Chapter 59
As Shawn entered, his eyes instinctively searched the ballroom for Elaine. But she was nowhere to be found.
A sense of unease settled in his chest. He had remained silent, as if burdened by a heavy weight that had accumulated over the night.
He had long known about the plan to make Elaine appear foolish at this charity event. Letting her play second fiddle to Bianca seemed harmless at first–after all, Bianca had always been the more striking one.
Elaine serving as Bianca’s foil didn’t seem inappropriate; they were family, and there was no need to make a fuss. Besides, this wasn’t the first time things had gone like this. The whole point of having Elaine appear this way at the charity event was to help Bianca and Finley move forward with their marriage
Bianca and Finley were clearly in love. And Elaine had even openly said she wanted to break off her engagement with Finley. So, what harm was there in letting her cooperate, giving, Bianca an opportunity to shine and helping her secure a place with the Scott family?
But when Tucker had screamed, “You pushed her into the mud,” the words had hit Shawn like a hammer. The force of them had shaken him to his core, making him question everything.
He admitted, he had frozen for a few seconds, unable to comprehend what had just happened, yet there had been no time to process it.
Elaine, to him, had always seemed capable of handling things. But now, the reality of the situation seemed far crueler than he had imagined.
He had never considered whether Elaine could endure such bias, such cruelty, especially since Bianca had always been the “preferred” one. It was a question Shawn had never even entertained until now.
And so, for the first time, he found himself worrying about Elaine, afraid that the comparison to Bianca–the same dress–would mentally and emotionally harm her.
He knew how bright Bianca was. Even the most confident person might find themselves overshadowed by her natural brilliance.
Today was definitely going to be Bianca’s day to shine, while Elaine…
Shawn’s eyes darkened with uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Trevon seemed far more relaxed. He had spent the last few years running around the world helping Tucker with research, so he wasn’t particularly invested in the family drama.
“Have you seen Elaine?” Trevon asked nonchalantly.
Elaine had certainly stirred things up at home lately. Oddly enough, she was still standing strong and unscathed. If this had happened a few years ago, she’d have been silenced by Shawn by now, but now, she had his respect.
Shawn shot him an annoyed glance but didn’t reply. Trevon had a knack for bringing up the wrong topics at the wrong time.
None of the three men knew much about what had happened in the ballroom, but the women around them were buzzing with conversation, gossiping about the scene that had just unfolded, casting sidelong glances toward Tracy, who had just entered.
There was no mistaking it–Elaine did not look like someone raised by a scavenger.
Her poise, her refinement, and her beauty were impeccable.
What was even more surprising was how she had managed to overshadow Bianca, making her look like she had been eclipsed.
Tracy caught a few of the glances and immediately felt the discomfort in the air.
“Isn’t that Tracy?” One of the well–dressed women, draped in a white shawl, walked over with a curious smile.
“You’re not with your daughter?” she asked, genuinely intrigued.
Tracy felt a little caught off guard, her pride swelling as she responded, “You mean Bianca, right? Finley said he would bring her, so I came with my Two sons instead of with her,”
When Tracy spoke of Bianca, her eyes softened with affection and pride.
Despite coming from a humble background, having Bianca as her daughter had earned Tracy a place in high society. She could now hold her head
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Chapter 59
high, surrounded by women of wealth and status.
“Really?” Armani Benson raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
Clearly. Tracy was biased toward Bianca.
Armant didn’t miss the fact that Tracy hadn’t mentioned Elaine, her neglect of Elaine glaringly obvious.
Armani couldn’t fathom how a mother could treat one daughter with such affection while dismissing the other.
She had heard rumors about Elaine–how she had outshone Bianca earlier–and now she was curious to see how Tracy would react.
“So, you’ve seen my daughter?” Tracy continued, eager to change the subject.
Armani smiled knowingly. “I did, though I heard Miss Yeats goes by Elaine.”
Tracy’s smile faltered, and she forced a response, “Elaine? Oh, she’s also my daughter, but she’s a bit…”
Before she could finish, someone in the ballroom interrupted. “Look!
Suddenly, everyone in the room, including the aristocratic ladies, shifted their attention toward the door.
Something important was about to happen.
Armani glanced at Tracy’s awkward reaction and suggested, “Tracy, why don’t we go see for ourselves?”
“Sure
Outside the ballroom, a middle–aged man stood, beating a large drum with force. The sound was deep and reverberated throughout the room.
It was an announcement–something was about to begin.
The space at the door had been reserved for the charity event, lavishly decorated with elegant seating arrangements.
The socialites, seated in their designated spots, were dressed to perfection, their accessories exquisite.
The atmosphere was grand and captivating, almost surreal
The audience–both the elite in the room and the online viewers–could feel the tension building.
Ingram stood above, observing the scene from the balcony, a smile ever–present on his face.
As the camera shifted, netizens jumped to new discussions.
“Wow, this setup is more luxurious than I expected. The seating arrangement alone looks better than most fashion gala events.”
“What’s happening here? Are we about to witness a show?”
“I swear, this feels like a runway show! I can’t be sure, but it’s looking like it.”
“Wait…. runway show? Could Ingram have even brought in a supermodel for this event?”
“Seriously? If so, I’m all in”
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