Chapter 4

I arrived at the gala venue early.

As the true heir of the Palmer Group, I needed to familiarize myself with the proceedings.

Ethan and Noreen entered arm in arm.

The moment they stepped in, they became the center of attention.

Whispers rippled through the oblivious crowd.

"Isn't that the Fowler family's daughter? Rumor has it she's the long-lost Palmer heiress."

"Who's the guy with her? They look perfect together."

"Ethan Wilson, I think. Some rising star in finance. He's been making waves lately."

Ethan clearly relished the spotlight.

He stood taller, his arm snug around Noreen's waist, mingling with the elite, laughing and chatting as if he already belonged.

He acted like the Palmer family's son-in-law.

Soon, he spotted me.

When he saw my plain outfit, a flash of disgust crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by a fake smile.

"Julissa, why'd you show up dressed like that? Didn't I tell you to look presentable?" His voice dripped with reproach.

"I think this is fine."

"Fine? You're completely out of place here! You're embarrassing me!"

I didn't respond, just looked at him calmly.

My gaze made him uneasy, but he quickly regained his confidence. "Whatever. Stay here and don't wander off. Don't cause me any trouble."

With that, he turned and hurried back to Noreen's side.

Noreen shot me a triumphant smile before linking arms with Ethan and gliding toward the center of the venue.

Halfway through the gala, my dad, the chairman of the Palmer Group, took the main stage.

He cleared his throat and picked up the microphone. "Good evening, esteemed guests and friends from the media. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend the Palmer Group's anniversary celebration."

The crowd erupted in warm applause.

My dad paused before continuing. "Today, beyond celebrating our thirty years, I have a very important announcement to make. It concerns my family and the future of the Palmer Group."

Every eye in the room locked onto him.

Camera flashes went wild.

Noreen's face showed just the right mix of surprise and subtle coyness, as if she were destined to be the Palmer heir.

Ethan took a deep breath, like he'd made a monumental decision.

He let go of Noreen, strode through the crowd, and grabbed a spare microphone from a staff member.

The room buzzed with shock.

My dad frowned from the stage.

Ethan didn't care.

He stood on the opposite side of the stage, facing my dad. "Chairman Palmer, please allow me to interrupt."

The crowd fell silent, curious about this bold young man.

Ethan's gaze cut through the room, landing squarely on Noreen.

"Noreen," he began, his voice trembling with emotion, "I know you've been testing me. You pretended to be an ordinary girl, staying by my side to see if I'm just some gold-digger. Now, I can give you my answer. I've never loved your status or the Palmer Group's wealth. I love your kind, pure soul!"

With that, he dropped to one knee in front of everyone and the media.

He pulled a velvet box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a massive diamond ring. "Noreen, marry me! Let's lead the Palmer Group together and build an even brighter future!"

All eyes darted between Ethan, Noreen, and my dad.

Noreen's face lit up with uncontainable glee.

She lifted her gown and stepped toward Ethan like a proud princess, reaching for the ring that symbolized her "victory."

Just as her hand neared the ring, a cold scoff rang out from the stage. "Young man, have you gotten something wrong?"

Ethan's smile froze.

Noreen's outstretched hand stopped in midair.