?Chapter 234:


    Elyse hesitated before putting on a fake magnanimous front. “Elena’s spent over two decades away. It’s only natural she’d resent me for growing up with the Harper family’s love and attention. I can understand that… Jolie has always treated me like her own daughter. Now, it feels like she wants nothing to do with me. Karen, I feel so alone. You’re my only true friend. You won’t turn your back on me too, will you?”


    “Don’t say such nonsense,” Karen huffed, her voice firm. “As if I’d ever befriend that rude cousin of yours! Elyse, we’ve been close for over twenty years. You can count on me. I’ll make sure your cousin knows her ce—she has no right to push you around!”


    With that, Karen dialed Theo. She already had a n in mind. Theo was well-liked, and she was certain Elena hadn’t encountered many charming men before. Her idea? Get Theo to reel Elena in, only to humiliate her by tossing her asideter, turning her into aughingstock among the’s high society. But Karen’s perfect scheme hit an immediate snag.


    The moment Theo realized the woman Karen wanted him to approach was Elena, he spun on his heel and walked away without hesitation. His instincts screamed at him—this was a disaster waiting to happen. Luring Elena? Was Karen trying to send him to his doom?


    Before Karen could even react, Theo had disappeared. She stood there,pletely dumbfounded.


    Then, the grand doors of the banquet hall creaked open.


    Wesley stepped inside, his face cold yet strikingly handsome. His towering frame radiated effortless authority, one hand casually tucked into his pocket. Under the golden glow of the chandeliers, his sharp, chiseled features became even more defined—so breathtakingly wless that he seemed almost unreal.


    Wesley’s entrance into the bustling banquet sent ripples of excitement through the crowd.


    The shimmering lights yed upon his features, casting him in the enigmatic glow of a brooding aristocrat straight out of a gothic novel. He moved with effortless elegance that seemed to maize every gaze in the room. The atmosphere thickened with palpable admiration as young socialites, chaperoned by their parents, whispered and giggled among themselves.


    Elena, in contrast, maintained a sereneposure. Her fingers intertwined with Kiera’s, providing silent reassurance as her eyes scanned the room. Suddenly, her gaze halted, caught by Wesley’s piercing stare.


    gα?ησν????s is where imagination thrives


    Even amidst the festive chaos, their eyes forged a silent, electric connection.


    Today, Wesley’s presence felt starkly different—his aura icier, almost distant. His eyes, usually unreadable, now mirrored the chilling touch of winter—detached and aloof.


    Elena’s attention lingered on him thoughtfully.


    Wesley was impably dressed in a ck, custom-tailored suit that entuated his statuesque frame. His tie was knotted perfectly at the neck, the top button of his crisp shirt secured, emphasizing the lean curve of his neck and the subtle bob of his Adam’s apple with each breath he took.


    The whole ensemble highlighted hismanding presence, making him appear even more unreachable than before.


    Elena’s eyshes fluttered as she nced downward, her gaze tinged with a mix of admiration and reluctance. Wesley embodied the essence of leadership. Even in his formal suit, there was something irresistibly captivating about him, stirring a wild urge to both yield to him and tear that suit to shreds.


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