Chapter 26
Chapter 26:
Paulina promptly relayed Cole’s message. “Mr. Evans has said that as his wife, you’re not just attending a party. You’re representing him. That means you should carry yourself with the kind of presence expected from the wife of the richest man in the city p>
That pulled a subtle smile from Elliana. For someone like Cole to care about outward appearances seemed laughable, especially since he’d chosen her, a plain Jane in the public’s eyes due to the horrible makeup she had deliberately painted herself with. This message was clearly his way of persuading her to wear the necklace, probably worried she’d be underestimated at the banquet. Still, she could see the thought behind it.
Once Paulina noticed Elliana’s reaction soften, she stepped closer and asked, “Mrs. Evans, would you like me to help you put it on p>
“Sure,” Elliana replied with a faint nod.
With a careful touch, Paulina picked up the billion-dollar necklace as if it were made of spun glass and gently clasped it around Elliana’s neck.
Though Elliana’s dress didn’t boast vivid colors or daring cuts, it was refined. The tailoring hugged her figure just right, and the fabric shimmered subtly under the light. With the necklace resting against her collarbone, she looked striking in an understated, unforgettable way.
Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for the shocking makeup that clashed harshly with everything else.
Paulina had been about to pay Elliana a compliment, but once her eyes landed on Elliana’s face, she swallowed her words.
Paulina stated, “Mrs. Evans, breakfast is ready downstairs. Hugh will take you to the banquet afterward p>
Reaching for a lace shawl, Elliana draped it around her shoulders, letting it fall just enough to cover the glittering necklace. “Isn’t Hugh usually with Cole? Why isn’t Hugh in Valland with him p>
“Mr. Evans only brought Myles and Aron with him this time. Hugh and I stayed behind to assist you. If there’s anything you need, we’re here,” Paulina replied.
ᴹᴼᴿᴱ ᵁᴾᴰᴬᵀᴱˢ ᴵᴺ
Elliana paused.
Everyone knew the Fletcher siblings weren’t just employees—they were Cole’s inner circle. Paulina, the oldest, had a calm, no-nonsense demeanor and ran Cole’s household like a fortress. Myles, her brother, had a mind like a steel trap and served as Cole’s most trusted advisor. Aron and Hugh, the younger two, were trained in close combat and handled everything from tight security to high-stakes confrontations. No matter where Cole went, the four were never far behind. But this time, he had left Paulina and Hugh at home. For Elliana.
Once again, Elliana found herself thrown off balance by Cole’s thoughtfulness.
After finishing her preparations, Elliana left the Evans family’s estate in a car, with Hugh behind the wheel.
Elliana’s arrival at Ublento Hotel was quiet and unannounced. But the moment she stepped into the hall, she ran straight into someone she would have rather avoided—Vivien Hudson.
Vivien, Raylan’s sister, had always idolized Paige and had never passed up a chance to tear Elliana down. And now, with the engagement party in full swing, Vivien was already spoiling for a fight.
“Elliana? This is Raylan and Paige’s engagement party. What on earth are you doing here?” Without even giving Elliana a chance to speak, Vivien jumped straight to accusations.
“Don’t tell me you’re still clinging to some fantasy about Raylan. For Christ’s sake, this is his engagement celebration, not your personal sob story. He’s completely obsessed with Paige. You? He finds you repulsive, so scram p>
With Vivien’s outburst, a crowd began to form as onlookers gathered to see the scene play out.
Picking up on the attention, Vivien said, growing louder as she fed off the whispers around her, “Are you ignoring me on purpose, Elliana? If you don’t leave, I swear I’ll get security to drag you out myself.” Her threats gave the onlookers something to chew on. Murmurs spread like spilled wine across a white tablecloth.
“Isn’t Elliana married to Cole, the richest man around? What’s she doing at Paige’s engagement party, acting like she’s here to wreck the whole thing p>
“Sounds like you missed the old gossip. Elliana was so in love with Raylan back then that she nearly hurled herself into a river for him p>
“But still, she married Cole. Why would she even glance in Raylan’s direction anymore p>
“Just think about her position. She’s a useless, unattractive woman. How could she possibly hold her place in the Evans family? She probably knows she’s bound to be thrown out someday, so now she’s trying to latch onto Raylan. Lenard’s fond of her and could back her up p>
“Exactly, I’ve heard the same thing. Lenard’s been p>
Pushing Raylan to stick to the engagement with Elliana. If it weren’t for that, she would’ve been out of the picture a long time ago.
“This is going to be gold. A wedding crasher? In public? I’m here for every second of it p>
Completely unbothered by the whispers, Elliana reached into her bag, pulled out her invitation, and waved over the nearest security guard. “I was invited to this event. So why is there a watchdog yapping at me? Is this how you handle security around here p>
“Elliana, you despicable woman!” The insult hit hard. Vivien’s face twisted in outrage as she lifted her hand, ready to slap Elliana.
Kiara, observing from a distance, promptly ordered a security guard to step in. She took satisfaction in seeing Elliana being troubled but didn’t want Vivien to mess up Elliana’s supposed attempt to crash the wedding. She had already arranged for someone to secretly capture the scene on camera, fully prepared to turn it into a headline-worthy scandal.
Moving in swiftly, the security guard stepped between Vivien and Elliana. “Miss Hudson, please calm down. This is Mr. Hudson and Miss Jones’s engagement party. Please don’t make a scene p>
Vivien’s fingers twitched, but she stopped herself. With a sharp huff and a glare, she dropped her hand.
Just then, Paige walked into the hall with Raylan on her arm, all eyes swiveling toward the newly arrived couple as if the earlier tension hadn’t existed.