5
Everything went smoothly.
Dressed in a freshly tailored gown, I stepped into the gala. Some friends came over to offer their condolences. I paused, then simply said, “I’m fine.”
Suddenly, a murmur rippled through the crowd nearby. We followed the sound–Julian, in a dark, tailored suit, looked languidly charming, a faint, languid smile play- ing on his lips. Seraphina clung to his arm, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous charm.
Ah… I thought Julian meant he’d be ‘with‘ Seraphina. Turns out, he meant escorting her to this gala, My gaze fell on Seraphina’s gown. It was the exact same design and cut as mine. When I ordered mine, I was told it was the only one of its kind in the store. Seraphina’s… was it custom–made overnight?
Julian was clearly intent on humiliating me.
Sure enough, the moment Seraphina saw me, her expression shifted. She bit her lip and whispered something to Julian, who then unhurriedly looked in my direction. Seraphina minced her steps, rushing toward me, her aimond eyes glaring. “Are you deliberately wearing the same thing as me?! You don’t seriously think that will
make Julian look at you, do you?!”
Hearing the commotion, the scattered guests at the gala began to gather. My friend gasped, “Don’t talk nonsense…”
Seraphina scoffed. “You’re just jealous Julian treats me so well! Your tactics are disgusting, and you don’t even look as good as I do in it.”
My friend muttered, “She looks better than you.”
Seraphina, infuriated, rushed back to Julian and shook his arm. “Julian, look at them!”
Julian’s eyes were pools of darkness, his gaze lingering on me for a long moment. Then, he curved his lips into a smile.
The bullet comments suddenly exploded:
[Ahhh, Julian’s smiling! He thinks Ellie looks better!]
[Sure enough, eyes are the most honest. Hehe, Julian and Ellie forever! I’ll bet a bag of sunflower seeds.]
[But wait… Julian’s about to push Ellie to her breaking point, so she’ll obediently, pitifully go begging him. And later…]
! was still puzzling over the last comment when someone spoke from a raised platform. Everyone looked. It was the Blackwood family’s accountant, a knowing
smile on his face.
“Young Master Julian has instructed that Seraphina will henceforth receive thirty percent of the profits from his holdings, în addition to three country estates outside
the city.”
The entire room gasped! My gaze shot up, disbelieving. The Blackwood family’s wealth was legendary; I didn’t know the exact sum, but thirty percent–enough to secure Seraphina’s lavish lifestyle for three generations. He was bestowing it upon Seraphina. And he was having it announced publicly, at this very moment.
The bullet comments swirled frantically:
[Here it comes, the Mad Heir’s signature move! Poor Ellie is being publicly shamed and mocked. She’ll have to go begging Julian now!]
[Yes! Then Ellie will be helplessly bound to Julian, endlessly exploited… so tantalizingly dark.]
[Ellie, what are you still holding onto?! Julian loves you so much, just slap Seraphina, then cling to Julian, acting sweet and obedient.]
Ignoring everyone’s mocking, expectant gazes, I walked, step by slow step, toward Julian. His eyes followed me relentlessly. I reached him. He lowered his gaze, a subtle curve playing on his lips. I curved my own lips, and words rolled, one by one, from my throat:
“I’ve filed for divorce. The papers should be on your desk soon. As for the alliance with the Hayes family, you can decide its fate yourselves. I’m out.”
