seconds, the entire gown fell apart, leaving Emily standing in the middle of the avenue, her body exposed for all to see. Even the color of her undergarments was plainly visible, adding to her humiliation.
“Ah!” Emily shrieked, frantically grabbing at the torn fabric to cover herself. Her tiara slipped from her head, crashing to the floor and shattering into pieces, like the remnants of her once perfect image.
The room fell silent, stunned by the sheer spectacle of it all. Emily, who had just moments ago stood proudly at the center of attention, was now a figure of complete ruin.
