Chapter 71
The hall returned to its usual rhythm, the previous tension fading as people interacted as if nothing had happened. Privately, however, whispers and mockery about Giselle spread.
Marcus took Cordelia’s hand and led her onto the dance floor. Though she wasn’t an expert, with Marcus guiding her, no one could tell. The applause that followed their dance only added to the warmth of the moment.
Meanwhile, Giselle stood shaking with anger, and Yelena glared at her.
“Useless!” Yelena hissed.
“Yelena, you—” Giselle started, but was quickly interrupted.
“Don’t call yourself a socialite if you can’t handle a man like Marcus! How can you be so cowardly?” Yelena’s frustration was clear. “What are you, if not useless?”
Giselle pressed her lips together, clearly agitated. She had planned to humiliate Cordelia, but instead, she had been the one embarrassed. When she had first met Marcus, she had been attracted to his tall, handsome stature, but when he spoke about his violent past with a smile, the cold darkness in his eyes had terrified her. The chilling aura he exuded had sent a shiver down her spine. What had she been thinking, trying to seduce a man with such a dangerous past?
After a moment of silence, Giselle spoke again. “Yelena, we can still turn this around.”
Yelena continued glaring at Cordelia, who was now further away. “What’s the plan?”
“Any method, as long as it humiliates Cordelia, right?” Giselle spoke in a hushed tone. “Her man’s past is full of shame, but your man is different!”
Yelena paused, a curious expression crossing her face. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t you have a photo with Mr. Z Hamerton?” Giselle asked, scrolling through her phone. She found the photo quickly and showed it to Yelena. “Look at this! You sent it to me at the Hamerton’s dinner, remember? This is Centrolis’ Hamertons! How many people at the dinner tonight have been there? You’re the only one.”
Yelena’s expression changed as she saw the photo, and Giselle continued with excitement. “Just wait. I’ll make sure Cordelia gets what’s coming to her. She’ll be embarrassed!”
Before Yelena could stop her, Giselle was already on her way.
As the evening progressed, Cordelia finished her networking and caught Marcus’ eye. They shared a smile.
“Want to go?” Marcus asked.
“Mm.”
Cordelia had never enjoyed crowded events, and Marcus, knowing this, had already planned their escape. He pointed toward a door on the side of the hall. Cordelia, ecstatic, took his hand, ready to slip away. But just as they were about to leave, a laugh rang out behind them.
“Sigh, what’s the point of looking good like Cordelia’s husband? Someone with a criminal record is tainted wherever he goes!”
Cordelia froze. Marcus, noticing her discomfort, placed an arm around her shoulder and smiled, silently urging her to ignore the comments. Yet, the voices kept reaching her ears.
“That suit looks decent, but it’s not like he’s a prince in a royal gown! Hah, Cordelia’s nothing like her sister… See, her sister, Yelena, has even taken a photo with Mr. Z Hamerton!”
Marcus couldn’t help but frown slightly when he heard this.