Chapter_17
Chapter 17
“No, not that! That will happen sooner or later,” Alondra scoffed, dismissing the notion with a wave of her hand.
“Then, what is it?” Emmeline asked, eyeing the invitation in Alondra’s hand.
“It’s my niece Alana’s birthday party tonight,” Alondra explained with a sly grin. “As you know, the Lanes always put on a grand celebration. How could we not extend an invitation to you?”
Emmeline raised an eyebrow, the words ringing hollow in her ears. “Oh, is that so?” she asked rhetorically, already suspecting that Alana’s invitation had little to do with genuine kindness.
And she wasn’t far from the truth. Alana had been frantic ever since learning that Adrien was about to propose to Emmeline. If Emmeline married Adrien, the true identities of her three children would be exposed, causing Alana a great deal of trouble. Moreover, Alana had spent years chasing after Adrien, only for Emmeline to step into the picture and capture his heart seemingly overnight. If Emmeline and Adrien were to marry, Alana would be humiliated—an embarrassment among the high society of Struyria.
Alana wasn’t about to let that happen. She had a plan in mind for the party that would remind Emmeline of her place. Once everything was set, Alana had asked her aunt, Alondra, to deliver the invitation personally.
Emmeline, seeing through the manipulation but deciding to play along, smiled brightly. “It’s my absolute pleasure!” she replied, her tone sincere, though her eyes gleamed with a knowing edge.
“Wonderful!” Alondra trilled, clearly pleased with the outcome. “I’ll see you tonight at eight, then. Goodbye!”
Later that afternoon, Emmeline was in the midst of preparing for the party when she heard a familiar voice calling out her name.
“Emma!” She looked up to see her brother, Ethan, and her sister-in-law, Grace, standing outside the gate. Smiling, she invited them inside and brewed them each a fresh cup of coffee.
As they sat down, Emmeline couldn’t help but notice their unusually cheerful demeanor. “Is there some good news?” she asked curiously.
Ethan shifted bashfully in his seat. “Well, since we last met, I took on a big job that netted me a clean profit of over half a million. I’ve also started a small business recently—nothing too fancy, but it pays well. If everything goes well, I should earn around $100,000!”
“That’s wonderful, Ethan!” Emmeline beamed with pride as she poured him coffee. “I’m so happy for you!”
Grace, unable to hold back her excitement, chimed in, “Someone even asked me for an interview recently. They paid me well, and the director even gave me a segment of my own. I was the talk of the town!”
Emmeline’s heart swelled with happiness for them. “What about this interview? Is it another big one?” she asked.
“This time, it’s with a major Struyrian media company,” Grace replied proudly. “They want me to do a live interview segment, and the pay is incredible!”
Emmeline couldn’t contain her joy for her brother and sister-in-law. “I’m so happy for the both of you! How should we celebrate?”
Ethan sighed, his tone softening. “All these years, I’ve always lived in fear of Alondra. As your older brother, I never protected you the way I should have. I regret that deeply, Em.”
Grace added with a tender smile, “We could only do so much. We didn’t always take care of you and your children as we should have. The only thing we could do was earn more money to help you.”
Emmeline felt a lump form in her throat as she listened to their words. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.
“Silly girl, don’t cry now,” Ethan said gently, reaching over to comfort her. “We’re siblings, after all.”
“I know,” Emmeline sniffled, trying to hold back more tears. “I won’t say anything else, or my tears will end up in the coffee!”
After Ethan and Grace left, Emmeline set about preparing for the party. She quickly shopped online and found a stunning wine-red mermaid-cut evening gown for only $99, including shipping. It was a steal in her eyes, and she was determined not to spend a penny more on someone like Alana. If anything, Alana should be grateful that Emmeline had decided to attend her party at all.
At eight that evening, Emmeline arrived at the Lane family villa. The grand party was already in full swing, with hundreds of guests filling every corner of the extravagant residence. The crowd was buzzing with excitement, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Abel and Adrien Ryker, along with their mothers, Rosaline Turner and Julianna Campbell. But there was no sign of them yet.
As Emmeline entered, the atmosphere shifted. She was a sight to behold—her beauty illuminated by the soft lighting in the hall. Her porcelain skin glowed, and the men in the room couldn’t seem to take their eyes off her.
Alana, watching from a distance, clenched her fists in frustration. How she wished she could slap that perfect face right off Emmeline’s head! But she knew better than to make a scene at the party.
Instead, she studied Emmeline closely, and after a moment of observation, she finally saw something she could use against her. Perfect, Alana thought with a wicked smile. I’ll show you exactly where you belong, Emmeline.
