Sarah didn't know there would be another party. She let out a soft sigh as her maid helped her into the dress—a delicate blend of light blue and white.
The fabric hugged her in all the right places, simple yet elegant. Her hair was styled loosely, soft curls framing her face, and her natural features shone under the gentle makeup. She looked… stunning.
The maids couldn't help but admire her. Some whispered among themselves, "Master Adam really chose a beautiful wife for himself." Sarah blushed, feeling a mix of pride and nervousness.
As she was guided into the waiting car, Adam was already there, seated calmly, a small box in his hands. His eyes lit up as she approached.
"Open it," he said softly.
Sarah hesitated, then lifted the lid. Inside lay a delicate diamond ring that sparkled brilliantly under the evening lights. Her breath caught.
"Sarah," Adam said, his voice low and earnest, "I love you. Will you marry me?"
Caught completely off guard, Sarah froze. Her mind raced. She had been prepared for surprises, for arrangements, for contracts—but this… this was different. Her heart thumped, and yet, as an author, she knew the answer already.
"Yes," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Adam's smile widened. He slipped the ring onto her finger and leaned in to kiss her gently, a tender promise lingering in his lips.
"Tonight, at the party, I'll announce you as my wife," he murmured, holding her close. "My grandmother will be there too, so brace yourself. You're going to receive a lot of attention… and gifts."
Sarah's eyes widened slightly, a blush creeping across her cheeks. I hope none of them says… get pregnant! she thought, her mind flashing back to Evelyn's words. But at the same time, her heart felt full—her life had changed in an instant, and Adam's love made everything else seem… smaller, manageable.
As the car drove toward the party, Sarah held his hand tightly. Tonight wasn't just a party—it was the beginning of a life she never dared dream of, and yet somehow, she felt ready.
Smith had shown up in a light blue suit — the exact shade Sarah wore — because Evelyn had already made sure he knew what to wear. They had planned the scene. They had rehearsed how the shock would play out.
Or so Evelyn thought.
When Adam and Sarah arrived, hand in hand, everyone paused.
Sarah's beauty was effortless — the soft blue dress, the quiet grace, the ring on her finger still sparkling from Adam's confession moments earlier. She didn't even notice the whispers; she didn't need to. Adam's presence beside her already silenced half the room.
Evelyn's smile froze.
This… looked too real.
She must be acting, Evelyn reassured herself. She can't possibly have won him already.
Smith, however, felt his heartbeat spike. He never wanted to be part of this. But Evelyn's eyes were drilling into him — Move.
So he took the stage.
"Sarah!" he shouted, loud enough that the hall turned.
"How could you pretend you don't know me? We— we had a life together! Look!"
He held out his sleeve.
"The same color. We matched. We were supposed to be—"
His voice shook.
Evelyn smirked, arms crossed, waiting for Adam to explode.
But what came next was not Adam.
A sharp CRACK echoed.
Evelyn's grandmother, Mary King, one of the most respected matriarchs in the business world, had slapped her.
Hard.
The hall fell into silence.
Mary grabbed Evelyn by the hair and dragged her forward, her voice icy.
"You dare to disgrace this family for greed?"
She snapped her fingers.
A projector screen lit up.
Private footage.
Evelyn and Smith.
Laughing. Whispering. Kissing.
Far too intimate.
Far too real.
The humiliation hit like a storm.
Whispers spread like wildfire:
> "So that's why she dresses like that."
"Look at her— even now she's shameless."
"No manners, no dignity."
Evelyn's face burned. She wanted to scream — to deny — to say Sarah was nothing.
But then she saw it.
The ring.
A diamond — elegant, unmistakable — sitting on Sarah's finger.
Her body went cold.
That ring… that means… she's the chosen one.
Mary's voice was low, final:
"Escort them."
The bodyguards seized Evelyn and Smith. No chance to escape. No plea heard.
"Send them to that budget honeymoon hotel they like to sneak to," Mary ordered flatly.
"A month. No return. And if they show their faces again in front of Adam or his wife—"
She didn't finish the sentence.
She didn't need to.
Evelyn and Smith were dragged out, tripping and choking back shock.
Before the doors slammed shut, Evelyn caught one last glimpse of Sarah — standing beside Adam — untouched by all of this.
For the first time, Evelyn understood.
She had already lost.