At half past six, Eleanor and Joy handed over their invitations and stepped into the grand foyer.


    They''d barely entered the elevator when, just as the doors started to close, a hotel attendant poked her head in. "Excuse me, someone else needs toe in."


    She turned, smiling warmly at the person waiting outside. "Miss, please."


    Eleanor and Joy were chatting, but when they nced up, Vanessa swept in, elegant as ever in a white evening gown.


    Caught off guard, Vanessa''s surprise was clear-she hadn''t expected to see Eleanor and Joy at an event this formal, this prestigious. What on earth were they doing here?


    Joy shot Eleanor a look that mirrored Vanessa''s confusion. Was Vanessa invited too?


    "What a coincidence!" Vanessa broke the silence first, fixing Eleanor and Joy with a practiced smile. "Are you here for the dinner as well?"


    Joy grinned, her tone teasing. "With a dress like that, Miss Shannon, I''d say you must be performing for us tonight!"


    Vanessa''s expression instantly cooled. There was a sting in Joy''s words, a subtle dig at her background in the performing arts.


    Without a word, Vanessa turned her back on them, radiating icy indifference.


    When the elevator reached the third floor, she stepped out first, her heels echoing across the marble. Joy and Eleanor followed.


    The corridor outside was already buzzing with elegant women in designer gowns, their jewels shing as they mingled and chatted. As Vanessa approached, admiring nces and nods greeted her; she slipped seamlessly into their circle, epted as one of their own. From the far side of the room, Eleanor and Joy seemed invisible, standing awkwardly in a quiet corner, clearly out of ce among the city''s elite.


    Joy watched as Vanessa navigated the group of society wives with practiced ease, her confidence unshakable. "Well, she certainly knows how to y the game," Joy murmured, lips curling in a wry smile.


    Eleanor followed her gaze. Vanessa''s poise was impable, but to Eleanor''s eye, it all seemed rehearsed—every smile measured, every gesture deliberate.


    Vanessa, meanwhile, wore a mask of humility, but her eyes flicked to Eleanor and Joy, alone in the shadows. Satisfaction flickered across her face-she thought, that''s exactly where they belong.


    Eleanor looked away. "Let''s say hello to Mrs. Ellington, then find an excuse to slip out. This really isn''t our scene."


    Joy nodded, regret creeping into her voice. The whole affair felt stifling, far too solemn. She could barely breathe.


    "Agreed. I was thinking the same."


    As the room filled with more and more guests, Joy amused herself by guessing identities. She spotted several female CEOs from the city''s wealthiest families. Leaning toward Eleanor, she whispered, "Honestly, with your worth, you could buy out half these women."


    Eleanor now owned eightpanies, with assets close to eight billion dors- enough to rank among the top three on the list of female entrepreneurs. Yet she kept a low profile, never unting her sess. No one here suspected she was the woman at the center ofst month''s headline-making divorce that had rocked the business world.


    "Let''s just stay under the radar," Eleanor replied quietly. Her outfit tonight was understated: a knee-length blue cocktail dress, her hair curled softly at the salon, makeup subtle and refined. She looked like the picture of quiet sophistication.


    Joy had to admit, Eleanor was right. None of the women here were simple.


    At that moment, Mrs. Ellington arrived, escorted by the hotel manager. She wore a deep burgundy gown thatmanded instant attention the room fell silent as she entered.


    Everyone knew the Ellingtons weren''t just known for their son, the mayor. Their eldest was Secretary of State in Kingston—a family to be reckoned with.